Truckee River Raft Rentals

The most read story ever on DogTrekker.com is Dog-friendly Beaches at Lake Tahoe. With the snowmelt currently pouring off the surrounding Sierra Nevada, be forewarned that some of those beaches won’t be very wide or even very accessible for a few weeks yet. For on-water fun, try renting a large cockpit kayak from Tahoe City Kayak and taking a paddle with your pup along the North Shore. Tahoe Keys Boat Rentals and its affiliate locations will fix you up with a dog-friendly boat (and a “boat butler” captain, if needed) for exploring scenic Emerald Bay or simply cruising along the shore. more »

Your dog may not be able to paddle her own canoe, but you’ll have a blast paddling for her with an assist from an outfitter who knows how to help water-loving canines and their people have fun. Among our favorite DogTrekker activities is paddling a languidly flowing, 8.5-mile stretch of the Russian River around the dog-friendly, wine-centric town of Healdsburg in Sonoma County. more »

Among few of our favorite go-to spots to float with Fido are the gently flowing stretch of the Russian River around Healdsburg. Russian River Adventures rents dog-friendly inflatable canoes for full-day trips where you can enjoy clear, clean swimming holes and a picnic lunch before catching the shuttle back to town; and a bit farther north, in Mendocino County, Catch A Canoe & Bicycles Too offers a different kind of paddling experience—this one in outrigger canoes outfitted with a stable platform where your pups can sit as you explore the Big River estuary. Headed up to Tahoe? A float trip down the Truckee River from Tahoe City to River Ranch Resort is a summer rite of passage. more »

How many times have you skipped an otherwise great activity because Spot couldn’t come along? Thanks to a handful of savvy Northern California outfitters, you don’t have to invest in your own watercraft to enjoy paddling down a lazy river you’re your pup at your side. Two of the best: Catch A Canoe & Bicycles Too in Mendocino County has specially designed outrigger canoes that can accommodate pups as well as people. Its new “canine cruiser” features a padded platform where up to four dogs can comfortably reside while exploring the eight-mile Big River estuary. In Healdsburg, Sonoma County, Russian River Adventures takes a blue ribbon for its super-stable SOAR inflatable canoes that let all of you travel comfortably on a dog-friendly section of the Russian River where Buddy is free to join you in a clear and clean swimming hole or romp along the shore.      more »

Of course you can take your dog swimming in Lake Tahoe! True, dogs aren't welcome everywhere, but that's not to say that canine-friendly splash spots don't exist.  You’ll have to rise and shine with the early birds to snag a parking spot along Highway 28 south of Incline Village, but your efforts will pay off when you find a trail leading to a pocket cove with soft white sand, crystal-clear water and sensuously sculpted rocks where you can hang out for the morning or the day. more »

For more water fun at Tahoe, join the animated crowds of summer vacationers who rent rafts in Tahoe City for a two- to three-hour, five-mile float down the scenic Truckee River to River Ranch Resort, where a shuttle will return you to your vehicle. Yes, the waterís cold, but on a warm day it's delightfully invigorating. The regulated, Class I flow moves slow and easy, and there are plenty of spots where you and Rover can pull over for a swim. Truckee River Raft Co. counts dogs as regular customers. Just be aware that canines aren't allowed on the patio at River Ranch, which attracts a lively crowd on summer afternoons. more »