Best dog-friendly hikes in Santa Cruz County

Photo by Stephen Leonardi.

Henry Cowell is a must. Locals and visitors alike love the beauty of the Santa Cruz Mountains and Henry Cowell has it all. For hikes with the pup, use the main park entrance off Highway 9 and access the Pipeline Trail. Read more.

Enchanted dog-friendly hiking in Santa Cruz

If you’re traveling down the coast, Santa Cruz County is a natural stop-over spot. And Byrne-Milliron Forest is a must-do with your canine companion. Yes, the views are great, but what sets this Land Trust of Santa Cruz County property apart are the sculptures and other works of art scattered about the trail. You’ll see sprites, goddesses and other smile-inducing installations as you walk. Read more.

Hideaway finds in the Santa Cruz mountains

If you appreciate all things organic, mark your calendar for Saturdays and Sundays in September, when the Organic Wine Trail of the Santa Cruz Mountains showcases certified organic vineyards and practices. Of eight member wineries, four have tasting rooms (three of them dog-friendly) with regular weekend hours, while the others are appointment-only. Read more.

Santa Cruz SPCA new forever home

Dog at the Santa Cruz SPCA adoption event

This just in from our friends at Santa Cruz SPCA -- they're building a new state-of-the-art facility, and construction's already under way. Meanwhile, Charlie Chaplin here is looking for HIS forever home. A 6-year-old mini-dachshund boy, he's especially interested in a career as a lap dog where he can show off his talents for snuggling.

Living local in Santa Cruz County

Every time we visit, Santa Cruz County gets more and more dog-friendly. And this year there are several new opportunities to bark about. Tops among them: As of a couple of years ago, dogs have a place to hike with their people at Big Basin Redwoods State Park, where they previously were confined to campsites and picnic areas. The North Escape Road isn’t a trail, exactly, but it’ll do: The former fire evacuation road, surrounded by redwoods, provides for a 7-mile round-trip trek on a paved surface that parallels Opal Creek for much of the way. Read more.