Hit the Trails

What dog wouldn't love to live in Marin County? More than 60,000 of them do, according to estimates from the Marin Humane Society . That's twice as many as the 30,000 children enrolled in the county's public schools. Open space is the draw for residents and visitors alike, with tens of thousands of acres available for on- and off-leash activities. The Marin County Open Space District alone manages 34 preserves totaling 15,000 acres open to public recreation; at all but 10, well behaved dogs under voice control can romp unleashed on fire prevention roads. Another 130 miles of trails are managed by the Marin Municipal Water District within the Mount Tamalpais watershed. Four-legged hikers are welcome both on and off the pavement, but a "love 'em and leash 'em" policy is strictly enforced.