Dog-passionate Santa Cruz County

DogTrekker.com would like to welcome Santa Cruz County Visitors Council as our latest Paw of Approval partner. As this issue makes clear, one of our favorite California beach towns is also a wine, waves, wilderness and woof™ paradise. Read more.

Dogtrekkers go santa cruzin’

An exuberant canine, outfitted in a jazzy tropical shirt, lounges delightfully in front of a nostalgically designed vintage car. Ideal for pet owners looking for fun and unique activities to enjoy with their dogs. - Dogtrekker

Wilder keeping it super cool in Santa Cruz. Photo by Celeste Cesena.

Santa Cruz County, located on California's Central Coast, 65 miles south of San Francisco and 35 miles north of Monterey, is known for its sun-soaked beaches, famous Beach Boardwalk amusement park, redwoods, and eclectic community. Read more.

Santa cruz county shelters and rescues

Willa and Thea. Photo courtesy Santa Cruz SPCA Thanks to a lot of community commitment, hard work, and creative connections, Santa Cruz County is a great place to be a dog—even if things aren't exactly going your way at the moment, your family needs a bit of help to stay together, or you find yourself homeless. Read more.

Chasing surf with your dog in Santa Cruz County

Photo credit: lostintheredwoods (CC) Santa Cruz County’s curvy coastline is studded with some 29 miles of beaches providing lots of options for DogTrekkers. Fifteen strands are dog-friendly, and one, Mitchell’s Cove, is legally leash-free during daylight hours before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m. Read more.

Things to do with your dog in Santa Cruz County

Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park.

When it comes to things to do with your dog in Santa Cruz County, there’s the obvious (beaches, wineries), and the not-so-obvious—like Byrne-Milliron Forest, a 400-acre Land Trust of Santa Cruz County property managed as a working forest and laced with dog-friendly trails (off-leash hiking for dogs with reliable recall is allowed). Read more.