California’s dog-friendly counties

California didn’t always have its modern patchwork of counties. When the state formed in 1850, it started with 27 counties; as towns grew, gold rushed in, and communities staked out their own identities, the map kept evolving. By 1911, it settled into the 58 counties we know today—each with its own landscape, culture, and bragging rights.

Some of the coolest?

• Mendocino County – Rugged coastline, redwoods, wine country, and a famously dog-loving culture.
• Placer County – From Gold Rush foothills to Lake Tahoe’s peaks, it’s an outdoor dog’s paradise.
• Mariposa County (Yosemite) – Tiny in population, huge in scenery. It’s the iconic gateway to Yosemite’s granite wonderland.

And that’s just three—California’s counties range from beach towns to deserts to dense metros and remote forests.