dogtrotting.net

If you haven’t ridden through tree-lined paths and along slopped streets in a horse-drawn carriage, then my dog Victor has one on you. Yes, horse-drawn carriage is the primary method of transportation on Mackinac Island in Northern Michigan where cars can’t go but many, many people do, especially in the summer. We start along the standard route – past the Mackinac Fort, past million-dollar Victorian vacation properties (livable summer only), and past the summer residence of the Michigan Governor – The Grand Hotel is on the list of must see sights – this historical property was the first palatial accommodation built on the island in 1887, boasts no two guest rooms the same, lists a host of famous people and diplomats on its roster, and is so popular it charges a $10 admission fee to non-registered guests.

“You can bring your dog in here,” the cashier says to me, after I’ve hooked him to the railing outside Boxwood Café at the Mission Point Resort. Ok,” I think, “Mackinac Island, Michigan, is really dog-friendly. I missed the 2:30 pm boat by about three minutes which meant my dog Victor and I rode to Mackinac Island from mainland Michigan an hour later. Mission Point is the only dog-friendly resort on this island – an island with no cars and eighty-percent State Park Land, and a waterfront trail begging for four-footed friends to follow.

From 1 to 4 pm on select winter Sundays, The Sports Lab led by Dr. Lowell Greib sets up a dog skijoring workshop at Arrowhead Provincial Park in Huntsville, Ontario, Canada. Three teams of dogs and skiers take turns around the trail loop – this trail is dedicated to dog skijoring only, a new feature in the park. The beautiful Australian Sheppard is new to skijoring but needs four hours of exercise a day and skijoring might change it up from walking. The dog skijoring trails at Arrowhead Provincial Park are open in the winter during park hours, 9 to 5:30 pm, 7 days a week.

He spends more time on walks with his head down sniffing in circles than he does moving forward, and he gets to check out maple syrup festivals at many outdoor dog-friendly historic and conservation sites. Saturday afternoon, the tail end of March Break but the middle of maple syrup season, we headed to Mountsberg Conservation Area in Campbellville, Ontario, about 40 minutes west of Toronto to experience Maple Town (March 2 to April 7, 2019). (check out our previous experience), my dog’s been moving slower these days and he’s currently wearing a custom brace for stability – more details to come on dogtrotting.net. Mountsberg Conservation Area, part of Conservation Halton, is located off Campbellville Road near Milton, Ontario about 40-minute drive from Toronto.