Sierra National Forest

The dog-friendly Sierra National Forest, just south of Yosemite, consists of 1.3 million acres. Your leashed dog is allowed in this forest and on over 1,000 miles of trails. Just make sure you stay within the Sierra National Forest and do not accidentally cross over to the bordering National Parks which don’t allow dogs on hiking trails. The Sierra National Forest trails offer gentle meadows, pristine lakes and streams, and rugged passes in the forest’s five wilderness areas. A Wilderness Visitor Permit is required if you plan on hiking into one of the five wilderness areas. In the Sierra National Forest, one of the more popular trails is the Lewis Creek National Recreation Trail. This 3.7 mile hike makes a great day hike as it offers scenic views of waterfalls like the Corlieu and Red Rock Falls. The trail gains 880 feet in elevation from south to north. There are three trailheads along the Lewis Creek Trail. From Oakhurst, take Highway 41 north towards Yosemite National Park. The southernmost trailhead, located 7 miles from Oakhurst, is about 0.5 mile off the highway along the Cedar Valley Road. The middle trailhead is about 3 miles further along Highway 41, at a large turnout just beyond the snow chain station. The northernmost trailhead is just off Highway 41 along the Sugar Pine Road, 500 feet past the bridge on the south side of the road.