Pet Friendly Road Trip Adventures: Shenandoah National Park

Adventure Awaits with Ammo the DachshundIf you’ve been following along with me on Facebook then you know I went on a super fun road trip last week to some amazing pet friendly locations. Yesterday I shared my first stop along the way, the National Mall, and today I’m going to share my next pit stop, the Shenandoah National Park!

Shenandoah National Park with Ammo the Dachshund

The Shenandoah National Park is over 200,000 acres of protected lands that is home to deer, birds, black bears and more!

Within minutes of pulling into the park I had already seen a newborn deer cross the road in front of us with it’s mom, and if that weren’t exciting enough, you’ll never guess what I spotted next!

Black Bear in Shenandoah National Park with Ammo the Dachshund

Oh yes, that’s right, I spotted a Black Bear! And not just one black bear, but I saw two….one of which had bear cubs with it (unfortunately my camera crew missed that shot!).

And in case you were wondering what I did when I spotted the bear….I just took it all in. No barking, not one peep, because I may have been safely in my car, but there was no way I was going to give that bear any excuse to eat me! I’m no dummy!

Dinner on Skyline Drive with Ammo the Dachshund

After all that black bear excitement I took a breather to eat my dinner overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains on Skyline drive. Best dinner ever!

Skyland Resort in Shenandoah National Park // Pet Friendly // Ammo the Dachshund

After I finished up dinner I checked into my pet friendly accommodations at the Skyland Resort for the night.

Skyland Resort in Shenandoah National Park // Pet Friendly // Ammo the Dachshund

My room for the night was pretty basic, but the views were so breathtaking.

Skyland Resort Restaurant // Pet Friendly // Ammo the Dachshund

Within walking distance of my accommodations was a nice little restaurant that had a pet friendly patio for “to-go” orders. I was lucky enough to eat dinner and breakfast overlooking the blue ridge mountains.

Sunset over the Blueridge Mountains // Ammo the Dachshund

As a bonus there was a nice little bluff that was perfect for watching the sunset from.

Pet Friendly Road Trip // Ammo the Dachshund

After a restful nights sleep it was time to pack up and head out on my next adventure. But before I could hit the road, there was one last thing to do.

Millers Head Trail // Shenandoah National Park // Ammo the Dachshund

Hiking in Shenandoah! The Shenandoah National Park has several trails that pets are not allowed on, so I made sure to hit up one that was, Millers Head.

It had a few nice overlooks of the mountains, and was a relatively shady trail, which was nice on such a hot day.

Pet Friendly Road Trip // Ammo the Dachshund

As I headed out from Shenandoah I enjoyed taking in the scenery along Skyline Drive which runs 105 miles along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Shenandoah National Park. It’s the only public road through the park, and honestly makes a road trip that much better with it’s views!

Skyline Drive // Shenandoah National Park // Pet Friendly

And of course I had to stop to take a few selfies along the way!

Pet Safe Travel // Ammo the Dachshund

The journey ahead to my next destination was long…

Pet Safe Travel // Ammo the Dachshund

…but thankfully my meals came to me!

Make sure you check in on Monday where I’ll share my next big adventure in the Smoky Mountains and visiting the town of Gatlinberg! Ammo the Dachshund // Blog Signature // Celebrity

What do you think your dog would have done had it spotted a black bear like I did?

 

 

Road Trip with Ammo – Hiking Graveyard Fields in Asheville, North Carolina

My pet-friendly shopping adventures last week in Asheville, North Carolina were quite fun, but as much as I love scoping out a good deal, I enjoy being out in nature so much more.

I made sure to do my fair share of hiking while I was in North Carolina, and one of my favorite hikes was the Graveyard Fields and Waterfalls along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Pet Friendly Hiking along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville, North Carolina // Ammo the Dachshund

This particular 3 mile hike led me over bridges, up mountains and through scenic waterfalls.

Pet Friendly Hiking along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville, North Carolina // Ammo the Dachshund

Pet Friendly Hiking along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville, North Carolina // Ammo the Dachshund

Most of the time I led our pack of 6 humans and 2 dogs (me and Trooper), mostly because I’m a natural born leader, and also because Trooper was too concerned with herding our pack into a tidy little group than telling us which path to take (I blame his Australian Shepherd mother).

Pet Friendly Hiking along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville, North Carolina // Ammo the Dachshund

I’m an adventuresome hiker, and took to the unbeaten path when possible – climbing rocks and jumping streams are my kind of fun.

Pet Friendly Hiking along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville, North Carolina // Ammo the Dachshund

Pet Friendly Hiking along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville, North Carolina // Ammo the Dachshund

When we reached one of our waterfall destinations I wasted no time in urging everyone to climb the cliffside and reach the top.

Pet Friendly Hiking along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville, North Carolina // Ammo the Dachshund

It was glorious from above, but I quickly realized the decent down wouldn’t be quite as easy.

Pet Friendly Hiking along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville, North Carolina // Ammo the Dachshund

Not to worry though, because even with my shorter than average legs I’m an excellent climber – not to mention I’m in peak physical shape – and I made it safely to the bottom.

Pet Friendly Hiking along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville, North Carolina // Ammo the Dachshund

I wish I could say the same for my pal Trooper, but he ended up taking the fast track down the mountain over a sheet of ice.

Pet Friendly Hiking along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville, North Carolina // Ammo the Dachshund

Luckily he has spider legs, and quickly recovered after splashing into the water at the bottom. I only wish I had caught it on film, because I probably would have won the grand prize on America’s Funniest Videos.

Pet Friendly Hiking along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville, North Carolina // Ammo the Dachshund

Pet Friendly Hiking along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville, North Carolina // Ammo the Dachshund

3 miles of hiking felt like a breeze to me, and I easily could have done another 10.

Pet Friendly Hiking along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville, North Carolina // Ammo the Dachshund

Mom and Dad promised we’d come back again someday though, perhaps in warmer weather. I can’t wait to return to Asheville for more hiking adventures.

Pet Friendly Hiking along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville, North Carolina // Ammo the Dachshund

At the end of the day it was nice to snuggle up in my blankies at the hotel, it feels good to be worn out, and I did need to rest up, because soon it would be THANKSGIVING!

Check back tomorrow to find out how I spent Turkey Day with my family. Ammo the Dachshund