The Gulch Lake | Sniffspot
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invoice
PetalumaCalifornia94954US
4.87328
55This was my first time using sniffspot and I wasn’t disappointed! My dog loved the lake and also the horses he saw. Will definitely book again in the future!
55Great spot for the dogs to run and swim.
55Another great adventure hour for my pups! They are always so happy to run around and play and explore.
55It was nice to feel like the whole spot was just for me and my dogs. I normally can’t go on very many hikes like that because of another reactive dog that I have and I feel this spot will be suitable to take her next time. The property does have dogs on site but I was told they could be put inside during my visit which is appreciated. The cows may also affect my dog I will bring, but they are far away enough. I really enjoyed walking around the lake and the hour that I had there was great.
55An Incredible Place Where a Dog Can Truly Be a dog. Our energetic little potato pittie had the time of her life! There’s so much open space that you can throw a ball as hard and as far as you possibly can, and your dog will still have plenty of room to chase it! One of our favorite spots was by the lake, where beautiful trees provide wonderful shade and a peaceful place to sit, relax, and reflect while your furry best friend happily explores the surroundings.
45The space was huge and gave our dogs plenty of room to run around and explore! However, there was a lot of cow and horse manure scattered throughout the area, which made it difficult to fully enjoy. Otherwise, it would have been a perfect spot for our dogs!
55This was our second time at the lake and we had a great time! Communication was clear and everything at the spot was just as described. Louie loves swimming here so much, we definitely will be back.
55My boy had a wonderful time. Highlights: rolling in cow Pattie and goose poop. 🥰
55My dogs (and my daughter and I) had a blast. Great large pond to walk around, and my lab spent most of her time swimming. Cow patties everywhere and ground is uneven (as the listing clearly says), so wear appropriate shoes and be prepared. We will absolutely be back! Thank you to the owners for sharing this awesome property!
35Nice spot for my pup to run around and swim. Huge property with cows roaming. The property is hilly so plan accordingly and wear decent shoes! A few cons: There was a dog barking super loudly right behind a fence next to the entrance, so if your dog is highly reactive it might not be a great experience for them. Also, there is a latch to open the fence that was not super obvious to me, so it would have been nice if there was a note from the host on how to open that gate. It took me a couple minutes to figure it out while also trying to keep my dog calm - again because the dog behind the fence was losing his mind. I also did not see any trash cans to throw poop bags away.
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The Gulch Lake

Petaluma, California
Unfenced
100 acres
4.87328 Reviews
Member Discount

The Gulch Lake

Petaluma, California
Host avatar
Hosted by Shayla T.
Member Discount
4.87328 Reviews
Member Discount
Unfenced
100 acres
The Gulch Lake - Petaluma, California
The Gulch Lake - Petaluma, California
The Gulch Lake - Petaluma, California

Fencing

This spot is unfenced

Info provided by host

Note from host

100 acres of free space. The fencing is not dog friendly (it’s cow friendly :) )

Gaps or holes in fence

No gaps

Enclosure

unfenced


Designed for private play

Only the people and dogs in your booking are allowed in the spot during your visit.

Distractions seen/heard from the spot

Other dogsSometimes

Other dogs

HOST REPORTS

Sometimes

“Our dogs can be seen (depending where you park) and heard through our fences. They also are sometimes in our house, so they can be seen through our windows, if you’re in our pool area.”

GUEST FEEDBACK

52% of guests saw/heard

Designed for private play

Only the people and dogs in your booking are allowed in the spot during your visit.

Other domestic animalsSometimes

Other domestic animals

HOST REPORTS

Sometimes

“We have chickens that are secured, as well as other dogs that are secured. We have cows that roam freely in the field where our lake is, but the cows are harmless and most likely will not interact with you.”

GUEST FEEDBACK

52% of guests saw/heard

Designed for private play

Only the people and dogs in your booking are allowed in the spot during your visit.

Other peopleSometimes

Other people

HOST REPORTS

Sometimes

“Our ranch always has people here, however, down by the lake they are not visible, but the walk down to the lake, you could see people!”

GUEST FEEDBACK

25% of guests saw/heard

Designed for private play

Only the people and dogs in your booking are allowed in the spot during your visit.


Amenities

Swimming pool

Lake or pond

Field

Trail

Water - hose

Pesticide-free


Pricing
25 credits per dog per hour

50% off all dogs after the 1st dog

Members get discounts on all bookings at all spots by buying monthly credits!
This spot offers additional discounts.

Learn more

Location

Petaluma, California

Description

The ultimate dog escape! A certified organic ranch and dreamy lake surrounded by rolling hills! Your dogs can experience wild foul, fish and cattle or spend their time time swimming away at the lake! There is a picnic table (not in the best shape, but can fit about 4 people) for your stuff and a great combination of sun and shade surrounding the lake! We recently added a 1.2 mile trail around our property. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do! Accessing our lake requires a bit of a walk through uneven terrain with cow holes, which may be challenging for some. If you have difficulty walking on rough ground, this Sniffspot may not be the best fit. While there is a path, it is not perfectly smooth, and less active visitors may find it hard to navigate. Cows do roam freely in the same field. They are harmless, but please be sure to close all gates securely when entering or leaving the area. We recommend ignoring the cows—they’ll leave you alone if you do the same. Our house is the only house on the right side of the road. Please do not stop/disturb the first houses on the left side of the driveway. Keep coming down our driveway and park near the light blue green house on the right. If you’re wondering if we test for toxic blue green algae, the answer is yes! The test was negative! Please see our pictures for confirmation of a negative test! Test performed on 6/1/25

Cleanliness

96% of guests said this spot was as clean as expected during their visit.

Hazards

HOST NOTE

This spot has a water feature, make sure to review these guidelines for visiting spots with water before visiting: https://help.sniffspot.com/article/167-how-to-keep-your-dog-safe-around-pools-and-water

Water safety notice

Make sure to practice dog and human safety around water. Read more


Extras

2 Extra person for lake/pool20 credits

One additional person to bring down to the lake

Bathing package20 credits

You dog get muddy down at the lake? We can provide towels, dog shampoo, and a place to clean them up before you head home!

Dog swim training with a pro!85 credits

Jake is a professionally trained dog trainer, certified through Bergin University—the only accredited dog training university in the country! He has extensive experience teaching dogs how to swim safely and confidently. If you're interested in adding this swim training session as an extra, please be sure to message the host in advance to schedule it.

Extras

2 Extra person for lake/pool20 credits

One additional person to bring down to the lake


Bathing package20 credits

You dog get muddy down at the lake? We can provide towels, dog shampoo, and a place to clean them up before you head home!


Dog swim training with a pro!85 credits

Jake is a professionally trained dog trainer, certified through Bergin University—the only accredited dog training university in the country! He has extensive experience teaching dogs how to swim safely and confidently. If you're interested in adding this swim training session as an extra, please be sure to message the host in advance to schedule it.


Doggy daycare50 credits

Hang out at the ranch for the whole day! Your dog will experience a walk down to our lake, lots of play time with our golden retrievers, and a nap in our home! *dogs must get along with other dogs *please send us a message if you’re interested in boarding services!


Fishing at the lake14 credits

Two people to fish at the lake for catch and release only (you bring your own poles and bait). No human swimming allowed.


Host Rules

Minimum visit length
1 hour
Required advanced notice for visits
1 hour
Max dogs per booking
5
Is the host present?
I prefer to meet my guests on their first visits
Additional rules

No bbq’s and humans are not allowed to swim in the lake. Please pick up your dog’s poop!


Community safety rules
Dogs must be leashed when entering and exiting the spot.
Make sure the area is safe and secure before bringing your dog in.
Never enter a spot before your booking start time and never leave late.
Pick up after your dogs. Leave the spot as it was when you arrived.
Always review and abide by spot specific rules.
Unless otherwise stated, restrooms are not available on site.

Booking Policies

Community safety rules
Dogs must be leashed when entering and exiting the spot.
Make sure the area is safe and secure before bringing your dog in.
Never enter a spot before your booking start time and never leave late.
Pick up after your dogs. Leave the spot as it was when you arrived.
Always review and abide by spot specific rules.
Unless otherwise stated, restrooms are not available on site.

In addition, please make sure to read Sniffspot's booking policies


Booking Policies
Only one booking is allowed at a time at any spot and there is an enforced 30 min buffer between all bookings to ensure dogs in separate bookings do not meet.
This spot is set for Booking, which means you will be instantly confirmed for any booking you request. You will receive the address and access instruction immediately following booking.
Visits can be moved or cancelled up to 2 hours before a visit.
Visits can be extended and dogs can be added throughout the visit.

4.87 (328 Reviews)

See all reviews
With comments first

All reviews

Meet your host

Shayla T.

Joined in May 2024


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