Exploring Dog Friendly Snow Parks
Looking for a dog-friendly snow adventure? Us too! SNO-Parks are fantastic destinations for dog-friendly snow play in the Sierra Nevada. These parks offer wide-open spaces, scenic trails, and plenty of room for Luna and Linus to romp in the snow.
Luna and Linus at Round Valley SNO-Park
There are 18 SNO-Parks throughout California, but one of our favorites is Spicer near Bear Valley. It is close enough to the Bay Area for a day trip but also makes for a fun overnight getaway. There are three SNO-Parks off Highway 4 near Bear Valley-Lake Alpine, Spicer, and Round Valley. Although they are called “SNO-Parks,” there are no amenities other than a parking lot and vault toilet, but the parks are great for snow play, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, and dog sledding. Parking is $15/day or $40 for the season, which runs from November through May, so there’s still time to enjoy the snow! Parking passes need to be purchased in advance online or from a local vendor.
The road that leads to Union and Utica Reservoirs is the main trail that runs through Spicer SNO-Park. In the winter, the road is closed to cars, but it is groomed for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and sledding. Spicer is also open to snowmobiles, but we have rarely seen snowmobilers. Each time we've visited, we've found that most people stay near the parking lot to play and sled while the trails beyond remain peaceful and uncrowded.
The main trail winds for miles through the forest, crossing streams and rivers while gently rolling over hills. Linus and Luna can race at full speed, tumble in the snow, and bury their faces in the fresh powder.
REACTIVE NOTE:
We’ve seen very few people on the trail at Spicer SNO-Park and even fewer dogs making for a very happy and relaxed Linus. Also because the trail is a road in the non-snowy season it is wide with good visibility, making it easy to create space for passing other dogs and people when needed.
Peaceful Spicer SNO-Park
OTHER TIPS:
Round Valley SNO-Park is up the road from Spicer and is also a fun area to play in the snow. It is the only SNO-Park of the three in the Bear Valley area where snowmobiling is prohibited. There are two ridges at Round Valley, so the hills are steeper, and the trails are not groomed, but it’s a great area for downhill activities. And it is also not crowded once away from the parking lot.
We also like to stop at Big Trees Market in Arnold or Sierra Hills Market in Murphy to use their clean public restrooms and to pick up snacks.
Don’t forget the paw wax. We use Musher’s Secret, which is non-toxic, protects paws, and also prevents the snow from sticking and accumulating on paws.
Spicer SNO-Park
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