Blog stories about the best dog-friendly hikes, parks and gardens.

Hiking, Parks and Gardens – can you say happy dog? DogTrekker has you covered with some great stories about the best hikes, parks and gardens for you. Whether you are looking for a quiet stroll through the park or an adventurous hike to a remote location, we have something for everyone. From the great outdoors to urban adventures, we’ve got it all covered. So don’t forget your pup when planning your next adventure – DogTrekker is here to help! Happy trails!

Diggin’ San Diego With Your Dog

In San Diego, it’s a dog’s life when it comes to hiking. Daisy can let loose on the beach or enjoy a quick, natural escape at nearby preserves like Mission Trails Regional Park, where 60 miles of canine-friendly trails spread over 6,800 acres beckon. Read more.

Day By The Bay in Benicia

It’s almost always sweater weather in this snug little community on the Carquinez Strait. And Benicia’s friendly residents enjoy a small-town atmosphere just a hop, skip and jump from San Francisco and a shade over an hour from Sacramento. Read more.

Get a dog-friendly lift at Lake Tahoe

Palisades Tahoe Tram. Photo by Palisades Tahoe.

As anyone coming up to Lake Tahoe from sea level knows, that first day of hiking above 6,500 feet is a pant-inducing endeavor. Read more.

Coastal Cool-Off in Monterey County

If it's coastal hiking that you are interested in, start in Monterey, where you can join the throngs of people and pups out for a stroll on the Monterey Bay Coastal Trail, a paved, multi-use path that stretches 18 scenic miles from Castroville in the north to Pacific Grove in the south, hugging a route once used by the Southern Pacific Railway. The Pacific Grove section is a particular DogTrek Read more.

Yes, you can bring your dog to Yosemite

white dog looking the panorama at El Capitan Tunnel View overlook

In the midst of the Civil War, a visionary President Lincoln signed the Yosemite Land Grant, setting aside the Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias as a scenic wilderness for public use and preservation. Read more.

Dogs Run Free Dog Park

Dogs Run Free is 1.7 fully-fenced acres of beautiful ponderosa pines and scrub oaks, and includes 10 benches for people socializing, too. There is water available in both areas (the large area and the small/shy dog area) and lots of pick-up baggies and garbage cans available for waste control. The non-profit that maintains Dogs Run Free built a pool pad and dedicated wat Read more.

Paws to the (Nice, Flat) Path

Back in the day, Bosco used to love to join you in long-distance runs and near-vertical scrambles up challenging trails. Now, not so much — but he still needs regular exercise to stay healthy, and hey, so do you. So there's a lot to be said for a nice, flat, paved path, with plenty of scenery and sniffing opportunities to enjoy as the spirit (or the scent) moves you. Read more.

Stop and Smell the Roses. Also the Dirt, and the Bushes…

If you're trying to sniff out a place with scents galore for Snuffy, oil-painting vistas for you, and lots of opportunities to explore at your own pace, head for one of California's many dog-friendly botanical gardens. There you'll find easy paths for on-leash meandering, plus inviting picnic grounds, well-placed benches, and photo opportunities galore. Read more.

Take to the Hills Around SLO

The town of San Luis Obispo prides itself on surrounding open space where dog-friendly hiking trails dot the hillsides. The most popular and certainly the most rigorous of day hikes is local landmark Bishop’s Peak, tallest of the Nine Sisters, a string of peaks spanning the 12 miles between Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo. The hike to Bishop’s Peak’s 1,546-foot summit is a 3.5-mile Read more.

Waterfront Dog-friendly Delights in Mission Bay

Hanging out in Mission Bay. (CC) Bhautik Joshi One of the fastest changing parts of the city is Mission Bay, a South-of-Market shoreline neighborhood in the midst of a redevelopment boom. Start this three-mile jaunt at AT&T Park, crossing McCovey Cove on Third Street to reach China Basin Park, a thin strip of green space facing the home of the World Champion San Francisco Giants. On game days Read more.

Places to Play in Golden Gate Park With Your Dog

Golden Retriever in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco

Golden Gate Park is to San Francisco what Central Park is to New York, but oh-so-much better, at least in our dog-centric opinion. Read more.

Livermore: Tri-Valley’s dog park mecca

beagle dog with a bal running in a dog park

Tri-Valley’s newspaper, the Independent, reported that when most cities have one to three dog parks; Livermore boasts a whopping SEVEN dog parks for you and your pup to frolic off-leash. If seven dog parks aren’t enough, dogs are also allowed on leash at Sycamore Grove Park and Holdener Park. Read more.

Rovering around in Palm Springs

Lookin’ fly at the Palm Springs aerial tramway. Photo by A. Aguirregabiria.

Lookin' fly at the Palm Springs Arial Tramway. CC A. Aguirregabiria Blue sky, purple mountains, turquoise pools, nodding palms and lots and lots of sunshine make Palm Springs a winter oasis for everyone from Hollywood celebs to Canadian snowbirds and avowed desert rats. All those demographics include packs of DogTrekkers, who rank Palm Springs one of the most dog-friendly destinations in the state Read more.

Winter wanderings in Lake Tahoe

welsh corgi dog running outdoors in the snow

Whether there’s lots of snow or not a flake at lake level, your pup will appreciate a winter break at Northern California’s favorite playground as much as you will. The wild card is weather, so be prepared to embrace whatever conditions Mother Nature throws your way. Read more.

Walking the wilds of Mendocino

Hiking in the woods. Farley Endeman (CC) A big part of Mendocino County’s appeal is its hundreds of thousands of acres of dog-friendly public lands, which range from sprawling, 913,300-acre Mendocino National Forest and Snow Mountain Wilderness to coastal preserves like the newly designated Point Arena-Stornetta National Monument, consisting of 1,665 spectacular acres on the wild and windswept Read more.

Mendocino’s inland empire

Skunk Train. Photo by Brendan McGuigan.

Many Mendocino County visitors stay glued to the scenic stretch of coastline between Little River and Fort Bragg, but to do so is to miss out on redwoods, wineries, off-the-beaten-path seaside preserves and small, inland towns that extend a warm welcome to travelers with pets. Read more.

Now Wear This!

Person bicycling from a dog's point of view wearing a GoPro

Photo by GoPro.

Ready for adventure. Richard Masoner (CC) What’s the world look like from your dog’s point of view? Get her geared up with a GoPro action camera, and you’ll get a whole new perspective. You’ll need a harness to do the job right. Three popular models—one from Kurgo, one from Orvis and one called the GoPro Fetch—give you the option of mounting the camera on Read more.

Park It Here

Coolling off in the American River. Photo: Sarah Rich Sacramentans cherish the American River Parkway, a shady, 32-mile greenbelt meandering from the Old Sacramento historic district to sprawling Folsom Lake State Recreation Area. This jewel in the crown of the Sacramento County Regional Park System has many access points and offers an unlimited opportunity to stroll and splash with your best fri Read more.

Mendocino’s Beachcomber Motel offers Pet Suites and Dog Park

Beachcomber Dog Park.

The Beachcomber Motel & Spa in Fort Bragg has officially gone to the dogs with their latest addition of Pet Suites and a new, leash-free Dog Park. Read more.

On The Way to Yosemite: North Entrance

Cabo in Groveland. Photo: Doug Pieper Why hurry to Yosemite National Park when the journey can be as rewarding as the destination? The Yosemite Region encompasses four gateway counties, each with its own unique set of attractions. This week we celebrate Yosemite’s 150th anniversary with a look at places and diversions for DogTrekkers to check out along the major highway corridors leading to Read more.