Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Donnelly, ID

Peninsula Campground at Ponderosa State Park accommodates tent campers, RV users, and cabin guests with pets throughout its wooded sites. Nearby, Poison Creek Campground on Lake Cascade maintains clean facilities while welcoming dogs on leash. Most campgrounds in the Donnelly area feature standard pet policies requiring leashes no longer than 6 feet, proper waste disposal, and pets never left unattended. City of Donnelly Campground provides direct river access where dogs can cool off during summer months. Chalet RV Park offers full hookup sites with family-friendly policies for pets, though sites position relatively close together. The campgrounds maintain clean facilities with accessible trash receptacles for pet waste disposal. Campers note that Rainbow Point occasionally has wildlife visitors including skunks that walked directly through camp, requiring careful pet management.

Hiking trails surrounding Lake Cascade provide excellent exercise opportunities for dogs, with multiple access points from campgrounds. The beach areas at Amanita Campground allow easy kayak launching while dogs can enjoy the shoreline, though swimming access requires finding appropriate entry points as some areas have steep drop-offs. Donnelly's small grocery store provides emergency pet supplies just minutes from most camping areas. Summer temperatures can reach the upper 80s even after dark, making water access important for pets. Campground hosts regularly patrol the grounds ensuring pet policies are followed. Wildlife sightings including deer, moose, eagles and even cattle sounds across the lake create unique experiences but require keeping dogs secured. Most campgrounds feature spacious sites allowing reasonable separation between camping neighbors, though privacy varies by location.

Best Dog-Friendly Sites Near Donnelly, Idaho (122)

    1. Peninsula Campground — Ponderosa State Park

    36 Reviews
    McCall, ID
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (208) 634-2164

    $15 - $40 / night

    "Ponderosa is in beautiful McCall, Idaho. Close to downtown and the lake. Great hiking trails. Good park for a family. The campsites are right next to one another, so not much privacy there."

    "Great walking path around and down to the lake as well! Quick 10min ride into town for a nice lake side dinner."

    2. Sugarloaf Campground — Lake Cascade State Park

    20 Reviews
    Cascade, ID
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (208) 382-6544

    "Beautiful lake, nice campground, little beach spots nearby. The lake is very large. Boat ramp is close by. You can swim, kayak, canoe, paddle board, boat, fish. Camping spots are large."

    "We chose Lake Cascade because we had heard that the lake winds were great for sailing and that is true. We stayed at Blue Heron campground."

    3. Amanita

    6 Reviews
    Donnelly, ID
    3 miles
    Website
    +1 (208) 382-7400

    $15 - $34 / night

    "This small lakeside campground captured our hearts. Who could resist it, with wide open lakefront views like these? A easy launch for kayaks by day, and a sunset view from the campfire by night."

    "The campsites were large and there was access to the lake. The only space left for us was the one right in the front near the entrance but it was great!"

    4. Chalet RV Park

    5 Reviews
    Donnelly, ID
    0 miles
    Website
    +1 (208) 325-8223

    "This is a family friendly campground that is convenient to Donnelly and Cascade areas. AT&T 3bars LTE service as well as free wifi make communication and planning easy."

    5. Rainbow Point

    5 Reviews
    Donnelly, ID
    3 miles
    Website
    +1 (208) 382-7400

    $15 - $30 / night

    "The beach at the lake is lovely. Site #7 backs up to a large beach area. The campground is convenient to Donnelly and McCall, and quite close to Tamarack Resort (7 minutes), if you are riding there."

    "Close to the water, very chilly at the end of the season. Glad to have toilets and water."

    6. Poison Creek Campground — Lake Cascade State Park

    4 Reviews
    Donnelly, ID
    4 miles
    Website
    +1 (208) 382-6544

    $28 - $39 / night

    "Minutes from Donnelly Idaho for “the things you forgot”. Great views coming back again for sure."

    "Right on Lake Cascade so you have lake views on one side and mountain views on the other, seriously beautiful. Shows off Idaho in a good way!"

    7. McCall RV Resort - Northfolk Lodge

    6 Reviews
    McCall, ID
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (208) 634-5646

    $42 - $52 / night

    "Close to McCall,several pull-thrus; even indoor hot tubs! No restaurant but you’ll be close to many great ones"

    "The location is nice and quiet, awa from traffic.They have a nice lodge with an indoor heated swimming pool. Each site had a picnic table but no fire pit where we stayed."

    8. Black Bear RV Park

    5 Reviews
    McCall, ID
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (208) 634-5165

    $39 - $54 / night

    9. West Mountain Campground — Lake Cascade State Park

    3 Reviews
    Donnelly, ID
    4 miles
    Website
    +1 (208) 382-6544

    $12 - $56 / night

    "The camp sites were clean, quiet and very close to the water. We are planning to come back in the summer and bring friends for a nice trip of kayaking and fishing right off the beach."

    "I’ve always wanted to stay in this stretch of Lake Cascade. Camp ground was fairly small with only one loop, made it very cozy. Sites had plenty of room and an ok amount of trees."

    10. Last Chance Campground - CLOSED

    13 Reviews
    New Meadows, ID
    19 miles
    Website

    $15 / night

    "The best hot spring locates a short distance from the campground. This is one of my favorite places to camp. The trees around gave us plenty of shade on a hot day!"

    "The grounds are fantastic however and located right next to a stream. The bathrooms are pit toilets but they did have potable water out of a spout."

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Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Donnelly, ID

432 Reviews of 122 Donnelly Campgrounds


  • Phillip C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 22, 2024

    Poison Creek Campground — Lake Cascade State Park

    Always a good stay

    We’ve been here twice now. First 2021 and again June 2024. Campground is well kept. Showers and facilities clean. Minutes from Donnelly Idaho for “the things you forgot”. Great views coming back again for sure.

  • Amy S.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 31, 2021

    City of Donnelly Campground

    Close to Town

    This campground is right in Donnelly and right on the river.  We drove through there in April so there was still snow but the location for summer is great.  Near the lake, near town, near the mountains.  I would say this is a medium size campground for Idaho and set up for most types of rigs.

  • Ed E.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 23, 2018

    Boise National Forest Warm Lake Campground

    A Pleasant Camping Area North of Boise, Idaho

    This campsite is located east of Cascade Lake and Donnelly, Idaho. It's a scenic road to get there. The camsite we were in was dry camping with no hook-ups. The camping pad for our 27' Travel Trailer was nice and level. Each campsite had a picnic table and a firepit. There are some nice hiking trails in the vicinity. Mountain biking and horse riding is acceptable there as well. Since we had kayaks, we had a short drive to the boat ramp. There is excellent trout fishing. There is a small swim beach near the Warm Lake Lodge and Restaurant, near where the cabins are. All in all, a great stay, away from the city :-) It's a nice peaceful setting.

  • GThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 3, 2025

    Frontier Motel and RV Park

    Right in Town, Easy Access to Hells Canyon and Other Destinations

    Frontier Motel and RV Park is more of a motel than an RV park, with only ten spaces behind the motel and in between a public, local road. The motel was fronting Hwy 95 and the RV spaces were one block behind. They have a pool (nice!), laundry and easy town access, since the motel was right in town. The pool wasn’t warm, maybe 75F, but it sufficed for the cool-off need. The town, Cambridge, ID, was a nice, small town, maybe 200 residents. It appears that most of the 10-or-so RV spaces were used by monthly renters, but they had a spot for me and during a holiday weekend. Nice staff. For some reason I couldn't make friends with the black lab (the owner's dog). She's old, doesn't walk that well, but was wary of new people. I did not have any, any negative interactions with her, she just wouldn't let me give her a pet. The three-star rating is that the site location, noise from the highway and the street, and the marginal sewer connection (water/power were fine).

  • Easton S.
    Jul. 24, 2019

    Lost Valley Reservoir Dispersed Camping Area

    Lots of trees

    There is a lot of space in each camp. Not much land in between each camp so be courteous. Good drinking water. A fairly dirty pit bathroom. I’m pretty sure it’s pet friendly. You can walk to the reservoir. The beach is very rocky.

  • Amy S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 1, 2021

    Chalet RV Park

    Right In Town

    This RV park is right in town.   Close to all the outdoor activities that Donnelly has to offer.  A standard RV park in a very nice location.

  • N
    Jun. 23, 2019

    Peninsula Campground — Ponderosa State Park

    Ponderosa

    Ponderosa is in beautiful McCall, Idaho. Close to downtown and the lake. Great hiking trails. Good park for a family. The campsites are right next to one another, so not much privacy there. Bathrooms are close by. If you don't mind be a little tight with campsites, would highly recommend.

  • Dawn G.
    Dec. 1, 2019

    Amanita

    Easy launch for kayaks by day, and a sunset view from the campfire by night

    This small lakeside campground captured our hearts. Who could resist it, with wide open lakefront views like these? A easy launch for kayaks by day, and a sunset view from the campfire by night. It was 4th of July weekend, so we did make a reservation, but there are a couple sites that are first come first serve. No hookups so it tended to be a quiet campground for smaller rigs and tent campers. The only noise?........ Cows! You could hear them in the early morning from the farm all the way across the lake, a country alarm clock. One of the things I really liked about this site, and a rare find in lakeside camping- No Bugs! A couple negatives, nice sized sites that are spread out but a little open so not a ton of privacy. And, the beach was a little lacking in that it was a drop off at most of the campsite edges, so finding a spot to get into the water was not as easy as in others. Cellular signal here was suprisingly good for Verizon. The town of Donnelly, was a 10 min drive away and had a small grocery store for ice and other supplies.

  • Shelly S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 6, 2020

    Sage Bluff Campground — Lake Cascade State Park

    Haze

    Cascade Lake is beautiful and an excellent stop over. Water sports and beaches and sand to get into everything.

    Sage is a roadside campground with moderate size sites, NO SHADE and level cement pads. My site overlooked the beach , however we had to walk the trail to gain access to the beach. The beach was never crowded, though on occasion it had some annoying and loud boaters who seem to think they were the only ones that were there to enjoy the area. Their dog even tried to attack my leashed dogs. I just did my best to stay at the area of the beach with no one else present.

    There was a constant haze in the sky from the wildfires in the area. Kudos to the fire men and women .

    Town was very nearby and everything you could need was there, including a huge laundromat and snow mobile dealership. Worth the visit.


Guide to Donnelly

Donnelly sits alongside Lake Cascade at 4,800 feet elevation, with summer temperatures often dropping into the 40s overnight despite warm days. Winter camping requires preparation for sub-freezing conditions, with many campgrounds closing from October through May due to heavy snowfall.

What to do

Hiking to waterfalls: Last Chance Campground connects to Goose Creek Falls trail. "The hike up the river to the falls is one of the better short hikes in the area but there is evidence of bears," mentions Tom K. The 2.8-mile trail features boardwalks over muddy sections and abundant wildlife.

Huckleberry picking: Mid to late summer brings prime picking opportunities on forest trails. "The highlight was definitely the abundance of huckleberries on the Goose Creek trail. You barely have to search for them!" notes Bethany W., who stayed at Last Chance Campground.

Kayak launching: Many campsites offer direct water access for small watercraft. "This small lakeside campground captured our hearts. Who could resist it, with wide open lakefront views like these? An easy launch for kayaks by day," explains Dawn G. about her experience at Amanita Campground.

What campers like

Protected beaches: Lake access points vary in quality and safety. "Our group simply set out in the morning and camped out on the beach with our gear. We had paddle boards, a canoe, and a floatie and spent the entire day out there. There was some nice sand for the kids to build with," shares Tara L. from Sugarloaf Campground.

Wildlife watching: The area supports diverse wildlife beyond the typical deer sightings. "We had 3 baby foxes visit our camp one evening. I could see it getting crowded on weekends, but I had this all to myself on a Monday and Tuesday," reports Simran D. who camped at Sugarloaf.

Winter recreation options: Ponderosa State Park maintains seasonal activities year-round. "In the winter, the park offers great snowshoe trails, and groomed trails for cross-country skiing and skate skiing," explains Hannah C., highlighting how some areas remain accessible during winter months.

What you should know

Toilet facilities vary widely: Many campgrounds offer basic vault toilets without running water. "Vault toilets have very low lighting so not sure how clean they are. Seemed like a lot of bugs inside but clean and didn't smell," notes Julie G. about her stay at Sugarloaf Campground.

Site privacy concerns: Several campgrounds have limited separation between sites. "Sites are all fairly close together with not a lot of privacy. The lake is beautiful, but expect noise from boats," warns Joshua D. about Rainbow Point.

Booking requirements: Popular sites fill quickly during peak season. "This is a prime spot to camp in McCall. Plan ahead and book early. Great campsites with full hook ups and amenities," advises Lisa O. who stayed at Peninsula Campground.

Tips for camping with families

Dog-friendly beach access: While most dog friendly campgrounds near Donnelly require leashes, some offer water access points. "Nice grassy sites, water right there, vault toilets, fire rings and picnic tables, tent camping or RVs. Not a lot of shade but cools down nice at night," reports Erin M. about Rainbow Point Campground.

Kid-friendly amenities: Some campgrounds offer specific features for younger campers. "Great bathrooms and showers great laundry room. Older place has power and water and a central dump station," notes Jeff K. about Black Bear RV Park.

Wildlife management: Pets need special attention due to wildlife encounters. "We had a skunk walk right through our camp!" warns Amanda C. about Rainbow Point, underscoring the need for proper food storage and pet supervision at dog friendly campsites near Donnelly.

Tips from RVers

Electrical access: Hookup availability varies by campground. "Sites had plenty of room and an ok amount of trees. Campground is right on the lake. Only real downfall other than no power (if you need it) is that the campground sits right off of west mountain rd," notes Mike L. about West Mountain Campground.

Site spacing: RVers should research specific site dimensions before booking. "The campground has new owners that are wonderful and go out of their way to help you. The campground is a bit old and worn although the owners are overcoming the neglect of the previous owner. Sites are level gravel. Hookups are fine," shares Marty S. about Chalet RV Park.

Winter facilities: Some parks offer year-round amenities for RVers. "Wow this park is amazing, very well run 10 out of 10 on this one. The indoor pool and spa and steam room made this my favorite park so far on our journey," recommends a reviewer about McCall RV Resort.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Donnelly, ID?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Donnelly, ID is Peninsula Campground — Ponderosa State Park with a 4.4-star rating from 36 reviews.

What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Donnelly, ID?

TheDyrt.com has all 122 dog-friendly camping locations near Donnelly, ID, with real photos and reviews from campers.