britni M.
Scout
ScoutBowling Green KOA
Everything we needed
Great pull through spots. Every ammenity needed. Pet friendly with dog park for off-leash use. If ever that way again, will definitely us. 30 minites from Mammoth Cave.
Dog-Friendly Camping near Sweeden, KY
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Mammoth Cave Campground's pet-friendly sites accommodate tent, RV, cabin, and glamping visitors throughout the park's extensive grounds. Leashed pets are welcome at all campsites, with each accommodation including picnic tables, fire rings, and lantern hooks where campers and their dogs can settle in. Nolin Lake State Park Campground, located just 15 minutes from Mammoth Cave, provides spacious lakeside sites that allow pets with minimal restrictions. Campsites at Nolin are particularly dog-friendly with level, well-maintained areas that provide enough space for pets to move around while remaining leashed. The campgrounds themselves are surrounded by trees and feature clean facilities including restrooms and trash collection. Pets must remain leashed at all times in public areas, including trails and camping areas. Houchins Ferry Campground offers more secluded options for those seeking primitive camping with their dogs in a quieter setting.
Green River access points throughout Mammoth Cave National Park provide excellent opportunities for pet owners to enjoy water activities with their dogs. Several hiking trails within the park system accommodate leashed pets, though dogs are not permitted inside the caves themselves for safety reasons. The First Creek Dispersed Camping area provides more remote hiking options with dogs, featuring a beautiful pond at the trail's end that empties into Green River. Pet owners should come prepared with ample water and waste bags as services are limited in more remote camping areas. Visitors camping with dogs should be aware of wildlife interactions and take appropriate food storage precautions, especially at primitive sites. Summer months bring higher humidity and temperatures, so early morning or evening walks are recommended for dogs. The clean, well-maintained campsites at Nolin Lake State Park provide an ideal base for families camping with dogs, offering enough space between sites to accommodate pets comfortably while providing lake access for swimming.
Best Dog-Friendly Campgrounds near Sweeden (55)
1. Mammoth Cave Campground — Mammoth Cave National Park
"Bathrooms were close by and air conditioned too! The showers are in the general store building where the post office is so a short walk or drive there."
"green river, which was enjoyed by all, and we appreciated avoiding the main entrance besieged by spring break campers!"
from $25 - $50 / night
Check Availability2. Nolin Lake State Park Campground
"Near Brownsville, Ky and a little off the beaten path. But definitely worth a visit or two."
"This lakeside getaway is one that will keep us coming back!! If you've never been to Kentucky...this will keep you coming back to the Bluegrass to camp for years to come!"
from $27 - $45 / night
Check Availability3. Moutardier
"It is located on Nolin River Lake. Our site was lakeside which was beautiful (Site D6). This campsite offered electric/water hookup, fire pit, picnic table, filet table, bathrooms, and showers. "
"Family and pet friendly"
from $18 - $50 / night
Check Availability4. Wax - Nolin River Lake
"Wax Campground is located on Nolin River Lake, which is managed by the Army Corp of Engineers. Translated; well maintained, picturesque and organized."
"The area surrounds Lake Nolan, which is an added bonus. The water was warm and calm. It is off the beaten path and you are about 30 min from a grocery store, so make sure you stock up before you go."
from $18 - $50 / night
Check Availability5. Dog Creek Campground
"Dog Creek Campground is located on Nolin River Lake in the Kentucky countryside."
"Seems all sites have a lake view. Less than half full sun-Tuesday. Stayed at a006. Very close to beach, but that means you hear everything at the beach. Very humid and virtually no shade at our site."
from $18 - $50 / night
Check Availability6. Maple Springs Campground — Mammoth Cave National Park
"I chose this site because it was pet friendly. Each site was spacious with room for up to three tents without feeling crowded."
"Nice large camping areas, secluded and quiet, easy access to the trails. Well maintained full hookup for RVs and plenty of room for your horse too."
from $50 / night
Check Availability7. Houchin Ferry Campground — Mammoth Cave National Park
"It's located on the green river and has very spacious campsites. Plenty of room for the kids or dogs to run around. Very secluded. There is a concrete picnic table, pole and fire pit at each spot."
"Lost of space to run around with the kids. Pretty view of the river. Sites 1-6 were pretty close together. I would have picked site 8 if I had to go again."
8. Singing Hills RV Park And Campground
"This campground is located near the entrance of Mammoth Cave National Park. It is a great place for a day or two of relaxation before getting back on the highway."
"Our site was right next to the catch and release pond. We had a little bridge that crossed the creek from our main site to an additional space where our fire ring was."
9. Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park at Mammoth Cave
"Close proximity to Mammoth Cave. Don’t miss the Amish bakery/cafe nearby!"
"The older sites are more established with shade but most are gravel and not as easy to access while walking or biking. Karst beach is so nice with the wibit (extra cost but worth it)."
10. Thousand Trails Diamond Caverns RV & Golf Resort
"This park is located on the entrance road to Mammoth Caves NP, and it is a spectacular way to stay and enjoy the hiking in the caves!"
"The dumpster is centrally located and easy to find. On arrival, you get a map and good information. Across the street from Diamond Caverns!"
Drive Time
- 30 min from Bowling Green, KY
- 47 min from Elizabethtown, KY
- 1 hr 11 min from Owensboro, KY
- 1 hr 22 min from Louisville, KY
Recent Dog-Friendly Camping Photos near Sweeden, KY
74 Photos of 55 Sweeden Campgrounds
Shelly S.
First Creek Dispersed Camping — Mammoth Cave National Park
Shelly S.
Nolin Lake State Park Campground
Shelly S.
Mammoth Cave Horse Camp — Mammoth Cave National Park
Shelly S.
Maple Springs Campground — Mammoth Cave National Park
Lena L.
Mammoth Cave Campground — Mammoth Cave National Park
Shelly S.
Thousand Trails Diamond Caverns RV & Golf Resort
Sheri K.
Singing Hills RV Park And Campground
Brandon D.
Mollys Ridge at Mammoth Cave
Brandie B.
Cave Country RV Campground
Heidi J.
Horse Cave KOA
Joel R.
Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park at Mammoth Cave
Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Sweeden, KY
584 Reviews of 55 Sweeden Campgrounds
Jody A.
GuideHorse Cave KOA
This is a CUTE campground!
This is a super cute campground. Easily accessible and very clean sites! There is a small barn with animals penned up so you can just walk up to the fence and pet them. My wife and daughter loved that! Great little dog park with a mini obstacle course. We had a great little trip here and would love to come again for a longer stay!
Thomas R.
TravelerCave Country RV Campground
Good stop along the way
Off the freeway and very convenient. Very clean. Great dog park. Do not camp close to the railroad tracks. Loud horns in the middle of the night. Not much shade. Close to Mammoth Caves.
Shelly S.
LegendBowling Green KOA
Why would I pay that much?!
My brother visits KOA’s all the time for camping. Me, not so much. I have a hard time paying $40 for a tent site when I can camp for free or under $20. The Bowling Green KOA, Ky is located on the outskirts of Bowling Green near the I65 and Natcher interchange. You can actually see the back end of the campground from the ramp that connects the two. My first thought when considering a stay.
I spoke with two of the very friendly and helpful ladies in the office and got a plethora of information. So much so that I’m sure I’ll forget some of it, but here goes;) So first with your fee you recieve (you and all your group) a free game of Minature Golf a day. Next there is wifi and cable available. There is a swimming pool on site and two pay lakes with paddle boats. A dog park and short trail. Depending on the month you visit there are also special incentives to stay an extra night. In May some of your fee is donated to Camp. With a KOA card there are special incentives too and you earn points with every stay. So, all that being said I did purchase a KOA card. Though this is not my favorite type of camping it will come in handy on an upcoming trip and when I camp with my brother ;) I was pleasantly surprised that the interstate noise was mostly not noticiple. There are plenty of trees that help block the noise and offer a lot of shade. We were in a busier site at the end of Abby Dr but it was an easy walk to the two small “lakes“( more like ponds ) and the dog park and showerhouse (with dogwash station) were a short walk away. Not much else to do but a fun enough spot for younger kids. ( no “bears“ to take photos with) and not as many special activities as some other theme campgrounds. This is a nice older campground, worth a night or two visit to get away from the grind for a bit.
MickandKarla W.LegendBowling Green KOA
Nice KOA
This KOA was easy to find by following our GPS. We checked in about 45 minutes prior to their 1:00 PM check in time and they didn’t even mention us being early. We decided we didn’t need an escort to our site as it was near the office. We proceeded to deluxe-patio pull-through site H-4 with FHUs. The utilities were nicely placed in the middle of the pad. Water pressure was good at about 50 psi. This site has plenty of shade as does most sites in the campground (CG) due to mature trees, so we did not put out Starlink. We got 4 bars LTE on Verizon and used our MiFi versus Starlink. Site H-4 has a utility box on the yard side, so we had extra space between the adjacent site. They have a decent sized dog park with an agility set up. This KOA has a lot of amenities and lives up to a Holiday KOA rating. The dog park is a nice size. They have a decent laundry room behind the office with 4 washers and 8 dryers. It’s$2.50 to wash and$1.50 to dry. They have 2 fishing ponds. The large one you can keep 2 fish for$20 and the small one is catch and release. There’s some traffic noise from I-65 and surrounding roads. Our main reason to visit the area was to visit the National Corvette Museum. We enjoyed our two night stay.
Pawsfuradventure T.GuideMoutardier
Lakeside, fisherman's paradise
Moutardier Campground is a fisherman’s paradise. It is located on Nolin River Lake. Our site was lakeside which was beautiful (Site D6). This campsite offered electric/water hookup, fire pit, picnic table, filet table, bathrooms, and showers. There were boat ramps, a marina nearby to rent boats, and also offered a playground. Pets were welcomed (we have a dog and a hiking cat). We also had cell service (Verizon).
The view of the lake from the teardrop camper was awesome. We kayaked around the lake which was very enjoyable - saw ducks, and birds such as a grey heron. Also lots of fish jumping. There are power boats allowed in the lake. Many people were fishing from their boats, kayaks, or from the shore.
There is also a two mile hike that is in the campground called Shady Creek Trail. It looked like it had not been hiked in a while but it went through woods, small stream and had a cool rock formation at one part that you would swear is a haven for snakes. Pets enjoyed it but beware if you do not like spiders. This trail was covered in spiders and webs. No exaggeration that we cleared about a hundred spiders out of our path.
The campground was very well manicured and clean. Many of the sites were right on the lake. They were close together but did not seem it as they were on different levels and angles. Everyone was quiet and courteous. Bathrooms were very clean and well lit. The showers were “dated” - water stains but clean. Great water pressure and hot water.
There was no store on the campground but 5 minutes away was a great little restaurant called Sherry’s that we had both lunch and breakfast at. Food was delicious (fried dill pickle chips!) and one could buy bags of ice.
Overall this was a very relaxing campground. We met some wonderful people who have been coming to the campground for years. It is about 30 minutes from Mammoth Caves which was a great place to explore. Overall we gave the campground a 4 - lakeside and if you love to fish - it’s paradise.
- hholly S.Traveler
Jellystone Park at Mamoth Cave
Well maintained, easy access sites
Kid friendly park, no mature trees in new section but concrete pad with grill and fire pit. Pool with splash pad, pools, pillow pads, multiple playgrounds, dog parks and kennels are available. Also, lots of golf carts to rent.
- SScott M.Traveler
Cave Country RV Campground
Cave Country
This RV Park is clean and well maintained. The dog park is beautiful with well trimmed grass and large. They have a nice swimming pool, picnic tables, and fire rings. Nice large gravel pull through site and level. The Mammoth Cave National Park is 10 miles with many other attractions nearby. We stayed for a week and loved it.
Alejandra E.GuideMammoth Cave Campground — Mammoth Cave National Park
Great camping spot
We booked a group site and had 3 tents. It’s very woodsy and tranquil. Bathrooms were close by and air conditioned too! The showers are in the general store building where the post office is so a short walk or drive there. It’s coin operated with a change machine for bills. $1.50 to turn the shower on and insert more coins before it turns off for additional time if needed. The park is amazing and there’s lots of trails that lead to caves and cave openings. All the cave tours within the park were fully booked when we went so we booked some private tours outside the park in the surrounding area. Lots of opportunities to see caves! We stayed for two nights and did some star gazing! Overall great campground and facilities. They also have a kennel for a small fee at the park lodge if you bring your pet and you’re going in a cave tour whether in the park or outside of it. Pets are generally not allowed in caves. Just confirm pet is vaccinated.
Guide to Sweeden
Dispersed camping areas near Sweeden, Kentucky provide access to the Green River and hiking trails while offering more solitude than established campgrounds. First Creek Dispersed Camping area features multiple sites with direct trail access to the Green River, located about 12 miles from the main Mammoth Cave visitor center. Most primitive sites require advance registration at the park lodge before using, even though they're free.
What to do
Kayaking Green River: Several put-in points for kayak trips are available throughout the Green River area. Nolin Lake State Park Campground offers excellent lake kayaking with calmer waters. "This campground books 6 months out. Very hard to get a spot, but so worth it! Water front sites in cove so not a lot of boat traffic," notes Laura O.
Fishing opportunities: Many campgrounds have designated fishing areas with access to stocked lakes and ponds. "The sites were lakeside which was beautiful (Site D6). This campsite offered electric/water hookup, fire pit, picnic table, filet table, bathrooms, and showers," writes Pawsfuradventure T. about Moutardier Campground.
Cave tours beyond Mammoth: While Mammoth Cave is the main attraction, smaller cave systems are worth exploring. "The campground is standard run of fair, pretty spacious & woodsy. THE CAVE IS VERY BIG AND COOL. Reserve the all day guided tour with crawling about in small spaces for the best experience," advises Dan X.
Geocaching: Many trails in the area support geocaching adventures, though you should download coordinates in advance. "If your going to geocache pre-save your coordinates and instructions cause there is no signal in the park," recommends one experienced camper.
What campers like
Quiet weekday camping: Midweek stays offer significantly more solitude and space at many campgrounds. "We are here during the week so it's really nice and quiet!! Would definitely come back!" reports Nancy B. about Dog Creek Campground.
Wildlife viewing: Many campsites offer opportunities to spot local wildlife right from your campsite. "Very clean & quiet! The wildlife are very friendly!" writes Gloria J. about her experience at Mammoth Cave Campground.
Evening firefly displays: Summer campers often mention spectacular firefly shows. "We tent camped here in July and saw hundreds of lightning bugs! It was magical, that really made the experience so much better for us!" shares Shea M.
Well-maintained facilities: Despite being rural, many campgrounds maintain excellent facilities. "Shower houses were newer and spotless with good water pressure and even hot water," reports Gary P. about Wax Campground.
What you should know
Site selection matters: Choose carefully based on your camping goals and weather conditions. "Some have wonderful lake access, shade, and a bit of seclusion, others no trees, no lake, in the middle of everyone. Section C has some of the nicer sites, even one with a little lagoon perfect to launch your yaks from," advises Casey C.
Limited cell service: Most campgrounds have spotty coverage at best. "No signal at all on my phone or my husband phone but it was okay," notes Linda T. about her stay at Dog Creek Campground.
Tick prevention essential: The area has significant tick populations, especially in spring and early summer. "The only downside to the entire trip is that the park is infested with seed ticks and deer ticks. I was pulling ticks off of every inch of me even though I was coated in several layers of hardcore bug spray," warns Carrie J.
Reservations needed for peak season: Summer and holiday weekends fill quickly, especially at dog friendly campgrounds near Sweeden. "This campground books 6 months out. Very hard to get a spot, but so worth it!" emphasizes one camper about Nolin Lake State Park.
Tips for camping with families
Look for fishing ponds: Kid-friendly fishing opportunities abound at several sites. "The little catch-and-release pond is well-stocked and there is a catfish pay lake across the street, so our boys had plenty of fishing to keep them busy," shares Sarah about Singing Hills Campground.
Consider Halloween camping: Several campgrounds host special Halloween events. "Has a decorating contest with trick or treat in the campground. Safe and clean with lots of restrooms and lake front sites," recommends Laura O.
Bring bikes: The terrain is manageable for children's biking at most established campgrounds. "This is a LARGE campground so renting a golf cart or bringing your bikes is recommended," suggests Samantha B.
Scout playground locations: When booking, check proximity to play areas. "The play ground is huge. There is mini golf, volleyball, and basketball," notes Carolynn K. about Diamond Caverns RV Resort.
Tips from RVers
Water pressure challenges: At some campgrounds, shared water connections can create pressure issues. "Water spigots are also shared, which means you'll have low water pressure if you're both using water simultaneously," cautions Jason F.
Concrete pad considerations: Some sites offer concrete pads, but they may not fit larger rigs. "Some sites has short concrete pads in between gravel while others are just gravel. I would not recommend the concrete pads as most of them are too short for most rigs and will make it challenging to level," advises an experienced RVer at Diamond Caverns RV Resort and Golf.
Ferry access limitations: RVs can't use the Green River Ferry to access certain campgrounds. "If you are in a RV note that you can't go across the ferry with your rig!!! You have to go around the park to access this campground," warns Bounding Around about Maple Springs Campground.
Power fluctuations: Some campgrounds experience electrical challenges during peak usage. "Would have got 5 stars but the power would spike several times a day to 129-132 volts setting off alarm in coach. Highly recommend Surge Protector at this park," recommends Bill B.
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Sweeden, KY is Mammoth Cave Campground — Mammoth Cave National Park with a 4.5-star rating from 140 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 55 dog-friendly camping locations near Sweeden, KY, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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