We've had a love affair with Zuke's since before they had any idea who we were and we are proud to have them as one of our long-term sponsors. Their continued support helps to make sure we have the treats we need to fuel our adventures and that I can continue to share our stories and tips. We are lucky here in Seattle because we have several large parks within the urban area. We can't always … [Read more...]
Dog Friendly Trails in the Seattle Area and Beyond
I hike and snowshoe with my dogs often and like to highlight our favorite dog friendly Seattle trails. Our trail adventure stories and trail descriptions are written from the perspective of someone who hikes with their small dogs but, by default, the trails are appropriate for large dogs too. Occasionally we highlight dog friendly trails in other areas of the country we travel to.
Perfect Day For a Hike to Snow Lake
I admit we haven't been the best K9 Kampers this time around. The challenge this month is to be active 30 minutes extra, 3 - 4 times a week. Right now I am so busy with school that any kind of activity at all is "extra" for us. We just HAD to get out and hike last week. Not only was I stressed out, and Chester and Gretel really bored, but snow will be coming to the mountains soon. In the winter … [Read more...]
One Amazing, and One So-So, Dog-Friendly Hike Near Bend, Oregon
When you are a tourist in a new area, it can be hard to find some of the "best" local things to do. A Google search often lists the most popular actives or places. However, just because they are popular, doesn't mean they are the most interesting or most beautiful. During our recent trip to Bend, Oregon we wanted knock out some of the best day-hiking trails the area has to offer. I searched for … [Read more...]
5 Challenging (and Spectacular) Day Hikes for You and Your Dog Around Seattle
I want to start making "theme" lists of dog-friendly hikes in the Seattle area. I wrote before about unknown dog-friendly trails around Seattle and I plan to make a list of easy hikes later. We are nearing the end of the hiking season so I wanted to start off my list series by telling you about some trails that are good for our more seasoned hiking fans - those of you who have been regularly … [Read more...]
A Long Hike to Annette Lake
Monday was out first long hike of the season. As I have said before, when hiking with your dog you have to start small and then go big. You can't lead a sedentary life, or only walk a mile or two a week, and decide to go climb a big mountain tomorrow. Both you and your dog have to be properly conditioned for that kind of hiking. Yesterday we hiked 7.5 miles to Annette Lake. For most small … [Read more...]
A Little Bushwhacking to Eagle Lake
I admit that almost all of the trails we hike are a few feet wide, open (not overgrown with brush), are defined, and easy to follow. Aside from the fact that they are straight up the side of a mountain, they are pretty tame. I didn't realize how tame actually until the other day. Usually I suggest the hikes and hubby follows us wherever. The other day he came to me going on and on about this … [Read more...]
Sunny Hike with Friends to Rattlesnake Ledge
For the time being it seems like we skipped right over Spring into Summer. It's been in the mid-60s here this week with plenty of sunshine. Since I know our summer dreams will dashed by another chilly snap and a rainy spring, we decided to take advantage of the sun to hike with our friends. Since all of are out of hiking shape, we went with one of our favorite beginning hikes - Rattlesnake … [Read more...]
Climbing Up, Up, Up Mt. Si
Last Monday we finally got out and went for a hike. Because of family obligations, and planning for my wedding, it had been a long time since we got out in the woods. Mt. Si is about 45 minutes from Seattle in the Cascade Mountains. Views from the tip include Puget Sound, Cascade Mountains, Seattle and the Snoqualmie River Valley. Wikipedia says about 80,000 to 100,000 people visit the Mt. … [Read more...]
Poo Poo Point Hike
No, I did not get poo on my hand again. Last weekend we got two special treats. We had an Adventureweiner friend, Spartacus, come and stay with us. We also had a rare winter (weekend) day of sun and clear blue skies. It was the perfect recipe for a hike so we loaded our gear and the dogs in the car and headed to Poo Poo Point. Poo Poo Point is a grassy knoll on Tiger Mountain where local … [Read more...]
Source Lake Hike: Our First Snow of the Year
When we hiked up to Snow Lake a couple of weeks ago we discovered Source Lake. The Source Lake Trail branches off the Snow Lake Trail where the switchbacks start in the trail. I remember thinking “Source Lake” is such a generic name. If you are in the mountains the chance is good that what you are looking at is a source for something downstream. However, I later learned that this lake is the … [Read more...]
Red Top Lookout Hike: We Almost Died
OK...we didn't really "almost die". We encounter a few sketchy moments though. I have a strong stomach for risk and adventure. This hike weirded me out a couple of times though. We decided to finally (it had been on my list for well over a year) hike to the Red Top Lookout. It’s a fire lookout in central Washington. It is still in use during the summer by the Forest Service. Once we made … [Read more...]
Snow Lake Hike: Chester is a Trooper
People who own Dachshunds, or small dogs, often have to deal with Wet Belly Syndrome. Chester has it really bad. We have been on hikes in the past where he has gotten so wet and cold that he refuses to go on and we had to carry him. As you can imagine, he is particularly susceptible to this on fall and winter hikes. This last weekend we wanted to get off the couch and go see the fall colors in … [Read more...]
More Glass Beach Treasures
After the somewhat disappointing hike to glass beach a few weeks ago I had decided it wasn't worth the hike for what little bit of treasures we did find out there. With more thought and research my thoughts tended more towards "well, this is as good as it is going to get if you want to find your own beach glass". I am using beach glass to make boutonnieres for my wedding and thought that at … [Read more...]
Beach Glass Adventure
This was another hike a couple of weeks ago we didn’t have a chance to tell you about. The day before our Mount Si hike we hiked About 3 miles out to glass beach in Port Townsend. Glass beach is near the old town dump site that was a hole in the ground located near the edge of the bluff. The dump was eventually closed but the rough waves ate into the side of the bluff eventually exposing the old … [Read more...]
6 “Unknown” Dog Friendly Trails Near Seattle
Summer is finally here in Seattle. It’s time to start setting your sights on goals for the season. For instance….getting out to hike with your dog more. If you are a Seattle local, or did a little online research of the area, you probably know some of the area’s most famous hiking trails: Mount Si, Little Si , Rattlesnake Ledge , Lake Twentytwo, Wallace Falls, Tiger Mountain, Twin Falls, etc. … [Read more...]
Rattlesnake Ledge: An Actual View This Time!
In case you haven’t noticed, Rattlesnake Ledge is one of our favorite go-to hikes in the winter. The up side is that we are usually more out of shape in the winter and this one is easier and it is usually snow-free all or most of the way. The down side is that the views are amazing but you hardly ever get to see them in the winter because the weather sucks. The last two times we have hiked the … [Read more...]
Pioneering the Dog Friendly Spruce Railroad Trail
The Spruce Railroad Trail skirts Lake Crescent and is inside the boundary of Olympic National Park. The trail is a 4-mile rolling path in the woods along the shores of the lake, which is the second deepest in Washington at 600 feet. The Spruce Railroad Trail has been designated as part of the Olympic Discovery Trail that runs from Port Townsend to Forks, WA. The Olympic Discovery Trail is a … [Read more...]
