Redding: trail capital of California

All dogs welcome on Redding's Sundial Bridge With 100 miles of trails within 10 miles of Redding’s city center, and many more beyond, it’s easy to understand why Redding is considered the Trail Capital of California. These trails of varying degrees of difficulty, from easy to rolling hills to moderate climbs, have one thing in common - both you and your pups are welcome. Read more.

Redding, your pawsport to adventure 2013

The City of Redding is your DogTrekker-approved “Pawsport for Adventure” in Northern California. In addition to more than 100 miles of dog-friendly trails within 10 miles of the city center, attractions near the landmark Sundial Bridge, and the many recreational activities to be found at Shasta Lake, Redding is the perfect place to stay while you explore the eight-county Shasta Cascade region stretching to the Oregon border. Read more.

Get your butte in gear

With more public lands than a DogTrekker could explore in a lifetime, Butte County is a great place for an outdoorsy getaway with your canine companion. The surprises start in the county seat of Chico, home to Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, a California State University campus and Bidwell Park, at 3,618 acres, one of the largest municipal parks in the country. While the developed Lower Park is home to playing fields, a nature center, a theater and other community facilities, the rougher, untamed Upper Park offers 70 miles of hiking trails and open areas where it's legal to let Fido romp off leash so long as he comes when you call. Read more.

Take a scenic drive or five

Is there anything more all-American than a scenic-drive vacation? The Shasta/Cascade region has 12 designated scenic byways, each with its own intrinsic qualities. The 500-mile Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway, which winds through the least populated part of California, is one of just 21 routes nationwide designated an “All-American Road” by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The routes starts at Lake Almanor, east of Redding in the southernmost reaches of the Cascades, and winds north to Crater Lake National Park in Southern Oregon. Geology and nature are the main attractions, with the white cone of 14,162-foot Mount Shasta showing through the windshield much of the way. Read more.

Make a wake

Hiking isn’t the only way to enjoy autumn in the Redding area. This is a year of extremely low water levels at Shasta Lake (in early September, the lake was at 45 percent capacity), but fishing is nevertheless robust, and it’s great off-season deals are yours for the picking on dog-friendly houseboat vacations. Not up for a big expense? Rent a patio boat or a fishing skiff from Jones Valley Resort or other locations, load up the dog and spend a morning casting a line and looking for bald eagles roosting in treetops along the shoreline. Read more.