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Ward Pound Ridge Reservation offers several pet-friendly shelter sites where dogs must remain leashed on all trails and camping areas. The shelters provide a unique camping experience with fire pits and spacious grounds for pet owners, while the extensive network of over 40 miles of hiking trails gives dogs plenty of exercise opportunities. Kettletown State Park Campground also welcomes pets at both their tent sites and cabins, with designated pet areas throughout the property. Campsites feature picnic tables, fire rings, and nearby restroom facilities with showers. Sites are well-maintained though sometimes close together, so keeping dogs properly restrained is essential for harmonious camping.
Hiking trails at Ward Pound Ridge cater especially well to dogs with varied terrain including creeks and open fields for exploration. Pound Ridge's extensive trail system offers everything from easy walks to more challenging routes with elevation gain, all suitable for leashed dogs. Campers should note that while pets are welcome, they must be attended at all times, and owners should bring waste bags as pet stations may be limited. Wildlife encounters are possible, so maintaining control of dogs is particularly important in early morning and evening hours. Park staff regularly patrol the grounds, and the reservation's well-marked trails make navigation straightforward for first-time visitors with pets.
"Pet friendly and kid friendly with a playground available. Our favorite site is #25. Up a hill, totally private and has a lean-to."
"Close to the city and civilization, yet large enough to have nice trails and creeks to feel away from it all. The camping sites are very different so it’s useful to go in person and select the area."
from $45 - $55 / night
Check Availability"We love this State Park because it's close to our home for a quick getaway. This time we tried one of the sites on the water, and I probably wouldn't choose the same site again. "
"I love kettletown, it’s a favorite that is very close to home. It’s a small camp ground and it’s absolutely beautiful."
from $17 - $50 / night
Check Availability"With Covid/social distancing requirements, many sites are closed so it’s extra quiet and spread out. I stayed at site 6 with my seven year-old daughter from Tue-Thur."
"When you are camping with a large group of friends and don't all have access to a car, this is the perfect spot."
from $21 / night
Check Availability"Drive-in tent campgrounds. Adequate restroom facilities sprinkled amongst tent sites. Some campsites have raised platforms. All sites have picnic tables and fire ring with flip-top grill."
"The grounds are just steps away from Welch Lake, offering a lifeguard monitored sandy beach which is open during the summer season for swimming, fishing, and small boat craft further out."
from $21 - $24 / night
Check Availability"Great park with a nice 7 mile loop around the lake with decent fishing. Lots of horses and dogs on the trail. 30 or so sites around a central public restroom."
"Hiking trails are beautiful. Dog friendly. Clean bathrooms"
"The beach is in a walking distance. You can swim or fish there. This camp site has a relatively new and clean facility. There are many farms near by where you can get fresh veggies and fruits."
"However there are too many loud families and the sites are too close in proximity for me."
from $24 - $250 / night
Check Availability"Tent sites are very private with some dirt roads to exit out but thats what make it unique experience! Bathrooms with shower is near by and has plenty porta potties all around."
"Was close to bear mountains state part and the train station is right there!"
from $30 - $60 / night
Check Availability"I had a hankering for East Coast seafood, so I picked Hammonesett Beach State Park for Connecticut. Our 2nd state of 5.
Hammonesett Beach has a huge campground."
"Beautiful Connecticut beach sits just steps away from your campsite. Well kept showers and bathrooms are abundant and the camp store has the majority of what you need."
from $20 - $70 / night
Check Availability"* cottages far enough away from each other
- fire ring with Adirondack chairs
- dumpster and recycling within walking distance
- lots of bone dry firewood around for campfire
- walkable beach"
"Overall my experience was positive. Camping Sites
Each camping site has a picnic table and barbeque grill."
from $24 - $320 / night
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GuideI grew up in Long Beach. If you’re looking for a spot to camp so you can surf, this is perfect! It’s basically a parking lot, but it’s steps away from some of the greatest waves on the east coast. Showers are clean, there’s a dog park nearby, and the island is very bikable to get around.
benefits: allows dogs childrens playground beach programs like movie nights throughout the summer
ScoutWe have enjoyed our stay. Nice campground with lots of activities and things to do. However, we picked this place because it has an enclosed dog park. It does have an enclosed dog park but the fence is only 3 feet high. While this might be fine for some dogs, I have 2 young border collies that will jump that fence like it is not even there.
ScoutVery nice family oriented, places the beach, which is great except for the birds watch out they come at you. They have a dog park basketball courts playground swimming just about everything.
LegendI had a hankering for East Coast seafood, so I picked Hammonesett Beach State Park for Connecticut. Our 2nd state of 5.
Hammonesett Beach has a huge campground. They divide the loops with names. I unfortunately chose Pequot. This loop has THE WORST bathrooms/showers on the South side of the campground. Looks like they were built in 1950s with rotten wood siding. Dirty. The showers were outside the bathroom- there was a bench & hooks OUTSIDE! We found out all the other loops had modern bathhouses.
My first impression of this campground is it's loud, crazy busy & there's traffic noise from the beach road. I actually liked it! This is a fun campground for families. There were kids on bikes, scooters, skateboards,roller blades. Watch your speed! They don't always watch out for your car.
I found out most people stay through Sunday & leave on Monday. There were still lots of campers left. Lots of tent campers.
I chose site 14 on the Pequot Loop because I thought I would have a view of one of the ponds. There was tall vegetation, so that was out.
The sites on the other side of the loop were right by the main beach road. Noisy during the day, but quiet at night.
There are some sites with shade, but most are sunny.
There's no electricity at most of the sites. Our site was full sun(yay for the solar panel!). On Beach Road in the campground there's 2 rows of full hookup sites, but they go FAST! I tried.
NO PETS! Including dogs.
No WiFi, but there's cell service. At least 5 dump stations.
The beach was popular.
There was a stream running from a pond that kids were playing in.
They have a beautiful Nature Center. A couple of easy hikes through one of the preserves.
This was a good base camp for the area. Gillette Castle & other state parks are within driving distance. Connecticut is a beautiful state!!
RangerCampsites Great campsites, wooded and cozy, though a little tight for longer rigs as our neighbors found out when they ran over a wooden post backing in. But spaced apart nicely with lots of vegetation between. Nice and level. Amenities Bathrooms are older and need of some repair but let me tell you I was very happy to see a normal shower head with real hot water! So no complaints here. Laundry facilities were clean and open 24/7 with reasonable prices 2.50/2.00 washer/dryer. And the dryers actually worked. Small dog park, communal spaces, and a camp store all made the place feel like a little village. They even have a wine store- cab sav was good. WiFi I work remotely and WiFi is always an issue. We have Starlink but in a wooded campsite, connecting is an issue but luckily their WiFi was great. Had no issues and could stream just fine. Halloween! We visited mid October and folks had sites decorated and the KOA has trick or treating and other activities every weekend in Oct. we were SO bummed to be leaving on a Friday and miss the festivities because it looked really fun. Would definitely go back. Also, staff was super nice.
TravelerI have camped here many times. There are three campsites; two that require short hikes (.5 miles and .75 miles, respectively) and a third that can be driven to. Each one is far away from the others. The two that are closest are still divided by several hundred feet of wooded area; you can hear if someone at the other campsite shouts loudly enough, but you can't hear normal conversation or see any lights.
There is no cell phone coverage at any of the campsites (if you care about that while camping).
All of the campsites are right next to the Shepaug River. There is a very crude outhouse between campsites #1 and #2, but none at #3. Each campsite has a designated fire pit, and the Steep Rock Association provides ample firewood. SR 1 and SR 2 both have picnic tables at them; SR 3 does not. Pets are welcome; there are many people hiking and camping with dogs, and people ride horses down some of the trails.
On 9/2/17, when camping at SR1, we saw a Dumpster on the side of the trail that leads from campsite SR1 to campsite SR2. I have never seen a Dumpster anywhere at Steep Rock before, so I don't know if that is a permanent new addition or if it was there temporarily.
Reservations are required and can be made by contacting the Steep Rock Association office during the week.
ScoutThis is a nice family friendly campground that makes for easy trips. There are a variety of sites available, from open field sites to more wooded and private areas. The campground also has a lake for swimming,trails for hiking, and some nice quiet areas for fishing. Well maintained bathrooms, with available showers, are also spread throughout the grounds. Not pet friendly unfortunately.
GuideThe actual beach isn't too nice; not soft sand, broken shells, and cigarettes. However, the campgrounds have nice facilities like a shop, good showers, a playground, and volleyball courts. Be noted PETS ARE NOT ALLOWED in the summer. We were not aware of this.
ScoutBeautiful campsites! Lots of lean to sites with fireplaces in them. You have to go in person to make a reservation and pay. The camp area is beautiful, especially in the fall. Pet friendly and kid friendly with a playground available. Our favorite site is #25. Up a hill, totally private and has a lean-to.
Within an hour's drive of Weston, Connecticut, several state parks and private campgrounds offer accommodations for pet owners. The region features moderate elevations between 200-500 feet with mixed deciduous forests, providing shaded camping options in summer months when temperatures typically range from 70-85°F. Most campgrounds in the area remain open from April through October, with limited winter camping options at select locations.
Hiking at Clarence Fahnestock State Park: Located about 40 miles from Weston, this park offers extensive trail systems for hikers with dogs. "Beautiful State Park, Nice clean Beach and Lake, Bathroom and showers were clean. We had a family camping trip with lots of kids of all ages, the walk in sites are not too far off the road so it was easily manageable," notes one visitor to Clarence Fahnestock State Park Campground.
Swimming with pets: Many campgrounds have designated pet areas near water features. At Hammonasset Beach State Park, "Beautiful Connecticut beach sits just steps away from your campsite. Well kept showers and bathrooms are abundant and the camp store has the majority of what you need. You can ride your bike from your site to the playground, store, beach," according to a regular visitor to Hammonasset State Park Campground.
Fishing opportunities: Several campgrounds offer fishing access for campers with dogs. "Ive been coming here for years. They have great sights and are open all year round. Ive stayed in hammocks, tents, leantos, and even did a good share of car camping. They have many sites and a tone of hiking trails," reports a frequent visitor to Ward Pound Ridge Reservation.
Private camping areas: Many campsites offer secluded spots away from crowds. "To start, access to the river was great, though no swimming was allowed because of an algae bloom. The shorter hiking trails in the area were really beautiful," notes one camper about Kettletown State Park Campground.
Year-round options: Some parks remain open throughout winter. "We love this State Park because it's close to our home for a quick getaway. This time we tried one of the sites on the water, and I probably wouldn't choose the same site again. Site 11, while large, was uneven and had some large tree roots that would be easy to trip over," shares a camper about Kettletown State Park.
Fire features: Most pet-friendly sites include fire rings for evening comfort. "This is a great place for camping. The shelters are great for people who want to camp and not have to worry about unplanned weather. The best part of this campsite are the endless trails in the area. I believe there are over 40 miles of trails in this area," according to a visitor at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation.
Reservation requirements: Many parks require advance booking, especially during peak seasons. "We stayed for 6 nights and it was great. Clean, friendly, safe and relaxing!" says a camper at Wildwood State Park Campground.
Water safety concerns: Some lakes have swimming restrictions. "Kids caught about 20 fish. The pool is nice, no deep end. It's very hilly. A golf cart is recommended if your site is far from the pool," mentions a visitor to Cozy Hills Campground.
Wildlife awareness: Bears and smaller mammals are present in many campgrounds. "A stones throw from NYC this beautiful area combines Lake Welch and Harriman State Park. This camp ground is laid back away from the busy activity of the big city. If you want to get away and relax you can come here to walk, swim and camp," notes a visitor to Beaver Pond Campground.
Playground access: Several campgrounds feature play areas for children. "The reason why I said place is perfect kids? It has a huge land of campsite that the kids can run around until their energy out for the night! Plus you would see awesome stars during the nighttime! I went to there with campers for ten years," shares a visitor to Beaver Pond Campground — Harriman State Park.
Beach access timing: Beaches often have seasonal restrictions and hours. "It's a good park/camp for groups. They have cabins and RV sites and now that the Tapan Zee bridge work is done most of them are now open again as the bridge workers have moved out," observes a camper at Croton Point Park.
Family-specific sites: Some campgrounds designate family-friendly areas. "We make it a point to spend at least a week here every summer!" says an enthusiastic family that regularly visits Hammonasset State Park Campground.
Hookup availability: Not all sites offer full hookups for RVs. "We enjoyed playing there, especially chasing the Canadian Geese by the lake. We were there in early June, and were almost eaten alive by mosquitoes when we ventured into the woods. Take lots of bug spray and wear long sleeves/pants, even in the summer," advises an RV camper at Croton Point Park.
Site dimensions: Check site sizes before booking for larger vehicles. "The biggest positive about Beaver Pond is how spread out it was. You definitely feel like you have your own space and are not camping on top of your neighbor. Many of the camping options were on platforms which is especially nice if it recently rained," notes an experienced RVer.
Pull-through access: Some campgrounds offer easier access for larger RVs. "RV pull through sites were fantastic. It was a great campground for maiden voyage in new rig. Plenty of amenities," reports a camper at Wildwood State Park Campground.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Weston, CT?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Weston, CT is Ward Pound Ridge Reservation with a 4.5-star rating from 10 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 54 dog-friendly camping locations near Weston, CT, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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