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Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Lake Elsinore, CA

1,773 Reviews

Launch Pointe Recreation Destination and RV Park features a dedicated dog park and pet-friendly accommodations across tent sites, RV spots, cabins, yurts, and glamping options. Blue Jay Campground, temporarily closed but normally pet-friendly, offers spacious sites for campers with dogs. El Cariso Campground permits pets at both tent and RV sites with picnic tables and trash facilities. Lake Elsinore Marina & RV Resort welcomes pets with full hookup sites including electric, water, and sewer connections. Most campgrounds enforce standard leash requirements and quiet hours that help prevent excessive barking disturbances. The Secret Place stands out with a perfect 5-star rating from visitors with pets, offering electric hookups and picnic tables in a peaceful setting overlooking Lake Elsinore.

Hiking trails near Blue Jay Campground provide excellent exercise opportunities for dogs, with campsites spread far enough apart that neighboring campers won't hear pets at night. Lake Skinner Recreation Area allows pets at tent, RV, and glamping sites with boat-in access options for adventurous dogs and owners. Visitors should note that Lake Elsinore itself has experienced algae issues that may affect pet water activities, with some reviews mentioning the lake beach being unsuitable for dogs due to algae and odor. Wildlife awareness is essential when camping with pets in the area, as coyote activity has been reported near several campgrounds. Most facilities provide trash receptacles for pet waste disposal, though campers should bring their own waste bags as a precaution.

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Best Dog-Friendly Sites Near Lake Elsinore, California (218)

    1. Blue Jay Campground - TEMPORARILY CLOSED

    21 Reviews
    Trabuco Canyon, CA
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (858) 673-6180

    $20 / night

    "clean restrooms and sites. large campground with paved roads was nice for strolling through. pretty far off the beaten path above lake elsinore. the views near by were fantastic. the staff was fairly friendly"

    "A nice little campground just a few minutes off the 74 just before Lake Elsinore."

    2. Lake Perris State Recreational Area Campground

    38 Reviews
    Moreno Valley, CA
    15 miles

    $25 - $300 / night

    "It is right next to the lake which has a swimming area, bike path, climbing area, Hiking trails, along with a camp store which has boat rentals and much more!  "

    "Bathrooms and hiking trails a short walk away from campsite 69. Fire pits, wooden benches and parking for several cars per campsite."

    3. Launch Pointe Recreation Destination and RV Park

    12 Reviews
    Lake Elsinore, CA
    3 miles
    Website
    +1 (855) 471-1212

    $55 - $140 / night

    "This is probably the nicest thing in lake elsinore along with the bowling alley. We stayed there for a weekend and had a great time taking the kids to the pool, and slaps pad."

    "I had site 126 in the fields, corner site and lake view. This campground has a pool, splash pad, park, dog park and access to the lake. They also have a band on Saturday nights."

    4. O'Neill Regional Park

    30 Reviews
    Trabuco Canyon, CA
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (949) 923-2260

    $20 / night

    "It's tucked back in the canyon, but you will still hear all the traffic from the road. Since it is a canyon, many loud cars and motorcycles zoom past at high speeds. 

    Free dump station.  "

    "For our purposes:

    • Dog Friendly: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
    • Kid Friendly: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
    • Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    Pros:

    • Clean facilities, flushing toilets and hot showers, well maintained sites.
    • Very affordable"

    5. Thousand Trails Wilderness Lakes RV Resort

    17 Reviews
    Menifee, CA
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (888) 707-1477

    "In the back of a small town 2 miles behind a stater brother's. Most sites are near level on gravel and close together. Laundry uses quarters or a third party app to pay."

    "When you enter the park, they give you a map and you drive around and choose the site you like and park."

    6. El Cariso Campground

    9 Reviews
    Lake Elsinore, CA
    6 miles
    Website
    +1 (909) 736-1811

    $15 / night

    "The campground was right off the highway, cost affective ($15/night), and there were no reservations needed. There were 24 sites tucked in the woods. A few water faucets & bathrooms throughout."

    "Albeit it’s just off the road and Ortega highway is fairly busy at all hours of the night, so road noise was a little annoying but not bad. Self pay was easy and quick."

    7. Lake Skinner Recreation Area

    25 Reviews
    Temecula, CA
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (951) 926-1541

    $25 - $45 / night

    "Clean, pet friendly and good for kids."

    "This is a great family campground right around the corner from Temecula, Murrietta, and Menifee."

    8. San Mateo Campground — San Onofre State Beach

    53 Reviews
    San Clemente, CA
    25 miles
    Website
    +1 (949) 492-4872

    $45 - $250 / night

    "San Mateo is one of the better beach campgrounds in California, some sites have some great privacy."

    "Good trails nearby, but only 2 in Onofre Beach that allow dogs. Close to the ocean, restaurants and shopping. The trail between the campground and beach is~1.5 miles."

    9. The Secret Place

    5 Reviews
    Lake Elsinore, CA
    7 miles
    +1 (949) 280-6373

    "I can't say enough about the beautiful views of Lake Elsinore! We can't wait to visit this campground again!"

    "A/C in the house is great for cooling off from heat. 5 min drive to Ortega Falls, which creates a magical hike when the waterfall is running, and it’s an easy outing in the area."

    10. Lake Elsinore Marina & RV Resort (West Marina)

    4 Reviews
    Lake Elsinore, CA
    4 miles
    Website
    +1 (800) 328-6844

    "Excellent quick little overnighter lake side. Much fun. Met many friends. Can’t wait to have another day off"

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Recent Dog-Friendly Camping Photos near Lake Elsinore, CA

187 Photos of 218 Lake Elsinore Campgrounds

Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Lake Elsinore, CA

1773 Reviews of 218 Lake Elsinore Campgrounds

  • Brian C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 27, 2020

    Launch Pointe Recreation Destination and RV Park

    Deceptive Digital Nomads, Beware.

    Learning that was a city run campground things made more sense.

    Being a family of 3 kids, 3 dogs, 3 adults and a cat that run our business from the road there’s things that are important to us as digital nomads. You can follow us at EmpoweringHumansAdventures.com

    Things that we loved:

    1. Very safe & secure.
    2. The staff was incredible.
    3. Ideal for children with all the fun things to do.

    Not so much:

    1. Internet was great but it had bandwidth restraints that would turn your internet off after very small amounts of data used. There was no option to upgrade so you had to use your own hotspots. Very disappointing and will be one of the reasons we do t go back.

    2. The beach was right there, close and beautiful right on Lake Elsinore. Yet the beach was disgusting, stinky and covered with algae. There wasn’t clear information on the lake. We chose this Campground because of the beach and location.

    3. The sites were all uneven. Every camper we saw had to do major leveling efforts.

    This place has HUGE potential but there’s a LOT to fix.

    Watch our video reviews...

  • Roman P.
    Mar. 21, 2019

    El Cariso Campground

    Good for what we needed.

    Camped here as a launch point to see the blooms near Lake Elsinore. Very standard campground with basic amenities. Road noise was a little rough for those looking for a quiet getaway.

  • Rachel L.
    May. 15, 2020

    Dripping Springs Campground

    Great spot and host

    We stayed here for 1 night in March. It was great. We had dogs with us and they loved it to. We wanted to explore the wineries in Temecula, then be close to some hikes on our way back to LA. We set up shop at the campground Saturday and then drive to the wineries in Temecula. After the wineries we went back to the site and hung out. In the morning we packed up and headed back to LA Stopping near Lake Elsinore for a hike and lunch. The site was clean and had a bathroom. There were a few campgrounds to choose from which was nice. We reserved one but since there were open spots we able to select a different one.

  • Kittie B.
    Aug. 8, 2018

    Blue Jay Campground - TEMPORARILY CLOSED

    nice elevated /leveled lots

    clean restrooms and sites. large campground with paved roads was nice for strolling through. pretty far off the beaten path above lake elsinore. the views near by were fantastic. the staff was fairly friendly and very strict about fires and check out time. the campsites were not too close together but they were smallish. the fire pit was burried in ground so it was practically level, made me nervous about the kids.

  • Daniel A.
    Mar. 1, 2022

    Blue Jay Campground - TEMPORARILY CLOSED

    Quiet little campground

    Just needed a spot to pull into for the night. A nice little campground just a few minutes off the 74 just before Lake Elsinore. There weren't many people there, and the campsites were spread apart far enough that you couldnt hear the next campsite snoring. It was a little windy out, but besides that the campsite was just beautiful, and hard to believe it was only minutes away from town.

  • Michael W.
    Aug. 19, 2024

    The Secret Place

    Peaceful, Private, Beautiful

    Although we booked a campsite, it felt more like we were invited to Mazen's home. He was communicative and responsive, happily answered all of our questions, and was beyond generous. I can't say enough about the beautiful views of Lake Elsinore! We can't wait to visit this campground again!

  • Remmington
    May. 6, 2021

    Launch Pointe Recreation Destination and RV Park

    Great campsite, bummer that the lake is gross

    This is probably the nicest thing in lake elsinore along with the bowling alley. We stayed there for a weekend and had a great time taking the kids to the pool, and slaps pad. The restaurant has great food and cold drinks. They had a band play while we were there.

  • Justin B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 18, 2019

    Blue Jay Campground - TEMPORARILY CLOSED

    Perfect Campground for quick Getaway

    If you live in the Temecula, Murrieta, Lake Elsinore area this is the perfect campground for a quick and easy getaway. They have some beautiful sites and some good hikes. Great place for mountain biking and just an overall fun place. If you are looking for a quick trip into the nature look no further.

  • Milagros B.
    Jun. 2, 2021

    Escondido RV Resort

    🚙Campground🔹

    Location near I-15 and Gas stations. Staff is kind and professional. Full hookups. Fill propane avaible. Resort-style amenities. Heated outdoor Pool. Nice dog park. Access to a park for walking. 🔹For sure we will stay again and recommend🔹

Guide to Lake Elsinore

Discovering pet-friendly camping options near Lake Elsinore, California, allows you to enjoy the great outdoors with your furry friends. Here are some excellent campgrounds that welcome pets and offer a variety of amenities and activities.

Pet-friendly campgrounds include San Mateo Campground

  • At San Mateo Campground — San Onofre State Beach, pets are allowed, making it a great choice for families traveling with dogs.
  • This campground features clean facilities, including showers and toilets, ensuring a comfortable stay for both you and your pet.
  • With access to walking and biking trails, you and your dog can explore the beautiful surroundings together.

Tips for camping with dogs near Lake Elsinore

  • When visiting Lake Perris State Recreational Area Campground, keep your dog on a leash to ensure their safety and the comfort of other campers.
  • Bring plenty of water and snacks for your pet, as some campgrounds may not have water hookups directly at your site.
  • Make sure to clean up after your dog to maintain the campground's cleanliness and respect fellow campers.

Dog owners appreciate the amenities at O'Neill Regional Park

  • O'Neill Regional Park offers spacious sites with picnic tables and firewood, perfect for a cozy evening with your pet.
  • The park features numerous trails for hiking, allowing you to enjoy nature while exercising your dog.
  • With friendly rangers and well-maintained facilities, this campground ensures a pleasant experience for both you and your furry companion.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Lake Elsinore, CA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Lake Elsinore, CA is Blue Jay Campground - TEMPORARILY CLOSED with a 3.8-star rating from 21 reviews.

What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Lake Elsinore, CA?

TheDyrt.com has all 218 dog-friendly camping locations near Lake Elsinore, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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