17 Washington Trails And Waterfront Walks To Explore With Your Dog
Washington packs saltwater beaches, old-growth forest, rail-trails and century-old gun batteries into a single afternoon’s driving. Better still, most of it welcomes a leashed dog.
Rules do shift from park to park, though: some beaches say yes to paws, others politely say no. Knowing which is which turns a so-so outing into a great one. Here are 17 trails and shoreline strolls across the state where your pup is genuinely a guest of honor, plus the details worth knowing before you buckle up.
1. Scenic Beach State Park, Seabeck
Rhododendrons bloom wild here in late spring, and the Olympic Mountains sit right across the water like a painted backdrop.
Set at 9596 Scenic Beach Rd NW in Seabeck, this park offers groomed forest trails and a shoreline along Hood Canal. Dogs are allowed on leash, subject to Washington State Parks rules and any posted restrictions.
Keep leashes to eight feet. Bring a towel: rocky beaches make for wet, happy, slightly sandy paws.
2. Larrabee State Park, Bellingham
Washington’s very first state park opened in 1915, and it still shows off.
Larrabee State Park covers 2,748 acres and has 18 miles of trails, including hiking-only and multi-use routes. It sits along Chuckanut Drive near Bellingham, with saltwater shoreline along Samish Bay.
Leashed dogs join you everywhere except designated swim beaches. A pedestrian overpass crosses the active rail line, so expect occasional train rumble.
3. Twanoh State Park, Union
Some of the warmest saltwater swimming in the state sits right here on Hood Canal.
At 12190 E SR 106 in Union, this 188-acre marine park offers 3,167 feet of shoreline plus 2.5 miles of inland trail along Twanoh Creek. Look for springboard notches cut into old trees by 1890s loggers.
Leashed dogs are welcome on trails and in designated areas. Note that the day-use area closes for restoration during summer 2026.
4. Lake Easton State Park, Easton
Cascade foothill air, a calm lake and trails flat enough for short legs and senior pups alike.
Found at 150 Lake Easton State Park Rd in Easton, the 697-acre park wraps 24,000 feet of freshwater shoreline. Leashed dogs are fine in day-use areas, campsites and on hiking trails, just not inside buildings.
Bonus: it links to the Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail. Some spots catch faint I-90 hum.
5. Rasar State Park, Concrete
Bald eagles arrive each November and linger through February, riding the Skagit River corridor.
Tucked at 38730 Cape Horn Road near Concrete, this 180-acre park serves up 4,000 feet of river shoreline and 3.7 miles of trail, including a mile that is ADA-accessible.
Leashed dogs are welcome in day-use and campground areas; keep the leash at six to eight feet.
Meadows, mossy forest and river gravel make one satisfying sniff circuit.
6. Fort Worden Historical State Park, Port Townsend
History buffs and beachcombing dogs both win at this 434-acre park in Port Townsend.
Built between 1898 and 1917 as part of the Triangle of Fire, the fort at 200 Battery Way still guards Admiralty Inlet with concrete batteries and bunkers.
Over 11 miles of trails welcome leashed dogs, along with more than two miles of saltwater shore. Buildings and museums stay people-only.
Views stretch to the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
7. Fort Flagler Historical State Park, Nordland
Water on three sides means the breeze never really quits, and neither will your dog.
Out at 10541 Flagler Road on Marrowstone Island, Fort Flagler covers 1,451 acres of bluff, beach and turn-of-the-century military buildings.
Leashed dogs explore both wooded and shoreline trails; there are no off-leash areas.
Olympic and Cascade peaks frame the horizon while kite flyers work the wind. Low tide opens up long, driftwood-strewn walking.
8. Manchester State Park, Port Orchard
Read the rules before you load the car on this one.
Near Port Orchard in Kitsap County, Manchester is a year-round waterfront camping park known for its historic Torpedo Warehouse. Leashed dogs are allowed in the park, subject to Washington State Parks’ general pet rules and posted restrictions.
Campers with pups can still soak in the calm Puget Sound views from camp.
Keep leashes to eight feet and pets under control throughout.
9. Saltwater State Park, Des Moines
Halfway between Seattle and Tacoma sits a pocket of forest most commuters drive right past.
At 25205 8th Place S in Des Moines, Saltwater State Park covers 137 acres and offers shoreline along Puget Sound, forested trails and seasonal salmon spawning in McSorley Creek.
Leashed dogs are welcome on trails and at campsites, though designated swim beaches and buildings are off-limits.
Low tide reveals tide pools above Washington’s only artificial underwater reef.
10. Bridle Trails State Park, Kirkland
A network of soft-surface trails through forested land, just minutes from Bellevue and Kirkland, makes this a convenient urban escape.
Squeezed between Kirkland and Bellevue with main access off 116th Avenue NE, this 489-acre forest is dense with Douglas fir and Western hemlock. Try the 3.7-mile Coyote Trail or the shorter Trillium and Raven loops.
Leashed dogs share the paths with horses, so step aside calmly and let riders pass.
Muddy paws are basically the house style.
11. Fort Ebey State Park, Whidbey Island
Bluff-top wind, a hidden lake and a World War II gun battery walk into one park.
At 400 Hill Valley Drive near Coupeville, Fort Ebey State Park offers wooded trails and shoreline along the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Dogs are allowed on leash.
Leashed dogs roam widely, minus designated swimming beaches. Views reach Vancouver Island and the Olympics.
Nervous pups may notice jets from the nearby naval air station.
12. Seward Park, Seattle
Three hundred acres of old-growth forest, inside city limits. Seattle got lucky.
Jutting into Lake Washington on a southeast Seattle peninsula, Seward Park circles itself with a 2.4-mile paved loop that leashed dogs love. Inner dirt trails climb into towering conifers.
On clear days Mount Rainier floats above the lake, and Native American art installations dot the grounds.
Go early on summer weekends; the loop fills fast with strollers, runners and other happy dogs.
13. Green Lake Park, Seattle
Ducks, cranes, squirrels and roughly a thousand friendly dogs per lap. That is Green Lake energy.
The paved 2.8-mile path circling this north Seattle lake is flat, wide and open to leashed pups year-round. The lake itself is a nature preserve, so keep dogs out of protected shallows.
Craving zoomies afterward? The fenced Lower Woodland Off-Leash Area sits nearby.
Water fountains and benches make it easy on older dogs.
14. Cheshiahud Lake Union Loop, Seattle
Houseboats, kayaks, seaplanes and skyline: six miles of Seattle showing off.
Ringing Lake Union, the Cheshiahud Loop stitches together paved paths, sidewalks and bike lanes past Gas Works Park, South Lake Union Park, the Historic Ships Wharf and the Center for Wooden Boats.
Multiple water access points help thirsty dogs cool down, and dog-friendly stops line the route.
Keep leashes short near busy docks. Split it into halves if paws tire.
15. Burke-Gilman Trail, Seattle to Bothell
Old railroad, new purpose. More than 20 paved miles run from Shilshole Bay to Bothell.
Leashed dogs are regulars along the way, passing Ballard, Fremont, Wallingford, the University District, Lake Forest Park and Kenmore. Landmarks include the Hiram Chittenden Locks, Fremont Canal Park and Gas Works Park.
Cyclists move quickly, so keep your dog on the right and leashes tight.
Pick any two-mile section for an easy morning outing.
16. Myrtle Edwards Park, Seattle
Signs here say it best: keep feet and paws on path.
Stretching along Elliott Bay at 3130 Alaskan Way, just north of Belltown, this compact waterfront park packs a 1.25-mile pedestrian and bike route into about five acres.
Olympic Mountains, Mount Rainier and Puget Sound ferries fill the view, with two beach coves and native plantings alongside.
Improvements wrapped up in June 2026. Grab a bench, share the picnic table, enjoy the salt air.
17. Chambers Bay Loop Trail, University Place
Concrete ruins from an old mining operation stand beside sweeping Puget Sound views. Strange and wonderful.
At 6320 Grandview Dr W in University Place, Chambers Creek Regional Park offers paved and other trails around the Chambers Bay area, with steep sections in places.
Waste bags are supplied, and two dog parks serve small or senior pups separately.
Leash up on trails, then cross the pedestrian bridge to the beach off-leash area.
