Red Dog Tales

This South Dakota State Park offers the best wildlife viewing!

by ChiliandCedar | Sep 14, 2022 | USA Road Trip - North-Northwest

Custer State Park surprised us as the best park to view wildlife. Our South Dakota RV stay at Hidden Lake Campground & Resort in Hot Springs offered the perfect location to visit the Wind Cave National Park, Custer State Park, Needles Highway and Mount Rushmore.

Key Campground Takeaways:

Great location to explore Wind Cave National Park, Custer State Park, Needles Highway and Mount Rushmore
Full hookups, level pull-through sites
Dog friendly with walking path around Hidden Lake
Swimming lake for people and dogs
Natural setting, “unplugged” campground

Our Campground Stay:

Our South Dakota RV stay at the Hidden Lake Campground & Resort provided a great location to explore all the local attractions: Wind Cave National Park, Custer State Park, Needles Highway and Mount Rushmore. The park had all the amenities we needed – full hookups, level and spacious sites, dog-friendly with walking paths and a swimming lake.

What to do:

Visit the Wind Cave National Park. Start at the Wind Cave Visitor Center to learn about the park and buy tickets for the ranger-guided cave tours. Drive through the park to experience the rolling prairie grasslands teeming with wildlife. Take the dogs on two dog-friendly trails located near the visitor center: Prairie Vista Trail and Elk Mountain Campground Trail.

Drive through Wind Cave National Park to Custer State Park in the Black Hills. Enjoy the bison, burros, elk, pronghorn antelope, deer, big horn sheep, prairie dogs throughout the park. Stop for the bison traffic jams and watch these amazing creatures traverse the 73,000-acre park.

Spend a day at Sylvan Lake in Custer State Park. Pack a lunch, take the dogs, hike the Sylvan Lake loop, stopping along the way for a picnic lunch. You’ll find several spots where the dogs can take a dip.

Take the Needles Highway, on the north end of Custer State Park. Enjoy the 14-mile scenic, winding road with spectacular views of the needle-like formations, rock tunnels and scenic overlooks. Keep the RV at the campground for this drive!

Visit Mount Rushmore – a must see national monument just north of Custer State Park. Note: dogs are not allowed past the entry point to the monument. You can take pictures of the monument from the parking lot and take turns entering the monument area. Be sure to take the President’s Trail behind the amphitheater offering a unique perspective of the faces.

Stop at the city of Custer, a quaint, western town with plenty of shops and restaurants. Enjoy some brews at the dog-friendly Mount Rushmore Brewing Company.

Mount Rushmore Brewing Company, Custer, SD

Chili & Cedar’s Review: 4.8 PAWS out of 5 PAWS

YAY! Another campground with a swimming pond – score! Lots of green space in the Hidden Lake Campground and the swimming pond was perfect after a hot day. We loved our ride through Custer State Park – lots of funny animals to watch. And a visit to the Mount Rushmore Brewing Company was fun too!

Spectacular Jackson Hole RV Stay/Our New Favorite National Park

by ChiliandCedar | Sep 6, 2022 | USA Road Trip - North-Northwest

We loved our stay in Jackson, Wyoming, surrounded by the Grand Tetons. The beauty of Jackson Hole is incredible. The Virginian RV Park is close to all the area attractions and offers resort style amenities. The Grand Teton National Park offers numerous scenic drives, hiking trails and mountain lakes. The Jackson Hole area has several dog-friendly walking paths, hiking trails and swimming lakes. The majestic Grand Tetons provide a stunning backdrop for the Jackson Hole area.

Key Campground Takeaways:

-Close to Jackson and Grand Teton National Park

-Pet Friendly – adjacent to National Forest trails

-Full-Hookups

-Lodge with pool and restaurant

-Walking distance to Fairgrounds/Rodeo

Our Campground Stay:

The Virginian RV Park has everything you need for a fun and relaxing stay in the Jackson Hole Area. The town of Jackson with amazing shopping and restaurants is within walking distance and the Grand Teton National Park is a short drive away. Surrounded by mountains, the scenery is spectacular, and the park has easy access to bike and walking trails. The trailhead for the dog-friendly Josie’s Ridge Trail is adjacent to the campground. With resort style amenities, the Virginian RV park offers a lodge swimming pool, restaurant and saloon (coming soon).

What to do:

Take a day to drive through the Grand Teton National Park. Start at the Craig Thomas Discovery and Learning Center to learn about the park and plan your visit. Stop at the Jenny Lake Visitor Center for spectacular views of Jenny Lake and the Tetons. Hike the trails around the lake or take a pontoon ride to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. Continue the drive North to Colton Bay Visitor’s Center on Jackson Lake. Pack a lunch to enjoy at one of many overlooks and picnic areas.

Continue north through the Grand Teton National Park to the south entrance of Yellowstone National Park. From the south entrance, you can visit many of Yellowstone’s attractions.

From Jackson, drive Moose-Wilson Road into the Grand Teton National Park. Go early morning for best wildlife viewing.

Momma and cub on Moose-Wilson Road, Grand Teton National Park

For a fun day with the dogs, drive north from Jackson into the Grand Teton National Park. Follow the Antelope Flats Road to check out the Mormon Historic District. Continue south to Gros Ventre Road and drive through the Bridger-Teton National Forest until the paved road ends. Park at the Atherton Creek Campground and let the dogs swim in the Lower Slide Lake. Bring chairs and a picnic lunch. On the way back to Jackson, look for elk in the National Elk Refuge.

Take the dogs to Emily Stevens Park for a hike along the Snake River. Many dogs were off-leash and there are several places for dogs to jump into the river or the swimming pond. Our dogs loved the flat hike, just a few miles from Jackson.

Bike the Jackson Hole area. The area is very bike friendly from the town of Jackson to the Grand Teton National Park. The bike trails in Jackson are also dog friendly!

Chili & Cedar’s Review: 4.9 out of 5 PAWS

We’re going to let you on a little secret . . . Most national parks are not dog friendly and the Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park are no exception. But we did take a drive through the parks and found lots of dog-friendly activities around the parks. Our swim in Lower Slide Lake in the Bridger-Teton National Forest was amazing! We also liked our walk and dip in the Emily Stevens Park. Jackson is a very dog-friendly town – we’re coming back for sure!

Chili & Cedar at Grand Teton National Park

Craters of the Moon Unique Lava Landscape/Picabo, Idaho RV Stay

by ChiliandCedar | Aug 27, 2022 | USA Road Trip - North-Northwest

Picabo Angler RV Park, Picabo, Idaho

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.

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.

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!

Next Stop: Grand Tetons National Park/Virginian RV Resort, Jackson, Wyoming

Incredible Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument/Washington RV Stay

by ChiliandCedar | Aug 23, 2022 | USA Road Trip - North-Northwest

Silver Cove RV Resort, Silver Lake, WA

A visit to Mount St. Helens, the most active volcano in the Cascade Mountain range in southwestern 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.

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.

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 Monument

Next stop: Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve/Picabo Anglers RV Park, Picabo, Idaho

Driving the Dogs Through Spectacular Mount Rainier/Lakeside RV Stay

by ChiliandCedar | Aug 16, 2022 | USA Road Trip - North-Northwest

Alder Lake Campground/Eatonville, Washington

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
Road noise is loud, especially on weekends
Limited WIFI and cell service
Paved sites but not level

Our Campground Stay:

Alder Lake Park Rocky Point Campground is a dog-friendly RV Stay near Mount Rainier National Park. The rustic, wooded park has limited amenities, but it is close to a public beach on Alder Lake. A good park for a short stay

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.

Eat lunch or dinner at Bruno’s Family Restaurant in Eatonville. The burgers are enormous! Dogs are welcome on their outside patio – woof!

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!

Chili & Cedar at Mount Rainier National Park

Next stop: Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument/Silver Cove RV Park, Silver Lake, Washington

Wonderful Olympic National Park RV Stay

by ChiliandCedar | Aug 11, 2022 | USA Road Trip - North-Northwest

Gilgal Oasis RV Park, Sequim, Washington

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!

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 park

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.

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.

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, Washington

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!