Pet and dog friendly hotels in Gatlinburg, Tennessee

How much do pet friendly hotels in Gatlinburg charge for a dog?

We hold a stated pet fee for 1 of the 13 Gatlinburg hotels we list (November 2026): Hotel Indigo Gatlinburg Downtown by IHG, at $75 per stay, per IHG's page for the hotel.

For the rest of the list, a missing fee means we have not found one stated, not that the pet stays free. The Gatlinburg Convention & Visitors Bureau advises telling your lodging in advance that you are bringing a pet, which is also the moment to ask what it costs.

Room rates, before any pet fee, run from $55 a night at Motel 6-Gatlinburg, TN - Smoky Mountains to $268 at Hotel Indigo Gatlinburg Downtown by IHG (median $173, November 2026). The one stated fee is at the priciest hotel on the list, and both stated weight limits are at Hilton-brand hotels, priced from $245 and $259 a night.

Which Gatlinburg hotels accept large dogs, cats or two pets?

We hold a stated weight limit for 2 of the 13 Gatlinburg hotels we list (November 2026), and both set it at 75 lb. They are Hampton Inn Gatlinburg Historic Nature Trail, Tn and Hilton Garden Inn Gatlinburg, per Hilton's pages for the hotels. A dog over 75 lb exceeds both. Elsewhere we hold no figure, and no stated limit is not the same as no limit.

Hampton Inn Gatlinburg Historic Nature Trail, Tn is also the one hotel on our list for which we hold a stated yes on cats. It allows up to 2 pets per room, per Hilton's page for the hotel. No other Gatlinburg hotel we list has all three stated answers we hold: cats, a weight limit and a second pet. Pet policies change. Confirm with the hotel when you book.

Are dogs allowed in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

Yes, on a leash, but only two trails in Great Smoky Mountains National Park allow leashed dogs, the Gatlinburg Trail and the Oconaluftee River Trail, per the National Park Service (November 2026).

Elsewhere in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, dogs may go in campgrounds, picnic areas, parking areas and along roads, on a leash no longer than 6 feet. They have been barred from the backcountry since the park was established in the 1930s.

The Gatlinburg Trail runs 1.9 miles one-way from the Sugarlands Visitor Center to the outskirts of Gatlinburg, per the Gatlinburg Convention & Visitors Bureau. The bureau describes it as relatively flat, following the West Prong of the Little Pigeon River. To find the trailhead, drive 1.9 miles from traffic light #10 to the Sugarlands Visitor Center; it starts behind the restrooms.

On the Gatlinburg Trail as anywhere in the park, the National Park Service warns that a dog that chases a bear has a 50% chance of being injured or killed. Keep it from barking at, chasing or cornering one, and never leave it alone in a vehicle.

Since only two park trails allow dogs, the National Park Service points those hiking with a dog to nearby federal lands, including Cherokee National Forest, where developed recreation sites cap leashes at six feet.

What can you do with a dog in Gatlinburg?

The City of Gatlinburg has run the Gatlinburg Dog Park in Mills Park, in the east of town, since November 2021, and says it is open to visitors as well as residents. It has separate fenced areas for large and small dogs, each with a double-gated entrance and room for off-leash play.

Both areas have shade, turf grass, benches and waste bags, with water fountains outside the gates. The city's rules: leash on entering and leaving, pick up waste immediately, supervise at all times, handlers 16 or older, no food or treats, and no aggressive, sick or in-heat dogs.

Of the attractions above town, Gatlinburg SkyPark welcomes leashed dogs on its SkyLift, per its own FAQ (November 2026), while Ober Gatlinburg and Anakeesta do not allow pets.

For meals, an August 2023 post from the Gatlinburg Convention & Visitors Bureau named Fannie Farkle's, Howard's Steakhouse, Tom & Earl's Back Alley Grille and Fox and Parrott among the town's pet-friendly restaurants. The post is dated, so check with the restaurant before you go.

Can you walk a dog in downtown Gatlinburg, and what rules apply?

Gatlinburg's municipal code (Title 10, Animal Control) sets two rules for dogs in town: a dog may not run at large within city limits, and dogs may not defecate on public streets, sidewalks or parks. Each violation carries a civil penalty of up to $500, and the person in control of the dog is liable.

The code also requires a rabies vaccination and a tag showing vaccination and registration. Dogs found at large go to the Sevier County Humane Society Animal Shelter or another shelter the city designates.

Gatlinburg's trolley policies page permits service animals and does not address pets, so ask the driver first. In neighboring Pigeon Forge, pets are not permitted on the Mass Transit trolleys. Flying in, McGhee Tyson Airport near Knoxville lists two relief areas it designates for service animals: outside the lower level exit near the Airport Hilton, and on the concourse past the TSA checkpoint.