Big Pine Lakes is a famous area near Big Pine, CA about 1 hour south of Bishop - and for good reason! The trail brings you to multiple jaw-dropping alpine lakes and because it's a there-and-back trail, you can turn around whenever you feel like it.
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Trail Distance: ~5 miles
Elevation Gain: ~1,300'
Terrain Rating: Moderate (with rain)
Hike Time: 2.5-3 hours
Trailhead: Little Si parking lot, about 1 hour from Seattle. Discover Pass required.
Joshua Tree National Park is a quick 2 hour drive from Los Angeles. It's famous for climbing but also for it's unique landscape. We were really excited to go but quickly became disappointed when we found out that it is one of the least dog friendly national parks. We did a lot of searching to find the best spots so you can enjoy a weekend with your pup!
Carmel-by-the-Sea is one of the most dog friendly cities in the U.S. The town sits about 2 hours south of SF, on your way down to Big Sur along the Pacific Coast Highway. I've been coming here since I was 5 years old, running down the cobblestone sidewalks and playing at the beach. It's one of the my favorite weekend activities. Here are some of my favorite things to do (with or without a pup!)
Trail Distance: ~6 miles
Elevation Gain: ~1,500'
Terrain Rating: Moderate
Hike Time: 3 hours
Los Liones Trail is one of the more beautiful coastal trails in the Santa Monica Mountains, right off the Pacific Coast Highway. With easy access from West LA, it's a good morning or late-afternoon hike. The dust and sun can get brutal in the summer, so I wouldn't recommend doing this hike in the middle of the day.
Hanging by the beach is one of my all time favorite activities. Surfing, sand, and ice cold lemonade are quintessential summer needs. Luckily for me, summer weather in LA stays a little later than in other parts of the country.
Trail Distance: 6.1 miles
Elevation Gain: Minimal
Terrain Rating: Easy
Hike Time: 3 hours
Watch out for: heat, dust
Vivian Creek is a 3BII canyon. The canyon is beautiful and easy to get to from most areas of LA. The water also makes for fun end-of-summer rappelling!
Icefields Parkway is one of the most beautiful drives in the world. In the summer, the road-side lakes shine turquoise and make for good swimming and photo opportunities. There are a lot of places to stop, but here were my favorites from South to North (Banff to Jasper).
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