Hiking with Your Dog in Oregon

Jun 12, 2012 by DailyPuppyCharm

 Hiking with Your Dog encourages both the dog and owner(s), perhaps even a friend or two to get out and take a hike! But before you run off to the nearest trail (where dogs are allowed) please follow these safety precautions because there is nothing better than a well-behaved dog and prepared owner on the trail.

1) Your dog should be trained to walk well and quietly on a leash.

2) You should be able to control your dog if any circumstances arise.

3) Pick-up after your dog’s poop and dispose of it properly.

4) Bring water for both you and your dog.

5) Plan ahead! Do your research or ask park officials if pets are allowed, if it’s an on-leash or off-leash trail and if trail conditions are suitable.

Ellen Bishop and her dogs, Meesha and Dundee, have hiked more than 750 miles together in Oregon- now they present the best, most dog-friendly trails found throughout the state. These trails do not require leashes (except in parks as designated), and host few hikers and even fewer children. They are free of cliffs, paw-damaging terrain, poison oak, nearby roads, off road vehicle traffic, and other hazards of particular danger for dogs. All of them offer shade and lakes or streams for Fido to play in or enjoy a drink. Many hikes are easily accessible from urban areas including Portland, Eugene-Springfield, Roseburg, and the Medford-Grants Pass area. There are also hikes along the Oregon Coast and in northeast Oregon, in areas including the Wallowa Mountains.

Vulcan Lake Trail (Brookings, OR) At the ridge crest, you gain a view of the Chetco River watershed and the Pacific coast to the west, the rugged interior of the Kalmiopsis Wilderness and Big Craggies Botanical Area to the north, and Vulcan Lake, a teal-colored pool 300 feet below. Then the Vulcan Lake Trail drops, reaching Vulcan Lake in about 0.75 mile via several informal spurs. You can work your way around the small lake, which was carved out by glacial action during the Pleistocene Ice Age.

Chetco Lake Trail (Brookings, OR) This hike in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness Area tours the south side of Vulcan Peak, following a long-abandoned mining road into the ridges east of the peak, then drops into the small Chetco Lake basin. The hike provides views of the Kalmiopsis Wilderness to the north and of Red Buttes Wilderness and Mount Shasta to the south and east. There is shade periodically and two springs along the way for canine cooling. However, it’s best to hike this trail in cooler weather.

Lookout Mountain Trail (Prineville, OR) The hike to Lookout Mountain’s flat, wind-blown summit travels through a diverse landscape with spectacular groves of ancient ponderosa pine and south-facing, sun-blasted stands of mountain mahogany. Along the way you might encounter wild horses (they are more wary than truly wild). Take water and a camera. And, of course, your dog. This hike joins Hike 63, Independent Mine, at the summit.

Independent Mine to Lookout Mountain Summit Trail (Prineville, OR) This hike takes you past an old mine along a trail to the top of Lookout Mountain where you’ll find outstanding views of the Cascade and Ochoco Mountains. Three routes—808, 808A, 808B—lead to the summit of Lookout Mountain from the trailhead. Trail 808 heads out toward the north and provides a slow, but easy and shaded, 4-mile ascent to the top. It’s the return trail for this loop hike, but dogs who need a lot of water and shade might prefer Trail 808 as an out-and-back hike. Trail 808A follows an old mining and logging road. It’s direct, partly shaded, and a bit rocky with no water along the way. Watch for mountain bikers on this route.

Burnt Lake Trail (Zigzag, OR) This 3.5-mile walk to Burnt Lake and the summit of Zigzag Mountain provides both water and scenery, as well as a lesson in forest history in an eerie but inviting woodland where the giant, charcoaled stumps of a vanished cedar forest hide among moss-draped younger trees. Although a popular trail, there are fewer hikers here than on the nearby Ramona Falls Trail. Water is accessible on the first part of the hike in Burnt Creek and at Burnt Lake.

View our previews posts:
Hiking with Your Dog in Colorado
Hiking with Your Dog in Georgia & South Carolina
Hiking with Your Dog in Las Vegas & Beyond
Hiking with Your Dog in Montana
Hiking with Your Dog in New Hampshire & Vermont
Hiking with Your Dog in New York City & Beyond
Hiking with Your Dog in North Carolina