Feather Falls

The Feather Falls Scenic Trail near Oroville in California is a stunning hike to take your fur buddy on. You don't even need to be a seasoned hiker to be confident about tackling this trail either. The nine-mile-long loop has one section which is graded as easy to moderate, and another which is more physically testing. They both lead to the same end, the puptastic six hundred and forty foot high Feather Falls.

To find the trailhead, drive down Lumpkin Road and take the left fork out onto Bryant Ravine Road. The road ends at a campground where there are public restrooms and the parking lot for the trail. Leash your pup as soon as you're out of your vehicle, and don't forget to grab your backpack of supplies. You'll need both food and water for this hike. Make your way along the path leading from the lot for about a quarter of a mile, and you'll reach the start of the trail. 

Once at the trailhead, you'll need to decide which way to go with your pup. If you've both got boundless energy to burn off, head off on the lower trail section to the left. It's a shorter three and a half mile long hike on this part to the falls. First, you and pup will need to handle a big downhill slope followed by a steep uphill scramble. Yes, it will put yours and your pup's leg muscles to the test. If you choose to go right from the trailhead, the hike is longer, but it's a lot gentler too. This four and a half-mile section of the loop has few inclines and the ones there are don't need a superhuman effort to get up them. 

Whichever direction you take, the hike will take you through some beautiful areas of the Plumas National Forest, so you'll be in the shade most of the way. Near the falls, as if they weren't a fur-ific enough conclusion to the trail, you'll find steps out to a viewpoint where you can see right over to Bald Rock Dome and the Bald Rock Canyon. Totally pawsome!