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Dog-Friendly Camping near Franklin, CT

126 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.

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    SUMMARY PRESENTED BYT-Mobile

    Odetah Camping Resort's pet-friendly amenities accommodate dogs throughout the year, with access to tent sites, RV hookups, and cabin rentals. Families camping with pets can use both the main campground facilities and designated pet areas. Nearby Strawberry Park in Preston welcomes pets at 550 sites with full hookups, picnic tables, and reservable spaces. Dogs must remain leashed when outside camping units at all Connecticut state parks including Salt Rock Campground and Hopeville Pond State Park, both offering pet-friendly sites with electric hookups and access to trails. Hidden Acres Campground provides pet-friendly cabin options alongside traditional tent and RV sites. Some campgrounds implement seasonal restrictions or limit pets to specific camping sections, particularly during summer months. Most facilities require proof of vaccinations and enforce cleaning up after pets on campground property.

    Water access proves beneficial for camping with dogs near Franklin, with multiple campgrounds situated along rivers, ponds, and small lakes that permit leashed pets near shorelines. Sunfox Campground features a creek bordering many sites where dogs can cool off during summer months, though pool areas typically restrict pets. Dog-friendly hiking trails connect several campgrounds to surrounding natural areas, particularly at Devil's Hopyard State Park and Rocky Neck State Park where designated pet loops offer exercise opportunities. Most campgrounds maintain a strict policy against unattended pets, with various noise ordinances addressing excessive barking. Seasonal campers report established pet-friendly communities at Highland Campground despite older facilities. Emergency veterinary services are available within 20-30 minutes of most Franklin-area campgrounds, with the closest full-service animal hospitals located in Norwich and New London.

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    Best Dog-Friendly Campgrounds near Franklin (126)

      1. Odetah Camping Resort

      3.9(13)3mi from FranklinRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "Tucked away in the woods I never knew this was there! Beautiful pond and a good mix of seasonal and overnight sites as well as cabins. Plenty of areas to walk our dogs and have them swim."

      "We had two sites side by side for our group of 7 and two dogs. The staff will deliver wood right to your site. The only con is the sites are not very private...at all."

      2. Strawberry Park

      4.2(13)11mi from FranklinRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "Plenty of open space a dog park area. 3 pools a kiddie pool and outdoor in ground hot tub. Golf cart rentals. Very clean and accommodating"

      "It was a bit too cold outside but the pools and hot tubs looked nice. Splash pad was clean and used by kids. Lots of roads to bike on and walk dogs. Live band on Saturday night was nice."

      from $60 - $120 / night

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      3. Waters Edge Family Campground

      3.7(10)8mi from FranklinRVs, Tents, Cabins

      "Amazing weekend with lots of fun for the kids and even the dogs! We’ve been to campgrounds with playgrounds worse than the waters edge dog park."

      "This is our families favorite camping location. On the pond at Waters Edge. When asked where they want to camp my 5 and 7 year old will always respond with Waters Edge."

      from $45 - $100 / night

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      4. Salt Rock Campground

      3.4(8)4mi from Franklin57 sitesRVs, Tents

      "We were close to activities and enjoyed an afternoon tubing down the river. The bathrooms weren't the cleanest, but we've seen worse. We enjoyed our time here."

      "we had a group from work head out here. we reserved Coyote Run, and had the field to ourselves, it was a bit of a walk to the shower from there, but we had our own outhouse, bring a light for night time"

      from $33 - $100 / night

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      5. Hopeville Pond State Park Campground

      4.5(10)11mi from Franklin79 sitesRVs, Tents, Cabins

      "General: There are three sections to this campground: five canoe sites; 16 sites including one cabin behind the ranger station and what I would assume is the main section with 61 sites."

      "Hopeville Pond is a moderate sized state park campground located along a river and offering fishing, boating, and swimming opportunities."

      from $17 - $50 / night

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      6. Hidden Acres Campground

      5.0(5)8mi from FranklinRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "Lots of fun at the beach, kayaking on the lake or just hanging at your site. Petting zoo, craft cabin, arcade, bingo and lots more!"

      "The peacocks roaming around are the cherry on top. Overall, just a wonderful campground."

      7. Mystic KOA

      3.6(25)20mi from FranklinRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "Lots of places around to go sightseeing. Most of the area isn’t dog friendly, so be careful if you take your pet. No problem at the campground"

      "During our stay we enjoyed our campsite as it was close to the pool. The grounds were beautiful to walk on with water nearby and little places to explore."

      8. Sunfox Campground

      3.8(5)6mi from FranklinRVs, Tents, Cabins

      "There is a beautiful creek that many of the sites border. The new owners have owned it about 7 years and they have really been making it a lovely place."

      "Campground is situated in a beautiful valley with a little pond, hiking trails, playground, jumping pillow, swimming pool and hot tub. Owner is very involved, energetic, and friendly."

      9. Devil's Hopyard State Park Campground

      3.8(10)13mi from Franklin21 sitesRVs, Tents

      "There are trails behind the sites along a large marsh. The wildlife was incredible, a beaver family family lives in the marsh so every night around 10 they would be up splashing around loudly."

      "The sites are very open, not wooded so you have little privacy from adjacent sites."

      from $14 / night

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      10. Rocky Neck State Park Campground

      4.3(24)21mi from Franklin155 sitesRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "The beach is about a 1 mile walk or drive from the campground.  The walk is lovely and I have seen deer, turkeys, many birds, skunks, raccoons, and other wildlife along the way."

      "Located right off I95 ( which you can hear at times), the park is convenient to all the major interstates and state roads."

      from $20 - $70 / night

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    Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Franklin, CT

    721 Reviews of 126 Franklin Campgrounds


    • A
      Oct. 16, 2021

      Newport RV Park

      Clean sites and easy hiking trails

      The campground is close to relatively easy hiking trails and Portsmouth Dog Park. Clean site areas, but many are on a slight slop so leveling blocks are needed. We Took one of the nearby Trails get to the Portsmouth Publick House restaurant, which is dog friendly, for lunch. The waterfall along the blue trail is picture worthy.

    • RThe Dyrt PRO User
      Aug. 22, 2020

      Waters Edge Family Campground

      Incredible campground

      Most amazing weekend with tons of woods (privacy is huge for us). Very friendly guests and staff! Amazing weekend with lots of fun for the kids and even the dogs! We’ve been to campgrounds with playgrounds worse than the waters edge dog park. Every one of us had a great time with the perfect campsite deep in the woods (still able to park my 26’ camper trailer). Swimming pool, great playground, among lots of trails and wooded area surrounding almost every site. Best camping weekends we’ve ever had have been at Waters Edge.

    • I
      Oct. 26, 2020

      Newport RV Park

      Best dog park

      We got a great pull through full hookup with a 5 minute walk to a huge dog park. There are also a bunch of beautiful trails right from the park

    • Steve T.
      Aug. 3, 2020

      Fort Getty Campground

      Tent campers

      Perfect location for a summer / beach camp. Mostly for RVs but tent site #6 was great. Views of the ocean to wake up too and tucked away from main area.

      Worst part is you can’t bring your car on the site. Do not understand this, especially since it was over 95° and we have dogs that need AC, one if which is 14. We did sneak the car up by asking an RV camper to use his land because they block off the entrance with giant tree trunks.

      More good stuff, the private pet friendly beaches were great! Small but perfect to relax. No problems with the pets at all and old but clean bathrooms.

    • K
      Jun. 25, 2020

      Wilderness Lake Park

      Really enjoyed our time here

      Quaint little campground. Not many tenting sites but along a beautiful lake. Pets allowed. Bathrooms close by 10, something to keep in mind. And they’re cash or check only! Taylor Pond is not far and a great hike to bring both kids and pets. This campground was perfect for us and our dog. Bring your own kayaks or use the campgrounds free of charge.

    • Rose P.
      Jul. 21, 2025

      Ashaway RV Resort

      Rude Staff

      Standard crabgrass parking lot with drunks driving around on golf carts and RV's stacked on top of each other. The woman who runs the office is a very angry person and it made the entire visit unpleasant, which is no surprise as she has been hostile and unwelcoming the several times I've visited. Pool looks nice though I guess, I've never dared to use it for fear of breaking one of the many unwritten and unspoken rules. A great place for people who enjoy eating dinner next to your neighbor's septic pipe. I called to ask if they allowed dogs and was told "NO" just to arrive and be asked to park next to the dog park.

    • K
      Jun. 26, 2021

      Strawberry Park

      Great atmosphere

      Great family campground with lots of activities. A little pricey. Plenty of open space a dog park area. 3 pools a kiddie pool and outdoor in ground hot tub. Golf cart rentals. Very clean and accommodating

    • Sarah A.
      Aug. 13, 2023

      Newport RV Park

      Nice, but further out than we thought

      This park was very nice, but they advertise being 5 miles away from historic Newport, and it’s more like 8. There are zero bike paths that are immediately accessible and Newport drivers are not walker/biker friendly. No sidewalks on the Main Street to get you here. Ubers and Lyfts can be scarce and very expensive depending on the time of day. Between $16 to $78 rides…so, if you’re not towing, just something to be aware of. Neighbors were super nice and there is a great dog park (we think it’s city owned) with super nice doggo humans. Was good for a short stay - we just wish we had known how far out it really was because we really would have loved to spend more time downtown.

    • R
      Aug. 14, 2020

      Whispering Pines Campground

      Great family campground

      We stayed for 3 nights, the sites and camp were very clean and well maintained. Everyone was very friendly, lots of things to do - pool, bocce, volleyball, horseshoes, arcade, a small field to play frisbee or ball, mini-golf (mini-golf landscape needs to be refreshed a bit) there is even a very small fenced in dog park which was nice if you want to let your dog off leash to play. We did not experience any screaming kids all night.


    Guide to Franklin

    Camping options near Franklin, Connecticut include both wooded and waterfront sites across state parks and private resorts. Situated in New London County with elevations ranging from 300-600 feet, the area experiences warm summers with average temperatures reaching 82°F in July and August. Winter camping is limited with most facilities closing by mid-October.

    What to do

    Water activities at secluded ponds: Visit Hopeville Pond State Park Campground where secluded canoe sites offer direct water access. "The gem is the canoe sites at the north of the campground... Sites CN02, CN03 and CN04 have direct waterfront on the pond. You can launch kayaks, paddle boards, etc right from the site!" (Jason S.)

    Fishing opportunities year-round: Waters Edge Family Campground provides river and pond fishing access throughout the camping season. "We tubed down river, fished the pond, swam in the pool, did the hay ride, even attended the dance at night" (Erik M.).

    Nature hikes on marked trails: Explore Devil's Hopyard State Park Campground where hiking trails connect to Chapman Falls. "Across the street from the campground is a trail to Chapman Falls, which will take less than 10 minutes to hike to, but it's a pretty waterfall" (Ryan A.).

    What campers like

    Clean bathroom facilities: Many campgrounds maintain clean restrooms despite high usage. At Mystic KOA, "The staff is friendly, professional and helpful. The grounds are well maintained as are the facilities" (Phillip H.).

    Well-maintained swimming areas: Multiple campgrounds feature swimming options beyond pools. "Salt Rock, September 18-19, 2021: Perhaps one-third full, this was a nice stop... There's river access for fishing and boating, and group camping sites as well" (Philip R.).

    Organized activities for children: Strawberry Park provides scheduled entertainment for families. "I love that I see the same staff there every year. There are seasonal and weekenders alike. Bingo every night, and more activities than you could possibly do!!!" (Ryan C.)

    What you should know

    Weekend noise levels vary significantly: Some campgrounds enforce quiet hours while others don't. "This campground is acceptable for what it is... However, as other reviews have mentioned, this place doesn't enforce rules. Quiet hours are merely a suggestion, and folks turn up until 4AM on Friday nights" (Randy F.).

    Seasonal site availability: Many campgrounds near Franklin operate from May through October, with most closing between Columbus Day and November 1st. "Quiet On opening weekend. Sites are a mix of field, shaded, and partly shaded" (Val H.).

    Tent restrictions at some locations: Some resorts have moved toward limiting tent-only camping. "Sites are large enough for an RV. Cell phone coverage poor" (Jean C.).

    Tips for camping with families

    Dog-friendly hiking options: For dog owners camping near Franklin, Rocky Neck State Park Campground provides trails that welcome leashed pets. "The campsite is only a short walk from the beach and available mountain bike and hiking trails. A great family campsite with easy to get to activities" (Mauricio R.).

    Swimming options for children: Choose campgrounds with dedicated swimming areas for families. "Large well established and clean. Great mix of seasonal and vacation campers. Nice river with small beach. Arts and crafts for kids" (Barbara P.).

    Playgrounds and recreational equipment: Many campgrounds offer extensive play areas. "This place has everything from a pool, splash pad, boats, food, ice cream, lots of activities, friendly helpful staff, delivery to your site from the camp store and nice shaded spacious sites" (Erich P.).

    Tips from RVers

    Site dimensions and leveling: Check site details before booking, as some campgrounds have uneven terrain. "Site was wide and allowed me to easily back in. Near perfect level. New fence poles show renovations were consistently done" (Michael C.).

    Hookup availability varies: Confirm what hookups are available at your specific site, not just the campground. "Hidden Acres Campground is a great family campground. Family-owned and it's got a really friendly group of family and staff. Sites are nice and the restrooms/showers are the cleanest I've seen anywhere" (Mary S.).

    Dump station access: Not all dog-friendly campgrounds near Franklin have on-site dump stations. "Two easy dump stations with nice clean area" (Michael C.).

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Franklin, CT?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Franklin, CT is Odetah Camping Resort with a 3.9-star rating from 13 reviews.

    What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Franklin, CT?

    TheDyrt.com has all 126 dog-friendly camping locations near Franklin, CT, with real photos and reviews from campers.