Placer County
Stretching from the flat Sacramento Valley to the peaks of the High Sierra at Lake Tahoe,
Placer County is nothing if not diverse. As you wind your way up Interstate 80, you'll pass through communities ranging from modern suburbs to
farm towns to historic, Gold Rush-era settlements that look plucked from a Western movie set.
Hundreds of square miles of national forests and other public lands, including
Auburn State Recreation Area, stretching 20 miles along two forks of the American River, beckon you and your four-legged friend. Towns large and small welcome DogTrekkers with pet-friendly lodging, restaurants, wineries and other attractions.
Caly & Amber at Lake Tahoe. Photo by Eve Dutton.
There are so many dog-friendly lodgings at Lake Tahoe that we can’t begin to inventory them all, but we can certainly point out a few favorites, as well as places to go and things to do with dogs in winter. Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing come to mind first, of course, but if you’re not a practitioner, no worries: in the past few years, miles of plowed walking/dog-walking/biking trails have made their debut around the lake. more »
Fun at the Sno-Park
Free parking can be hard to find when you’re looking for a place to romp ‘n’ roll in the snow with your pup. And while California’s 19 Sno-Parks aren’t quite free, they’re a bargain at $5 for a daily permit or $25 for a season pass. The program, operated by California State Parks in conjunction with other agencies, provides access to plowed parking areas in the snow zone where you can pause to ski, snowshoe, sled or just have a snowball fight. more »
Hidden Falls Regional Park - @lillyshertigal
Placer County is large and diverse, stretching from just north of Sacramento County all the way to Tahoe’s north shore. In between are hundreds of square miles of national forest lands, including dog-friendly Auburn State Recreation Area, stretching 20 miles along two forks of the American River. Less well known but an excellent destination for hikers with dogs is Cronan Ranch Regional Trails Park, which is under jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management, which is not restrictive about dogs on trails. more »
GoatHouse Brewing - Photo Credit: @melvaloney_phil
Stretching from Roseville to Lake Tahoe, Placer County is an up and coming wine region as well as a recreation magnet. Most of the 20 dog-friendly wineries and tasting rooms on the Placer County Wine Trail are north of Interstate 80 around Lincoln, Loomis and Auburn. more »
I got my permit! Photo Credit: Jennifer Faulk
It's winter and we get it: You want to spend as much time as possible playing in the snow. So why waste time and energy looking for a place to park? You’ll enjoy easy access to prime snow-play areas and ski/hike/snowshoe trails with a Sno-Park permit providing access to plowed parking lots at 18 Sierra Nevada locations. Click here for the lowdown. more »