Hiking, parks, gardens Blog

Hiking, Parks and Gardens – can you say happy dog? DogTrekker has you covered with some great stories about the best hikes, parks and gardens for you. Whether you are looking for a quiet stroll through the park or an adventurous hike to a remote location, we have something for everyone. From the great outdoors to urban adventures, we’ve got it all covered. So don’t forget your pup when planning your next adventure – DogTrekker is here to help! Happy trails!

Wine time! Paws up for these Mendo wineries

Mendocino County has nearly four dozen dog-friendly wineries along the Highway 128 and Highway 101 corridors. From laid-back Navarro Vineyards in the Anderson Valley to family-owned tasting rooms in Hopland, wine touring with your pup is easy here.

Mendocino County ‘hole in one’

The Madrones in Philo, Mendocino County, bundles a tasting room, wood-fired restaurant, wellness spa, and five pet-friendly guest quarters into one Italian-style compound. Next door, The Brambles offers quirky Victorian cabins in the redwoods.

Portuguese Water Dog wearing a Christmas scarf at winery in the Okanagan Valley in December

Gold Country wine trail

The Placer Wine Trail features 20 boutique wineries in the Sierra Foothills near Auburn. Most are family owned and dog-friendly, including Vina Castellano, where pups are welcome in the tasting room, on the patio, and out by the pond.

Going to the snow? Get a SNO-Park permit first

Planning a snow day with your dog? A California SNO-Park permit gets you access to plowed parking lots at 18 Sierra Nevada locations near prime snow-play areas and ski trails. Day passes are just fifteen dollars.

Briones Regional Park, Contra Costa County, California, USA.

Briones Regional Park, Pleasant Hill’s hidden gem

Briones Regional Park near Pleasant Hill offers 6,255 acres of rolling green hills with panoramic views and off-leash trails. Nearby, the 32-mile Iron Horse Regional Trail follows an old rail corridor through charming East Bay towns.

Lake County dog-friendly campgrounds

Lake County has plenty of dog-friendly campgrounds for summer fun. Private resorts like The Narrows offer full hookups and waterfront access, while Clear Lake State Park has 149 drive-up sites with swimming and hiking nearby.

Tuolumne County invites visitors to ‘wander freely’

Tuolumne County in Gold Country is the gateway to Yosemite, where leashed dogs can walk paved valley paths. Outside the park, dog-friendly lodging and the lesser-known Hetch Hetchy area, which requires no reservation, make this region well worth the trip.

Image from Pumpkins patches and wine, oh my! on DogTrekker

Pumpkin patches and wine, oh my!

October is the perfect time to visit the Suisun Valley between Vacaville and Davis. Vineyards blaze with fall color, pumpkin patches are in full swing, and dog-friendly wineries welcome you and your pup for tastings and bocce.

Silicon Valley through a DogTrekker lens

Silicon Valley hides a wine region in plain sight. The Santa Clara Valley Wine Trail links 34 family-owned wineries near Gilroy, many welcoming dogs. At Kirigin Cellars, bring a tennis ball for fetch between tastings.

Lodging for furry friends and their families

Concord's newest hotel, the Hampton Inn, offers outstanding dog-friendly service just a mile from Todos Santos Plaza. It joins four other pet-welcoming properties in town, and the free Concord Perro Trail guide maps out dog-friendly restaurants, parks, and tap rooms.

Greater Ontario, gateway to the SoCal experience

Greater Ontario is a pet-friendly gateway to Southern California adventure. With affordable hotels, free parking and easy access to lakes, deserts, vineyards and the Pacific Ocean, it's the perfect base for exploring SoCal with your dog in any direction.

Go stroll (safely)

Beat the GOCAL summer heat by walking your dog during cooler morning and evening hours. Ontario Town Square, the Claremont colleges, San Antonio Creek Trail and Haven City Market offer shaded, scenic routes for safe warm-weather strolls.

Mori Point Trail, a dog-friendly hiking trail in Pacifica, California

Northern California coast trails, Pacifica to Bodega Bay

The Northern California coast between San Francisco and Bodega Bay is one of the best stretches of shoreline in the country to explore with a dog. Bluff trails, wide beaches, hidden coves, working harbors, redwood-shaded ravines that drop straight to…

A dog exploring a mountain trail lined with flowers, offering a perfect outdoor adventure for dogs and their owners among breathtaking natural scenery.

Ticks and Lyme disease in California dogs

California reports roughly 1/200th the Lyme cases of New York — and our tick season peaks in fall and winter, not summer. Here's what California-specific CDC data, vet research, and CDPH surveillance actually show, and what it means for protecting…

Top five off-the-beaten-path dog hikes in Shasta Cascade

Most Shasta Cascade hike lists start and end with Burney Falls, Whiskeytown Falls and Lake Siskiyou Trail. Fine hikes — but not the only ones. Here are five dog-friendly trails from our DogTrekker directory that don’t crowd the Google results…

Choose Redding. Meet outside the meeting

This summer, choose Redding, where every gathering becomes a memory in the making. Set along the Sacramento River and framed by Northern California’s forests and lakes, Redding offers an unhurried place to connect. Here, the agenda is yours to…

Effortless day trips and outdoor adventures

Sacramento sits within a short drive of some of California's most iconic activities, including many delightfully dog-friendly options. It’s easy to choose your own adventure here, whether you'd like to taste small-batch wines, hike ruggedly beautiful trails, survey the state's…

Two Doberman Pinschers looking at a taco plate, ears up, in Sacramento.

Start your day the local way

In Sacramento, mornings move at an easy pace. Greet the day on the American River Parkway, where dog walkers can wander for miles, or play fetch in a neighborhood park. From there, swing by one of the city’s many coffee…

Dog sitting on a scenic coastal cliff, enjoying panoramic ocean views, perfect for outdoor dog trekking adventures and pet-friendly travel enthusiasts exploring nature's beauty.

California’s best coastal dog-friendly towns

From Mendocino's Victorian headlands to Laguna Beach's gallery-lined streets, California's best coastal towns have quietly reshaped themselves around four-legged visitors. Expect water bowls at storefronts, treats at hotel check-in and patios where dogs are the guests of honor.

Dog-friendly spring camping on California’s Central Coast

Why spring is the sweet spot for Central Coast camping If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to load up the car, leash the dog, and head for the coast, this is it. Spring on California’s Central Coast is…

Tilden Regional Park Redwood Valley Railroad.

Hiking with your dog near Pleasant Hill

Now celebrating its 90th anniversary, the impressive East Bay Regional Park District spans more than 125,000 acres in Alameda and

Accessible dog trails in Yosemite and Eastern Sierra

The Yosemite region and Eastern Sierra offer some of California’s most stunning mountain scenery — and the good news is that several trails in the area are accessible for visitors with mobility challenges who want to bring their dogs along…

Why spring is the best-kept secret in Gold Country

If you've been waiting for the right moment to load up the car and point it toward the Sierra foothills, this is it.

Dog-friendly California destination, photo courtesy of Sacramento River Cats

Gathering places for pups and people

Some of Sacramento's most dog-friendly spots double as social spaces that connect travelers with friendly locals. By striking up a conversation, you'll often get the inside scoop on the best parks, restaurants, shops and trails for pups. These paw-some playgrounds…

Hiking, parks, gardens

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Hiking, parks, gardens

Hiking, parks, gardens

Hiking, parks, gardens Blog