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Mississinewa Lake Campground's pet-friendly sites accommodate tents, RVs, and cabins with large, grassy areas ideal for dogs. The campground maintains clean facilities with water access points where pets can cool off during summer months. Leashed pets are permitted throughout the camping areas but are prohibited on the swimming beach. Campsites feature fire rings, picnic tables, and many offer electric hookups with water available nearby. Visitors note that raccoons are prevalent around the campground, particularly near the cabins, so securing pet food is essential. Lost Bridge West State Recreation Area and Salamonie River State Forest also welcome pets with spacious sites in more wooded settings that provide natural shade and privacy.
Dog owners hiking with pets at Salamonie Lake should be aware of wildlife encounters, as the trails wind through forested areas with abundant animal activity. The campgrounds provide trash receptacles for proper disposal of pet waste, though dedicated pet waste stations are limited. Most sites require pets to be on leashes not exceeding six feet, with owners responsible for maintaining control and preventing excessive barking during quiet hours. Nearby Peru offers veterinary services approximately 25-30 minutes from Mississinewa Lake Campground. The winter camping experience at these locations provides excellent wildlife viewing opportunities, though bathroom facilities may be limited during off-season months. Trails at these state recreation areas vary in difficulty, making them suitable for different activity levels when hiking with pets.
"We went swimming in the lake. We also had fun trying to outsmart the raccoons that lived under the mini cabins. They were everywhere!"
"I have been to 9 other Indiana State parks, this one is in the top half. Great sites and clean. Large clean lake with beach. Lots of trails and many views. Staff is very friendly."
from $20 - $52 / night
Check Availability"It would have been nice if there were pet station placed around the campground to make it easy for dog walkers to rid themselves of their full poop bags and to provide folks a place to get poop bags if"
"This is one of the best parks we have been to in Indiana. We Volunteer all over our the USA at State Parks and National Forest. So we know what to look for."
from $14 - $35 / night
Check Availability"I return to Salamonie River State Forest year after year because it truly feels like Northeast Indiana’s best-kept secret."
"As far as Indiana parks goes, this is a hidden gem. We have camped here many times. Even the trails we frequent always seem new because each season offers a different kind of beauty."
from $13 - $15 / night
Check Availability"It was very relaxing and I also enjoyed walking on different paths to enjoy nature as it was. I would highly recommend this campground to anyone. It is also family friended"
"Kil-so-qauh, used to be a little hidden gem right outside of town but has turned into quite a popular place, but for good reason."
"Some sites around the back are more private than others. There are not trails to hike but some space to bike. Access to the lake is quite a distance from the actual campground."
"We found a cozy camp site along the back ring near the river. We didn’t have a view but there was an area to go walk over to that had a very picturesque."
from $12 - $15 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $30 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $45 - $55 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $25 - $36 / night
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LegendThe location here is pretty crazy it’s right in the middle of town but feels like a park there is a river and wooded area that makes you feel like you are in nature but you are just a parking lot away from an arena and college. There is a playground and a dog park. Here as well as ball diamonds. This is a great family friendly place but is very very busy during the season.
ScoutThis park is under new ownership. They have gotten the pool repaired and open and have cleaned up much of the park with more to come. The creek flowing through makes it so cool and peaceful and the animal life is beautiful. Saw a huge crane in the creek today along with a whole duck family…the folks there are friendly. There’s a dog park, playground, bounce pad, basketball court, pavilion and a great big dam across the street where the fishing is great! Boats are welcome and the staff is great!
TravelerI return to Salamonie River State Forest year after year because it truly feels like Northeast Indiana’s best-kept secret. This 21‑site primitive campground offers peaceful seclusion, 4 pit toilets, and two water sources—including a spring‑fed spigot with crisp, cold, delicious drinking water. I’ve stayed at several sites, with Site 18 and Site 20 as favorites. Tent‑friendly, small camper-friendly, pet‑friendly, and just $15/night, it sits beside horse trails, hiking routes, and great fishing. A small campground with big shine—highly recommended.
TravelerI stayed with full hookups, but no cable (don't need it, so don't know if it's available) and we weren't close enough to connect to the WIFI (only close enough to occasionally see 1 bar pop up).
Friendly folks, catch and release fishing pond, and a pond with beach for swimming. Good size playground, jump pad, and off-leash"dog park" available as well.
On AT&T, I typically had 2 bars and no problem streaming music or browsing Facebook. My fellow travelers, on Sprint, said they had poor reception. I'm guessing 1 bar.
Worth noting that my wife said the water pressure in the shower house was fairly low. (I shower in the camper, so can't comment.) Water pressure was fine at our site, though. Also worth noting that many of the back-in sites can be pull-through if you get there when it's not busy.
GuideThe beach was clean and fun. Not very busy when we were there, which was nice. We stayed on Campsite 208. Nice size campsite, which good shade. The campsite did have a bigger than expected slope, but nothing horrible. Some campsite s looked amazing and others looked to be in major need of some TLC. Most of the campsites were in need of a fresh layer of gravel for their parking pads. The restrooms were clean, and the hot water was plentiful for my shower. It would have been nice if there were pet station placed around the campground to make it easy for dog walkers to rid themselves of their full poop bags and to provide folks a place to get poop bags if they forgot to bring some. Overall a great weekend.
ScoutWe camped here for a little over a year and the place has gone downhill fast. Property is hardly kept up, owner allows trashy campers yo be abandoned on the property, most of the people camping here don’t pay, loose dogs and cats run around the campground. Price is $700 for four weeks with electric only. Bath house is disgusting. The area and space is nice but that’s about it
GuideThey have a tremendous pet park with a well maintained yard. The only problem so far has been the water distribution. But the price is very affordable. My site was 30 dollars a night. Bath house and bathrooms are very nicely kept clean. And there is a river right beside it.
GuideI've traveled across the US and this is the best campground I've stayed in. First of all it's very clean which is surprising for Indiana. Back up to the river. Great views. Free hot showers! Quiet. Feels secluded though close to town. Good price too. Free wifi that worked so well we could both work online and stream TV! It does not get any better. Dog friendly. Nice playground for the kids. Fire circles and clean picnic tables at each site. If I lived here, I'd come here often. Great place. Walking and biking trails. Canoeing and kayaking. Historic bridge.
GuideWe heard a lot of good things recently about this park. We had no idea it was so close to us too. We packed up the dogs and headed to France Park for a full day of exploring, followed by staying at a primitive campsite.
We took two vehicles since we wanted to leave one at our campsite. Some sites are clustered together, however we lucked out and got one along the fishing lake with no nearby neighbors.
The quarry, wow! It was beyond stunning and never what I expected to see in an Indiana park. We had an amazing hike, checking out the quarry. We ventured out on one more trail and saw the waterfall but headed to our site to set up camp afterwards.
Park was quiet at night for the most part. The RV area isn’t too far away and sound does travel. Lots of people drive golf carts out there. At night you can hear the major highway too, but it didn’t stop us from having a good time.
We will definitely be going back again.
Mississinewa Lake provides ample options for pet friendly camping near Somerset, Indiana. The landscape features a mix of open grassy areas and wooded sites across various recreation areas, with an elevation ranging between 700-780 feet. Winter temperatures often drop below freezing from December through February, while summer camping season typically brings humid conditions with daytime highs reaching 85-90°F.
Stargazing opportunities: At Mississinewa Lake Campground, campers can take advantage of clear night skies away from urban light pollution. "Amazing spot for stargazing. Local trails are abundant and vary in difficulty. The lake was gorgeous and easy to get to within the park," notes Lauren Z.
Winter wildlife viewing: For off-season visitors, Mississinewa Lake offers excellent nature observation opportunities during quieter months. "Winter camping so no showers/bathrooms. Great area, lots of wildlife. They have wifi (bye the water tower) nice lake, some trails," shares kim K.
Kayaking and fishing: The waterways provide calm areas perfect for paddling and catching fish. At Kil-So-Quah - J. Edward Roush Lake, visitors can enjoy "Regular campground with pit toilets. Electric and primitive sites available. Good bird watching spot. Lots of eagles. Nice place," according to Erica A. For fishing enthusiasts, "Fishing usually good" at Beaver Point Campground, according to Jennifer B.
Spacious, level sites: Campers appreciate the well-maintained grounds at Lost Bridge West State Recreation Area Campgrounds. "The beach was clean and fun. Not very busy when we were there, which was nice. We stayed on Campsite 208. Nice size campsite, which good shade," reports Burns G.
Clean facilities: Modern amenities receive positive feedback. "Clean sites, definitely seemed geared towards rv/campers but we fit in with our tent. The lake was gorgeous and easy to get to within the park. Bonus they sell ice right in the park. Bathrooms were clean and well maintained," says Lauren Z. about Mississinewa Lake Campground.
Privacy in wooded areas: Salamonie River State Forest offers more secluded options for those seeking solitude. "Small campground. 13$. No reservations, but sites seem readily available, even on weekends in the summer. Spacious sites. Fairly wooded," notes Fern B.
Bathroom availability varies: During winter months, expect limited facilities at some locations. "Winter camping so no showers/bathrooms," mentions kim K. about Mississinewa Lake Campground. Other campgrounds may have ongoing maintenance issues: "The women's bathrooms had overflowing toilets the whole time we were there. They couldn't seem to figure out how to fix the problem," shares Donna G.
Noise considerations: Some campgrounds have nearby shooting ranges. At Kilsoquah Camp, "there is a shooting range across the lake so there is gunfire most of the day," according to Alysha W.
Cell service limitations: Connectivity can be spotty in the region. "Internet rarely worked and Verizon coverage was extremely minimal," reports Josh about Mississinewa Lake Campground.
Reservation systems: Not all campgrounds allow advance booking. "No reservations, but sites seem readily available, even on weekends in the summer," says Fern B. about Salamonie River State Forest.
Playground access: Multiple play areas are available for children at certain campgrounds. Kilsoquah Camp offers "Lots of playground equipment and paved areas for bikes," according to Maris H.
Quiet atmosphere: For families seeking peaceful camping near Somerset, Indiana, certain locations are particularly suitable. "We've stayed twice over different holiday weekends and it's been quiet and no rowdy partying which is a plus for us since we have small children," shares Sara H. about Mississinewa Lake Campground.
Swimming beaches: While not all water access points allow pets, many have designated swimming areas. Lost Bridge West has a "beach within the park," according to J C., making it popular for families with children.
Holiday activities: Tall Sycamore Campground provides organized events during peak times. "Holidays are very activity friendly. Owners are amazing. Seasonal campers are all great friends and helpful," notes Scott F.
Hookup availability: RV campers should note the varying levels of services. "Very nice campground. There are some spots with full hookups. Most are electric only. There are also quite a few spots that are full though so for bigger rigs that is really nice," explains Elizabeth T. about Mississinewa Lake Campground.
Dump station timing: Plan accordingly for departure days. "When you are leaving there are 3 dump stations and it can get really really busy and long waits," advises Elizabeth T.
Water fill stations: "Down side is if you don't haul with water you better fill up at the full station when you see it cuz it gets busy," warns Elizabeth T. about Mississinewa Lake Campground.
Site selection: Some campgrounds offer better RV access than others. "Sites 221- 243, 202-204 offer lake views. I say VIEWS, not access," explains Cynthia K. about Lost Bridge West State Recreation Area.
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Somerset, IN is Mississinewa Lake Campground with a 4-star rating from 24 reviews.
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