Eastman Lake sits in the Sierra Nevada foothills near Chowchilla, formed when the Buchanan Dam was built across the Chowchilla River. That dam is quite a structure—205 feet high and stretching 1,800 feet—and from the lake you can see the engineering feat itself. The elevation of 600 feet means warm summers and mild winters, so it works as a year-round spot even when other mountain areas get too cold or snowy.

The day-use area is the main place to bring your dog. You can picnic at one of the designated spots while your dog hangs out nearby on a leash. The trails that wind through the grasslands and blue oak woodlands are good for walks, though you’ll want to check with the park office about current conditions before heading out, especially if you’re planning a longer hike. The expanded trail system means there’s actually room to move around without feeling crowded, even on decent weather weekends.

Beyond dog walking, there’s enough going on that you don’t feel limited to just that one activity. Fishing and swimming happen in the lake itself. The Monument Ridge area has a disc golf course and horseshoe pits if you want to bring other people along and have something to do while your dog rests in the shade. Mountain bikers and horseback riders use the trails too, so you might encounter them during busier times.

The landscape itself—those grasslands dotted with blue oaks—gives the place a different feel than the higher elevation Sierra parks. It’s more open and rolling than dense forest, which some dogs actually prefer since there’s less underbrush to navigate.

Keep your dog leashed in the day-use areas and pack out what you pack in. The park office can tell you which trails are currently in the best shape for walking your dog and which areas tend to be less crowded if you’re going on a weekend.