Best Dog Friendly Trails Near Me – Today I want to bring you my guide to the best dog walks in the Bay Area. If you love your furry friends as much as you enjoy Northern California’s beautiful scenery and breathtaking views, this list will show you some of the best places to hike near San Francisco. From Marin County to the Peninsula, waterfall hikes to Pacific Ocean trails, it’s all there. I have also attached a map.
Because San Francisco Bay Area residents love their canine companions, there are plenty of dog walks around the city. Whether you want to go to Marin County, the East Bay, the Peninsula or beyond, you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to dog walks in the Bay Area.
Best Dog Friendly Trails Near Me
And I’m not talking about the country. Do you like waterfalls? There is a walk for you and your pup. Want a view of the Pacific Ocean? The Bay Area has you covered. Do you want forests, rolling hills or mountains? Check. Check. Check.
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I’ve been hiking with dogs in the Bay Area all my life. I grew up in Silicon Valley and hiked many dog-friendly trails in the Bay Area with my family when I was younger. From Windy Hill in Portola Valley to Arastradero Preserve in Palo Alto, we love getting outside with our Great Standard Poodles.
As an adult, I’ve done all the walks on this list with my friend’s Mini Goldendoodle. From the North Bay to the Peninsula we have traveled a lot. This list contains my favorites. The pup enjoys them as much as I do, and we can both recommend them from personal experience (even if I’m a little more vocal about them than he is!).
I’ll be adding more hikes to this blog as I write about them, so you can bookmark or pin them to Pinterest for easy reference. With how much fun we’ve had on the road, I know I’ll be posting more soon.
As with all hikes in Northern California, be sure to bring water for you and your dog, a towel or blanket for the car in case Fido gets messy or dirty, a leash (sounds obvious, but I’ve seen it before), and cleaning bags after any mess left behind on the track.
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Also, don’t forget to check yourself and your furry friend for ticks at the end. They are common on sidewalks in the San Francisco Bay Area and can cause Lyme disease in humans and dogs.
First on my list of best dog hikes in the Bay Area is the Cataract Falls Trail in North Bay. Four-legged friends are allowed on a leash here, and it’s a popular place to head to the hills after a big storm.
Located just off Fairfax-Bolinas Road near Stinson Beach, this one is in the Tamalpais Mountain Basin. The protected mountain area is known for its streams, reservoirs and sequoia.
Cataract Falls is one of the most popular waterfall hikes in MarinCounty and the Bay Area. It has a narrow wooded trail that hugs a series of small waterfalls that flow into Cataract Creek.
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A moderately difficult trail, it requires walking on uneven stone steps and narrow footbridges and tolerating a fair amount of elevation gain. If you go after a heavy rain (which is when the falls are at their best), that means muddy feet (and possibly muddy everything) for your pup.
The trip to Cataract Falls can be done as a round trip or as a loop. The first is about 3 miles up the Cataract Trail (1.5 miles each way). This includes an elevation gain of approximately 1,055 feet.
The course is about 7.5 miles long on a variety of trails. This includes an elevation gain of approximately 1,985 feet. You can see a map of both trails in my Cataract Falls Hike blog post for more details.
The length of the walk depends on your fitness and how fast you and your dog like to walk. The 3 mile hike takes about 2 to 3 hours and the 7.5 mile loop takes about 3.5 to 5 hours. If you are in good shape, you can do it faster. If your dog is a slower walker, it may take longer.
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You can do this hike at any time of the year, but since the falls are the main attraction, it’s best to do it after a heavy rain. In the case of Marin County, that usually means the winter months. If you can time your trip with a break in stormy weather, you’ll see the falls at their best.
Next on my list of the best dog hikes in the Bay Area is Mount Montara. Encompassing McNee Ranch State Park and San Pedro Valley County Park in the Santa Cruz Mountains, this peak is the perfect place to get outside and enjoy nature in San Mateo County, California.
The mountain rises 1,898 feet above sea level. The area around it is home to hiking trails that lead to North Peak and other destinations in and around Montara State Beach. It’s a great day trip from San Francisco.
Mount Montara is located south of the Pacific Ocean in the Pacific Ocean. It covers 690 hectares and is open from 8:00 a.m. to sunset. There are several hikes you can do here, all of which are dog-friendly. They range in distance and difficulty, so there’s an option for every fitness level.
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If you want an easy hike, the 1 mile Gray Whale Trail is your best bet. It takes you from Gray Whale Cove State Beach to Montara State Beach and Highway 1.
After a short hill at the beginning, the trail is relatively flat and offers panoramic views of the beaches. The trail is right next to the coast so you can enjoy ocean views the whole way.
If you and your dog want something a little more challenging, you can start on the Gray Whale Cove Trail and continue on the North Peak Access Road or the Old San Pedro Mountain Trail. Both involve a gradual ascent, making them more difficult than the Gray Whale Trail (but not too difficult).
It used to be a fire road, so it’s a wide open road. The hike is 5.9 miles each way and takes you to the summit of Mount Montara. From the top you can admire a beautiful view of the coast and the entire bay area.
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The latter has more twists and turns, but is also a good choice. The trail leads into the Pacific and crosses and briefly joins the North Peak access road. If you want, you can cross the road to the North Peak. It is 3.2 miles each way.
Finally, the Montara Mountain Trail is a fairly difficult trail that begins in San Pedro Valley County Park and leads to the North Peak Access Road. From there you can take the road to the top of the mountain. It is 2.1 miles each way.
Between the official trails there are many smaller trails that you can cross from one to another or take short cuts. You can see the details and map in my blog post about climbing Montar if you want more information.
Next on my list of dog hikes in the Bay Area is the Oakwood Valley Trail. This moderate hike is perfect if you want to get outside in Marin County with your canine companion.
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The trail is dog-friendly and not as steep as some others in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, making it a perfect choice if you want to hike through the woods.
Oakwood Valley is located north of the Marin Headlands. It contains the largest oak forest and bay forest in the Golden Gate National Parks. More than 500 species of plants grow here, and the area includes meadows and mixed forest habitats.
Oakwood Valley Trail is 1.58 miles round trip. It is fairly flat at the beginning and end and has an optional hilly section in the middle with lots of stairs.
That’s because the hike is part loop, part out-and-back. It starts with the single track Oakwood Meadow Trail and then meets the Oakwood Valley Trail (sometimes called the Fire Road Trail). From there it climbs up to where it meets the Alta trail.
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Once you reach the Alta Trail, you can turn around and head back to where the Oakwood Valley Trail meets the Oakwood Meadow Trail, then follow the fire road back to the parking lot.
Oakwood Valley Trail meets Tennessee Valley Road near Oakwood Meadow Trail, so you’ll only have to walk a short distance to get back to your car when you reach the end of the road.
The hike starts at an elevation of 33 feet and reaches 621 feet at the highest point. Most of the stride happens on the outside and back of the middle, so you can skip this part and do a loop if you and your dog want a straight walk.
The trail is well marked and marked so it is easy to follow.
