Little Dog Big Tree

July 11, 2016 6:47 PM

What's the best way to see the giant redwoods in Northern California, but with a dog?

I have wanted to see giant redwoods for years, and now I have the chance! Yay! Originally, I was planning on us going to Muir Woods... But then I found out that they don't allow dogs on the trails. And then I found out that a whole lot of parks in CA don't allow dogs on the trails. Boo. I know that some do, and I also know that you can (usually) bring dogs into the park / on paved roadways, just not on trails... But I don't know what of the dog-friendly options will yield the most impressive and enjoyable giant redwoods.

Can you recommend a good park in the area that allows dogs on the trails? Or is it possible for me to really appreciate the giant redwoods in Muir Woods or one of the other parks without going on the trails? Generally: what's the best way for me and my dog to experience really, really big trees?

posted by meese to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (8 answers total)

Do you ever bike with your dog in tow? If so, go for a bike ride! You will see so many really big trees. And your little dog, too.
posted by aniola at 7:01 PM on July 11, 2016

All the really impressive old growth redwoods in the Bay Area are state parks and don't allow dogs. But a bunch of the regional parks have second-growth redwoods that are pretty big and worth seeing, e.g. Redwood Regional Park in Oakland.

You can also check on the parks in far northern California which have really impressive redwoods, e.g. Jedidiah Smith. Good info here. Unfortunately I don't think any of them allow dogs on trails either.
posted by crazy with stars at 7:46 PM on July 11, 2016

You might find this thread from Dogforums and this one from Reddit helpful as well.
posted by crazy with stars at 7:52 PM on July 11, 2016

Or is it possible for me to really appreciate the giant redwoods in Muir Woods or one of the other parks without going on the trails?

Not really. You can appreciate their size from outside but not the peaceful quiet of a redwood forest. I hike (with my dog in) the redwoods a lot and it's wonderful.
posted by anadem at 8:08 PM on July 11, 2016

OK these are Giant Sequoias but the Nelder Grove south of Yosemite has several trails, a neat campsite, and a good dog policy:

- 6-foot leash max in campgrounds
- Voice control out in the wilderness
posted by carsonb at 8:25 PM on July 11, 2016

Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park is one of our favorite spots. The large paved trail (not a road with cars driving on it), Pipeline Road, allows dogs on leash and has lots of beautiful redwoods and a very nice little river running alongside.

My experience is also that if you go on Pipeline Road far enough away from the Visitor's Center/parking lots, you can hop on a trail with your dog (assuming he/she is well-behaved) and have it be unlikely that you'll run into a ranger, or even other folks who would be mad about it.

And, bonus, if you're okay leaving your dog in the car for 20-30 minutes, you can do the short interpretative trail right by the Visitor's Center and see some huge/big/able to walk into the trunks/albino/rare redwoods too. I'd suggest walking that first, and then going to get your dog and hiking the Pipeline Road.
posted by bananacabana at 9:06 PM on July 11, 2016

Just a little further north than Muir Woods is Roy's Redwoods, which is where I take out-of-towners whoop want to see the redwoods.
posted by straw at 10:27 PM on July 11, 2016

bananacabana: "My experience is also that if you go on Pipeline Road far enough away from the Visitor's Center/parking lots, you can hop on a trail with your dog (assuming he/she is well-behaved) and have it be unlikely that you'll run into a ranger, or even other folks who would be mad about it."

Please don't do this. It's unfair to polite folk who won't protest it, and it's unfair to the environment. There's a reason even well-behaved dogs are banned from trails.
posted by crazy with stars at 12:27 AM on July 12, 2016