We are heartbroken to share that the loudest, most boisterous Tail on our adventures has passed away. If you have followed along with us, you’ll recognize our loveable English cocker spaniel Franklin from many park adventures.
Franklin was a force of nature- and out in nature! We adopted him when he was just a year old from our local shelter. He lived to be 14 1/2, not bad for a pupper who came at life full speed, in overdrive!
Franklin loved long hikes, creeks, rivers, campgrounds, other dogs, chew bones, all his beds, and treat toys. He disliked children and strangers.
Parks had to be VERY dog-friendly for Franklin, and he preferred his RV sites to be private.
He was a bit of a handful, but he was also a state park connisseur!
Here are the parks in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia that we found to be the most Franklin-friendly / dog-friendly:
Parker Dam State Park in the Pennsylvania Wilds region is a dog-friendly destination!
Like Franklin, your dog will love rock jumping in the creek, not to mention sniffing the tracks of every other dog who has done the same.
Paired with some side trips to Bilgers Rocks, Doolittle Station, or Punxsutawney, your trip to Parker Dam State Park will rate high with your dogs.
Visit the whole Parker Dam State Park trip report for campground, trail, and pit stop details!
While Franklin couldn’t enjoy the casino or golf course on premises at Rocky Gap State Park, he loved the Lake Trail!
This long loop trail takes you from open areas to woods to private nooks perfect for dog swims.
The enormous campground and quick side trip to Cumberland make this a dog-friendly delight in Maryland.
Franklin and West Virginia had something in common: they were both wild and wonderful!
Maybe that’s why he always enjoyed his time there so much. He was especially fond of Canaan Valley Resort State Park and Dolly Sods.
Not only is the hiking amazing, but the park staff and people of West Virginia are always the BEST. They really understood Franklin’s personality and always reached for pets no matter how wild he was behaving!
While there are plenty of hikes inside the park, your dogs will also love the side trips to Dolly Sods and Seneca Rocks.
Read the entire trip report for Canaan Valley Resort State Park and Dolly Sods Wilderness here.
Thank You
Franklin was such an inspiration and important part of Road Trip Tails. He was an important part off all of our adventures, and he shaped our trip itineraries.
As always, thank you for following along. If you have an overactive reactive dog, please give them a few extra pets from us in honor of Franklin.
