Best Hikes With Dogs: Southern California

* Guidebook to more than 60 dog-suitable trails, accessible from metro areas including Los Angeles, Palm Springs, San Diego, and Santa Barbara
* Most trails are lightly traveled; off-leash permitted on nearly half
* What to pack for your dog on the trail

Allen Riedel and his canine trail companions, Chewbacca and Socrates, have hiked thousands of miles together in southern California to select the best dog-friendly, dog-fun, and dog-safe hikes in the region.

More than two-thirds of the trails in Best Hikes with Dogs Southern California are lesser-known, where travel is light and where you're unlikely to meet horses, bicycles, or motorized vehicles. On nearly half of the trails, off-leash hiking is permitted. The hikes avoid steep, rocky terrain and many offer lakes or streams as a reward. Paw comfort rating (whether you'll be walking on sand, dirt, or pavement) is clearly noted in the information block at the beginning of each hike description; potential dog hazards such as ticks or poison oak are described in the text.

A Trail Finder chart in the front of the book indicates trail length, which hikes include water, swimming, or shade, which are "good for senior dogs" or "best for fit dogs".