Madera County: South entrance (hwy 41)

Dog and person at the Madera County south entrance to Yosemite

The town Oakhurst in Madera County is the main gateway to Yosemite’s south (Wawona) entrance on the Highway 41 corridor winding through the Sierra Nevada foothills from Fresno. A great stop in Oakhurst is Queen’s Inn by the River, a dog-friendly establishment boasting an adjacent winery, the Idle Hour, and a beer garden where, Wednesdays through Sundays, almost 100 wines and craft beers are available for tasting. Also in Oakhurst are Vulture’s View Inn, a B&B popular with DogTrekkers; and the dreamy (and dog-friendly) Chateau Du Sureau, a castle-like destination inn boasting five stars from Forbes and five diamonds from the American Automobile Association. Just over the county line and only two miles from the park’s southern entrance is Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite, a luxury, dog-welcoming establishment in Fish Camp. Read more.

Gotta lake it

Mother and daughter with a dog resting on a pier looking at lake

Summertime and the livin’ is easy…as long as you’re on a lake. Heading up to Gold Country, you’ll find lots of places to dip your paws no matter which road you take. Here are some of our favorite splash spots in the Sierra foothills. Read more.

Roam among giants

Sniffing out redwoods in the Sierras. Photo by Jessica Bay.

We’re all familiar with giant sequoias, those massive, awe-inspiring sentinels of the forest found only on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada. The most famous groves (Mariposa and Grant) are in Yosemite and Sequoia national parks, respectively—and unfortunately, dogs are not welcome on the trails leading through them. Read more.

Madera county (south/wawona) entrance

The gold country’s golden chain highway

Sure, you’ve visited parts of Gold Country. But have you ever driven the entire 330 miles of Highway 49, the historic “Golden Chain Highway?” Considering all the dog-friendly places to see, things to do and history to absorb along the way, we at DogTrekker consider it a Five-Bone route for a road trip. Read more.