Calaveras County: Sip and Swirl Along Highway 4

DogTrekker’s Calaveras County Wine Trail sports 24 listings and growing, with many wineries and tasting rooms situated in or near the hip and happening town of Murphys on Highway 4. Stroll down Main Street, and you’ll be amazed to find more than 20 opportunities to wine-taste with your pup by your side! Read more.

Calaveras County

Calaveras County became known in 1800s for its rich gold deposits—and for a certain jumping frog memorialized in a short story by Mark Twain. Today, it’s a destination for Gold Rush tourists, campers, skiers, hikers and adventure seekers, many of whom wouldn’t think of heading into “them ‘thar hills” without their dogs. Angel’s Camp on Highway 49 and Murphys ?on nearby Highway 4 are the principal destinations in these parts. Read more.

What’s Cookin’ In Calaveras County

Dog looking for dinner in Calaveras County

Any time’s a good time to head up Highway 4 to the hip and happening town of Murphys, but if you can be there in October, so much the better. That’s when the annual Grape Stomp Competition and Gold Rush Street Fair fills downtown streets with vendor booths and lots of people with bewildered dogs on the other end of the leash. It’s probably the first time Duke and Daisy (and maybe you?) have witnessed a bunch of people stomping around in wine barrels, so go figure! Read more.

What and Where is Tri-Valley?

Dog on patio at winery in the Tri-Valley

Three valleys and four cities make up the Tri-Valley region, which away from urban areas is characterized by rolling hills studded with gnarly oaks and sprawling vineyards. It’s less than an hour from San Francisco or Sacramento, straddling the line between Alameda and Contra Costa counties on the “sunny side” of the bay. Dog-friendly hotels, restaurants, wineries and craft breweries abound as you explore the three valleys—Livermore, Amador and San Ramon—from which the region takes its name. Read more.

Do More Along Highway 4

It’s a little off the beaten track, but Highway 4, which climbs into the Sierra through Calaveras and Alpine counties, is a magical place to visit in wintertime. The surrounding national forests offer plenty of places to break your own trail in the snow or take advantage of groomed forest roads.