Sapphire Lake via Stuart Fork Creek

Near: Weaverville
Distance: 28 miles
Elevation: 2,800 to 5,900 feet
Vegetation: Pine Forest
Last Visit: May 2019

Cascades on the Stuart Fork Creek just below Emerald Lake, with Sawtooth Ridge in the background

Sapphire Lake (and on the way, Emerald Lake) is one of the more popular destinations in the Trinity Alps.  The lakes are lovely, they're surrounded by dramatic peaks and ridges, and the trail runs near several cascades and small waterfalls near the lakes.  Along with the slightly more popular Canyon Creek Lakes route, this is one of the lowest-elevation hikes of true alpine character in the state, which means it melts out early and makes a good Memorial Day and early June destination even after a big snow year like 2019.  While theoretically doable as a very long day hike, the lakes are best reached on an overnight, or as 3-day backpack as we took it, camping at Morris Meadows about halfway to the lakes.  While I enjoyed Emerald and Sapphire Lakes as much or maybe more than the Canyon Creek Lakes themselves, views and waterfalls are more abundant in the first half the Canyon Creek Lakes hike, so make that one your first choice for a valley hike in the Trinity Alps.

Coldstream Creek Canyon by Cross Country Ski

Near: Truckee
Distance: 7 miles
Elevation: 6,000 - 6,250 feet
Vegetation: Pine Forest
Last Visit: February 2019

Tucked up behind Donner Memorial State Park in Truckee, Coldstream Creek Canyon is a surprisingly serene and scenic valley.  A ridge to the north blocks highway noise from nearby I-80 and traffic is light enough on the active train tracks loop around the valley not to ruin the scene. Overnight guests snowshoeing and skiing up the the Lost Trail Lodge tend to keep a trail broken up the valley and at least occasionally snow-cat service up to the Lodge or surrounding ski runs keep the trail relatively well broken.  The trail climbs about 150 feet in the fist half mile, but then climbs much more gently for the next few miles.  If you hit this trail after a good packing by the snow cat it can be a great intro cross country ski in the back country.

Cross-Country Skiing with Dogs in the Tahoe Region (updated 2019)

With hundreds of kilometers of groomed cross-country ski trails around the Lake Tahoe region, it can come as a bit of a shock how few of those kilometers are dog friendly.  Here's a round-up of the best options I've found in the area.

Samuel H Boardman Scenic Corridor (Oregon)

Near: Crescent City, CA
Distance: Up to 12 miles, but the ocean is within a few hundred yards of all parking areas.
Elevation: 0 - 100 feet
Vegetation: Mix of pine and deciduous forest
Last visit: January 2019

A natural rock bridge along the Samuel H Boardman Scenic Corridor

The Samuel H Boardman Scenic Corridor is a narrow strip of land between US 101 and the ocean just north of the Oregon/California border.  Technically you can hike or run as far as 12 miles one-way through the corridor, but most will opt for much shorter trips.  Sadly, the trail between several sections travels directly along the highway, where fast moving traffic spoils the magic on what would otherwise be an epic coastal hike or run.  The corridor is best experienced as a short outing from one of the many small trailheads along 101.  The trails lead through a wooded strip of land to a beautiful series of rocky bluffs and beaches.  We particularly enjoyed the natural rock bridges near the northern end of the corridor.  We took in this section as a trail run, so I left the camera behind and only snapped some pictures from near the car.  The pictures accompanying this post do not do the area justice at all.  It's one of the most scenic bits of coastline I've found in California or Oregon.

Ralston Peak

Near: Echo Summit
Length: 7 Miles
Elevation: 6,400 - 9,200 feet
Vegetation: Pine Forest and Scrubby Meadows
Last Visit: November 2018

The summit of Ralston Peak overlooking Ralston, Tamarack, and Echo Lakes with Mt Tallac and Lake Tahoe in the distance.

Ralston Peak is one of the best 'bang for your buck' hikes in California.  The trailhead is right on US 50 between Kyburz and Echo Summit, making it a relatively direct drive.  It's a nearly 3,000 foot ascent to the summit, but the trail doesn't mess around, reaching the peak in under 4 miles (actually just 3 miles if you take a more direct use-trail on the final climb).  The summit is easily reached without any rock scrambling and provides fantastic views in all directions.  Given all that, I'm a bit surprised this trail isn't completely overrun with hikers.  Likely the steep ascent and a lack of many views on the lower slopes keep away most of the less energetic crowd, opting instead for the often crowded Horsetail Falls trail nearby.  The falls aren't visible from the summit, but we found a secret overlook just off the trail from which you can just see them.

Redwood National and State Parks with a dog

Lori and Presto at the base of a truly massive redwood.

Like most national parks, Redwood National and State Parks on the far northern California coast are fairly hostile to dogs.  No dogs are allowed on any trails anywhere in the park, even the loop that horses use.  It turns out that there a few dirt roads in the park that are open to dogs, though.  We stopped by in the middle of a road trip up the California and Oregon Coast recently and managed to put together a full afternoon at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, then a good morning at Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park the next day.  It's a bit frustrating not to be able to go into the best groves, but there are still lots of giant redwoods to find, a pretty nice beach, and a clearing often full wild elk.  So if you find yourself in the area, don't just give up on it and drive by on 101.

Day One (Prairie Creek Redwoods SP):
Cal Barrel Road (3 mile hike)
Elk Prairie (Wild Elk Viewing Area)
Gold Bluffs Beach

Day Two (Jedediah Smith Redwoods SP):
Howland Hill Road (Scenic Drive)
Walker Road (3 mile hike)

Sunset Drive and 17 Mile Drive

Near: Monterey
Distance: Up to 14 miles
Elevation: 0 ft
Vegetation: Coastal Scrub
Last Visit: June 2018

On occasion, we find ourselves out at the Asilomar Conference Center near Monterey for work.   It's a pretty nice place to be forced to stay, just across the road from the Asilomar State Beach.  Only after a few stays did we realize that the beach is dog friendly.  The beach is small, but it's set along an unusually quiet and pleasant slice of coast on the Monterey Peninsula.  Its a thin strip of public land squeezed between the shore, the town of Pacific Grove, and a handful of golf courses.  This is no wilderness, mind you, with a paved road within a hundred yards of the water almost the entire way.  But the road is quiet and a continuous strip of publicly accessible shoreline offers the public 7 miles of beaches, dunes, rocks, and tide pools perfect for a run or a stroll.  Seals, otters and, sea lions are often visible along this coast, especially around Bird Rock at the south-western end.