Leaving Highway 101 at Cloverdale, this scenic road offers up many delights, from the Boonville General Store (think deli goodies from pizza to soups and sandwiches) in southern Mendocino County, to Leggett, on the Eel River in the north. In between? Let us count just a few of the ways along this 55-mile stretch of road to make your DogTrekking trip memorable.
While many Mendo visitors stay glued to the gorgeously sculpted coastline, doing so means you’ll miss out on star attractions such as the Anderson Valley wine region, encompassing the Boonville, Philo, Yorkville Highlands and Navarro areas.
While your pup couldn’t care less about the raspberry or leather notes in that 2018 pinot noir, she’ll enjoy curling at your feet at Navarro Vineyards, just off highway 128 near Philo. Here water bowls and treats await to please your pup, and an enclosed exercise area is available, as well.
Nearby Toulouse offers an equally enthusiastic welcome, along with a warehouse-size tasting room and shaded picnic tables with sweeping views of valley vineyards. Husch Vineyards, oldest winery in the Anderson Valley, makes more than 20 varieties of vino and welcomes furry friends in the converted pony barn that serves as a tasting room.
Round out your visit to the Anderson Valley with an overnight stay at a dog-friendly property such as as Anderson Valley Inn in Philo or the Boonville Hotel in downtown Boonville. You can’t go wrong with one of the cottage/houses managed by Sheep Dung Properties. They include a contemporary cottage with fenced yard in downtown Boonville and several other properties around the county.