The Famous Hike With Dogs: The Best View of Cabo (and it’s free!)
I love hiking, and I love dogs, so when I heard about the famous (and free) “Hike with Dogs” in Cabo San Lucas, it was at the top of my list of things to do.
I was stunned by how many people showed up with us to hike (with around a dozen dogs) to one of the most stunning viewpoints of Cabo from Mt. Solmar.
The “leader of the pack” was also unexpectedly animated, and put a focus on the history and culture of this part of Mexico.
Key Info:
- It’s free, but bring cash for a tip.
- The hike requires a bit of rock scrambling, but is moderate/not difficult.
- Budget around 2 hours for the hike.
- The gates open at 8:00am – don’t be late!
Where to Meet for the Hike with Dogs in Cabo
The hike is led by a local dog trainer, Enrique Morales, and you’ll meet at his dog rescue/training operation on the south side of the marina.
Type in “Hike with Dogs” and it’ll come up on Google Maps.
Here’s what it looks like on the map of Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico:
The property is fenced off, with several dog cages and runs. Enrique boards dogs, trains them, and always has a few rescues around from local shelters, too.
Arrival & Hiking Time
Enrique leads the hikes 6 days a week (he takes Saturdays off).
The gates open at 8:00am sharp, but people start lining up well in advance. I arrived at 7:45am, and found a line of 50 people already formed!
There’s no limit to the crowd, so no need to be concerned about being cut off and denied entry.
I was stunned to count more than 100 people lined up to hike! He says his biggest crowd was 700!
At 8:00, Enrique opens the gates, and sorts the crowd by language and geography.
Many of the hikers were locals. He grouped them together with other Spanish speakers, and split his introduction between English and Spanish for different halves of the crowd.
Calling it an “introduction” really under-sells it. Enrique PERFORMS. He’s like the animated ringleader of a circus.
His 30-minute speech is part history lesson, part song and dance, and part safety briefing. His warning against wearing sandals includes the line, “The person who cleans the blood is off today.”
He’ll also roast the late-comers who show up after the initial crowd comes in, so don’t be late.
He howls at his own jokes and dances when cars drive by blasting music.
While visitors come to engage with the pack of dogs, hike the trail, and enjoy the best view of Cabo from the peak, Enrique wants visitors to leave with an appreciation for the culture, and the history of the tribes that called Baja home.
What to Bring on the Hike
Decent hiking shoes are important, or at least good sneakers. I wouldn’t wear sandals (unless they’re the hiking sandals).
While the hike is free for anyone, tips are suggested. The money helps pay for dog food, vet bills, and supplies.
There’s no shade, so bring a hat and SPF, plus plenty of water.
We also brought a drone, which was fine to fly. Just beware: the dogs know the sound and will eagerly rush over to lunge at it on takeoff!
The Mt. Solmar Trail: What to Expect on the Hike
After the safety briefing and history lesson, Enrique lets the dogs loose. As you’d imagine, they race around wrestling each other, relieving themselves, and sniffing the hikers who’ve come to join them for the day.
The hike is challenging, but fun and manageable for most people. We had children and seniors on our hike.
It’s steep in spots, and requires some rock scrambling as you gain elevation. It takes about 30-45 minutes for the group to get to the peak.
After being let out of their cages, the dogs split up through the crowd. It’s a route they know well.
Several race out to lead the pack, while others hang back, spending time hunting and sniffing along the way.
The more challenging part (I thought) was the hike down.
Anyway, the view is worth it. There’s no other way to see Cabo like this!
The rest of the land is all privately owned, and there’s no other access to the trails up to the top of Mt. Solmar.
The peak is jagged in spots, with a few dropoffs to be aware of, but there’s plenty of room (even with a crowd of 100) to spread out.
The views of the iconic rocks, the blue water, and the marina are spectacular. Lovers’ Beach is down below, which is only accessible by boat (a water taxi from the marina will drop you off there).
You’ll spend 45 minutes on the peak, before starting the hike down.
The Background: How the Hike with Dogs Began
Enrique doesn’t own the property, but he does manage access to it. In his words, he works for the company that owns the land.
He’s had the dog training facility since 1991.
He’s been leading the hikes since 2017.
It started with just a few people, and night hikes were involved, but after a few slips and falls, they decided to just do the morning hikes.
Sometimes, I believe around full moons, Enrique will still lead special nighttime hikes. In fact, his TikTok has an impressive nighttime video of the evening in January of 2026 when he says 700 people showed up!
He says they never expected it to become so popular. Word spread on TripAdvisor, and the “Hike With Dogs” rose through the ranks, to become one of the best-known things to do in Cabo.
Tips Before You Hike with Dogs in Cabo San Lucas
The bottom line is: if you want to get the absolute best view of Cabo, you have to hike with dogs!
Again, just bring water, SPF, decent sneakers, and some cash to tip at the end of the hike.
Enrique, who’s 66 years old, shows no signs of slowing down. You’ll see his big gym setup on the side of the property.
Plus, he’s big into vortex energy theories and “live today like it’s your last day” mantras, which he’ll explain at the peak for those interested.
Several people on our hike had been there before, and it’s definitely something I’ll plan to do each time I return to Cabo!
