Belknap

Take your good boy or girl on the walk of a lifetime through the biggest trees this planet has to offer! Belknap Campground is smack-dab in the Sequoia National Forest, allowing you to discover one of this country's crown jewels of natural beauty. While the journey may not be for the faint of heart, the rewards are abundant when you get to immerse yourself in the vastness of this area.

This campground is quite small, offering only 13 sites to tent campers only. While there are picnic tables, campfire rings, and grills, along with water on tap, there is not is a dump station. For those in grizzly country, this means you must lug around your own approved bear-proof container -- unless you'd like a big, brown visitor during your stay. This is also important to remember when bringing your beloved pooch with you. Though the camp's regulations do not mention a leash rule, you'll want to keep your doggo close by and out of any bear's way. 

While hiking through the Sequoia Forest is an obvious draw, the area is also big with fishers. Anglers can try their luck along the Tule River, which flows near the campground. For the sightseer, there are multiple waterfalls located near Belknap, including Salmon Creek Falls and Grizzly Falls. More into thrills? Belknap has lots of these, with different areas for rock climbing along with a ghost town nearby that you can explore during your stay.

As it is California, pay close attention to any fire bans in place. It would be a terrible shame to be the reason that any part of this 1.1 million-acre National Forest went up in flames. To further safeguard the forest, all campers are asked to please only buy wood from local vendors to avoid the spread of tree-killing insects.

The general takeaway is that Belknap is a great place to get back in touch with nature in its wildest form. If that sounds right up your alley, be sure to add this one to you and your pup's bucket list.