Go for a beach romp, a hike or a tram ride—or, go to camp with Wild Blue Dogs! Summer is high season at Northern California’s favorite vacation destination, and now, with the state’s pandemic restrictions easing up, you can lower the mask and breath deep of that invigorating mountain air. Here are some tried and true DogTrekker tips on how to enjoy Big Blue with your four-legged sidekick.
• If you’re at the lake, you want to at least dip toes and paws into the water, right? We’ve curated some dog-friendly ways to do that. Here’s how to make a splash at North Lake Tahoe and find beach bliss on south shore strands.
• Hiking, you say? The options are endless. We’ve highlighted a few here, but there are many more dog-friendly trails to consider. Want something tame but educational? Take a walk through Tallac Historic Site to get a feel for how the hoi palloi spent their summers in the late 1800s.
• About that tram ride: Palisades Tahoe operates its iconic tram in summer, whisking two-legged and four-legged riders on a 10-minute ascent to High Camp, where a swimming pool, hot tub, bar, restaurant and miles of hiking trails await. The ride is $39 per adult (pool complex costs extra) but you can also hike up and down for free via the steep but scenic Shirley Canyon Trail (3.6 miles, 2,000-foot elevation gain).
• So how does the thought of spending a week with your dog at Lake Tahoe sound? Wild Blue Dog, a nonprofit benefiting canine cancer treatment and research, offers two camp sessions a year where dog-lovers can spend time with like-minded souls (human and canine) and enjoy instruction in many activities, including swimming, paddle-boarding and kayaking with your pup. Next up is a Sept. 6-12 session taking place at a 4H facility on 33 securely fenced acres on the southeast (Nevada) side of the lake. Meals, training and on-site lodging in shared cabins are part of the all-inclusive package priced at $1,800 per dog/human pair.
Tahoe Splash!
