10 dog-friendly things to do in Colorado with a four-legged friend
From mountain trails to the open spaces to creative dining spots, Colorado offers plenty of adventure for humans and dogs, alike. Here are 10 dog-friendly things to do in Colorado.
Pub Dog Colorado (Photo) Credit Leslie James
1. Dine and Play at Pub Dog Colorado
Dine indoors or outdoors with your pup at Pub Dog Colorado in Colorado Springs. The restaurant features an off-leash area for dogs to run and play with tables lining the turf for humans to dine and drink. There’s also a section of the outdoor patio that requires dogs to be leashed, if that’s the experience an owner prefers. Dogs are also allowed indoors and Pub Dog Colorado’s menu includes items that are suitable for dogs, such as a bark bowl (brown rice, sweet potatoes, puppy patty), Bowser Beer Dog Beer (nonalcoholic, no hops), pupsicles (frozen chicken broth), and more.
Photo Credit: Leslie James, OutThere Colorado.
Dog on Train (Photo) Credit JohnatAPW (iStock)
2. Ride a Train
Ride a train through Colorado mountains with your best four-legged friend. Well behaved, leashed dogs are allowed aboard the Leadville, Colorado & Southern Railroad, a scenic train ride through the Rocky Mountains.
Author’s Note: Owners are required to sign a liability waiver if bringing their dog on the train.
Photo Credit: JohnatAPW (iStock).
Dog on Gondola (Photo) Credit manushot (iStock)
3. Take a Gondola to the Mountains
The gondola in Telluride is dog-friendly and takes riders up to Mountain Village. The gondola is free to riders and allows dogs to ride in every-third car. From Mountain Village, spend the day shopping and dining, then take one of the hiking trails back down to Telluride.
Photo Credit: manushot (iStock).
Colorado Jeep Tours (Photo) Courtesy Visit Colorado Springs
4. Adventure with Colorado Jeep Tours
From “tiny purse pups” to giant breeds, all dogs are welcome along a Colorado Jeep Tour, the company’s website says. Bring your pup along an excursion to Royal Gorge Bridge & Park, Red Canyon Park, and the Gold Belt Scenic Byway.
Author’s Note: Be sure to make a reservation specifically for your dog, sign the waiver, and attend the meet-and-greet with a tour guide if bringing your pup along. Read more here.
Photo Courtesy of Visit Colorado Springs.
Bear Creek Dog Park, Colorado Springs (Photo) Credit Mason Trinca
5. Play Off-Leash At a Dog Park
Colorado towns and cities are filled with plenty of dog parks to allow your friendly pup run around off-leash. Awesome dog parks around Colorado include Bear Creek Dog Park in Colorado Springs, which features a mountain stream, the 107-acre dog area at Cherry Creek State Park in Aurora, and Durango’s off-leash area. Here’s a list of more of the best dog parks in Colorado.
Photo Credit: Mason Trinca, The Gazette.
Young pit bull terrier dog in life jacket (Photo) Credit marekuliasz (iStock)
6. Go Swimming
Colorado may not have the typical sandy ocean beach, but there are plenty of destinations to take your dog swimming during warm months. Union Reservoir in Longmont is great for letting your dog splash away the heat of the summer. And while dogs aren’t allowed everywhere at Great Sand Dunes National Park, pups are allowed to cool off in the seasonal Medano Creek. Grand Lake, located west of Rocky Mountain National Park, is perfect for relaxing and swimming with your dog in a mountain lake.
Photo Credit: marekuliasz (iStock).
Dog on a walk (Photo) Credit Greg Bethmann (iStock)
7. Spend a Day at Promenade Shops at Briargate
Shop with your dog at the pet-friendly lifestyle shopping center at Promenade Shops at Briargate in Colorado Springs. This destination was voted “Best Place to Shop with Your Pet” by The Colorado Springs Gazette. The Promenade Shops post “Pets Welcome” stickers to let owners know which stores and restaurants their dog can walk into as well. Water bowls and pet waste stations are offered throughout the property.
Photo Credit: Greg Bethmann (iStock).
Manitou Cliff Dwellings (Photo) Courtesy Visit COS
8. Discover Manitou Cliff Dwellings
Learn about the ancient history of Puebloan architecture at Manitou Cliff Dwellings Museum in Colorado Springs with your dog. Owners can bring their leashed dogs through the historic dwellings of the ancient ruins.
Photo Courtesy of Visit COS.
Dog at Brewery (Photo) Credit FluxFactory (iStock)
9. Visit a Brewery
A lot of breweries in Colorado allow dogs on outside patios and some even allow the pups inside, too. BierWerks Brewery in Woodland Park, Fossil Craft Beer Co. in Colorado Springs, and Broken Compass Brewery in Breckenridge are a few breweries that allow pups to sit inside. There are also plenty of breweries around the state that have dog-friendly patios, including Cerberus Brewing in Colorado Springs, Guanella Pass Brewing Company in Georgetown, and 4 Noses Brewing Company in Broomfield.
Photo Credit: FluxFactory (iStock).
Colorado Dog (Photo) Credit Brycen McCright
10. Go On a Road Trip
Colorado is a super dog-friendly state in most areas. Here’s a look at what a road trip through Colorado with your dog can look like, including activities like hiking, swimming, doggy-friendly putt-putt, and more.
Photo Credit: Brycen McCright.
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