Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Cloverdale, CA

This KOA is pretty big with plenty of options for RV sites. Wide variety of full hook-ups or partial hook-ups. Like most (if not all) KOAs, you can also tent camp or tent cabins. Good size dog park for the pets to run and be free, as well as plenty of fun activities to entertain the kiddos. For us, this is a great spot to shoot down the highway and pull in for a few days to get away from the hustle and bustle of normal life! Close to downtown Petaluma with plenty of premium shops and restaurants.

centrally located in within Anderson valley,so one can go for a hike and (cool off in the Navarro river), go next door and eat organic apple, and Saunders down 128 (<1/4 mile) and sip some wine at the Navarro winery. Big bonus for pet owner this park has trails that you can walk your dog on!

Great playground, jumping pillow, petting farm and mining fun :)

bathrooms where clean, park ranger was super nice, and i love how the trees gave lots of shade. the campsite we got was pretty big as well. also extremely pet friendly

Beautiful campground sitting next to water with dense forest and ground cover.  Clean shower and restrooms that include hot water, hand soap, paper towels, mirrors and electrical outlets.  Friendly camp host and hike and bike area. Extra fee for pets.

There is so much to do here. There is a store, big playground, jumping pillow, pool, petting zoo, and more. All the amenities were very nice. It’s a bit pricey and they charge for kids over 5 years old

This campground is so friendly and lively! It reminded us of the vacation scenes in Marvelous Mrs. Mauser or Dirty Dancing. A great vacation buzz/sound of kids having fun, people riding bikes and visitors walking their pets. Facilities are clean and the staff is courteous.

We stopped here on our way to the Redwoods and it was a beautiful stop. This campground is clearly a getaway from the more congested parts of the area. Cute petting zoo and a pool that was open during COVID! We didn't stay long enough for sure. We also appreciated that it was close to city amenities like Lagunitas Brewing Co.

A nice KOA close to Petaluma with great facilities. We took advantage of doing some laundry and having a hot shower. This KOA also offered all sorts of amenities for families including a small petting zoo, a pool, playground areas, and more. Sites were fairly close together and offered little privacy but overall it was a great place to recharge and get organized.

We originally were going to Fouts Creek Campground but it was HOV weekend (Presidents). Lots of dirt bikes and law enforcement. National Forest pulled in officers from surrounding forests and Sheriff Depts.

With a 35' Class A our options were limited. A Ranger suggested Letts Lake. There is a narrow one lane newly paved road that goes up to Dixie Glade equestrian camp, from there it is dirt. Taking it slow, we made it to Letts Lake and parked in spot 12. It was a tight fit, but we made it.

There are two additional campgrounds at the opposite end of the lake but they are closed for winter. As there was no water or trash service there was no fee. Typically $5.00)

The lake is small with no motors allowed but easy to walk around. Pet friendly in fact all but one campsite had at least one dog.  Fire damage to the forest is substantial but new growth is already starting

Hendy Woods is a gem, and will always occupy a fond place in my memories.  It was one of the first parks I discovered when I moved to the Bay Area 25 years ago, in the late 1990's. There are beautiful, old growth redwood groves from Big Sur through Humboldt county.  IMO, Hendy Woods is the most beautiful Redwood grove closest to the Bay Area. It's not quite what you experience in Humboldt County, but it's about 100 miles closer (to where I live, at least) and it's a magical place.

This California State Park is located in the Anderson Valley, a historic agricultural area located in the Navarro river watershed.  While only 120-ish miles from San Francisco, this area is remote.  To get there, you've got to take Hwy 128 west from Cloverdale, which is right on the Sonoma/Mendocino border.  This is a quintessential California windy road, which is either gorgeous or vomit inducing, depending on whether one is prone to motion sickness or not.  It is possible to get in to the valley from the north, by taking Hwy 101 to Ukiah, and then taking Hwy 253 to Boonville.  But this is "six of one, half dozen of the other" when compared to Hwy 128.  You could also come in from the west, by taking Hwy 1 from any point south, but if you think Hwy 128 is too windy, Hwy 1 is even worse.  For those towing trailers or driving an RV, I do not recommend trying to get to the Anderson Valley or Hendy Woods unless you're an experienced RV'er.  Seriously - the drive in will not be fun, to say nothing about trying to park a trailer or RV larger than 25' (more on this later) in Hendy Woods.  If you're new to RV'ing, get a pull-through spot at the Petaluma KOA and then drive your tow vehicle or tow-behind vehicle up to Hendy Woods for a day trip.  It will take you about an hour to get there from Petaluma.

If you're not towing a trailer or in an RV, and/or car sickness isn't an issue for you or your family (as is my case), the drive in is really beautiful.  You pass remote wineries and orchards, huge shady oaks, and the rolling hills that California is famous for.  This is California country life at its absolute best.

Hendy Woods is about 7 miles west of Boonville, just past the tiny town of Philo.  To enter the park, you make a left off Hwy 128 westbound.  Another note to RV'ers: there is a one lane bridge over the Navarro river before the park entrance, so go slow and make sure the bridge is clear, so as to avoid having to back up. Boonville has a well stocked market and a gas station (that has diesel, for those RV'ers out there).  It's a good place to stop and get supplies (read: beer, local wine, and ice) on the way in. There are a couple of restaurants in town, but this isn't Healdsburg.  The wine tasting is awesome, but you won't be dining at a Michelin starred restaurant in Boonville after visiting the tasting rooms.  You're much better off packing some prime cut ribeyes in your Yeti, buying a bottle of local red in town or at the winery, and grilling up steaks at your campsite in Hendy Woods.  Again, California country living at its finest.

I would describe Hendy Woods as mostly a tent camping spot, but with a few spaces large enough to get a 25-28' foot trailer or RV into.  But the difficulty level of getting an RV or trailer into Hendy is "black diamond." I took my 28' foot Airstream there, and I had to drive the road that circles the campground the wrong direction (per the advice of the ranger and the camp host) in order to get an angle where it was possible to jack my rig into the spot. Then, I had to make several fine tune adjustments to the precise location of my rig once in the spot, in order to get it as level as possible.  Oh, and to level it, I had to perch one axle on a stump, while getting the other axle onto a leveling block.  This is all standard stuff for experienced RV'ers, but since many people like to rent RV's and trailers now, I like to be very clear in my reviews about bringing larger equipment into a park.

I've camped in tents in Hendy, and most recently, in my Airstream. It's an amazing experience either way.  The campground is in a huge grove of redwoods that keep it cool and filter the hot sun. In the wet months (sadly only about 2 months a year now), the Navarro river will be flowing, and you can walk to it from the campground.  It's a great place to swim too if it happens to be running in the summer.  There's at least a day's worth of hiking and exploring without having to leave Hendy.  An ideal trip, for me, is 1 day in Hendy/Boonville, 1-2 days at the coast (about a 30 minute drive west on Hwy 128, not too many curves), 1 day wine tasting and swimming in the river. Hendy Woods is the perfect spot for this.

Hendy Woods is a magnificent place.  With drought becoming such a problem in CA, and because I live in-state, in many ways I prefer camping in the winters now. I've not visited Hendy in the winter, but I plan to soon.  Still, all the times I've been there in spring and summer, it hasn't disappointed. I always come home with a smile and a feeling of calm. Highly recommended.  Per my rating system, I give this 5 stars because it's a place you should travel to specifically to visit. It's a must-have experience if you enjoy camping in the western part of the U.S.

We stayed one night and lived the site and area surrounding. There were so many beautiful sounding birds in the canopy above and our site was surrounded by redwoods and douglas firs. I wanted to stay longer! Needless to say, I'll be back! I think this is my new favorite place. It was a little noisy at times but that's because it's fourth of July weekend and the site next to us had two families having a great time together. I was worried they might keep me up all night but they were respectful of quite hours which was nice. Pets are allowed which I also love. Next time I am bringing my pupper!

Wow! This place is busy and expensive. We stopped at this KOA because it was a good halfway point for us heading to the Redwoods. This KOA offers a variety of activities that cater to children, such as petting zoos, jumping pillows, climbing walls, and pools, which are excellent for keeping the young ones engaged and entertained. To me it was overcrowded and the firepits were so close to the RV’s I was afraid it would set my neighbors RV on fire, or our neighbor was going to set ours on fire. For those without children (like us), the bustling environment might be overwhelming, but it also provides an opportunity to enjoy the lively atmosphere.

Spring Lake is a local destination for summertime fun and cooling off. This regional park is located on the southeast edge of the city of Santa Rosa and is surrounded on three sides by neighborhoods. That being said, this park is nice and while you won't feel far from civilization, it's a nice spot to spend a weekend.

Connected to Spring Lake Regional Park to the west is Howarth Park, a small city park offering a train ride, carousel, jump house, petting zoo and pony rides. The park also has multiple tennis courts, some trails as well as Lake Ralphine where you can fish, SUP, or bring your own boat. If you are interested in paddling however I would recommend Spring Lake, which is much larger giving you more areas to explore.

Connected to the west of Spring Lake is Trione-Annadel State Park, a wildly popular spot for local mountain bikers. In fact, as a hiker I tend to avoid Annadel because there are so many mountain bikers, many of whom unfortunately ride as if there is no chance of them coming upon a hiker. That said, there are miles upon miles of trails in to explore Annadel State Park.

Camping at Spring Lake is fine, but reminds me of bit of a KOA with the way it’s set up. All campsites are in a couple of small loops centered around bathrooms and showers with most all of the sites being set up for RVs. There are a few tent sites, but it just doesn’t feel like camping to me personally.

Recently they have added cabins which look really cool, but I have not stayed in one yet.

The campground is your typical KOA. there's a store, pool, pond, bathrooms, cabins, disc golf etc. The electric scooters are pretty fun, and the paddle boats too. The ground themselves arent really anything special though. It's open, very little privacy. Honestly it's kinda like a massive group site. No real walking trails or anything. Getting to the campground is easier in the summer because there is a bridge that goes over the river, making it a shorter drive. In the winter, the bridge is removed, so you have to go through the town of Cloverdale and back track, adding about 15-20 minutes to your trip.

Pros: If you are a person who likes to either stay all day at your campsite or are a water sport/water toy type person this campground is for you. Cons: Bathroom near our campsite wasn’t working. Campsites were overgrown with foxtails, not good for my dogs. Trash in our fire pit. A few campsites away from ours had a huge poison oak plant at the back where you park your rig. A walkway near the campground popular for fishing had a tree fall on it, instead of clearing the tree, the park rangers closed it off. Not much hiking in the park, and if you decide to walk the couple short hikes, don’t bring your dogs, NO DOGS ALLOWED. For the number of workers this park employs you would think these things would be dealt with, but no. I guess this is typical of State Parks in California, so much potential but sadly California parks slowly deteriorate.