Photo: Grand Portage National Monument

By Brittany North - Boreal Community Media - Updated June 12, 2026, originally posted May 4, 2026

June 12, 2026, update: The BARK Ranger Program at the Grand Portage National Monument has officially launched! Read for more information. 

Original post

If your dog had a bucket list, this would be on it.

This summer, Grand Portage National Monument is rolling out its version of the National Park Service's BARK Ranger Program, inviting visitors to explore one of the North Shore’s most stunning and historic landscapes with their dogs right by their side. Think wagging tails on forest trails, paws padding along the Lake Superior shoreline, and yes, a chance for your pup to earn an official title.

“BARK is an acronym that stands for Bag your pet’s waste, Always keep your pet on a leash, Respect wildlife, and Know where you can go,” said Lead Park Ranger Stephen Veit.

According to the National Park Service, the BARK Ranger Program exists to encourage humans and their pets to have positive experiences in unfamiliar environments. And while the principles of the program are the same across the board, each one is unique to each park. 

The program at Grand Portage National Monument launches in late May or early June 2026, right as the monument opens for the season, and it couldn’t come at a better time. More people than ever are traveling with their dogs, and this program leans all the way in—offering a way to turn a regular park visit into a shared adventure.

And it’s not just a stroll around a parking lot. Dogs (on a leash, no longer than six feet) are welcome to join their humans on the Grand Portage (Gichi Onigaming) Trail, climb Mount Rose for a leg-burning hike with a payoff view over Grand Portage Bay, wander through the Ojibwe Village exhibit area, and relax in picnic spots tucked into the boreal forest. There are a few no-paw zones (like the Heritage Center and historic depot buildings), but overall, there’s plenty of room to roam.

The real fun begins with earning the BARK Ranger title. To make it official, dogs (with a little help from their humans) complete two simple activities from a park pamphlet, such as hiking a mile of trail, reaching the top of Mount Rose for a photo op, or showing exemplary trail manners. It’s part scavenger hunt, part adventure challenge, and entirely a good excuse to spend more time outside.

Finish the tasks, and your dog earns some bragging rights and a custom BARK Ranger sticker, thanks to support from the National Parks of Lake Superior Foundation.

The program has a way of pulling the whole family in, too. Kids who watch their dog “graduate” into a BARK Ranger often decide they want in on the action, heading straight for the Junior Ranger program to earn a badge of their own. It turns a day at the park into something a little more memorable, and a lot more interactive.

The BARK Ranger Program is expected to kick off alongside the monument’s seasonal opening on May 23, with the site open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through mid-October. More details will be available on the park’s website once the program launches.

Until then, consider this your dog’s official notice: adventure is calling.