Getting your dog out for a walk is a great way to see everything the Yakima Valley has to offer. After a short drive and a brisk stroll, you can see local art, famous historical sites, breathtaking scenery and much more! Check out some of our favorite places to take your pup for a walk, and don’t forget to take advantage of all the pet-friendly wineries, hotels a restaurants while you’re out exploring!
- Take a stroll in Downtown Yakima and view the many art installations: The Larson Building’s colored lights at night, Windows Alive art in windows along Yakima Avenue storefronts, sculptures on 2nd Avenue and Yakima Avenue, and Millennium Plaza, to name a few. There are also lots of pet friendly wineries and restaurants where you and your pal can sit outside to enjoy the famous Yakima Valley sunshine!
- If you’re in town on a Sunday from May to October, visit the Downtown Yakima Farmers Market with your pooch! There are tons of food vendors, craftsman and vendors, not to mention all the fresh fruits and produce you can carry!
- Watch artists revitalize one of the existing murals during Visit the Murals Day in Toppenish on the first Saturday in June. But you and your pup can swing by any time of the year and see the 75 historically-accurate murals on the sides of the buildings all throughout the town of Toppenish.
- Take a long walk on the 20 mile Yakima Greenway Pathway, which follows the Yakima River from Union Gap all the way to Naches. View the 40 & 8 Merci Train Boxcar at Sarg Hubbard Park, or head over to the Off-Leash Dog Park at the Yakima Greenway Rotary Park, then it’s off to the Labyrinth at McGuire Park!
- Cowiche Canyon Conservancy offers free Monthly Educational Community Walks throughout the year, which are focused on a particular theme or topic each time. Of course, you can always visit without a guide and hike the Cowiche Canyon Trail or Snow Mountain Ranch Trails. This is a favorite local spot to get your pooch out and get some exercise.
- Grab the dog and head out on the 14 mile Lower Yakima Valley Pathway that runs from Sunnyside to Prosser. You can also view sculptures relating to history of Sunnyside, including one honoring Astronaut Bonnie Dunbar, along the Centennial Pathway.
- Go Volkswalking with your dog in Zillah! There is a Walk Box with maps at the Best Western Plus Vintage Valley Inn registration desk. This is an American Volkswalking Association seasonal activity, and the route goes through the town of Zillah, passing the historic “Teapot Dome” 1922 gas station and Pioneer Cemetery. It then follows the Sunnyside Canal, which winds through orchards in rural countryside and then returns to residential areas.
- For a quick, leisurely stroll, try out the Yakima Powerhouse Canal Pathway. This shady, tree-lined paved walking path begins at Chesterley Park on 40th Avenue and runs over to 16th Avenue.
- If your pooch is craving a little freedom, head over to the Off Leash Dog Park near Randall Park at 48th Avenue and Washington Avenue.
- Hike the Tieton River Trail along the Tieton River on the White Pass Scenic Byway. Take one of the three suspension bridges that will allow you to cross over the river, then enjoy the scenery as you stroll next to the river. Don’t forget, you will need a Discover Pass to park at the area across from Oak Creek Wildlife Area.
- Explore Boulder Cave along the Chinook Pass Scenic Byway. Enjoy the one mile hike to cave entrance, and look out for the small waterfall up above. Don’t forget a flashlight, and your pooch needs to be on a leash!
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