A uniquely beautiful lava landscape, Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve is worth a visit. Located in Arco, Idaho, this park offers a 7-mile loop road, numerous trails and cave tours. Campgrounds are available in Craters, but our stay at the Picabo Angler RV Park in Picabo, Idaho offered a better location to explore the surrounding area.
Key Campground Takeaways:
Good location to explore Craters of the Moon and the Sun Valley area
Level, spacious sites
Great for a short stay
Camp store with restaurant nearby
Dog friendly with plenty of green space for the dogs
Our Campground Stay:
Picabo Angler RV Park in Picabo Idaho is a nice park for a short stay to tour Craters and local attractions. It’s located just off the main highway with some traffic noise.
Picabo Angler RV Park, Picabo, Idaho
What to do:
Spend a day touring Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve. Start at the Robert Limbert Visitor Center to learn about the park. Start early and take the dogs along for the 7-mile driving loop through the park. Hike the Devil’s Orchard Nature Trail, climb the Inferno Cone for spectacular 360-degree views, visit the miniature volcanoes called Spatter Cones. Note that pets are not allowed on any trails in the park.
Craters of the Moon Lava LandscapeCraters of the Moon Lava LandscapeDevil’s Orchard National Trail – Craters of the MoonInferno Cone View – Craters of the MoonSpatter Cone – Craters of the Moon
Take a drive to Hailey-Ketchum-Sun Valley areas to visit shops and restaurants. Hike numerous trails in the area. Check out lakes and rivers for water sports or fishing. Visit the dog friendly Sawtooth Brewery Public House in Ketchum.
Chili & Cedar’s Review: 4.2 Paws out of 5 Paws
Well, no hiking for us in Craters of the Moon National Park – lava terrain is no good for the paws! We did enjoy our ride through the park. We had fun splashing in Silver Creek and a trip to the Sawtooth Brewery – cheers!
Swimming in Silver CreekSawtooth Brewery Public House
Next Stop: Grand Tetons National Park/Virginian RV Resort, Jackson, Wyoming
A visit to Mount St. Helens, the most active volcano in the Cascade Mountain range insouthwestern Washington. This national volcanic monument offers fascinating and informative visitor’s centers. Our stay at the Silver Cove RV Resort in Silver Lake provided a great location to explore Mount St. Helens and the surrounding area.
Key Campground Takeaways:
Full hookups with level, gravel sites
Well-maintained campground with many park amenities
Located at the foot of Mt. St. Helens
Water access to silver lake
Dog friendly with plenty of green space
Our Campground Stay:
Silver Cove RV Resort is a hidden gem in southwestern Washington. We chose this campground for its proximity to Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. The park is well-maintained with nice landscaping, paved sites and water access to Silver Lake. This is a very pet friendly resort with easy access to green space for the dogs.
Silver Cove RV ResortSilver Cove RV Resort, Silver Lake, WA
What to do:
Visit Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. Located within the Giffort Pinchot National Forest and managed by the USDA Forest Service, the monument includes 110,000 acres around Mount St. Helens. Start at the Mount St. Helens Visitor Center at Silver Lake or the Forest Learning Center to watch educational videos on the history of this active volcano. Drive to the Johnson Ridge Observatory, which is located in the center of the 1980 blast zone. Learn about the topographical changes caused by the explosion and how the area is slowing coming back to life.
Take the dogs along for the ride through the monument but note that dogs are not allowed within the national monument’s restricted area or the Johnson Ridge Observatory.
Mount St. HelensMount St. HelensMount St. Helens National Volcanic MonumentMount St. Helens – Toutle RiverMike & Jean – Mount St. HelensToutle River WatershedDriving through Mount St. HelensDogs sightseeing on Mount St. Helens
Chili’s & Cedar’s Review: 4.5 Paws (out of 5 Paws)
We liked the Silver Cove RV Resort campground -very dog friendly and we had fun watching atll the ducks. Our car ride to the Mount St. Helens National Monument was very fun – Cedar got a good nap in!
Chili & Cedar at Mount St. Helens National MonumentSitting Pretty at Mount St. Helens National Monument
A nice lakeside RV stay near Mount Rainier National Park. Alder Lake Park Rocky Point Campground is great for a short stay while visiting the National Park. A public beach and boat landing on Alder Lake are adjacent to the park.
Key Campground Takeaways:
Located on beautiful Ader Lake
50 AMP hookups/water/no sewer
Affordable and close to Mount Rainier National Park
Alder Lake Park Rocky Point CampgroundChili Swimming at Alder Lake
What to do:
Take the pups on a road trip through Mount Rainier National Park. Dogs are not allowed on trails, but they can get out on a leash at parking areas and visitor centers. Start at the Nisqually entrance and stop at the Longmire historic district. Drive through the park to Paradise and visit the Henry M. Jackson Memorial Visitor Center. Hike the numerous trails throughout the park. Note that dogs are not allowed on the trails and many of the hikes are long and difficult.
Mount RainierMount Rainier National ParkChili-Cedar-Jean at Mount RainierJean & Mike at Mount RainierMount Rainier National ParkDriving Tour Mount Rainier National Park
Chili & Cedar’s Campground Review: 4.2 out of 5 paws
The best part of this campground was Alder Lake. If mom and dad got up early enough, we could chase sticks on the beach before the beach people showed up. We liked to walk around the campground, and we really enjoyed our drive through Mount Rainier. It was too hot to do much else. On to our next stop!
A wonderful Olympic National Park RV Stay, Gilgal Oasis RV Park is located on the Olympic Penninsula near the Olympic National Park and close to the attractions of the quaint town of Sequim, Washington. Olympic National Park is spectacular with glaciered mountain ranges, endless forests, a temperate rain forest and Pacific coast beaches.
Key Campground Takeaways:
Full hook-ups with 50 AMP
Paved roads and sites
Dog friendly with small fenced dog area
Nicely landscaped park and sites
Well-maintained and clean bathrooms/showers/laundry
Walking distance to downtown
Our Campground Stay:
We loved this boutique RV park with 28 spots. The entire park is well maintained with plenty of adjacent green space to walk the dogs. Book early as this park is a favorite for repeat customers. The location was great to explore the Olympic National Park and the Olympic Penninsula. We would definitely return here.
What to do:
Explore the Olympic National Park. Start at the Olympic National Park Visitor Center near Port Angeles and take a short hike on the dog-friendly Peabody Creek Trail, accessed from the parking lot. Take a driving tour from the visitor’s center to Hurricane Ridge. This 17-mile drive winds through the park and offers many overlook areas to view the glaciered mountaintops and endless forests. Stop at the Hurricane Ridge Visitor’s Center and hike the short trails for spectacular views. In Port Angeles, finish the day at the pet-friendly Barhop Brewing with brews and artesian pizza – yum!
Cedar enjoying Olympic National Park
Take the scenic route around Lake Crescent to the Spruce Railroad Trail on the northside of the lake. Park at the Northshore Picnic Area to access the trail. This dog-friendly forest trail hugs the north shore of Lake Crescent. Finish the day with a dip in the lake at the Northshore Picnic Area.
Spruce Railroad Trail, Olympic National parkLake Crescent, Olympic National ParkOlympic National Park Vista
Spend a day exploring the Hoh Rain Forest, 31 miles south of Forks on Hwy 101. Stop at the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center and hike the self-guided nature trails.
Hoh Rain Forest – Olympic National ParkHoh Rain Forest – Olympic National ParkHoh Rain Forest – Olympic National Park
Dip your toes in the Pacific Ocean at Rialto Beach, a dog-friendly natural beach with giant drift logs and offshore seastacks. This is not a swimming beach and dogs must be on a leash. Bring a picnic to take along on this stunning beach hike.
Rialto Beach – Olympic National ParkChilia & Cedar at Rialto Beach
Sniff some lavender! We loved our visit at the Lavender Connection in Sequim. They offered free bouquets to military veterans and welcomed our dogs.
Chili and Cedar at the Lavender Connection in Sequim, Washington
Taste wine at the Olympic Cellars in Port Angeles. This charming winery is dog friendly inside and out – woof!
Explore the quaint town of Sequim. We enjoyed an antique car show during our stay. The Alder Wood Bistro is excellent – reservations are a must.
Perk up with java at Red Dog Coffee in Sequim. Good coffee and they gave the red dogs some tasty treats!
Chili and Cedar at Red Dog Coffee in Sequim, WashingtonWinery stop at Olympic Cellars
Chili & Cedar’s Review: 4.7 PAWS out of 5 PAWS
The Gilgal Oasis RV Park was a fun place to stay. There was plenty of green space for us to walk. We had a lot of fun in the Olympic National Park taking drives through the rain forest and up to Hurricane Ridge. We hiked the Peabody Creek Trail and the Spruce Railroad Trail. We visited a winery, brewery and a lavender farm — good times for us!
Chili & Cedar at Olympic National ParkSightseeing at Olympic National ParkChili & Cedar at Olympic National Park
Glacier Peak Resort & Campground, Rockport, Washington
The Northern Cascades National Park features breathtaking views, unspoiled forests and glacier-blue lakes. Our RV stay at the Glacier Peak Resort Campground featured a Riverwalk along the Skagit River, perfect for the dogs.
Key Campground Takeaways:
Spacious, shaded sites in a natural setting
Full-hookups
Riverwalk path along the Skagit River
Dog-friendly with swimming area along the Riverwalk
Our Campground Stay:
We moved to Glacier Peak Resort & Winery Campground after an hour long stay down the road at the Alpine RV Campground in Marblemount. Sites at the Alpine Campground were very close together and offered little shade. The Glacier Peak Resort Campground was a major upgrade. While we would not describe this campground as an RV resort, it was a great location to explore the Northern Cascades National Park. The rustic, woodsy, setting complimented the natural surroundings and the dogs loved morning walks on the Riverwalk trail along the Skagit River with a nice swimming area for the dogs. The campground offered an eatery, a bar and a winery. The adjacent winery offers tastings a welcoming tasting room and a very gracious host.
Riverwalk at Glacier Peak CampgroundSkagit River Romp
What to do:
Take a drive on the North Cascades Highway/State Road 20 through the park. Stop at the North Cascades Visitor Center and the many scenic lookouts along the way. View spectacular alpine scenery, glacier peaks and crystal blue lakes. Pack a picnic lunch to enjoy along the way. A stop at the Diablo Lake Overlook is a must!
Hike the numerous trails throughout the park to mountain lakes, waterfalls and more spectacular sights. Dogs are not allowed an any trails in the park. Check the park website for information on pets. Currently, dogs are allowed at the Ross Lake and Lake Chelan National Recreation Areas.
Take a ferry to Stehekin on Lake Chelan, only accessed via boat, plane or foot. This would be a fun day trip. Pets are allowed on the ferry but there are several restrictions so check the ferry line. Our dogs are not fans of ferry boats, so we opted not to take this day trip.
North Cascades National ParkDiablo Lake at North Cascades National ParkChili & Cedar at North Cascades National Park OverlookNorth Cascades National Park
Chili & Cedar’s Review: (4.8 PAWS out of 5 PAWS)
The Glacier Peaks RV Resort was rustic and woodsy with lots of green space. We LOVED the Riverwalk and our morning romp in the Skagit River. Score!
Chili & Cedar at North Cascades National ParkSkagit River SwimCedar North Cascades National Park
