Del Norte County, California’s Top Dog-friendly Trails, Beaches, Restaurants, and Lodging

Where to Take Your Dog in Northern California’s Del Norte County

“Us” dog people totally get it that our furry friends make the best travel companions and we NEVER want to leave home without them. After all, outdoor adventure is always sweeter with doggy companions by our side. 

Follow our list of places to play with your dog in Del Norte County, California–from Klamath and Crescent City to the Oregon border–and you’ll quickly realize that bringing your pets on vacation here is all part of the fun!

Cover Photo: Dude, the dog, catches the view in Crescent City, California. Courtesy of Lisa Perry @PerrysTraveler

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A post shared by la•duke•b | Bryce LaDuc | Dog Mom (@laducb)

Dog-friendly Beaches

Wander with your dog along Del Norte County’s endless –and crowdless–Pacific Ocean coastline. Leashed dogs are welcome on all beaches here. Follow the Crescent City Harbor Trail for beach scenery and historic stops. The paved trail starts in the Crescent City Harbor at South Beach and continues to Point Saint George Beach Tails. Crescent City’s South Beach provides three miles of pure sandy joy fit for running, splashing and sniffing. Pebble Beach is perfect for catching waves and tide pooling with your pup.

Go on an agate-hunting adventure to Kellogg Beach. Ride the waves at nearby Tolowa Dunes State Park then play a fun game of fetch along this sprawling stretch of beach. The Tolowa Dunes area offers an almost four mile trek through woodlands, sandy dunes, and beach in one long loop along the Sweet Potato Creek trail.

Klamath’s Hidden Beach (the trailhead is across from Trees of Mystery) is a short easy hike through a forested trail that ends at a spacious beach speckled with sea stacks. Klamath Beach is a wildlife paradise on the Klamath River, not far from where the river meets the sea. Bring your binoculars for epic wildlife, whale and bird watching!

Dog-friendly Tours and Attractions

Soar high above the redwood tree tops on the enclosed SkyTrail gondola with your dog at Trees of Mystery, then walk the nature trail down and share a double scoop ice cream cone from the gift shop. Almost the entire 120 acre nature attraction is dog-friendly with the exception of the Redwood Canopy Trail due to the tall heights and swaying extension bridges.

Raft a wild and scenic river with your dog – Redwood Rides welcomes well-behaved dogs on their whitewater rafting tours operating almost year-round. Rent a kayak with a special dog seat from Smith River Kayaks for exploring the lower Smith River. Elk Valley Casino in Crescent City has herds of resident elk hanging out with prime viewing areas for both you and your pup to watch playful elk from a safe distance.

Bring your dog whitewater rafting or for a mellow float with Redwood Rides.

Go Hiking with Your Dog Near Redwood National Park

In Crescent City, the Trails at Elk Valley feature elk viewing and wildlife trails where leashed dogs are welcome. During elk rutting season (August-October), the trail may be closed to protect your dog and the wildlife. Look for signs posted at the trailhead.

Near Hiouchi, California you’ll find dozens of hiking trails and gravel roads that skirt the famous Jedediah Smith Redwoods State & National Park. The graveled Walker Road offers a 1.5 mile walk along groves of tall redwoods that ends at the Smith River, one of the cleanest rivers in the world. Howland Hill Road, a historic stagecoach route, is a five mile one way gravel road where you can view 300-foot tall redwood trees without leaving the road. We recommend walking this route during the non-summer season due to the number of vehicles. The Hiouchi Trail, also known as Xaa-yuu-chit Tes-dvm in the Tolowa language (meaning High-Status Stream/River Trail) was a collaborative effort between the California State Parks and the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation. The short one mile trail is both bike and pet-friendly and provides a safe way to access the Highway 199 corridor area near Jedediah Smith State Park, one of the four Redwood National Parks. In nearby Gasquet, the French Hill trail offers hikers an almost three mile one-way journey through forested terrain on a historic pack route used to transport goods back in 1934 for the Camp 6 fire lookout. Cool off along the Myrtle Creek Trail, which is designated as one of four botanical areas within the Smith River National Recreation Area complete with wildflowers and unique flora and fauna. Start at Myrtle Beach river access with a refreshing dip and pre-hike slurps for this easy two mile hike.

Sniffing around Redwood National Parks. Photo courtesy of Nate Wyeth.

Dining & Lodging with Your Dog(s)

Sip a craft beer or kombucha paired with a Redwood Burger on SeaQuake Brewing Company’s patio, located across from Dog Town, the off-leash dog park at Crescent City’s Beachfront Park.

Plunk yourself down on Enoteca’s outdoor patio to feast on a philly cheesesteak sandwich, watch live music or karaoke, and enjoy wine by the glass (or bowl), plus a full bar.

After cruising South Beach’s sand, secure an oceanfront patio seat at Schmidt’s House of Jambalaya for fresh seafood and southern-inspired cuisine (and ice cream for dessert).

Brunch under the trees near Jedediah Smith Redwood National Park while chowing down on a fried chicken Benedict with a mimosa flight at the Historic Hiouchi Cafe – or split an order of their iconic biscuits and gravy or one of their enormous 16-inch pancakes topped with seasonal berries.

For clam chowder and sea lion watching, grab a patio seat at The Chart Room restaurant in the Crescent City Harbor District.

With no shortage of pet-friendly lodging in Del Norte County, discover shady campgrounds and fido-friendly RV parks to plush vacation rentals by rivers and sea to rustic woodsy cabins tucked under tall trees, these are some of our favorite places to Sit. Stay. And sleep.

Lighthouse Cove RV Park offers a protected beach area for long sandy strolls and swims in the shallow water. Easily expand your dog walks into the adjacent Beachfront Park, which also includes an off-leash dog park for freeing games of fetch. Camping and full hook-up RV sites are available with cabins coming soon.

Hiouchi Motel is steps from the Smith River with oodles of swimming holes. Anchor Beach Inn, located across from South Beach, makes it easy to step out for impromptu dog walks. For even closer beach access, Crescent Beach Motel literally sits on the sand with oceanfront access from your patio door.

In Klamath, both Motel Trees and Woodland Villa Cabins provide easy-access to Trees of Mystery fun and nearby trails and beaches. Kamp Klamath RV Park & Camping is adjacent to Klamath Beach for plenty of riverside romping.

Harley, the dog, walks on a trail near Redwood National Parks

Del Norte County Travel Tips:

1. Explore with your leashed dogs along any gravel and old logging roads, and viewpoints in Redwood National & State Parks with zero National Park entrance fees. Make sure to keep dogs away from wildlife, marine mammals and sea life which can be dangerous for pets, people and the wildlife.
2. It’s worth a stop into the Crescent City-Del Norte County Visitor Center in downtown Crescent City to pick up maps, souvenirs and get the “local secrets” on where to go.
3. We are a four season destination – the weather is mild here and there’s nothing like looking up at the tallest redwood trees in the rain and mist. Those who visit outside of the summer months will likely have trails and beaches all to themselves. We even whitewater raft here during the winter months when the Smith River’s water flows are high. Save the date for Boastsmith, our whitewater festival.
4. Catch a quick flight. Roads tripping here is a gorgeous drive whether coming from Oregon or California. However, hopping on a quick dog-friendly flight from Oakland (OAK) or the Los Angeles basin area via Hawthorne Municipal Airport (HHR) on Advanced Airlines can allow you more time to explore the beaches and coastlines, wild and scenic rivers, and the National Parks. This airline offers a really luxurious in-flight experience and welcomes dogs on board! We recommend renting a car due to limited public transportation options – car rentals are available at the Del Norte County Regional Airport (CEC).

Wander with Us to Earn Your Patch

Share your photo with us to earn your Del Norte County Patch (it’s a sticker, too!) #VisitDelNorte @VisitDelNorteCounty. Learn more here.