Tips and Resources
Resources - Trail Essentials
Before you hit the trails, it’s important to know the basics—where to go, where to park, and what to expect. This section provides resources to help you find the best parks, understand parking options, and choose trails that suit your needs. With a little planning, you and your pup can enjoy stress-free adventures!
Resources
How to Find Hikes
How to Track Hikes
Park Information and Parking Pass Information
Tips for Hiking with Dogs
Hiking with your dog can be an incredible bonding experience, but it requires a little extra preparation to ensure both of you stay safe and comfortable on the trail. From packing the right supplies to understanding your dog’s limits, these tips will help you plan a fun and worry-free adventure with your four-legged friend. Whether you’re hitting the mountains or exploring local parks, a little preparation goes a long way!
- Know your dog’s limits. Things like age, size, and overall health can limit the length or difficulty of the hike. Pay attention to their energy and comfort levels as you go.
- Take at least 3x the amount of water you would take for yourself. I don’t care if I come home with extra, as long as Padme always has enough water. I’ll sacrifice my own water for her, but I’d prefer not to go without, so I bring a ton.
- Bring a water bowl or something your dog can drink from. They need something to hold their water on the trail, even if it’s just a collapsible bowl.
- Check the weather. Heat stroke is real, and extreme weather—hot, cold, or stormy—can affect your dog as much as it affects you.
- Know the landscape. My dog is genetically built for snow, so if she’s in the cold or wet, she’s happy. But summers are tough for her. I have to plan summer hikes around her black fur, which soaks up the sun and makes her miserable. For her comfort, I stick to trails close to rivers and deep under tree cover. In the winter, I can enjoy more open skies, cloudy weather, and rainy days.
- Have a pet first-aid kit and brush up on basic techniques. Just like us, dogs can get hurt out in the middle of nowhere, and we’re the ones with opposable thumbs!
- Take treats or food. If I’m snacking, Padme can snack too.
- Bring a sealable bag (like a freezer bag) for used poop bags. I forgot once. It was no fun walking five miles smelling dog poop. Depending on the length of your hike and the size of your bag, you might want to bring more than one.
- Pack a towel or a blanket you don’t mind throwing away. Once, Padme decided to roll around blissfully in some reasonably fresh cow dung—in multiple piles before I could get her back to me. There wasn’t enough water to rinse even a portion of it off. I could get to a river quickly, but not unless I drove us there. It was a mess. It was funny even while it was happening, but I had a lot of clean-up afterward. Luckily, I always keep a tarp in my car.