Lums Pond State Park Campground welcomes pets at all 68 campsites on its spacious grounds near Middletown. Each site includes a concrete pad, picnic table, and fire ring, with full hookups available for RVs. The campground maintains a strict leash policy requiring dogs to be on leashes no longer than 6 feet at all times. Blackbird State Forest Campground, currently closed until further notice, previously offered 8 primitive tent and RV sites where pets were allowed. The campsites at Lums Pond feature large, level spaces with good separation between neighbors, providing ample room for pets to settle in without disturbing fellow campers. Sites are positioned around a central field area with surrounding woods, offering various sun and shade options. Bathroom facilities remain consistently clean, though tent campers face longer walks to reach them than RV sites.
Numerous hiking opportunities exist for dogs and their owners, including the 7-mile trail that circles Lums Pond and the 8-mile multi-purpose trail system. The Mike Castle Trail along the C&D Canal is accessible just across from the park entrance, providing additional pet exercise options. The park's pond allows fishing and non-motorized boating, though pets must remain on leash near water areas. During summer months, campers should monitor pets for ticks and mosquitoes, particularly prevalent in the wooded sections of the campground. The state park features several recreational amenities including a Go Ape zipline course, kayak rentals, and fishing piers. Sites fill quickly during peak seasons, with reservations highly recommended for anyone planning to camp with pets, as the campground's popularity means last-minute availability is limited.
$17 - $32 / night
"We hiked the 7.5mile lake trail with our two pups. It was beautiful and along the way there were opportunities to kayak/sup, beach it, or even play on a ropes course."
"The site itself was set back some, and felt secluded while still being near the parking area. Walk to bathrooms and camp store was on the longer side."
$21 - $55 / night
"Accessible and pet friendly. Great trails and great staff"
"Our go to State Park for camping as it is pretty close to home. Standard State Park with all the amenities you need. We are tent campers/ non electric (no pets/ no kids)."
$25 / night
"The only thing about this site specifically is the trail was close by so you’d occasionally see people walking by but not enough that it didn’t still feel secluded."
"I was only one in the forest ATM but saw some hikers occasionally throughout the day walking by."
"It’s a clean, well kept space, completely surrounded by state forest, very close to shore access along the rivers/bay, hiking/biking trails right out of the campground."
$21 - $50 / night
"Had a great weekend trip here, close to DC and Delaware. Wonderful hiking trails with river views. Only caveat- got pretty muddy since it rained the day before and our site didn’t have a tent pad."
"Our site was really good and I love that it had it's own access to the bathrooms. Quite a few of the inner loop sites do. If you're a tent camper Acorn has some very private and secluded sites."
"They are new-ish Shasta campers, queen bed, 1 slide, rear bunks, 2 entrances. Very clean. Water area is great, splash pad is very fun so is the large blow up slide and pool area."
"I think the lale could use a little cleanup with the amount of bobbers, string and mess left behind by people. There have ao many cabins its crazy and alot of seasonal rentals."
$21 - $70 / night
"Mini cabin D is pet friendly but one of the few. Bathrooms were pretty clean, although perpetually wet floors throughout. Nice washing station for doing dishes, which was a major plus."
"There was a small lending library next to the store/office and wood was for sale too. There are sites that aren’t level but ours was okay. Nearby is St. Michael’s, MD."
$10 - $16 / night
"Has outhouse, fire pit, running water on side of house near outhouse. An is a wonderful person. Good reception with T-Mobile!"
$17 - $79 / night
"First time staying overnight at a campground in Delaware. The cabins are tiny on the inside but that porch really provides very useful space.
No paper towels, soap or kitchen utensils.""Delaware seemed short on camping options and this one was probably top of the line 40 years ago. It's dated in every way, but it's in a good spot. Seemed to have some residents mixed in."
TravelerCampground sites are nice and spacious, bathrooms are good, and there’s plenty to do for everyone. We hiked the 7.5mile lake trail with our two pups. It was beautiful and along the way there were opportunities to kayak/sup, beach it, or even play on a ropes course. We always travel with our dogs and this place has the BEST dog park. Big open space with access to lots of water play. We definitely recommend this spot!
RangerWe stayed here for a night in transit. Beautiful campground — lots of trees, pond, kids play equipment, dog park, etc. facilities all clean and whole place is well maintained. Easy late arrival. Good location - convenient but far enough off the highway. Would stay here again.
GuideI was able to book my site the day before the trip. The site itself was set back some, and felt secluded while still being near the parking area.
Walk to bathrooms and camp store was on the longer side. Firewood was $5 a bundle, but the register wasn't working and they could only take cash.
The hiking in the immediate area was beautiful, lots of fun trails and wildlife. Fishing, kayaking, zip lining, tons of great activities.
The firepits have grates over one half, so campfire cooking is a breeze. Cook up and use the provided picnic table for an easy dinner set up.
The park itself is very dog friendly and most sites had dogs. There is also an off leash dog park at Lum's pond and dog water dishes outside the camp store.
The showers and bathrooms were incredibly well kept with hot water and stocked supplies. If you didn't feel like walking so far, the tents had a spiget with running water near the parking areas.
Reception for Verizon was spotty, t mobile was pretty great. Wish there was an ATM on site though I don't think the cash only situation is a normal one for this campground.
All in all an amazing trip, and I'll be back as soon as possible.
TravelerOur first visit (March 2018) was just prior to peak season (lower rates) and we had a site literally 10 ft. from the water! Full hook ups and sites were a little close, but nice. There seemed to be a lot of long term/permanent residents, but most sites along the waterfront remained open. The campground seemed to stress pet restrictions both in the rules section of their registration packet and signage around the grounds. There was a pet exercise/walking area, but could use some sprucing up. However, no one really made an issue of walking your dog around the campground and as the weekend came around, more and more dogs were around.
You have to drive through a residential neighborhood to reach Bar Harbor, so big rigs take care/caution. Would like to try Bar Harbor again sometime.
Guidewell marked trails great for hiking. pet friendly! we love walking here with our dog. there are even a few great spots to get a small creek swim in! It also has a greag picnic area with grills.
GuideWe do Lums Pond at least twice a year if we can get reservations.
Sites are big and all were redone in the last few years with concrete pads, 30 amp service and full sewer. There are some equestrian and tent sites as well.
Lots of boating (electric motors only) and kayaking on the pond and a decent amount of hiking. There’s an off leash dog park, equestrian center and boat ramp. Book early because it fills up fast!
LegendThis is unquestionably the best KOA I’ve been to. I usually do not like KOA, except when there are no alternatives. This one is way above average. Typically these places are all gravel and dust. This one has paved roads, grass and trees. There is a pond for fishing, too. The only complaint is that, like all KOAs, the sites are on top of each other. The neighbor’s sewer connection is right next to our picnic table! But, the sites are large enough for large RVs, they have 30/50 amp hookups and water & sewer. There are cabins and large tents you can rent. There is a playground, pavilion, laundry, and several shower/bathrooms. (The one near us didn’t have hot water. The office people said they were working on it.) There us also a large, grassy, fenced dog park which my 2 spaniels appreciated.
LegendOur GPS wanted to take us to the main park entrance on Howell School Rd versus Red Lion Rd to the campground entrance on the other side of the pond. The gate and store were not open so we went directly to back-in site 26 with FHUs. Our reservation sheet and vehicle pass were on the post when we arrived. Back-in was okay with having to swing our F-450 and 39’ 5th wheel into the grass between sites across the street. Utilities were smartly placed at the middle of the pad. We had 2 to 3 bars on Verizon and 2 bars on AT&T. However, we had trouble with AT&T maintaining internet on our Weingard Connect. The CG is in two loops. Sites 1-30 make up the first loop and that is where most of the larger rigs camped. A rough estimate(double check site size online) is that sites 12- 18 will take larger rigs up to around 45’ but you’ll need to park your tow vehicle or toad angled in front of your rig. Our site was long enough for our 39’ fifth wheel but we had to park our truck at an angle as well. The second loop does have larger sites but is mainly suited for small rigs to include a tent area. Both loops have a large grass field in the middle that the sites back up to, which is great for playing outside games and without many trees so you could use satellite from almost all the sites. From a spaciousness point of view, the best site in the CG is 17, but it is near the walking trail. The shower house also contains a small laundry with 3 washers and 4 dryers that are reasonably priced, although one washer was out of service at the time. However, there was not a change machine. You could purchase firewood from one of the on duty camp hosts. A short drive from the campground to another Lum’s Pond State Park area there’s a really cool dog park where you can walk the dogs off leash down trails and with open play areas along the pond. One of the best features of this off-leash area is how secluded it is away from the main road. Supposedly this is known as a haunted campground, although we didn't see or hear anything out of the ordinary. If in the area, we would stay here again.
LegendWest Chester KOA This is a really nice KOA not too far from downtown Philly. The campground is located in a beautiful part of the Pennsylvania countryside with rolling hills which meant the roads getting there are narrow and windy. A bridge nearby the campground was washed out earlier by a hurricane so we had to take an alternative route going about thirty minutes out of our way. (Make sure you check their website for directions!) There is a lot to do in the surrounding area like visiting the historical sites in downtown Philadelphia, Valley Forge, or exploring Amish country.
This is a typical KOA with lots of amenities and activities for kids– swimming pool, jump pad, miniature golf, volleyball, butterfly garden, gem mining, playground, store, dog park, nature trail, etc. There is a large pool area with pavilion but it was closed during our stay since we were there early in the season. The campground is right on the Brandywine River which is a slow meandering pretty river that is great to get your feet wet or go for a paddle. Canoes and kayaks are available for rent if you have time and as there is very little current in the river you can paddle out and back without any trouble. There is a nice, short nature trail which was nice to walk our dog and she enjoyed getting wet in the river.
The campground is hilly which means that a fair number of sites are not level. Our site (#27) was level for our RV but the patio sloped downhill and we could not use our picnic table or find a level spot for our chairs. Some sites are “premiums” with paved patios, Adirondack chairs, fancy firepits, BBQ grill, and tables and chairs with an umbrella. These sites are really nice, but you pay a lot more for them. Some sites are located adjacent to the river with nice waterfront views, but beware some might be muddy. There are lots of camping cabins and a couple of glamping tents.
Overall, the campground is very clean with no trash lying around and the grass was mowed and trimmed. The 50-amp electric was good as was the water pressure. The sewer connection uphill from our site so it did not drain properly. There is basic cable but since you are so close to Philly there are plenty of over-the-air channels. The Wi-Fi at our site worked well. Garbage is picked up at your site. The surrounding area has plenty of restaurants, shopping, and interesting things to see and do.
Camping near Middletown, Delaware offers diverse options spanning three states within a 30-mile radius. The region features coastal plain terrain with elevations rarely exceeding 400 feet, creating accessible camping conditions year-round. Summer temperatures typically range from 75-90°F with high humidity, while spring and fall provide milder camping weather.
Water activities at Lums Pond: The 200-acre pond supports various non-motorized boating options. "We spent a long weekend with family at Lums Pond State Park Campground and so glad we did... Great state park with lots to do (kayaking, biking, and more)," notes Matt S. The pond also offers fishing opportunities.
Hiking trail networks: Elk Neck State Park Campground features several trail systems with varying difficulty levels. "There's a ton of camping at Elk Neck, including a loop with full hook ups... There's a camp store, boat ramp, swimming, fishing and lots of great hiking. Definitely drive to, and then hike to the light house (open most weekends) the light house and the view are definitely worth it," advises David G.
Splash park fun: Killens Pond State Park Campground offers a water park facility for summer visitors. "The water park is great and had something for everyone. The area for the younger kids has two small pile and various slides and water features. The larger pool has a lily pad obstacle course, a small slide and more water features," writes Phinon W.
Large, well-spaced sites: Lums Pond State Park Campground receives consistent praise for site size. "In February, about 1/4 of the sites were occupied. It was very quiet. The sites are large and well spaced. Many are in full sun. The bathroom facilities and laundry are clean and modern. There are separate, individual shower rooms," reports Adam and Suzanne B.
Forest seclusion: Blackbird State Forest Campground provides a more isolated camping experience. "Only 8 sites in the campground, very spaced apart. Each site has lots of room, very much enjoyed our stay and will return! No running water- only port a potties but they were clean," says Sarah M.
Clean facilities: Susquehanna State Park Campground maintains well-kept bathhouses. "Bath house was immaculate; by far the cleanest I have ever seen in a campground. Must have been recently renovated," notes Jen V., who also appreciated the "big playground and a few pavilions" at the day-use area.
Reservation requirements: Campgrounds in the region fill quickly, especially during peak seasons. "Book early because it fills up fast!" advises Ellen B. about Lums Pond.
Water and electricity access: Water access varies considerably between campgrounds. At Tuckahoe State Park Campground, "Bathrooms are located in the middle of each loop, and there are spigots on the loops with potable water," according to Mary S.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Middletown, DE?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Middletown, DE is Lums Pond State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 49 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Middletown, DE?
TheDyrt.com has all 68 dog-friendly camping locations near Middletown, DE, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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