HIKING WITH DOGS

Written by and photos from RDMOC volunteer Alysia Slusser
​Follow all of her and her pup Franklin's hiking adventures on Instagram @go.fetch.franklin

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As the new year begins many of you are resolving to get outside more, exercise, and do activities with your dog, but may not be sure where you can go. We're here to help! 

​Before I get into my favorite places to hike I feel like it’s necessary to write a bit about how to hike with your dog. As more and more people want to get outside our places of beauty are being disrupted and as a card carrying member of Leave No Trace (read more on the 7 principles here) I'd like to take a minute to talk about trail etiquette. 

Dispose of waste properly: I know this seems like a no-brainer but it seems we all could use a refresher on how to treat mother nature. Please don't leave anything behind. This includes poop; you may be hiking for miles, you don't want to carry a poo bag that long, poop is biodegradable, blah blah blah, NOPE. Dog poop, because it has pathogens in it, is not good for the groundwater or other creatures. Some ways you can make it easier, and less stinky, are to try to get your dog to go while you are still near a garbage bin, and/or bring a thick ziplock bag you can put the poo bag into and then put it in your pack. For the love of nature do not leave a filled poo bag on the side of the trail, even if you think you'll pick it up later.

Pay attention to leash laws: There is straight up nothing more fun to me than letting Franklin off leash to romp down a trail, but I have yet to find a public place in or around Illinois that allows for off leash dogs. This is perhaps the hardest rule for me to follow but I follow it because, one I have experience with reactive dogs and no dog has perfect recall. And two I want dogs to be allowed. People not obeying leash laws are the reason why most National Parks do not allow dogs at all, and the ones that do have very limited trails you can take them on. So for the sake of future dog hikers leash them up.

Yield to everyone: In general when you have your dog with you move to the side to let others pass with distance between them and you. Some people, maybe even most people like dogs when you are on the trail but there will be those who don't and let's not give them any reason to ban our pups. Also if you are heading downhill and someone else is heading up it is standard for the person going down to move to the side, with or without a dog.

​Shhhhhh: I'm not saying you have to be completely silent on a trail but it is my personal pet peeve, that has nothing to do with dogs, when people play music without headphones on. If you want to play music, cool, throw on some AirPods because I didn't request an outdoor DJ. 

Ok now to the fun part! Where should you go? There are just a ton of different places to go and we've been to a lot of them but these are the places we hike regularly and love. If you want more options the AllTrails app is free and has the best resources I've found.

​IN CHICAGO:

Lakefront Trail - Easily the most popular well known so I'll be brief but it's a good long stretch but my favorite parts are all on the south side since it's not nearly as busy but just as well (if not better) maintained. 

The 606 - Also a hot spot but in Chicago you're not going to find an empty trail in the city; it's 2.7 miles and has 2 off leash dog parks along the way.

​There are trails within most parks, Jackson Park has a mile long loop nature preserve called Wooded Island and there are lots of little trails throughout Humboldt Park that are really lovely.

​NEAR CHICAGO:
Depending on where you are starting out and how traffic is moving these can be anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and a half drive. The North suburbs have quite a few but I haven't liked many of them enough to note them here.

Palos and Sag Valley trail systems - These are our number one go-to trails and where we land just about every time we want to spontaneously hike. These trails are all fantastic but the Sag Valley yellow loop and Palos single track black trails are our most hiked. There are a ton of different trails you can do throughout these systems, they are mostly well marked but there are some unmarked trails mountain bikers use in the Palos system and I love getting lost in those. Note: Some of these are also used by horseback riders so if your dog is not used to horses it can be alarming to them and you should move far off the trail for them to pass.

Salt Creek trail system - These run through the burbs so they are a bit busier and paved but it's good for those wanting something in between a walk in the city and a hike in the woods. 

Waterfall Glen - We've been around this loop a few times and while it's fine I don't know that I love it. Other than the "waterfall" which is not really a waterfall and is less than a half mile in from the parking lot the whole 9 mile loop is a wide limestone path and after about mile 4 you will be bored out of your mind, still we go here when we want to mix it up.  

Indiana Dunes National Park - The newest addition to the National Park scene and though not in Chicago you can get here in about an hour if traffic isn't bad. We have not been here since the switch to National Park status but I don't think anything has changed about it's dog friendliness. It costs $12 to get into the park. There is a lot to explore but my favorite trails are the 8, 9, and 10 loop. There are also loads of trails just outside of the park that I haven't been to yet, RDMOC hiking day anyone?

2 HOUR DRIVE:
Starved Rock and Matthiessen State Park - Both of these have great trails but for some reason people give Starved Rock more love. I actually prefer Matthiessen, it's not as developed or as busy and that's why it’s my favorite. You can easily go to both in one day and we always do but we spend much more time at Matthiessen. Plan on getting your feet wet as many of the trails cross shallow streams and there are plenty of waterfalls to romp through. If you want to have the trails to yourself (mostly) go early in the morning or during not so perfect weather. I've heard it's amazing during the winter as well but we haven't been during the winter yet.

Warren Dunes State Park - This place does get crazy busy during the summer so I recommend going in the off season when the tourism dies down and you have the whole beach to yourself. You can walk in for free or pay, I think, $7 for out of state parking for the day. You can pretty much blaze your own trail here and choose to climb up the steep dunes or just walk along the beach. There is also a section of beach where your dog can be off leash and take a swim year round! 

3-4 HOUR DRIVE:
Devil's Lake State Park - This place is totally worth the drive. You can swing it in a day but there is also camping available and several dog friendly hotels nearby. Devil's Lake is the only place in this distance with some rocks to climb. It does get busy in the summer but it's still a great spot with beautiful views. Both bluffs are fun but the climb up to the Devil's Doorway and Balanced Rock trails are a bit challenging and fun.

Ludington State Park - Another Lakeshore park with loads of dunes but there are also plenty of wooded areas to hike around and even a dam where you can watch salmon jump. I believe there are a few places where dogs are not allowed but the majority are dog friendly and they are allowed in the campgrounds.

5+ HOUR DRIVE:
We have also done a few multi-day backpacking trips, most recently to the Porcupine Mountains which is about a 7 hour drive and has miles and miles of trails. Whether you want backpacking or just day hikes out and back there are many options, but the Escarpment Trail has the best view.

Some tips on hiking with your dog...

Bring extra water: Even if it's cold out both you and your dog need water but especially when it's hot so be sure to bring a few liters for both of you. And if you don't feel like carrying it you can always get your dog a backpack and they can carry it themselves! 

Know your dog's limits: Just like you, your dog needs to train for longer distances. If they are used to two or three walks around the block and you take them out for a six or seven mile hike they may not make it. On our very first multi-day backpacking trip with Franklin we went to an off leash, middle of nowhere place and Franklin ended up spraining his tail on the first day because he was so happy to be completely free he overdid it. We didn't imagine we needed to hold him back but dogs don't really know how to tamper their joy.

Feed them a little extra: Your dog will burn a lot of calories on a hike and unless they have a weight issue they should get more food than normal after a long hike. Or you can bring them a snack for when you take your snack break.

​Go during the off season: If you really want to get away from people and enjoy the wild get out there super early before everyone else or go when the weather may not seem the best, though be careful of going when it's muddy as it can damage the trails. The Norwegians say "there's no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes" so get some base layers and a good coat and start now.

Wherever you choose to go, a hike can help your dog gain confidence, strengthen your bond, and help you both live healthier lives.

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