Taking your dog to Tahoe in winter
Check the roads first, then pick a place to walk. Sand Harbor opens to leashed dogs in October, and several parks stay accessible all winter.
Checked by Thomas Beach
The short version
- The drive. Chain controls arrive with the storms, so carry chains.
- Sand Harbor. Leashed dogs from October 15 to April 15, the one window all year.
- The forest. Leashed dogs are welcome on most national forest land. Pack out waste.
- Emerald Bay. Still no dogs on its trails or beaches, in any season.
Sources are listed at the end of this page.
Driving in chain controls
Caltrans posts chain controls at three levels. R-1 requires chains on all vehicles except passenger vehicles and light-duty trucks under 6,000 pounds gross weight with snow tires on at least two drive wheels. Under California’s R-2 controls, vehicles need chains or traction devices unless they have four-wheel or all-wheel drive with snow tires on all four wheels. R-3 means chains on all vehicles, no exceptions. Even exempt vehicles must carry chains. Follow the posted 25 or 30 mph limit. Install chains where directed, before the checkpoint.
The Chains Required sign usually gives you about a mile before that checkpoint. Pull completely off the roadway to the right, never in a traffic lane, and keep the chains on until you pass the End of Chain Control sign. Independent installers can fit your chains at some checkpoints, but they are not allowed to sell or rent them, so bring your own set. If you use an installer, get a receipt and note the badge number.
Check Caltrans QuickMap for current chain controls and closures, or call 800-427-7623. Carry chains on winter trips.
The dog in the car
Don’t leave your dog in a parked car; in winter it holds the cold. Take the dog with you at stops, keep the ID tag on, and carry drinking water for the drive.
Open to a leashed dog all winter
Sand Harbor, October 15 to April 15
Sand Harbor allows pets from October 15 to April 15 on a leash of six feet or less. Parking lots are cleared of snow, and the visitor center stays open year-round. Park hours are 8 a.m. to an hour after sunset. Day use is $10 a vehicle on Nevada plates, $15 from out of state, and parking or dropping off along Highway 28 outside the designated lots is prohibited.
Van Sickle Bi-State Park
Walk in free with your dog on a leash of six feet or less. The park is open to pedestrians year-round, sunrise to sunset. The vehicle gate closes October 31, so winter access is on foot from Lake Parkway. See the Van Sickle guide.
Spooner Lake and Backcountry
Open sunrise to sunset, 365 days a year, pets welcome on a leash of not more than six feet. In winter it turns into snowshoe country: groomed cross-country routes run through Spooner Meadow and up North Canyon toward Marlette Lake, snow permitting, and the trail around the lake itself is a flat two miles. Day use is $10 a vehicle, $15 on out-of-state plates.
Blackwood Canyon Sno-Park
Blackwood Canyon Sno-Park is three miles south of Tahoe City, west of Highway 89. Activities include snow play, cross-country skiing, and dog sledding. Parking requires a Sno-Park permit: $15 per day or $40 per season, sold online and at sports shops in Tahoe City and Kings Beach. Overnight parking is not allowed. National forest leash rules apply beyond the lot.
The rest of the forest
Dogs are welcome on most national forest land in winter. Keep your dog leashed, pack out waste, and respect swim beach and wildlife-area closures.
Where winter changes nothing
- Emerald Bay State Park. No dogs on its trails or beaches in any season. The winter walk down to Vikingsholm is a people-only trip, and the park posts no services and no drinking water from October to May. Winter at the bay averages a high near 40°F and a low near 20°F, and the park’s own page says chains or four-wheel drive are frequently required. The Emerald Bay rules, in full.
- The six posted swim beaches. Nevada, Pope, Baldwin, Meeks Bay, William Kent and Zephyr Cove stay posted.
- Taylor Creek Marsh. Closed to pets for wildlife protection, including the area near it.
Snow on the dog
Check paws for ice buildup during the walk; ice balls form in the fur between the pads. Fresh snow can hide sharp objects, and an injured or tired dog may need help getting back. Keep the leash on and the ID tag current: dogs lose their scent in snow, the ASPCA counts more dogs lost in winter than in any other season, and its rule is never off leash on snow or ice, least of all in a snowstorm. Read the winter paw care guide before heading out.
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