Seattle Hiking Home
Seattle Mountaineers Home

Do you enjoy hiking with your canine brothers and sisters?

Trips that are clearly designated as "Hiking with Dogs" allow dogs (all other trips that do not carry this designation do not allow pets of any kind).  Leaders are welcome to designate their hike by selecting "Hiking with dogs" under "Other Info" on the first page of activity set up.  These trips will then show up with "Hiking with dogs" designation on the website.

Please note that you do not have to bring a dog to attend these hikes!  In fact, only four dogs are allowed on a hike.  However, you should enjoy dogs if you sign up!

 

 

Hiking with Dogs Guidelines:

1. Leave no trace.
2. Follow leash law regulations explicitly. 
   
3. The signup maximum attendance is eight and that leaves openings for four dogs. Dogs are allowed in the order of the masters/members signup. The total number of heartbeats needs to be 12 for dogs and hikers combined.
4. During the trip creation there is a control for listing it as a "Hikes with Dogs."  This setting must be selected during the online trip creation.
5. Try to pick trails that are very low use.
6. Keep dogs on leashes in parking lots before AND after a hike.
7. Keep dogs on a leash once on the trail for at least 1/4 mile to feel out other hikers and conditions even if the trail is okay for dogs off leash.
8. Leader has final say on whether dogs stay on leash for the entire hike.

More information on hiking with dogs available from the  WTA website.

Photos courtesy of Barb Powrie