Dog-friendly, near you

Dog-friendly hikes near San Diego

Looking for somewhere to hike with your dog around San Diego? Here are the 27 closest places where a leashed dog is welcome, pulled from every national forest, park, BLM area, wildlife refuge, state park, and dog beach we have verified, and sorted by rough distance from downtown.

Each one is checked for its own dog rule, so you can see at a glance where dogs are fully welcome and where a few limits apply. Distances are a straight-line estimate, so real drive times will run a bit longer.

27 places within ~150 miles, nearest first
CADog-friendly

Coronado Dog Beach

Dogs welcome on the sand, leashed or off-leash.
3 miles away · Dog beach
CADog-friendly

Fiesta Island

Dogs welcome on the sand, leashed or off-leash.
5 miles away · Dog beach
CADog-friendly

Ocean Beach Dog Beach

Dogs welcome on the sand, leashed or off-leash.
6 miles away · Dog beach
CABRLimited access

Cabrillo National Monument

Leashed pets are allowed only on the Coastal Trail. They are barred from the rest of the park, including all other trails and the tidepools.
6 miles away · National place
CADog-friendly

Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge

Leashed dogs welcome on most or all trails.
12 miles away · Wildlife refuge
CADog-friendly

San Diego National Wildlife Refuge

Leashed dogs welcome on most or all trails.
17 miles away · Wildlife refuge
CALimited access

Del Mar Dog Beach (North Beach)

Yes, seasonally, Del Mar's North Beach allows off-leash dogs in the off-season and early mornings only in summer.
18 miles away · Dog beach
CADog-friendly

Cleveland National Forest

Leashed dogs welcome on most or all trails.
38 miles away · National forest
CALimited access

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

Yes, but only in developed areas, dogs are not allowed on Anza-Borrego's hiking trails.
58 miles away · State park
CALimited access

Aliso Beach (Laguna Beach)

Yes, on leash, Aliso Beach allows leashed dogs except during summer daytime hours.
65 miles away · Dog beach
CALimited access

Newport Beach

Yes, on leash, dogs are allowed on Newport's ocean-front beaches only before 10am and after 4:30pm, year-round.
76 miles away · Dog beach
CALimited access

Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument

This is one of the few BLM units where dogs are genuinely restricted. Endangered Peninsular bighorn sheep react to dogs the way they react to coyotes, so most lower-elevation trails are closed to pets whether leashed or not.
79 miles away · BLM land
CADog-friendly

Huntington Dog Beach

Dogs welcome on the sand, leashed or off-leash.
81 miles away · Dog beach
CADog-friendly

Rosie's Dog Beach

Dogs welcome on the sand, leashed or off-leash.
91 miles away · Dog beach
CADog-friendly

Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge

Leashed dogs welcome on most or all trails.
94 miles away · Wildlife refuge
CADog-friendly

Sand to Snow National Monument

Leashed dogs welcome on most or all trails.
96 miles away · BLM land
CADog-friendly

San Bernardino National Forest

Leashed dogs welcome on most or all trails.
104 miles away · National forest
CADog-friendly

Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area

Leashed dogs welcome on most or all trails.
119 miles away · BLM land
CADog-friendly

Angeles National Forest

Leashed dogs welcome on most or all trails.
119 miles away · National forest
CADog-friendly

Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area

Leashed dogs welcome on most or all trails.
120 miles away · BLM land
CADog-friendly

Chuckwalla National Monument

Leashed dogs welcome on most or all trails.
120 miles away · BLM land
CALimited access

Malibu Creek State Park

Dogs can join you at the campground and picnic areas but not on any of Malibu Creek's hiking trails.
131 miles away · State park
SAMODog-friendly

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

Leashed dogs welcome on most or all trails.
132 miles away · National place
CADog-friendly

El Mirage Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area

Leashed dogs welcome on most or all trails.
134 miles away · BLM land
CALimited access

Leo Carrillo State Beach

Yes, on leash, Leo Carrillo's North Beach (north of Lifeguard Tower 3) allows leashed dogs, but the South Beach and trails do not.
138 miles away · Dog beach
AZDog-friendly

Cibola National Wildlife Refuge

Leashed dogs welcome on most or all trails.
149 miles away · Wildlife refuge
CADog-friendly

Amboy Crater

Leashed dogs welcome on most or all trails.
149 miles away · BLM land
Planning a bigger trip? See the full CA dog trail guide for every dog-friendly park and trail in the state.

Common questions

Where can I hike with my dog near San Diego?

There are 27 verified spots within about a 150-mile radius of San Diego where leashed dogs are welcome, including national forests, state parks, and in some cases dog beaches. The closest ones are listed above, nearest first.

Are there dog-friendly trails close to San Diego?

Yes. State parks and national forests near San Diego are usually the most reliable, since most welcome a leashed dog on the trails. The list above ranks them by distance so you can find the nearest.