Arcata Community Forest

To take your fur baby for a day out in the woods, you couldn't choose a better place than on the trails in the Arcata Community Forest in California. They're pawsome! You and your pup will be able to spend the day wandering through enormous, shady redwoods and along tracks bordered with knee-high ferns. You'll trek by the side of creeks and across grassy meadows. It's like entering a magical enchanted world. What makes it even better is – it's free.

You'll find the way to several well-signposted parking lots just off from 14th Street. Once you've left your vehicle, your pup will need to be on their leash. There are clean up bag dispensers on most of the trails throughout the forest, but it's always a good idea to take a few spares. Take water for you and pup, and if you're planning on being out for a few hours, take snacks too. This is a pup-tastic place for a picnic.

There are around ten miles of hiking trails running through the Arcata Community Forest. Most of the trails are under a mile long, except for the James Creek Loop which is about two miles in length. They are all graded easy to moderate, though you'll find the Nature Loop has a few steeper inclines than the other trails. 

From the parking lots, the first trails you and pup will come across are the Meadow Trail or the Nature Loop. Both of these link up with the Sitka Trail and the Fickle Hill Trail, and they interlink with other short trails too. It's a real woodland labyrinth your fur buddy will love exploring. Some of the trails are multi-use, so you may meet up with cyclists or horseback riders. You need to give right of way to the horses and the cyclists. 

If you're worried about losing your way in the forest, don't be. You can download a trail map from the Arcata Community Forest website or install their map app on your cell phone. Have a fur-ific time!