Whether you are traveling two miles to visit a local dog park or headed to a dog-friendly California campground, plan your entire trip on DogTrekker.com and take along the DogTrekker mobile app to locate over 8,000 things to do with your pup in the Golden State.
Few vacations are sweeter on the budget than a family camping trip, and it’s not all about the s’mores. From campfires and hikes to freedom for the kids or just hanging out in lantern light over a picnic-table board game, it’s all about making memories—dogs included.
Wrights Lake
Photo Credit: @lillytheaussie
Almost every public campground in California is dog-friendly, but that doesn’t mean your dog is welcome to hike with you, even on a leash. At most state and national parks, dogs are confined to paved paths, fire roads and picnic areas. If those rules don’t fit your free-roaming style, take heart: There are plenty of other places to camp and hike with your best four-legged friend. Here are two campground-rich areas in Northern California that get the DogTrekker paw of approval. more »
If you like camping and wouldn’t think about taking off for the wild blue yonder without your four-legged companions, consider giving your team an entire, activity-packed week together in the company of other dog-lovers and their pets.
Wild Blue Dog Camp at Lake Tahoe is just what it sounds like: summer camp for you and your dog(s). Held just one week a year (Sept. 3-9 in 2018) on a 33-acre, sandy-beach property between Edgewood Golf Course and Zephyr Cove on the Nevada side of the lake (the facility serves in summer as a 4H camp), Wild Blue offers a full agenda of training in everything from agility and lure-coursing to nose work and doga (yoga with your dog on the beach). more »
Photo Credit: @sir_benjaminchester
OK, let’s face it: the early bird gets the worm—or in some cases, the campsite. Mark your calendar six months in advance and either go online or call at one minute after midnight to snag a summer weekend reservation at these and other uber-popular coastal and lakefront campgrounds. Don’t give up if you can’t get in: cancellations happen, and if you’re flexible and determined, you’ll find an available date. more »
Photo Credit: @colby_1_kenobi
If pit toilets and DIY tent camping in general aren’t your style, you may find your bliss at one of California’s hundreds of private campgrounds. They range from family-friendly KOAs (Kampgrounds of America), with their swimming pools, playgrounds, camping cabins and dog parks; to luxury “glamping” resorts like AutoCamps in Guerneville and Santa Barbara, where DogTrekkers can overnight in shiny Airstream trailers. And there are many choices in between. more »
Photo Credit: @moji_thesamoyed
So you want to go camping this summer but it’s May already, and California’s coastal campgrounds, as well as those at Lake Tahoe, have been fully booked months in advance. Time for some strategy. Here are our tips: more »
Photo Credit: Anybetty's pics (CC)
• California State Parks rolled out a new reservation system, ReserveCalifornia, in August of last year, with new features still being phased in. Users who create a profile can reserve campsites and lodging six months in advance from the date they go online. more »
Photo: Wilson — Helen Woodward Animal Center
Looking for the perfect companion for your outdoor fun? Look no further than this smiley guy. At 5 years old and 60-ish pounds, Wilson here is just the right size for long walks in the country or long snuggles on the couch, both of which he likes. He's a mix of Australian shepherd and Newfoundland, so he's got a big brain, a good work ethic, and just wants to learn the right thing to do so you and he can be pals forever. more »