Hundreds of square miles of national forests and other public lands make Placer County a DogTrekker hotspot. Highway 49 runs south from Auburn, the county seat, to access 35,000-acre Auburn State Recreation Area hugging two forks of the American River. Hidden Falls Regional Park is delightful in fall even if the falls aren’t running, while at Cronan Ranch Regional Trails Park, you can hike to the river and watch the whitewater rafters go by.
In town, don’t miss the chance to quaff a cold one in the dog-friendly taproom at Knee Deep Brewing, one of Northern California’s most highly regarded makers of craft beer. Auburn Alehouse is also dog-friendly, with multi-species seating offered on a patio that is heated in winter and shaded in summer.
If wine tasting is on your agenda, you’ll find numerous venues clustered around Auburn. Most of the 20 wineries and tasting rooms on the Placer County Wine Trail welcome tail-waggers, so pick a region to explore and let serendipity be your guide. A good place to start in Auburn is at Vina Castellano, whose Abuelito Red, a Spanish blend, is a multiple award winner, and whose facilities are some of the most extensive and dog-welcoming in the region. Let the tasting-bar manager walk you through a flight of Spanish and Rhone wines while spinning a bit of family history.
Need to spend the night? The dog-friendly Holiday Inn Auburn, just off Highway 49, is located right next door to an In-N-Out Burger (order at the window, move to a patio table with your pet and they’ll bring the food right to you).
Photo Credit: @lillyshertigal
