Leavenworth, Washington: A dog-friendly adventure guide
Leavenworth, Washington is a shining gem, nestled deep in the Cascade Mountains. Once a logging town, it underwent an inspired transformation in the 1960’s, into a charming Bavarian-style village. Nestled amidst tall mountain peaks and evergreen forests, stepping into this town feels like you’re walking straight into a storybook. Whether you’re after gorgeous hikes in the warm months, charming snowshoe trails in the cold ones, delicious food, fun festivals, or just a picturesque place to relax, this town has something for everyone – including dogs! Leavenworth is incredibly dog-friendly, so keep reading for all of our favorite spots and adventures.
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Introduction to Leavenworth
Leavenworth, Washington, is a Bavarian-style village in the Cascade Mountains, offering a European ambiance with unique architecture, festive events, and seasonal decorations. Visitors can enjoy charming shops, authentic German cuisine, local beers, and vibrant cultural experiences, making it a delightful year-round destination.
The town itself is surrounded by breathtakingly beautiful mountain scenery, and it is a haven for hikers and adventurers of all sorts. It serves as a gateway for the famed Enchantments Wilderness area, the rugged Stevens Pass Ski Area, and the iconic Lake Wenatchee State Park, among many other adventure destinations. In addition, the area is extremely dog-friendly! From dog-friendly hiking to dog-friendly restaurants and shops, your dog will love visiting this area with you.
History of Leavenworth
Leavenworth, Washington, has a rich history of adaptation and transformation. Originally home to indigenous peoples like the Wenatchi, Yakama, and Chinook, the area’s abundant natural resources attracted settlers in the 1800s, leading to the establishment of Icicle Flats in 1885. The arrival of the Great Northern Railroad in the 1890s brought rapid growth, turning the town into a bustling hub for logging and agriculture. However, the prosperity was short-lived, as the railroad relocated in the 1920s, and the town’s economy spiraled into decline during the Great Depression.
By the 1960s, Leavenworth faced near abandonment until community leaders, inspired by its alpine surroundings, decided to reinvent the town with a Bavarian theme. Through private funding and local dedication, buildings were remodeled, and festivals like the Autumn Leaf Festival and Christmas Lighting were introduced. This transformation revitalized the town, making it a popular tourist destination known for its Bavarian charm and vibrant cultural events. Today, Leavenworth thrives as a beloved getaway in the Pacific Northwest.
Our favorite dog-friendly food and drink spots in Leavenworth
München Haus Bavarian Grill & Beer Garden – Delicious fast casual-style sausages & beer, with outdoor seating that is totally dog-friendly. Ask about their special Bavarian-themed dog cookies for sale!
Yodelin – Delicious broth and super fresh ingredients in a range of noodle and rice bowls, plus other menu items. Their patio is set right on the river, and is a great place to hang with your dog after a hike.
Icicle Brewing Company – A range of beers, and a full pub-style menu are featured at this fun spot with a large and lively dog-friendly patio.
Bavarian Bakery – Grab and go spot with delectable german style pastries, cakes and other delicacies. This is a perfect spot to grab a quick breakfast and coffee on your way to your adventures.
Doghaus Brewery – Indoor dog-friendly taproom featuring a lineup of great brews to try with your pup. Ask about their homemade dog biscuits, made from spent grain!
Bear Bear – Delicious brunch spot, with dishes inspired by local flavors, and dog-friendly patio tables.
J5 Coffee – Seriously good coffee, espresso drinks, and grab & go breakfast items, perfect for pre- or post- adventure pick-me-ups!
Things to do with your dog in/around Leavenworth
Hike (all seasons) – There are so many gorgeous places to trek to with your dog in this area, no matter the season. Keep reading and dig into our season-by-season guide to our favorite trails.
Stroll downtown (all seasons) – Downtown Leavenworth is pedestrian-only, extremely dog-friendly, and filled with charm and character. You can frequently catch musical performances in the gazebo, or lively festivals happening in the square. In the winter, the twinkle lights are some of the most brilliant we’ve ever seen, and the town is filled with flowers in the summer. Regardless of any other plans, your time in Leavenworth has to include some relaxed strolling with your furry best friend.
Shop (all seasons) – Many of the shops in the vibrant downtown allow dogs. Just poke your head in and ask permission if you don’t see a sign or a dog bowl outside. And if you’re looking for a pet store, definitely stop at A Paw Above.
Stand Up Paddleboarding (summer) – Lake Wenatchee State Park is a fantastic place to try this in the summertime, and doggos are allowed to float with you! If you have some experience, you can also float the Wenatchee River or Icicle Creek. You can rent equipment at the Leavenworth Outdoor Center (and you can also take lessons!)
Tour the Breweries (any season) – Many of the breweries in town are dog-friendly, and you can certainly make a day of sampling the various flavors of Leavenworth’s microbrew beer culture.
River Tubing (summer) – If your pooch loves water, you might love tubing together in Leavenworth! The Leavenworth Outdoor Center even offers special tubes for dogs! Book your gear or trip here.
Wine Tasting at the Eagle Creek Winery (summer)- Leavenworth is filled with wineries and tasting rooms, but this one is our favorite! Dogs are welcome to join you at their picturesque outdoor tasting tables, as you soak up the rays together and enjoy the flavors. This one is a locals’ favorite, so don’t miss it! (Note: This winery also has a tasting room and wine bar in town. But our favorite experience is to visit their winery location outside of town)
Winter in Leavenworth
Winter is one of the best seasons to be in Leavenworth! Misty clouds float through town, along the river, and dance through the evergreen-lined mountains, while the majestic rocky peaks poke through. Frequent showers of gargantuan snowflakes make you feel like you’re walking through a real-life snow globe, whether you’re snowshoeing with your dog, walking along the Icicle River, or simply strolling through town. The Bavarian village bustles with bundled-up wanderers during the day, and lights up into a positively luminescent twinkle light display at night. Leavenworth is a real-life Christmas village throughout the cold months. This winter wonderland will make even the most winter-averse among us open their heart to the frosty part of the year! The air is cold, but the cordial scenery, gaiety of the visitors, and hospitality of the townsfolk is enough to keep your heart warm and cozy.
Related Posts
- Beginner’s guide to winter hiking with your dog: Snow pups unite!
- Snowshoeing with your dog: Tips and trails near Denver, Colorado
Dog-friendly hiking trails to try in the winter
Winter hiking means chasing weather patterns, always being prepared for varying trail conditions, and jumping into snowshoe gear! One thing I’ve learned is to never assume that you can reach any trailhead you might pull up in your alltrails search. Especially if it’s up any kind of non-major road (unless you have 4×4, high clearance, snow tires, and a hearty shovel in your trunk). The biggest factor in your ability to reach a trailhead is if/when a particular route is plowed of the heavy, sludgy, deep snowpacks. This is where the Sno-Parks come in – The term “sno-park” basically just means that this area is heavily plowed and maintained in the winter, including parking lots and access roads. Though expensive to access, the local Sno-parks are super worth it for easily accessible, stunningly beautiful winter terrain. Find more information about Sno-Parks here.
Blackbird Island Trail
- Trailhead: Enchantment Park (Regularly plowed because close to town, so always accessible)
- Length: 1.9 mi roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 52 ft
- Gear: Snowshoes after heavy snows, but the trail is regularly trafficked enough to stay packed down and hikeable with regular hiking shoes most of the time. You can use microspikes if the conditions are icy, but the trail is relatively flat, making spikes rarely necessary.
- Cost: FREE
- Also a great easy and scenic walk in spring, summer, or fall.
- Trail Info on Alltrails
- No snowshoes necessary here, unless you’re heading out directly following a heavy snow.
Lake Wenatchee North Snowshoe Trails
- Trailhead: North Park Day Use Parking Area (This is a Sno-Park, so regularly maintained and accessible in any vehicle)
- Length: 1.9 mi roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 75 ft
- Gear: Snowshoes after heavy snows, but the trail is regularly trafficked enough to stay packed down and hikeable with regular hiking shoes most of the time. You can use microspikes if the conditions are icy, but the trail is relatively flat, making spikes rarely necessary.
- Cost: Sno-Park Pass required ($25 – 1 day permit, $50 – season permit; purchase online here)
- Trail Info on Alltrails
Nason Ridge Snowshoe Route via Nason Ridge Sno-Park
- Trailhead: Parking lot on Clubhouse Drive (This is a Sno-Park, so regularly maintained and accessible in any vehicle)
- Length: 5.1 mi roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 1,207 ft
- Gear: Snowshoes
- Cost: Sno-Park Pass required ($25 – 1 day permit, $50 – season permit; purchase online here)
- Trail Info on Alltrails
Chiwawa Sno-Park Snowshoe Trail
- Trailhead: Chiwawa Sno-Park Trailhead (This is a Sno-Park, so regularly maintained and accessible in any vehicle)
- Length: 3.3 mi roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 715 ft
- Gear: Snowshoes
- Cost: Sno-Park Pass required ($25 – 1 day permit, $50 – season permit; purchase online here)
- Trail Info on Alltrails
Spring in Leavenworth
Spring in Leavenworth is a magical time when the snowmelt trickles down from the mountains, giving way to vibrant explosions of verdant foliage, and prismatic wildflowers. An influx of migratory birds begin to sing from every treetop, and the colors adorning the Bavarian village emerge from shadows as the sun starts to peek through the clouds with more regularity. Springtime in the Pacific Northwest is a time of jubilation, a time to celebrate the return of sunshine on your cheeks, and smiles on literally everyone’s faces. Whether you’re after hikes along sunny ridge tops bursting with color, or touring the town’s delicious cuisine on the various bright restaurant patios with your dog, spring in Leavenworth will leave you breathless!
Dog-friendly hiking trails to try in the spring
Spring hiking in Leavenworth entails a delicate blend of trailheads that are not too snowy/muddy to access (forget the highest alpine spots unless you have some hardcore 4×4 capability), and areas that receive the most springtime sun. When you find these magical places at the nexus of both dynamics, your hikes can bring you to some incredible springtime sun-washed views, blanketed by early wildflowers. Below are a few of our favorites for spring.
Icicle Gorge Trail
- Trailhead: Enchantment Park
- Length: 4.1 mi roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 337 ft
- Cost: Northwest Forest Pass
- Trail Info on Alltrails
Canyon Crest Trail to Rat Creek Ridge Trail
- Trailhead: Trailhead at intersection of Mountain Home Rd. & Downer Forest Service 7300-550 Rd.
- Length: 3.5 mi roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 541 ft
- Cost: FREE
- Trail Info on Alltrails
Olalla Canyon Ridge Trail
- Trailhead: Olalla Canyon Ridge Trailhead
- Length: 3.4 mi roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 784 ft
- Cost: FREE
- Trail Info on Alltrails
Wenatchee Crest Trail
- Trailhead: Blewett Pass
- Length: 6.5 mi roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 705 ft
- Bonus: Also a great snowshoe trail in the winter!
- Cost: FREE
- Trail Info on Alltrails
Summer in Leavenworth
Summer in Leavenworth feels like living in a storybook, with sunny skies framing jagged peaks, surrounding the flower-filled Bavarian Village. Between high alpine wildflowers, and stunning mountain lakes, the opportunities for hiking with your dog are plentiful and supernatural in their beauty. If you’re not after hiking, you can try stand up paddle boarding with your pooch at Lake Wenatchee State Park, encountering outdoor live music performances in the village gazebo, and sampling the various culinary delicacies in the outdoor food stalls. The abundant fruit stands spring to life with local produce, and the weekly farmer’s market yields some of the most delectable and special local produce, flowers, baked goods, and other delights from community artisans. Summer in Leavenworth is unforgettable!
Dog-friendly hiking trails to try in the summer
Summertime Leavenworth is a through-point for hikers heading up to The Enchantments and other local backpacking havens. Sky-high elevations and picturesque alpine lakes are the name of the summer hiking game, but don’t be dismayed by the fact that The Enchantments is not open to dogs! It’s way too much work to snag a permit anyway. There are SO MANY other transcendent places to hike with your pooch in this area, and below are a few of our summer favorites.
Skyline Lake Trail
- Trailhead: Stevens Pass North Parking Lot
- Length: 2.5 mi roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 1,059 ft
- Cost: FREE
- Trail Info on Alltrails
Twin Lakes Trail
- Trailhead: Twin Lakes Trailhead
- Length: 6.3 mi roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 1,417 ft
- Cost: FREE
- Trail Info on Alltrails
Icicle Ridge Trail
- Trailhead: Icicle Ridge Trailhead
- Length: 4.8 mi roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 1,758 ft
- Cost: FREE
- Trail Info on Alltrails
Deception Falls Interpretive Trail (& Upper Falls Trail)
- Trailhead: Deception Creek Trailhead
- Length: .6 mi roundtrip (About a mile if you do the Upper Falls Trail too)
- Elevation Gain: 75 ft
- Cost: FREE
- Trail Info on Alltrails
Fall in Leavenworth
Fall in Leavenworth is one of the most festive times to visit! Inspired by the changing seasons, the Bavarian village absolutely glows with hues of ochre and crimson. From the changing leaves, to the illusive larch trees hidden high in the mountaintops, and the warm glowing colors of fall decor that blanket the entire town, autumnal warmth is everywhere. Warm days are perfect for exploring the natural fall foliage that adorns the mountainsides, while crisp nights are the ideal opportunity to enjoy a steaming cup of brothy noodles at Yodelin Broth Co, or German sausages at Munchen Haus. Locally brewed beers and ciders flow freely throughout Oktoberfest season, and the festive patios and abundant fire pits make perfect places to relax with your dog.
Related Post: 6 dog-friendly larch hikes in Washington State: Misadventures of a girl & her dogs
Dog-friendly hiking trails to try in the fall
Fall is a great time to hike, because weather and terrain conditions are such that virtually no area is off-limits. The best hikes, however, are the ones that come alive with fall colors in this dense evergreen landscape, and there are a couple different types of foliage to look for. One is the vibrant underbrush that explodes with warm colors and lights up the evergreen giants above, sometimes interspersed with aspen or cottonwood groves that dapple flaxen dynamics into the verdant canopy. The other type of fall hike is the highly sought-after larch hike – elusive and fleeting. Larches are deciduous conifer trees whose needles turn golden for a couple weeks, then blanket the ground in their fallen beauty. Below you’ll find a couple of each kind of fall hike.
Hidden Lake Trail (colorful leaves)
- Trailhead: Hidden Lake Trailhead
- Length: 1.7 mi roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 239 ft
- Cost: FREE
- Trail Info on Alltrails
Lake Valhalla Trail (colorful leaves)
- Trailhead: Smithbrook Trailhead
- Length: 6.3 mi roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 1,384 ft
- Cost: FREE
- Trail Info on Alltrails
Clara Lake & Marion Lake (larches)
- Trailhead: Lake Clara Trailhead
- Length: 3 mi roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 944 ft
- Cost: FREE
- Trail Info on Alltrails
Swauk Forest Discovery Trail (larches)
- Trailhead: Swauk Forest Discovery Trail Trailhead
- Length: 2.7 mi roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 413 ft
- Cost: FREE
- Trail Info on Alltrails
Where to stay in Leavenworth
There are many dog-friendly hotels, resorts, airbnb’s, and campgrounds near Leavenworth, and you can find a ton of options with a simple internet search. The following cabin was a hosted stay we did in December of 2024, and we can’t recommend highly enough!
Elk Ridge Cabin
This cabin had everything we could have wanted and more! It’s super spacious, with charming decor, and a killer hot tub for warming up after our winter adventures. There’s an indoor/outdoor feel with the open floor plan and picture windows, perfect for connecting with nature. The location is ideal, tucked away in the quiet woods just a short drive to Leavenworth in one direction, and Lake Wenatchee State Park in the other. Bonnie & Ada absolutely loved the spacious property to sniff around in the woods, and watch the birds and squirrels from the gigantic picture windows. We would happily return to this cabin again and again for our Leavenworth adventures.
Gear for your Leavenworth adventures
Some of our must-haves include:
- Dog backpack – Perfect for carrying water, treats, and poop bags. Ruffwear makes our favorite.
- Paw wax for protecting dogs’ feet – In the winter, it keeps their paws warm, and in the summer, it prevents chapped paws. We use Musher’s Secret.
- Sturdy (human)hiking boots – These are our favorites in all seasons. They’re durable and waterproof enough to support snowshoes in the winter, but also perfectly light and comfortable for summer adventures
- Snowshoes for winter hikes – The snow in this area is heavy and abundant. Snowshoes are the best way to hit the trails, and these are our favorites.
Check out the Rockporch lockers below to see all the gear we rely on.
