Dog-friendly hikes in marin county

Marin Municipal Water District

220 Nellen Ave.
Corte Madera, California 94925
Visit Website
Local Phone: (415) 945-1180
E-mail: watershed@marinwater.org

The Marin Municipal Water District (MMWD) is the government agency that provides drinking water to southern and central Marin County, California. Chartered in 1912, it became California's first municipal water district.

The District's seven reservoirs in Marin County provide about 75% of the water it uses:

• Alpine Lake, Cataract Falls
Bon Tempe Lake
• Kent Lake
Lake Lagunitas
• Nicasio Reservoir
Phoenix Lake
Soulajule Reservoir

Hikers may choose from 130 miles of trails and unpaved roads, many of which connect with adjacent national and state parks and county open space district lands.

To minimize human disturbance to sensitive habitat and to protect listed and endangered species that inhabit district land, please stay on authorized routes.

To protect natural resources and to ensure a pleasant watershed experience for visitors MMWD asks that for all canine companions, you “love ‘em and leash ‘em”.

Dogs are permitted on district lands only when restrained by a leash and under the control of the owner. Aggressive canines have been known to intimidate wildlife, endanger newborn deer, disturb aquatic habitat and disrupt the tranquility of other watershed visitors.

Most of the MMWD Mt. Tamalpais Watershed is within the boundary of the Mt. Tamalpais State Game Refuge and is governed by California Department of Fish and Wildlife and MMWD rules and regulations.

The main purpose of the refuge system is to ensure survival of wildlife by providing suitable cover, food and protection for fish and wildlife from humans and their furry friends. 

MMWD, trails, hikes, lake, dog-friendly,

Yuki at Cataract Falls. Photo by @itazurayukithecorgi.
Yuki at Cataract Falls. Photo by @itazurayukithecorgi.
It’s not the easiest waterfall hike in Marin County, but Cataract Falls, on the north flank of Mount Tamalpais, is easily the Bay Area’s most popular waterfall destination. It roars and gets really big after a spring rain, spouting nine silvery cascades, some 50 and more feet high, plunging down the Cataract Creek streambed. The surrounding forest, with its moss-covered rocks, ferns, tan oaks and coast redwoods, can seem a kind of emerald-green, fairy-tale kind of place. more »
Yum! Photo Credit: @mr.spiritdog
Yum! Photo Credit: @mr.spiritdog
If you live in the Bay Area, you owe it to yourself to experience this hike-in breakfast at least once. It’s only a 2-mile walk to West Point Inn on the slopes of Mount Tamalpais if you take the Old Stage Road connecting to dog-friendly Marin County Municipal Water District trails. The inn, an off-the-grid haven built alongside a long-defunct railroad, sits at a lofty 1,785 feet elevation, offering sweeping views of the landscapes and seascapes below. more »
Jake is ready for some pancakes! Photo Credit: @allymcfarland
Jake is ready for some pancakes! Photo Credit: @allymcfarland
Visiting Marin County? Not even all the locals are hip to the hike-in pancake breakfasts-with-a-view served up at the West Point Inn 1,785 feet above the Pacific on the shoulder of Mount Tamalpais. And even though the Summer of Love events are winding down across the Bay Area, you can still celebrate at one of Marin County’s favorite dog and family friendly food and music venues, Terrapin Crossroadsmore »
Maya and Loretta hike Mt. Tam <br/> Photo Credit: Dave Kendrick
Maya and Loretta hike Mt. Tam
Photo Credit: Dave Kendrick
Sure, there are many open-space tracts in Marin County where you and your dog can hike without being tied together. But there are more that offer big rewards in terms of scenery, even if your tail-wagger has to stay leashed. The Marin Municipal Water District maintains seven reservoirs, most within the Mount Tamalpais watershed, that make for great outings. You won’t run out of places to roam, as dogs are allowed to accompany you on most of the 130 miles of trails and unpaved roads on district lands. more »
Pits at play on trail
Pits at play. Photo Credit: besuroz
Regional park districts in the Bay Area and beyond offer myriad venues for hiking with your dog. Check out the possibilities and put paws to path this fall! more »
Kalani on Mount Tam
Kalani on Mount Tam. Photo: Niall Kennedy
When most people think about public lands, state parks, national parks and national forests usually come to mind. But public utilities also manage open space, usually for the purpose of protecting watersheds and streams that provide drinking water and energy for power plants. The Marin Municipal Water District is one of them, stewarding several thousand acres of land holding numerous reservoirs and about 130 miles of trails in the Mount Tamalpais watershed. more »
Kayla and friends at lake
Over the past year, our hiking pages and listings have become the most visited of all activities on DogTrekker.com. In addition to the terrific hikes presented in this newsletter, we have some perennial favorites. Here are some great ways for you and your pup to put paws to the path in 2014. more »
Download Our Free Mobile App


© 2025 DogTrekker.com