Best Dog-Friendly Camping near McNary, AZ

Hawley Lake Apache Indian Reservation accepts pets in various accommodation styles including tent sites, RV spaces, cabins, and glamping options. Los Burros Campground, a small pet-friendly site in the White Mountains, features six camping spots with metal fire pits, picnic tables, and clean vault toilets. Most pet-friendly campgrounds near McNary require dogs to be leashed in common areas, though specific designated off-leash spaces exist at some locations. The Hon-Dah RV Park accommodates pets with full hookup sites, allowing campers to set up comfortable spaces for their animals while enjoying nearby casino amenities. Wild horses and free-range cattle frequently visit these campgrounds, requiring campers to secure food and pet supplies at night to prevent unwanted animal encounters.

The Los Burros trailhead provides access to dog-friendly hiking paths directly from the campground, with moderate terrain suitable for most dogs. Nearby Christmas Tree Lake offers fishing opportunities, though specific permits are required for both fishing and camping on Apache land. Summer temperatures typically reach 80 degrees during daytime with 50-degree nights, creating comfortable conditions for pets but still requiring adequate water and shade. Morning and evening hikes with dogs are recommended during warmer months. The area experiences afternoon showers and occasional heavy storms, so waterproof gear for both humans and pets is advisable. Wildlife sightings are common throughout the region, necessitating proper pet control to prevent unwanted encounters with elk, deer, and occasional predators.

Best Dog-Friendly Sites Near McNary, Arizona (77)

    1. Show Low Lake Campground

    11 Reviews
    Lakeside, AZ
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 537-4126

    $18 - $150 / night

    "Cute little Campground literally on the edge of town. If you look in one direction you'll see the apartment buildings about a quarter mile away (you can see it in the video)."

    "There are no hookups at all on this second loop, but you can fill fresh water from over near the dump station.

    Short walk to the lake for swimming and/or fishing."

    2. Hawley Lake Apache Indian Res

    6 Reviews
    Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, AZ
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 338-1230

    "We camped here when we had a permit to fish at nearby Christmas Tree Lake. Christmas Tree Lake is a beautiful little lake nestled in the White Mountains of Arizona on Apache land."

    "Hawley Lake is the perfect escape when you want to get out of the heat. Pristine views, cool weather during the summer and clean facilities almost make you feel like your not in Arizona anymore."

    3. Hon-Dah RV Park

    4 Reviews
    McNary, AZ
    3 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 369-0299

    "Excellent location near Pinetop-Lakeside and Show Low. Easy check-in. Wifi available. Clean bathrooms. Laundry available. Wonderful hosts. 24 hour security driving around."

    "We had to crab over them so that we didn't leave our plumbing with them (and very nearly did leave some plumbing the first time over the first one)."

    4. Los Burros Campground

    3 Reviews
    McNary, AZ
    6 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 360-5111

    "Los Burros was a beautiful little spot, tucked away in the pines near Pinetop-Lakeside, AZ. There are at least two camping spots that include a fenced in area for your horses to stay."

    "There was a corral near one of the sites for horses. On the way in we passed an entire heard of cattle right next to the road. There is also 2 historic buildings from the ranger station."

    5. Ponderosa RV Resort

    2 Reviews
    Pinetop-Lakeside, AZ
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 368-6989

    $45 / night

    "My wife and I have always wanted to visit The White Mountains in Arizona since over the years we've gone by several times on I40. "

    "There are plenty local attractions: lakes, rivers and streams, wilderness and national forests. Activities include: fishing, biking (wish I brought my mtn bike), hiking/walking and ATV trails."

    6. Timber Mesa Trailhead

    3 Reviews
    Lakeside, AZ
    9 miles

    "Easy to get to, close to town, clearly marked trails and roadways. Hiking views were spectacular."

    7. Shush Bezahze

    1 Review
    McNary, AZ
    8 miles
    Website

    "Quiet, large campground, easy access to lake, wildlife. Close to town but far enough that it feels like your way out."

    8. Cyclone Lake Campground

    1 Review
    Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, AZ
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 338-4385

    $9 / night

    "Cyclone Lake (Basin?) is nestled in the Arizona mountains and offers a breathtaking escape into nature."

    9. Waltner's RV Resort

    2 Reviews
    Lakeside, AZ
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 537-4611

    "Great park, close to town but you’d never know it. Among the pines and cedar trees of the White Mountains"

    10. Horseshoe Cienega Apache Indian Res

    1 Review
    Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, AZ
    11 miles
    Website

    "Horseshoe cienega lake and campground is located off the 260 about 45 minutes east of Pinetop-Lakeside. First impressions: wow!"

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Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near McNary, AZ

291 Reviews of 77 McNary Campgrounds


  • Lyf Uninterrupted ..The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 22, 2020

    Encore Venture In

    Great RV Park located in the AZ Forest

    Nice wide sites for your RV.  This park is located in the forest area of Show Low, AZ.  At this time, the amenities (due to COVID 19), except for the laundry room, are closed so was unable to give it a 5 star rating.  Location is central to everything.  In fact, we rode our eBikes to get to just about everything.  Temps are warm in June and then cool down significantly after the Monsoon rains begin.  Nice people in the park.  Nice dog park and dog run.

  • S
    May. 19, 2021

    Encore Venture In

    Nice But Sites a Little Tricky

    This is really a Park Model Resort that has about 25% of their sites set aside for RVs. The RV sites are scattered throughout the park but they have tried to group them together as much as possible. The sites are pretty level, really wide, and fairly deep. There is a concrete patio with each site. Sites are covered in cinders which are a bit of a pain. They present a somewhat soft surface which is like walking in about 6 inches of soft sand. Almost all the sites have a tree planted right at the front next to the road. Some of the trees are a bit wide which really makes getting into the site difficult. Even though the sites are wide the RV parking area is between the patio and the sewer connection which is about 11ft wide. When you combine that with landscaping and patio covers on some of the park models and getting in some sites can be real challenging for a larger rig. We have a 40ft motorhome and have been to this park probably 8 times. So far we have made it in and out but with some new scratches and a bit of maneuvering. Cell service is pretty bad here. We have Verizon cell phones which usually worked for phone service but sometimes cut out. We have Verizon and AT&T hotspots. AT&T worked the best but not fast enough to stream anything most of the time. There is Wi-Fi offered for a fee but we have not tried that. They also offer cable TV which I believe is free. They have a couple of dog parks, nice common areas, laundry, and a small gym. They have some other clubs and activity rooms but all of those have been closed due to Covid.

  • w
    Jun. 24, 2021

    Rainbow (AZ)

    Big Trees, clean air

    I have been coming up to the White Mountains since I was a kid. Rainbow campground has been our go-to spot for camping. There are 3 loops that are FCFS. The rest of the sites are reservations. The sites all have picnic tables and fire rings. There are full bathrooms throughout the area and pay showers when is not covid. Big lake is a short drive from the campground, where you can rent a boat, fish from shore and a small store with supplies. There is always wildlife around, especially skunks, so watch your pets. The sites are laid at where you don't feel like you are right on top of your neighbor. None of the sites in Rainbow have hook-ups, bit there is a dump station down the road. There is another campground for full hook-ups down the way.

  • Kathy W.
    Aug. 30, 2016

    Fool Hollow Lake Recreation Area Campground

    Fool Hollow

    Probably the most beautiful campground in Arizona. Just outside Show Low, in the eastern part of the state, you are nestled in the pine & juniper of the region. Despite being in the middle of a developed area, once in the park, you feel appropriately isolated. We were at a reserved tent site (Osprey 12). All tent sites overlook the lake & a couple of them even have creeks running through them after rain. Visited family on a full hookup site & while the pads are huge, it seemed like you were more exposed to your neighbors. The tent loops all have access to a vault toilet & the middle loop has showers as well (the other loops are still walking distance from showers). There are several day use areas & boat ramps to the lake. Saw (& heard) many different birds & animals. Can't wait to go back.

  • C
    Sep. 29, 2020

    Rolfe C. Hoyer Campground

    Best of both worlds!

    Situated in NE Arizona, you get to experience cooler weather, fishing across the road and a local general store near by for those forgotten items. The camp grounds are clean and have ever amenity necessary without feeling like you're at a hotel. We like the spots in the back half of the grounds.

  • M
    Jul. 30, 2018

    Rolfe C. Hoyer Campground

    Best campground ever!

    Love this campground, clean and quiet! We went in June during fire restrictions but it was still a nice site. Lakes nearby within walking distance dogs had a blast!

  • Krista Z.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 31, 2017

    Brown Creek Campground

    Very secluded and not at all "developed"

    If you didn't know it was here you wouldn't ever guess there was a campground. The only signage is a "dead out" fire sign. There are very few fire rings established so plan to build your own. It looks like they've done some logging or clearing in the area and there was plenty of down wood on the ground to use. There are no bathrooms so plan accordingly. Plenty of trees and shade. Very secluded but the roads on the way in from both Show Low and McNary were in decent shape. This is a hunting area so we did see quite a few people hunting. Biggest thing with this is don't wear a brown fur coat and try to look like an elk. We went on a moonless night and it PITCH BLACK. I know it was overcast but I have to imagine with the amount of tree coverage even a clear night wouldn't be very well lit on the ground. I wouldn't call this ideal for larger groups or units. There were only a few spots where I think you could have parked more than 2 tents or anything larger than a pop up camper.

  • J
    Aug. 1, 2021

    Encore Venture In

    RV Resort

    This is an RV Resort, not a camp ground. The lots are average size and fairly easy to get in to. I’m glad I had a spotter. They have nice amenities including cable TV. There is free WiFi, but only at the office. Dog friendly. It has many park models and seems to be a retirement community. The people were nice. Great place to spend the summer months in Arizona. A bit expensive, but I was here for work so it was paid for.

  • Hayley K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Feb. 17, 2020

    Hawley Lake Apache Indian Res

    Camping for Nearby Lake Access

    We camped here when we had a permit to fish at nearby Christmas Tree Lake. Christmas Tree Lake is a beautiful little lake nestled in the White Mountains of Arizona on Apache land. It boasts some amazing fishing for the native trout species- the Apache trout. The fish are stocked, so it may not be a true experience for some but most of the access to the native fish in their native habitat is restricted or non existent to protect these beautiful creatures. The lake offers paid access on a day to day basis. A total of 25 permits per day are offered to keep fishing pressure in check. But these permits are non refundable so don't reserve too early. 

    Permits and information can be found on the website but customer service can be difficult. Camping is available on a first come basis at Hawley Lake which also offers great fishing and beautiful scenery. Be aware that I did experience some free range cattle snooping through the camp at 2am which was a bit unexpected. Also, being in the mountains, it was pretty cold at night. 

    The area we camped in was open and the roads were well marked. Campsites were situated near fire rings with only the occasional picnic table. There were four pretty well maintained portable toilets near our camp as well. Be sure to review the rules and regulations on the website as some areas are off limits and to make sure you have all the proper permits for fishing and/or camping.(State and local licenses required for fishing)


Guide to McNary

Discover the joy of camping with your furry friends near McNary, Arizona, where several campgrounds welcome pets and offer a variety of amenities and activities for a memorable outdoor experience.

Pet-friendly campgrounds include:

  • The Hawley Lake Apache Indian Res, known for its beautiful scenery and access to hiking trails, is a great spot for you and your pet to explore together.
  • Los Burros Campground offers a small, intimate setting with picnic tables and fire pits, perfect for a cozy camping experience with your dog.
  • At Gabaldon, you can enjoy spacious sites designed for both campers and their horses, making it a unique option for pet owners.

Dog-friendly activities while camping near McNary:

  • Enjoy fishing and hiking at Horseshoe Cienega Apache Indian Res, where your dog can accompany you on trails and by the lake.
  • Take your pet for a scenic walk around Benny Creek Campground, which features a creek and nearby reservoir, ideal for a refreshing day outdoors.
  • Explore the trails at Rolfe C. Hoyer Campground, where you can hike with your dog and enjoy the cooler weather and beautiful surroundings.

Tips for camping with dogs near McNary:

  • Always keep your dog on a leash at Show Low Lake Campground to ensure their safety and the comfort of other campers.
  • Bring plenty of water and snacks for your pet while enjoying the amenities at Hon-Dah RV Park, which offers clean facilities and a friendly atmosphere.
  • Be mindful of wildlife and secure your food at K-Bar RV Resort, where wild horses may roam, ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience for you and your dog.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near McNary, AZ?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near McNary, AZ is Show Low Lake Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 11 reviews.

What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near McNary, AZ?

TheDyrt.com has all 77 dog-friendly camping locations near McNary, AZ, with real photos and reviews from campers.