Dog-friendly, near you

Dog-friendly hikes near San Jose

Looking for somewhere to hike with your dog around San Jose? Here are the 28 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.

28 places within ~150 miles, nearest first
CALimited access

Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge

Yes, but only on four specific trail segments near the Fremont Visitor Center, dogs are prohibited everywhere else on the refuge.
10 miles away · Wildlife refuge
CALimited access

Big Basin Redwoods State Park

Dogs may go to picnic and campground areas at Big Basin, but not on any redwood-grove trails.
22 miles away · State park
EUONDog-friendly

Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site

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

Fort Funston

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

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

Leashed dogs welcome on most or all trails.
44 miles away · National place
CALimited access

Crissy Field

Partly, Crissy Field has both on-leash and off-leash zones; check posted signage for the current beach and airfield boundaries.
45 miles away · Dog beach
CALimited access

Ocean Beach (San Francisco)

Mostly leash-only, San Francisco's Ocean Beach requires leashes in the main Snowy Plover protection zone, with an off-leash stretch north of Stairwell 21.
45 miles away · Dog beach
FOPODog-friendly

Fort Point National Historic Site

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

Point Isabel Regional Shoreline

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

Golden Gate National Recreation Area

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

Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park

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

Fort Ord National Monument

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

John Muir National Historic Site

Leashed dogs welcome on most or all trails.
49 miles away · National place
CALimited access

Muir Beach

Yes, mostly off-leash, Muir Beach allows dogs off-leash on the sand but requires a leash inland and in the parking lot.
52 miles away · Dog beach
CADog-friendly

Carmel Beach

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

Mount Tamalpais State Park

Dogs are allowed only on a few paved roads at Mt. Tam, not on the park's extensive dirt-trail network.
56 miles away · State park
CALimited access

Stinson Beach

Partly, dogs are banned on the main, National Park Service-managed section of Stinson Beach, but leashed dogs are allowed on the adjacent Marin County beach at the north end.
56 miles away · Dog beach
CADog-friendly

San Luis National Wildlife Refuge

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

Cosumnes River Preserve

This wildlife and wetland preserve does not allow pets. Only leashed service dogs are permitted, since loose dogs disturb the birds and other animals the preserve protects.
71 miles away · BLM land
PORELimited access

Point Reyes National Seashore

Point Reyes allows leashed dogs only on a few named beaches and trails; all other trails, beaches, and off-trail land are closed to pets.
71 miles away · National place
CADog-friendly

Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument

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

Stanislaus National Forest

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

Eldorado National Forest

Leashed dogs welcome on most or all trails.
133 miles away · National forest
YOSELimited access

Yosemite

Paved paths only.
134 miles away · National park
CALimited access

Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge

Yes, leashed dogs are allowed on trails and in parking lots, but on the Auto Tour Route they must stay in the vehicle except at designated Park-and-Stretch areas.
143 miles away · Wildlife refuge
CADog-friendly

Sierra National Forest

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

California Coastal National Monument

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

D. L. Bliss State Park

Dogs are welcome at campsites and picnic areas at D.L. Bliss, but not on the park's beaches or its famous Rubicon Trail.
149 miles away · State park
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 Jose?

There are 28 verified spots within about a 150-mile radius of San Jose 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 Jose?

Yes. State parks and national forests near San Jose 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.