Approximate Driving Times:

• Calgary to Mount Robson: 5 1/2 hours
• Mount Robson to Wells Gray: 3 hours

Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. Back view of the Mount Robson Mountain River Lodge, where four B&B rooms are available year-round (the cabins are open seasonally). If you look closely, you'll be able to see the host Claudia with her three little pooches Cuddles, Bernie, and Emily.

With the May long weekend approaching, we decided it was time for a short getaway. We were in dire need of a break, and the dogs are always eager to explore new places, so we packed our bags and headed out to the mountains. It turned out to be a weekend filled with great hiking, stunning views, and lots of cute dogs.

First stop: the spectacular Mount Robson in beautiful BC.

The drive from Calgary takes about five and a half hours. Much of the drive is through the Canadian Rockies, a very pretty and pleasant trip with plenty of places to stop and explore with the dogs (plenty of trees for sniffing, too!).

Naturally, we had to select a pet-friendly accommodation. This time it was the Mount Robson Mountain River Lodge, located just 4 kilometers from the Visitor Centre. The lodge is set back on a quiet road that you won't hear the highway traffic.

18-year-old Cuddles, one of the canine hosts at the Mountain River Lodge. Claudia - the human host - attributes Cuddles' longevity to a daily morning smoothie!

One of the first things we saw as we drove up to the lodge were the resident Jack Russell Terriers, 4-year-old Bernie and 2-year-old Emily. Although we didn't know it at the time, we were yet to meet 18-year-old daschund Cuddles.

The Mountain River Lodge offers two types of accommodations. Four B&B rooms are available in the lodge, but guest pets are not permitted in the lodge itself. Pets are instead permitted in the two gorgeous cabins. The cabin we booked was the River Side Cabin. We were pleasantly surprised to discover how beautifully laid out it was, with wonderful homey touches and scrupulously clean. There's a small TV room with satellite TV, a kitchen with two burners and an eating table... but the bedroom was what we loved most: the bed faces a sitting room with couch, a sink, and large windows that overlook the river and the mountains. You go to sleep with a view of the mountains, and open your eyes to the same. What a great way to start the day.

The pet-friendly Cedar Point Cabin near the lodge. Two cabins are available and both allow pets. Each of the cabins is in a beautiful forest setting with views of the river and of the famous Mount Robson. Claudia gamely poses with two of the PetFriendly canines in front of the River Side Cabin (saving the camera-shy PetFriendly staff from doing so themselves).

As for pets? There's a welcome basket complete with a snuggly blanket, a pillow, food and water bowls, a bag of treats, doggy waste bag, and even a leash, all for use during your stay.

The stay in the cabins doesn't include breakfast, but guests can optionally choose to take breakfast in the lodge for a small cost. Breakfast was wonderful. When we were there, Claudia served up a strawberry parfait to start, followed by deliciously fresh and warm chocolate-chip bran muffins. Our hot entree soon followed: an artfully presented eggs benedict, with the eggs served in a ham "cup", along with a slice of watermelon.

While we happily savoured breakfast and chatted with the other guests, Bernie and Emily quietly gazed out the window (probably dreaming of all the squirrels outside). They're certainly two of the calmest Jack Russell Terriers we've ever seen.

Let Claudia know the night before if you'd like to join them for breakfast. She also serves dinner; ask her what's on the menu for that night.

Kitchen with nook. Entry way - the door in the back leads to the TV room.

Wood-frame bed in the separate bedroom. The bed faces a sitting room with large windows overlooking the mountains and river.

Things To Do in Mount Robson

The dogs yawned and stretched to get ready for a day in the mountains. It's fortunate that there are so many natural wonders to explore - most of the Mount Robson area lost power for several hours on the Friday we were there!

(interesting seeing the steady stream of tourists using the pit toilets near the Tourist Information Center... that's the good thing about pit toilets - they always work)

The deservedly popular Kinney Lake Trail offers a gentle uphill hike to the peaceful viewpoint. Even our senior Peke - a breed not known for its athletic abilities! - easily managed the hike.

So with no power in the park, we figured we might as well head out early for a hike. If you have the time and the energy, a hike up to Kinney Lake is well worth the effort. The hike is around 4 to 5 kilometers one way up a gentle grade. Kinney Lake is beautiful - clear green, nestled amongst the mountains, a peaceful place to relax and soak in the surroundings. We had packed a lunch to enjoy at the lake while the dogs sniffed and splashed around.

If shorter outings are more your style, just down the road is Rearguard Falls. The short 1/2 hour round-trip walk takes you to a waterfall that also serves spawning salmon in the fall.

Also in the area is Little Lost Lake - a short hike we'd done previously when we stayed in Valemount at the Twin Peaks Resort (Valemount is located approximately 25 minutes from Mount Robson).

NEXT STOP: Wells Gray Park, British Columbia