The Dyrt – find campgrounds for tents, RVs, cabins, glamping and more.
Open in App

Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Cañon City, CO

1,495 Reviews

East Ridge Campground at Royal Gorge Park accommodates tent campers and RV owners with pets across its 23 campsites. Dogs must remain on leash throughout the campground and surrounding trail system. The sites feature picnic tables, fire rings with grills, and access to vault toilets without running water. Campers with pets frequently encounter mule deer wandering through the area at dusk. The campground requires a $20 nightly fee, collected at the payment station. Royal Gorge-Canon City KOA provides more amenities for pet owners including full hookups, showers, drinking water, and waste disposal facilities while still maintaining a pet-friendly environment.

Phantom Canyon Road offers dispersed camping options for those seeking a more primitive experience with their dogs. Watch for cactus thorns that can injure paws while hiking the network of trails directly accessible from these campgrounds. Sites at East Ridge provide beautiful views and level tent pads engineered specifically for campers. The Royal Gorge Rim Trail passes directly by the campground, providing excellent hiking opportunities with dogs. Campers should note the 72-hour maximum stay policy enforced at most sites in the area. Canon City is approximately 15-20 minutes away, providing access to pet supplies, food, and ice at the filling station by the Goodwill store for reasonable prices.

Map showing campgrounds near Cañon City, ColoradoExplore the Map

Best Dog-Friendly Sites Near Cañon City, Colorado (201)

    1. Phantom Canyon Road BLM Sites

    38 Reviews
    Cañon City, CO
    7 miles

    "Stopped in Cañon City then drove out to phantom canyon gold belt tour. The coordinates will take you to where the paved road turns to dirt."

    "I was nervous about going here in my Nissan Versa because I had read it was a 4 wheel drive road on several sites, however I was also optimistic after speaking to someone at Canon City because they mentioned"

    2. East Ridge Campground in Royal Gorge

    25 Reviews
    Cañon City, CO
    5 miles
    Website
    +1 (719) 269-9028

    $20 / night

    "Cañon City deserves a lot of praise for this fantastic spot that provides a great opportunity to enjoy all the views that the Royal Gorge has to offer."

    "Right next to the Royal Gorge Bridge in Canon City Colorado, the highest suspension bridge in North America ! Do the Segway tour over the bridge!!"

    3. East Ridge Campground - Royal Gorge

    15 Reviews
    Cañon City, CO
    5 miles
    Website

    $20 / night

    "Tucked away and very nice campground close to the Royal Gorge and Canon City if you need to get camping supplies. Get water and ice at the filling station by the Goodwill store for a great price."

    "Cañon city view and rock climbing minutes away."

    4. Royal Gorge-Canon City KOA

    18 Reviews
    Cañon City, CO
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (719) 275-6116

    "They are great for 1-2 people, but we are a family traveling with pets, so we have a larger tent. Nice community feel. Lots for kids to do. Close to rafting, Royal Gorge and other attractions."

    "Beautiful views and a great walking path for my dog. I could have gone for miles. People are super friendly and it’s clean! Close to hiking. Well worth the visit"

    5. Red Canyon Park

    21 Reviews
    Victor, CO
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (719) 269-9028

    "The park is fairly remote from Cañon City and has plenty of trails to explore. Sites are large and relatively easy to access by dirt road."

    "Cañon City local here! Red Canyon Park is a Cañon City-owned "mountain park." Fun to explore by day through the little canyon or along the rocks above, there's a walk for everyone here."

    6. Royal Gorge RV Resort & Cabins

    7 Reviews
    Cañon City, CO
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (719) 420-1555

    $45 - $74 / night

    "The camp store was well stocked with firewood, camping supplies, a s’mores bar, cold drinks and lots of Colorado made items. The view from the hot tub was amazing!"

    "We had a great tent spot up on the hill with a great view of the valley behind. So it was a quiet tent spot to ourself, but 30 seconds down the hill foe access to the amazing restroom and showers!"

    7. Sand Gulch Campground

    9 Reviews
    Victor, CO
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (719) 269-8500

    $20 - $40 / night

    "Nice views of rock walls and surrounding mountains. Pit toilet clean enough. Decent buffer between sites. Direct access to multiple trails."

    "There was nearly no one else camping here. It was beautiful. It is more open with little shade but we had storms so it was just fine."

    8. The Bank Campground

    9 Reviews
    Victor, CO
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (719) 269-8500

    $20 - $40 / night

    "Close enough to canon city (bout a 20 min drive) so easy to get gas and supplies at local Walmart."

    "Off-roads/trails near by with even better views. Loved this place."

    9. Mountaindale Cabin & RV Resort

    14 Reviews
    Penrose, CO
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (719) 576-0619

    $69 - $79 / night

    "A great midpoint basecamp location for going up to Colorado Springs area or down to Canon City(Royal Gorge) areas.  The campground was always quiet in the evenings and felt secure. "

    "This is a lovely park about 30 minutes south of Colorado Springs. We camped here for 5 nights in a back in spot with full hookups, site 51."

    10. Phantom Canyon

    5 Reviews
    Penrose, CO
    11 miles

    "It is a bumpy road, but we had an F150 and a Santa Fe, that both made it in fine, though some spots are walking only."

    "I’m a rooftop tent camper and the views are amazing but was hoping to be close to the water and isolated from other campers."

Show More
Showing results 1-10 of 201 campgrounds

2025 Detourist Giveaway

Presented byToyota Trucks

Review Campgrounds. Win Prizes.

Enter to Win

Cañon City Contest

Enter to Win

Recent Dog-Friendly Camping Photos near Cañon City, CO

168 Photos of 201 Cañon City Campgrounds

Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Cañon City, CO

1495 Reviews of 201 Cañon City Campgrounds

  • BThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 12, 2021

    Cotopaxi-Arkansas River KOA - PERMANENTLY CLOSED

    Nice looking campground

    I did not stay here but pulled through on my way from Canon City to Beuna Vista. I had ATT coverage for cell and data. Looked very nice and right by the river.

  • Tj H.
    Aug. 9, 2019

    Haggards RV Campground

    Easy access and quiet

    My grandson and I stayed there in June for 4 days in a 34ft travel trailer in a pull thru long enough not to have to unhook. The sites were large and plenty of room for my slideout and not too close to next site. About 30 min from Pueblo and 30 from Canon City on Hwy 50 just east of Hwy 115 Full hookup and good WiFi Also had 30 OTA channels. Beautiful sunsets of the mountains Hwy 50 close by but traffic was not loud enough to disturb us Horses on the property as well as a swimming pool and very friendly staff Very nice experience and only 40 min from Colorado Springs or Royal Gorge.

  • M
    Apr. 21, 2022

    Red Canyon Park

    Great place to camp

    The park is fairly remote from Cañon City and has plenty of trails to explore. Sites are large and relatively easy to access by dirt road. The area gets a fair amount of activity from others hiking and horseback riding. I stayed for 3 nights in the middle of April and it stayed above 40 degrees. It’s a good option for the colder season when camp sites further into the mountains can still drop below freezing.

  • Jason F.
    Oct. 17, 2020

    East Ridge Campground in Royal Gorge

    Incredible views! An excellent place to boondock

    Cañon City deserves a lot of praise for this fantastic spot that provides a great opportunity to enjoy all the views that the Royal Gorge has to offer.

    The campground is accessible via dirt roads via CR-3A. 4WD isn’t necessary to get there, but be prepared for some bumps. The city was working on some improvements to the campground when we stayed here including a new parking lot, new picnic pads for some of the sites, and the creation of some new sites near the bathroom.

    There are currently (6) sites on the south loop which can accommodate travel trailers. Some are slightly larger but a few are only big enough for a class C or van. There are no hookups at the sites and no common water available. Each site has a picnic pad with table and a level, mulched area that could be used as a tent pad. The campground and trails are pet friendly, but as with most places in the southern part of the state be on the lookout for cacti.

    If you are looking for a great spot to do some dispersed camping, this campground is for you. Only 2 miles from Royal Gorge and 11 miles from Cañon City. Plenty of easy to moderate difficulty trails for hiking and biking. Be sure to take Canyon Vista to the Summit Trail; you won’t be disappointed!

  • Jason F.
    Oct. 15, 2020

    Royal Gorge-Canon City KOA

    A perfectly adequate place to reload before your next adventure

    This KOA journey has a friendly and helpful staff, and offers all of the bare essentials so you can get ready for your next stop. The campground is 8 miles from Cañon City and 4 miles from Royal Gorge.

    Sites are a mix of dirt and gravel and as with much of the desert, you should expect it to be very dusty. Our site was very close to our neighbor and in combination with the high winds during our visit, we didn’t spend much time outside. Full hookups are conveniently located and offer water/sewer and 30/50amp service.

    The campground has propane refills available on site. The staff was kind enough to let us drop off our tanks and they brought them back to us once someone was available to fill them. The laundry is open 24 hours. There are (4) washers and (4) dryers available at a cost of $2 per load. There is no change machine, so bring your own quarters or stop in the office and the staff can help you with exchanging some small bills.

  • Anthony P.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 31, 2020

    BLM Shelf Road Banks and Sand Gulch Campgrounds

    Climbers paradise

    About 35 minutes from Canon City, The Banks and sand gulch is a BLM run campsite with over 30 spots each. Spots are$7 for individual and$14 for group spots, they also accept annual park passes for a discount. There is a campground host as well as picnic tables and fire pits at each site. Vault toilets are located in a few spots around the campground. 

    Each spot has a different layout, some are much more private and others are exposed and wide open but some are large enough for trailers or RV’s, however the road leading up to the banks is not great. Passable by all passenger vehicles but it can get a bit bumpy. These sites and this area in general is very popular among rock climbers and hikers. Sand Gulch is a bit more exposed with little tree coverage. 

    There is also a beautiful drive that brings you to Cripple Creek on Shelf Road. We spent a few days out here and did some hiking and made the drive, it was well worth it.

  • KThe Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 5, 2024

    Red Canyon Park

    Basic and beautiful

    Cañon City local here! Red Canyon Park is a Cañon City-owned "mountain park." Fun to explore by day through the little canyon or along the rocks above, there's a walk for everyone here. Best enjoyed in fall and spring, summer is quite hot. The campsites are basic and roadside. Some are more level than others. Several of the camps have easy access to some of the rock features to enjoy. A couple of things to be aware of: the road through the park can get rutted from time to time. And if it ends up raining a lot for our desert climate, the road can turn into a muddy mess. As well, Red Canyon Park has been known locally as a kind of party spot for the young crowd, hopefully not on the night you're there and not adjacent your site. There is a single vault toilet at the bottom of the canyon, but don't expect toilets at the sites.

  • J
    Sep. 14, 2020

    East Ridge Campground in Royal Gorge

    Very nice

    Right next to the Royal Gorge Bridge in Canon City Colorado, the highest suspension bridge in North America ! Do the Segway tour over the bridge!!

  • Matthew W.
    Jul. 8, 2022

    Mountaindale Cabin & RV Resort

    Wonderfully quiet campground with nicely arranged sites.

    A great midpoint basecamp location for going up to Colorado Springs area or down to Canon City(Royal Gorge) areas.  The campground was always quiet in the evenings and felt secure.  There were some black bear visitors during our stay so be cautious with food.

Guide to Cañon City

Discover the perfect spots for pets-allowed camping near Cañon City, Colorado, where you and your furry friends can enjoy the great outdoors together.

Pet owners like the amenities at these campgrounds

  • The East Ridge Campground in Royal Gorge offers picnic tables and clean toilets, making it a comfortable choice for pet owners.
  • At Red Canyon Park, you’ll find drinking water and firewood available, ensuring a convenient stay for you and your pets.
  • The Royal Gorge-Canon City KOA features electric hookups and a camp store stocked with essentials, perfect for a hassle-free camping experience.

Dog-friendly activities while camping near Cañon City

Tips for camping with dogs near Cañon City

  • Always keep your dog on a leash at Mountaindale Cabin & RV Resort to ensure their safety and the comfort of other campers.
  • Bring plenty of water and snacks for your pet, especially when visiting Haggards RV Campground, as some sites may lack drinking water.
  • Be mindful of local wildlife and clean up after your pet to maintain the natural beauty of places like Sand Gulch Campground.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Cañon City, CO?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Cañon City, CO is Phantom Canyon Road BLM Sites with a 4.6-star rating from 38 reviews.

What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Cañon City, CO?

TheDyrt.com has all 201 dog-friendly camping locations near Cañon City, CO, with real photos and reviews from campers.

Keep Exploring