Coldstream Valley

If you're living or visiting Truckee, California, you'll want to spend time outdoors there with your fur baby. Truckee is a dog-friendly town, and there are lots of hiking trails to choose from. A puptastic hike to do with your four-legged trekking companion is the Coldstream Valley Trail.

If you're driving to the trailhead from Truckee, take the Donner Pass Road in a westerly direction for around two and a half miles until you spot a red flashing light. You'll need to take a left turn onto Coldstream Road there and continue until you arrive at a white gate. That's the entrance to Coldstream Valley and the start of the trail. Parking inside the gate is not permitted. Leave your vehicle on the road side of the gate, or it might get closed in. Take water for you both, something to munch on with your fur pal, and some clean up bags.

Your pup doesn't need to be on their leash while you're hiking through the valley, but you do need to carry one with you. The trail is a favorite with local mountain bikers, and you may encounter them while you're out walking. The first few feet of the trail is a scramble over a glacial deposit. It's quite loose, scree-type terrain, but after that section, the trail is a combination of paved and dirt which is much more comfortable for hiking. The trail leads along the sides of the valley, through some stunning pine forested mountains and you'll see a creek down below. There are open grassy meadows too which are full of flowers in the spring and early summer. 

The mountains you'll see in the distance while you're hiking are the Sierra Crest. You'll find several ponds on the trail too. At the last pond on the trail, there will be signs indicating it is private property. Stay to the left on the dirt track, and it'll take you back, on the opposite side of the valley, to where you started. Have a pawsome hike!