Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Ramsey, IL

Ramsey Lake State Recreation Area allows pets throughout its campgrounds, providing clean sites and reasonable pricing for pet owners. The park features electric hookups, picnic tables, and fire rings at most campsites where dogs can stay with their families. Camping options include tent sites, RV spots with 50-amp service, and some cabin accommodations that accept pets. The equestrian camping area offers water access and toilet facilities, though these sites lack electricity. Bathrooms and shower facilities are well-maintained, and the campground enforces quiet hours to ensure comfortable stays for all campers, including those with pets. Sites are typically well-spaced with adequate room for both human and pet camping equipment.

Trails around Ramsey Lake offer pet exercise opportunities, though owners report trails aren't always clearly marked despite being wide and well-maintained. The playground area provides recreation for families while their pets rest at camp. The campground's location puts it somewhat distant from supply stores, making advance preparation important when camping with pets. Wildlife is present throughout the park, requiring pets to remain leashed and supervised during trails walks and lakeside activities. The nearby Okaw Valley Kampground offers an alternative pet-friendly option with full hookup sites, a stocked fishing lake, swimming pool, and hiking trails where dogs can join their owners for outdoor recreation. Both campgrounds maintain pet waste disposal systems to keep grounds clean for all visitors.

Best Dog-Friendly Sites Near Ramsey, Illinois (56)

    1. Okaw Valley Kampground

    26 Reviews
    Vandalia, IL
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (618) 427-5140

    "There’s a very nice updated playground and a pond with a walking path around it. The place is very well taken care of. If we ever came back this way we would stay again."

    "Beautiful walking paths, convenient, great pricing. They filled us up on LP too. Thanks again, Barb and Gary!"

    2. Ramsey Lake State Recreation Area

    5 Reviews
    Ramsey, IL
    1 mile
    Website
    +1 (618) 423-2215

    "The park is reasonable priced, beautiful surrounding and friendly staff. Would definitely come again. The only downside is that it’s somewhat far from supply stores"

    "Shut down some karaoke party in a loop around 9pm. Will go back."

    3. Kaskaskia Dragon RV Park

    2 Reviews
    Vandalia, IL
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (618) 283-9700

    $25 / night

    "Long spots, friendly owner, easy access to hardware store across the street, coin laundry available. Downsides is wifi is poor, gravel is unlevel, limited menu on DoorDash."

    4. Sherwood Forest

    6 Reviews
    Hillsboro, IL
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (217) 532-5211

    $25 - $45 / night

    "We stayed here in our Motorhome but the sites are pretty small and you are right next to your neighbor."

    "After a massive disappointment at a nearby state park, we came to Sherwood Forest as a last resort. We were beyond pleasantly surprised!"

    5. Coon Creek (IL)

    18 Reviews
    Shelbyville, IL
    28 miles
    Website
    +1 (217) 774-3951

    $18 - $48 / night

    "We've been camping at Coon Creek, on a beautiful Lake Shelbyville, for a few years now, the place is perfect for family vacations. And that's exactly what we do."

    "There are many sites on this campground that are wooded and have views of Lake Shelbyville. Boat ramp to put in your boat or kayaks and sand beach for the kids to go swimming."

    6. Timber Trails Campground

    2 Reviews
    Greenville, IL
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (618) 326-8264

    "Timber Trails Campground is a easy layover off of I-70, offering a family-friendly environment. The park provided us an easy in and out, pull-through site that was level and convenient."

    7. Camp Lakewood

    17 Reviews
    Effingham, IL
    29 miles
    Website
    +1 (217) 342-1111

    $35 - $999 / night

    "The sun sets behind the camper. Very nice clean restrooms, laundry room and a area you can grill in using their grills."

    "Biggest complaints are that it had a sewery smell and you could hear the highway. They have a bar and store. Firewood bundles were 10$!"

    8. Lithia Springs

    10 Reviews
    Shelbyville, IL
    27 miles
    Website
    +1 (217) 774-3951

    $18 - $36 / night

    "Lithia Springs is a great campground with a wonderful marina located on beautiful Lake Shelbyville! We stayed at Site #12 overlooking the lake."

    "At the end of the circles there are some sites right on the lake and the boat ramp is nearby. Nice latrines and showerhouses."

    9. Cedarbrook Camp Ground

    1 Review
    Greenville, IL
    19 miles
    +1 (618) 326-8865

    10. Bonanza Campground

    2 Reviews
    Greenville, IL
    21 miles
    Website
    +1 (618) 326-7261

    "Literally 0’s all around for level on the Levelmate Pro. I didn’t even unhook the trailer, just put the 4 scissor jacks and tongue jack down for stability."

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Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Ramsey, IL

386 Reviews of 56 Ramsey Campgrounds


  • Aaron B.
    Jun. 16, 2019

    Eagle Creek State Park Campground

    Wooded Solitude / Family Friendly

    Review of Drive In Tent Camping Site 2. Showed up on a Thursday night and had our pick of all the drive in and walk in sites. We decided on site 2 in the drive in area. Previous reviews and a book by John Schirle on Tent Camping in Illinois helped us with this decision as well. Decent maintained sites with some older picnic tables and fire rings, but let's be honest this stuff sits outside 24/7. Site 2 seemed to sit back the farthest with site 1 a close second. Both wooded sites that made for great shade and helped some when it was raining. Any two families looking for two sites could certainly set up and share the experience. Nice little cove behind them to try fishing. Just watch the hike down the path or ravine. Dog friendly, fresh water supply (hint put the handle all the way up and wait a few seconds), ability to store stuff in the car close by, outhouse toilets visible at the walk in parking lot, and helpful host for easy check in who even sells fire wood made for a great few days ($5 a bundle). Rated B/S site at a cost of $10 a night.

  • Kevin M.
    Aug. 20, 2018

    Lone Point

    A place of memories

    One of the first campgrounds I ever went to and when camping in Illinois, my go-to campground and lake. My wife and I love this lake and have a lot of memories here.

  • Whistle P.
    Nov. 6, 2022

    The Double J Campground and RV Park

    This place has a great location

    The bathrooms here were heated and sparkling clean. Our Starlink had zero obstructions worked lightening fast. We LOVED having a dog park to exercise our dogs daily!

    Great location, close to all the Springfield attractions and Slauterhaus Brewing in Auburn, IL (this is the best brewery nearby, better than Buzz Bomb or Obed & Issacs in town!).

  • Debra M.
    Jun. 1, 2021

    Bo Wood

    Four Stars because of the Dog Park

    This campground has a dog park and beautiful views, but the sites are very crowded.  There are full hook up sites and electric only.  If you like the party atmosphere, this place is for you.  If you like a more spread out and quiet park, look at Lithia Springs or Opossum.  Your park pass from any COE campground will get you in.

    Photos view from dog park.

  • Chris S.
    Oct. 6, 2019

    Bo Wood

    Lovely last camping trip of the season

    Giving this 4 stars for the awesomeness of the sites themselves. We were in 121. All of the sites we saw in our “loop” were super wide, all gravel and quite level. So well kept.....fire pit with grate, large picnic table....really, the site couldn’t have been better. Beautiful views of the lake! Just all-in-all a well maintained park. So, why not 5 stars? I really wanted good shore fishing and not only was it a long walk, but really not very good/easy to get to, or comfortable standing once you get there. Beautiful dog parks....one for large dogs and one for small, but again, a long walk from the campground. Not feasible for our older dog. One other thing, absolutely no lighting at night along the campground roadways. After dark, we watched a truck go into the ditch looking for the turn out (granted, the occupants sounded like they were well into partying), but the pitch darkness at night made it feel a little unsafe, especially walking the dog after dark. Still, the sites themselves are awesome.

  • Austin-Tarra G.
    Oct. 11, 2021

    Forrest W. Bo Wood

    Good Spot Except for the Large Amount of Sewer Flies

    We stayed at Boo Wood Campground for about five days and enjoyed much of their amenities.

    The campground featured a dog park which provided room for our dogs to run around. There was also multiple playgrounds and even a small amphitheater. There was a large boat ramp with ample parking. We put in our kayaks on the boat ramp and enjoyed a nice paddle on a portion of the Shelbyville Lake.

    We paid less than$25 a night for full hooks up and we had an almost lake view.

    Our biggest issue with this campsite was the extensive bugs, once the sun goes down the bugs get horribly bad. We let our dogs out past 8 p.m. and our camper was covered with swarms of psychodidae(sewer) flies. Once we quickly got in our camper, we spent the next hour killing the swarms of sewer flies that entered our camper. We learned our lesson and once the sun went down, we did not leave our camper.

  • A
    May. 9, 2022

    Spring Creek Campground

    Quiet, serene spot

    Wonderful private campground surround by woods, an open field and a small pond. There is a small playground, covered patio, bathrooms with showers and plenty of lawn space! Pet friendly and looks very ADA accessible, I had a great time spending one night here with my dog. $15 for tent/primitive camping, $25 for electric!

  • patricia D.
    Jun. 16, 2021

    Bo Wood

    Serene site

    For my Tent only camp site. I loved it. It’s spacious it’s for the most part shaded. It is right next to the lake. I get some views. In the pictures I posted you’ll see what I’m talking about. As far as the campground I did take a drive around it’s pretty big n has a lot of shaded sites. I think it’s over 140 sites. There is a boat ramp on the grounds also the playground there’s a dog park there is also a little amphitheater. I believe I was told the Rangers do events for the kids.  I do like the fact that you can go into a bathroom and it also has the shower so you have that privacy. I also noticed and was told that there are volunteers that are in the campground I guess all season. It seems like they’re spread out like there’s someone in every section. Which made me feel good.  Having someone with the inside access to get help or to have a problem solved sooner than later. Here are just a couple reasons why I did not give a five star. To you out there it may not be a negative for you so you could see this as a five star. For a beautiful campsite to be surrounded by a lake. You can’t really see or Have access to swim in. There is a beach for the lake but it’s outside the campground and down the road. It’s a negative for me. I mean keep the trees maybe get rid of any low hanging branches and the bushes that block most of the view. I really wish they had some air in the bathrooms. Half of my trip was in the high 90s and the sun was just beaming on the building. So it was not pleasurable to use the bathroom or take a shower then. The tent only site that I was at. You had to park your car in a parking lot across the street but from my site it was down a little further.. I like having my car close by so I can access anything that is left in my car throughout my stay.  wi-Fi would’ve been a plus. So I got good phone service. Att


Guide to Ramsey

Ramsey Lake State Recreation Area accommodates pets throughout its campgrounds with electric hookups, picnic tables, and reservable sites for tents, RVs, and cabins. The park maintains clean facilities and reasonable prices, though campers should note it's somewhat distant from supply stores. Nearby Okaw Valley Kampground offers multiple pet-friendly accommodation options including tent sites, RV spaces with full hookups, and cabins. Bathrooms remain consistently clean, and the campground features a fishing lake stocked with bass, bluegill, and catfish where dogs can accompany owners during walks around the water.

Dog owners appreciate the walking paths around Okaw Valley's lake, providing exercise opportunities for pets while maintaining the quiet atmosphere most campsites offer. The campground's well-spaced sites include fire rings and picnic tables, allowing comfortable outdoor time with pets. Other pet-friendly options near Ramsey include Coon Creek, Camp Lakewood, and Sherwood Forest campgrounds, all featuring electric hookups, water access, and pet-friendly policies. Though highway noise is minimal at most locations, visitors should bring pet supplies as nearby shopping options are limited. Most campgrounds in the area enforce standard leash policies and require owners to clean up after their pets, with no specific breed restrictions noted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Ramsey, IL?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Ramsey, IL is Okaw Valley Kampground with a 4.3-star rating from 26 reviews.

What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Ramsey, IL?

TheDyrt.com has all 56 dog-friendly camping locations near Ramsey, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.