Inland Empire
The Inland Empire spans San Bernardino and Riverside counties, offering dog-friendly landscapes from mountain forests to desert trails and wine country. Big Bear Lake and Lake Arrowhead in the San Bernardino Mountains provide cool-weather hiking, pet-friendly cabins, and scenic lakeside walks.
At lower elevations, Riverside County regional parks and the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument offer miles of leash-friendly trails. Temecula Valley wine country features wineries with dog-friendly outdoor tasting, and the region is a popular gateway to Joshua Tree National Park where leashed dogs can explore campgrounds and paved trails.
Explore
Stories about Inland Empire
Your guide to Puptopia Big Bear 2026
Clear the calendar and get the car road trip ready—the mountains are howling! Big Bear Puptopia Festival is coming up on Saturday, July 25. The charming dog-centric celebration makes the perfect anchor to a fun-filled weekend along the shores of Big Bear Lake under the
Splash, stay and play in Big Bear
There’s so much to enjoy in Big Bear before and after the festival. Pair your Puptopia weekend with a property that’s got its own pool, then take the party to the lake—paddling, swimming and dockside naps included. Here’s how to build a stay-and-splash itinerary around
Tables for tail-waggers
Big Bear’s Village rolls out the welcome mat for four-legged diners, with ample summer patio seating, water bowls and the occasional honest-to-dog menu. Looking for a quick slice, a hearty breakfast or a craft beer after the festival? You’ll find plenty of dog-friendly spots where you and your
Choose your Big Bear basecamp
Veterans Park is an easy stroll from Big Bear Lake’s Village, so you can bed down anywhere from a lakefront boutique hotel to cozy, fireplace-warmed cabins. Book ASAP; festival weekend fills fast. Here are a few dog-friendly favorites within reach of the action, from modern
Plan your pup’s Puptopia festival ‘fit
Puptopia is a day of sheer canine cuteness in waterside Veterans Park. It’s all about fun, games and pampering, with a giant ball pit, agility tunnels, spa treatments, vendor shopping and live stage shows. Whether your pup is a social butterfly, the sporty type or
Splash hits: Summer delights for water-loving dogs
The dog days of summer are here! Got a pup who loves the water? California's rivers, lakes and coastal landscapes welcome four-legged family members with paw-some adventures.
Dive into summer at Big Bear Lake
Big Bear Lake boasts 300 days of sunshine and dark nights perfect for stargazing, but that's just the start. This mountain jewel in the San Bernardino National Forest also has great fishing, boating and water activities, hiking and biking trails, and 22 miles of tranquil
26 dog-friendly cabins in Big Bear
26 dog-friendly cabins across Big Bear and the San Bernardino Mountains, from Big Bear Lake to Yermo, drawn from DogTrekker's directory of vetted pet-welcoming properties.
Pups for the planet: leaving only paw prints
This Earth Day, DogTrekker is celebrating something worth wagging about: our community. A recent reader survey shows 99% of you pack it in and pack it out, and 95% leash up in sensitive habitats. Now, that’s a pack worth howling about! Our Leave Only Paw
Heatstroke and hot pavement: California dog summer safety
Heatstroke kills 50–64% of affected dogs, and 3 out of 4 cases are caused by exercise — not hot weather alone. Here's what California dog owners need to know about hot pavement, warning signs, emergency cooling, and the state law that lets you break a
ADA accessible dog-friendly trails in Southern California
Southern California's diverse landscape -- from mountain lakes to desert oases to coastal bluffs -- offers a surprising number of paved and accessible trails where handlers with mobility needs and their dogs can enjoy the outdoors together. Whether we're talking about a boardwalk through a
Temecula wine country: wineries that actually welcome dogs
Temecula's wine country has over 40 wineries, but "dog-friendly" can mean anything from "we'll tolerate it" to "we have a water bowl with your dog's name on it." The wineries below actually welcome dogs — not as an afterthought, but as part of how they