Exploring Dog Friendly Kirkwood
Luna at Winnemucca Lake
Wildflowers, alpine lakes, and mountain vistas? The Kirkwood area near South Lake Tahoe, off Carson Pass, offers it all! Popular for hiking, backpacking, and camping, this destination has something for everyone and best of all, it is dog friendly! When we think of Kirkwood, we might think of skiing and snowboarding, but in the summer this area in the Eldorado National Forest is a refreshing mountain retreat.
Wildflowers shot on Sony 6400 with a 35 mm F 1.8 fixed lens
Hiking
There are several dog friendly hikes ranging from easy to hard to various lakes including Winnemucca, Woods, Frog, Margaret and Round Top. In the summer, these lakes offer a refreshing respite for dogs and people. Who doesn’t love a cold plunge!? The hike to Lake Winnemucca is one of our favorites. It’s about 5 miles roundtrip with stunning views of wildflowers, meadows, and Frog and Winnemucca Lakes.
Parking
Paid parking is available off Highway 88 at the Carson Pass Station, as well as at the overflow lot just down the road. Several trailheads near these lots lead to various lakes and the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT).
Where to Stay
There are a few first come campgrounds-Woods Lake Campground, Kirkwood Campground, and Caples Lake Campground. These campgrounds can fill up quickly especially on weekends. Caples Lake Campground is the largest of the 3 campgrounds, and the only one that can accommodate RVs and trailers. All the campgrounds are dog friendly with vault toilets and potable water.
Also Caples Lake Resort with stunning views of Caples Lake and the surrounding mountains has several rustic cabins that are designated for dog visitors.
Reactive Dog Note
This area is especially popular on weekends. We started our hike early in the morning on a Saturday and enjoyed the serenity of the trails with hardly any other people or dogs in sight. It wasn't until our return hike later in the day that we encountered more hikers and a few pups as well. So start early to avoid the crowds!
Other Tips
For a list of things we like to bring when camping with our dogs, check out our blog post Or check out for our tips for camping with a reactive dog.
Whether you’re looking for a day trip or a longer getaway, Kirkwood has an abundance of dog friendly adventures, and the summer is a great time to enjoy all the Sierra Nevada wildflowers in full bloom and those invigorating alpine lake swims. Happy hiking!
