The Olympic National Park is a huge draw for those wanting to get out of the city. Just a short drive from downtown Seattle, it’s easy to escape city life and get lost in the untamed wild. National Parks as a whole restrict pets from most hiking trails. However, there are easy and accessible places to bring your beloved dog.
We made a day trip out to the peninsula with Kona, our 90lb puppy.
Dog-Friendly Trails
When heading to a National Park, make sure you do your research before going. Most National Parks restrict pets on the trail unless they’re service animals. If you bring your dog, make sure you know which trails they can be on.
Pets can negatively impact the ecosystem around the trail. Markings they leave, scents, and sounds, can all scare off wild life. Keeping them off the trail helps keep the natural habitat intact.
On the north side of Lake Crescent is a dog-friendly trail, the Spruce Railroad Trail. This trail has been closed since March 2020 for major construction. The upgrades will make the trail more accessible. Peninsula Daily News says that this is a part of a multi-year plan, set to be complete in November of this year.
Since the Spruce Railroad Trail was closed, we opted for hiking around the lake. We started at the Ranger’s Station at Lake Crescent, hiked the Moments of Time Trail, and continued down to the Lake Crescent lodge. Kona got to enjoy time in the water to cool down, while we got in about two miles of hiking on mostly flat ground.
While we didn’t get to see the Marymore Falls, we did get to see giant redwood trees and moss covered forest floors.
Dog Hiking Supplies
When hiking with your four legged friend, make sure you bring supplies for them as well as yourself.
We hiked Potato Chip Rock in San Diego with Kona only to turn around. We learned since then to carry a few things with us for our pup:
- A collapsable water bowl – like this one.
- A gallon of water.
- An extra water bottle for the trail.
- A day pack, like this one, for both his supplies and ours.
- Extra treats for good behavior and for energy.
You might need other supplies depending on the trail. Today, we let Kona swim in the lake. In hindsight, we could have had a towel for him as well.
Let us know how you hike with your dog!