Dog vacation in PNW?
December 27, 2008 10:00 PM   Subscribe

Please help me with ideas for a vacation with our dogs in the Pacific Northwest.

I would like to plan a trip for me, my husband, and our two small Shelties within driving distance of Seattle this summer. My dream vacation would involve long walks along the beach or wooded trails where dogs are welcome and allowed to be off-leash, but where ours are the only dogs actually present. I know this is probably impossible, but who knows--I've seen AskMe solve thornier problems than this!

I was thinking that it might be fun to rent an RV and go to a couple of places over the course of ten days or so. Or perhaps to rent a dog-friendly beach or mountain cottage. I don't really care where we go, as long as the dogs can romp around off-leash in safety and without harassment from other dogs. Googling leads to crap-website-overload, so I'm hoping I can get a few solid ideas from you guys and pursue it from there.
posted by HotToddy to Travel & Transportation (5 answers total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
I was going to suggest the national forests (there're a number of them surrounding Olympic National Park), but they won't let you have the dogs off leash.

National Parks don't allow dogs (for very good reason, in my, and lots of hikers', opinion); it doesn't appear that WA state parks do, either. State forests, and national forests allow them. But, of the two, only state forests seem to allow them off leash--and only for hunting, it seems.

Unfortunately, almost all of the Olympic peninsula's beaches are part of Olympic National Park.

You might try finding recreation areas along beaches--state or county. These can sometimes get big enough for a couple hours' walk. I know my aunt and uncle play with their dog at Point No Point here in Kitsap County. You could then RV "camp" at KOA, or other private, campgrounds.
posted by Netzapper at 10:14 PM on December 27, 2008


Cannon Beach, OR, is a nice little spot with a beach where dogs can go off-leash; there is plenty of pet-friendly lodging. It's about a four-hour drive from Seattle. My wife and I went down there with our dog had a great time. I know there is a lot of hiking in the area but we didn't explore too much, mainly just hanging on the beach and in the little town.

We were there in Sept. and it was not too crowded but I imagine it's a bit mobbed in the summer, so maybe not the best place if you're looking for isolation.

For shorter trips, there's also this list of dog hikes from NWSource.
posted by camcgee at 10:52 PM on December 27, 2008


Anywhere along the Oregon coast should be fine for you. Dogs are common, but if you get away from the public parking the number of people drops off very sharply, and you should be basically alone.
posted by devilsbrigade at 11:40 PM on December 27, 2008


Why not try Vancouver Island. It's just a ferry trip away and there is some amazing dog-friendly hiking here.

Highlights in the Victoria area include East Sooke Park, the Juan de Fuca Trail and Sidney Spit.

Dog are specifically allowed off-leash in East Sooke Park. On the Juan de Fuca Trail it is not recommended for them to be off-leash (due to wildlife concerns) but there is no specifc regulation against it. Sidney Spit is the only one of these areas that has an on-leash policy; however, in practice (speaking from experience) having your dogs off-leash is just fine.

If you need more suggestions for this area just ask.
posted by talkingmuffin at 8:50 AM on December 28, 2008


Fellow Seattlite dog-owner. I asked about camping with our dog back in August, and got a pretty comprehensive answer there. But I'll be watching this question for more good ideas!
posted by TochterAusElysium at 9:02 AM on December 28, 2008


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