Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Strawberry, AZ

All hookups available at all sites. There is a dog park and a walking path along the river in which the dogs took a dip.

This place is huge! Nestled in the red rock country of Arizona, this Thousand Trails campground offers a scenic and tranquil escape. The sites are well-spaced, and the amenities include a pool, hot tub, 2 dog parks, hiking trails, river access and clubhouse. Its proximity to Sedona, Jerome and local wineries makes it an excellent choice for those seeking relaxation and exploration.

Well payed out and extremely clean facilities. Dog park, pool, RV washing & repair service available, laundry & showers.

GREAT RV park for big rigs. Very nice pool, great dog park with dog pee pads of turf all over the park (my dogs appreciated that over peeing on the gravel! Ha). We weren't super thrilled we paid so much for a back-in site to the Verde River when the river wasn't very full or the site very close to it. They nickle-and-dime you, even for an optional picnic table! But the pool and club house were beautiful, so it felt like a really nice break from the typical campgrounds. Truly a resort.

We went over Thanksgiving and had a splendid time. The staff is super nice and awesome. There was so much to do from mini golf, painting classes, live music, dinners, karaoke, and free breakfast 3 days a week, hot tub and heated piol. There are lots of trees and it’s a great park to walk around. At the back you have the River you can walk around and you are surrounded with mountain views. Very dog friendly and they even have a dog park, and “office” dog. I would rebook here again we had such a lovely experience.

Our second stay at Verde Ranch (first one was in the fall) and we will keep coming back. The campground is well maintained, with landscaping that will be beautiful once it's had a chance to mature. Pool and laundry facilities are clean and very nice, as is the dog park. Sites are wide, graveled and comfortable. Staff is friendly and helpful. Only downside can be the internet, which is occasionally temperamental, but the resort is aware and constantly working on it to boost connectivity and reliability. Overall, we love the place.

This is a hidden gem Thousand Trails campground for us. So many amenities. The off leash dog park, pickleball court, and hot tub/pool are just a few to name that we use! On the weekends they have a wonderful food truck that also serves espresso drinks and fresh pressed juice! Bathrooms are clean and showers are pretty big. Full hookups at most sites as well! We have stayed in both the premium sites and the regular and have enjoyed both. Pool was closed this last visit for renovations but they say it should be open any day now!

This was just a stop along our route, and we were so bummed we only stayed here one night! Shady, lots of trees, pristine condition of all facilities including dog park, walking trail next to the creek, and large enough sites for our 42' rig. There was live music on night! Furthermore, they were generous and understanding of an emergency situation that happened on the day we needed to leave. The owner even brought my kids popsicles while we packed up! Ask him what he used to do for a living... he'll have a fun telling you about it. Beautiful campground I couldn't recommend more.

Campground Review

Canyon Point is located in a beautiful Pine and Aspen wooded area just above the Mogollon Rim. The area has plenty of hiking trails, streams, and lakes. The closest lake is Willow Springs which is about 5 miles West of Canyon Point and allows fishing. There are 2 trails that start from within Canyon Point campground. One goes to the edge of the Mogollon Rim and the other is the Sinkhole Trail. We decided to brave the Sinkhole Trail while we were there. It was very easy and only about ¾ of a mile each way with great tree coverage.

I have been to plenty of campgrounds within 20 miles of this area but I was impressed with Canyon Point from the moment we arrived. They have a designated Contact Station at the entrance that was staffed with multiple camp hosts to assist with check in and check out. As part of the check in process the campground host assisting us, Linda, explained some of the campground highlights, provided a campground map, a trail map, a printout of the rules and regulations, and a comment card with directions on where to submit it. Linda also told us that the hosts would be around camp on golf carts and if we needed anything, we could just flag them down. At one point one of the hosts, Fritz, stopped by to see how things were going and if we needed anything. He made instant friends with my son and even had a dog treat for our four-legged friend.

Canyon Point boasts 113 sites between 2 loops with both back in and pull through sites. We stayed in site 75, which is at the very back of Loop B, and we were amazed at how well the sites were laid out near us. We heard the other groups when the kids were playing or they would laugh in unison at something but beyond that, it was spaced out enough that the day to day conversation couldn’t be heard. Our site had a plastic coated picnic table and a ground level fire pit that had a rotating grill and a low grate. Unfortunately, we were in Stage II fire restrictions so we were not able to use it but it looked to be very well maintained and in working condition. Generally, when we go camping we make it a routine part of our trips to pick up trash around our site and any areas nearby. This campground was so well maintained the only trash we found was a bread bag plastic tab.

Loop B had 6 bathroom buildings that all featured a Men’s and Women’s side. The bathrooms were immaculate! They were clean and fully stocked with paper products, a trash receptacle, and air freshener. The campground also has a shower building near the entrance that is available 8a-8p (with the exception of 1p-2p for extra cleaning). Canyon Point also had a dump station available and an outdoor amphitheater the Forestry Service Rangers often use to host educational programs. The roads throughout the campground and the driveways were all paved so there was very little dust being kicked up. The campground also had more than enough dumpsters to accommodate the trash and they keep them locked at night to deter the animals.

When we went the Day Use fee was $5 per vehicle and an additional vehicle costed $12.50/night.

Product Review

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time – on this trip I tested the KoolSkinz Pet Vest. The vest is designed to be worn under your dog’s harness or collar and includes 3 reusable Kool packs that can be chilled to help your dog stay cool or heated to help them stay warm. The Kool packs are filled with S9 Kooling agent that is clear when hot or room temperature and then turns semi-solid and white when cold. All 3 packs are the same size so you don’t have to worry if you are putting them in the right pockets on the Pet Vest.

At first, I was really worried that the dog wouldn’t be able to move properly or he would destroy the Pet Vest because he loves to rub on the ground, the trees, the bushes, and really anything else his height. He was able to move freely without issues and didn’t mind continuing to rub on everything. The Pet Vest is a stretchy material and I did notice slight catches in the material after he had worn it a few times but it doesn’t seem to effect the functionality. The only other thing that I disliked about it was that the trim around the neck/chest was stitched with a single thread and as the dog wore it and stretched it the seems popped in multiple places. Again, it doesn’t affect the functionality but it looks silly having broken black threads on the bright material so I’m going to just pull the rest of the pieces out. I was also very impressed with the strength of the Kool packs. Our dog loves to roll on the ground and run into things. I kept expecting to see one of the Kool packs burst open but they have held up to his abuse.

When we arrived at the campground it was just over 80 degrees. We put the Kool packs into the cooler for 20 minutes and they turned white and semi-hard. I tested the temperature on the inside of my wrist to be sure it wasn’t too cold then placed it in the Pet Vest and put the Pet Vest on my dog. The Kool packs in their cold form aren’t “burning” cold like ice cubes. They work in two ways, one is releasing cool temperatures in the vest surrounding the dog but the other is to pull heat away from the dog’s body which is why they don’t need to be freezing cold. I was shocked that 20 minutes of chill time could stay cold for 2 hours but sure enough after 2 hours of wear the Kool packs were still chilled and definitely helping to cool the dog.

Our dog is a fairly big dog (he’s a black lab) but he doesn’t like to be cold. When we go camping and the sun goes down the temperatures can drop quickly especially when we have fire restrictions and no fire for warmth. The Kool packs can be boiled for around 2 minutes then put into the Pet Vest to help keep the dog warm for up to half an hour. We brought an extra pot of water for our propane stove and boiled the Kool packs to put in the Pet Vest to help keep him warm. Our dog stopped shivering almost immediately and seemed to greatly enjoy the extra time he could spend outside with us. Really great side note with the Pet Vest is that it will also hold hand warmers so if you are backpacking or don’t have access to a microwave or boiling water you can use those to help keep your dog warm! (they also last a lot longer than the Kool packs do when heated)

The vest is machine washable which is a major perk for us. The dog LOVES to roll in the dirt and after every camping trip we get a steady stream of mud off the dog. After a weekend in the vest it was pretty filthy also. I threw the vest in the washer (with all of the buckles snapped together per the directions) and let it air dry. The vest cleaned very well and after washing the colors were bright and vivid and the material lacked any evidence of previously holding about a pound of dirt!

All around the concept of this product is really neat. In Arizona they close down the trails to dogs after temperatures reach 100 degrees. I definitely wouldn’t want to be out (nor take my dog out) hiking in temperatures that warm but even at 80 degrees it can get very hot and having something as simple as this KoolSkinz Pet Vest can make a big difference. We have definitely been using the packs more for heat than cold because of how much the dog dislikes being cold but it is such a great option because really how else do you blanket wrap an active dog to keep him warm.

Worth it to stay here even if you are planning to spend a lot of time in Sedona. The drive getting there is beautiful. It’s intentionally remote but off the highway near a large Casino and a Sonic. Lovely hiking trail across from the main entrance. Very smooth pavement, exceptionally landscaped with expensive plants like olive trees, very clean, paved sites, and great amenities. The hot tub, showers, gym, laundry and dog park were clean and well planned. There are desert views in all directions, but I particularly loved my large pull-through site 110. It’s on an interior corner and has the sweetest olive tree and great subset views. What most impressed me was the staff who escort you to your site and do a great job cleaning the sites between guests. The pavement was freshly blown and the gravel was raked in perfect rows upon arrival.

We just stayed here this past weekend and we will definitely be back! This place is amazing! Nicer than most KOAs and similarly priced but with more stuff to do. There is a heated pool ( like actually heated) a hot tub, a cute playground, basketball half court, pickle ball courts, mini golf course, dog park, and a river nearby. On top of all they that have great activities available on the weekend like kids crafts, a movie night, live music and a nice campfire. Honestly this place is very well cared for and it shows. The staff were all very friendly, and public bathrooms were some of the nicest and cleanest I’ve ever seen! The even offered free breakfast on Sunday. Also they weren’t too close to the freeway ( we have a pop-up so we hear everything at night), but only a few minutes from gas stations and Starbucks as well as McDonalds and other fast food places.

The river was beautiful! The camp spots were close to the river with nice big fire rings. Just like a lot of low desert camping in Arizona it’s dusty and dry with lots of prickly plans. But the trail and the trees near the river were lush. My biggest complaint about the spot was all the garbage everywhere. Come on people, burn your trash or take it home! There’s no need to trip over piles of water bottles & beer cans, cigarette butts, McDonald’s wrappers and plastic bags.

Dead Horse Ranch State Park is a perfect place to stay if you want to visit, Montezuma Castle National Monument, Tuzigoot National Monument, Old Cottonwood, Red Rock State Park, Jerome and the many Sedona attractions. Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot are pet friendly although if your pet doesn’t like stairs Tuzigoot may be a little more difficult walk for them. The price of one ticket covers both National Monuments and Tuzigoot is only 4 miles from the campground. Within the campground, there are three lagoons and miles of trails to hike or bike. The bathrooms are well maintained, and the showers had great water pressure. We were in site 91 which was a large site and level, but the metal picnic bench needs to be replaced. Brush between the sites adds privacy. Staff and the camp host were all very friendly and helpful. Firewood can be purchased for$8 cash from the camp host. The dump station is on the way out of the park is easy to access. Overall, we enjoyed the park. It was very quiet and a great location to multiple attractions.

Very nice clean rv park with well spaced campsites. Have yet to use the vault toilets or dumpsters so no opinion yet. Reserve and FFS sites there is a dumpsite and water, and some of the sites have electric. There are tent sites as well. Having been here through the afternoon/evening, I have to add that this campground is a bit noisy with hwy traffic and pets. I have to add that the staff here are very nice and helpful.

If you don’t have a UTV, this is probably not the place for you to go. Dusty and loud.

We reserved a spot at this campground in advance of the weekend. We showed up at 6pm, an hour after the office closed. There was an “after hours checkin” location. I looked for a reservation with our name on it telling us which spot we should be going to. None of the slips had any names on them just a sticky note saying “one night only pay in the AM” since we had received 2 confirmation emails, I based our reservation off of the second confirmation stating we got full hookups - assuming they upgraded us from the electric/water because someone had cancelled. In the AM I went to go pay/check in since we were there from Thursday-Sunday. They acted like I was an idiot for not going to our assigned spot, even though we did not know where that was and demanded we moved. I asked them why I got a second email stating they were charging us for the full hook ups and they stated someone messed up and there’s nothing they could do about just go move to the correct location. I went and verified and at least they charged my credit card for the correct amount. Later that second day they called me and requested I come back to the office because they forgot to fully check us in and I needed to pay them. I ended up standing at their check in window for a long period of time before they came to assist me.

If you have to dump after your trip- or even during your trip— be warned it’s an additional $10 each time you want to dump.

The location is close to I-17 which has its pluses and minuses. Easy to find and get around, but truck noise throughout the night when you attempt to sleep.

The dog park is nice sized and has poop bags and garbages. The whole RV park has poop bags and garbages around it- which is awesome!

They do have propane fill on site, and typically a general store. The store was not open due to COVID-19.

The people staying at the campground were all friendly, which made the stay a little more enjoyable. Although there is not a lot of privacy within the different sites.

First review; very first time camping. I wasn't sure what to expect or if I'd even make it through the one night I'd scheduled (TheWife was confident I'd bail) and when I got drenched to the bone on my afternoon hike, it was even more in doubt. But it cleared up, mostly, and the locale was so beautiful and cool and refreshing I toughed it out.

A mix of smaller and larger, numbered spots with a decent amount of space between. The larger ones easily accommodated trailers/RVs; I think the spot I selected would have been a bit tight for anything more than a smaller popup trailer. The spots on the south side of the road are right at the edge of the Mogollon rim, so they're a bit more dangerous for pets and small children (or drunk adults) but have the advantage of being right on the rim.

I could hear a neighbor who decided to blast their music till too damn late and a bit after midnight someone incredibly inconsiderate drove slowly down the forest road honking their horn intermittently. I'm trying to convince myself they were looking for a lost friend, family member, or pet so that I don't think they were that rude. If you're looking for isolation, these spots won't necessarily give it to you, though some of the larger ones set back further from the road would clearly be better on that front.

Fire rings; plenty of flat space for tents; plenty of sturdy, well-spaced trees for hammocks.

The road's passable for most passenger cars.

Some gorgeous hiking trails right near by, including Drew Trail which you can take down the rim to pick up the Highline.