89 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Balsam Cove Campground accommodates tent and RV campers with pets across 124 sites in Orland, approximately 7 miles from Bucksport. The lakeside property maintains clean facilities with hot showers and features both wooded and open sites for various camping preferences. Seasonal campers often return to Balsam Cove due to its consistent pet policies and spacious sites, with sites becoming available from May 15 through September 25. Campers report the tent sites offer more privacy than the gravel RV areas, though all sites include water and electric hookups. Shady Oaks Campground and Cabins in nearby Orland welcomes pets at their cabins and camping sites from late April through early October, providing a swimming pool and basic camp store for supplies. Branch Lake Camping Area permits pets throughout their waterfront property, featuring a swim beach, playground, and docks for those traveling with boats and dogs.
Pet owners can access Branch Lake for swimming with their dogs, with Adirondack chairs positioned along the shoreline for relaxation while pets play. The campground maintains quiet hours and most campers report friendly, respectful neighbors despite relatively close site spacing. Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park, approximately 45 minutes east, offer extensive pet-friendly hiking trails and activities for day trips. Nearby Ellsworth provides veterinary services, pet supplies, and dining options including Martha's Diner and Dorr Lobster and Seafood Market. Campgrounds in the region typically require leashes and proper waste disposal, with seasonal sites often displaying elaborate setups for longer-term visitors. Most campgrounds enforce standard quiet hours to prevent excessive barking, and many feature shoreline access where dogs can cool off during summer months.
"Pet friendly BUT must be in leak at all times. Cannot be left alone in RV or vehicle. No sewer. Friendly atmosphere"
"beautiful campground with a lot of space for kids and/or dogs to run around, including a jungle gym, basketball court, volley ball, and a dog run. they have a garden of veggies, and flowers, a stage for"
from $14 - $168 / night
Check Availability"They are mainly open in the evenings but also appear to serve lunch and breakfast on the weekends. The camp store was well stocked also."
"My cousins, my husband and our dog rented a deluxe cabin in September, and it was perfect."
"Located on a beautiful lake, this campground is hard to beat for both activities and a sense of calm. Staff is very friendly and accommodating."
from $36 - $89 / night
Check Availability"we stayed here last year on our vacation to maine,we actually made a wrong turn,ended up getting there very late,they left the key for us to find and were very hospitable the entire visit. we stayed for"
"We were welcomed.with a hearty.hello and an escort to our deluxe drive thru site for our 34' motorhome. Management was gracious and very accommodating."
from $36 - $115 / night
Check Availability"Stayed Here for one night after picking up a new travel trailer nearby. The staff and campers were all very friendly and welcoming."
"Snowmobile trails behind the campground lead to a walking path that connects the high school and elementary school for a pleasant walk in the woods."
from $50 / night
Check Availability"Close enough to drive to Mt Desert Island. Campground is set way back off the road so you get no road noise! Visit Bar Harbor, Cadillac Mtn, Fort Knox Observatory."
"The campsite is surrounded by beautiful trees."
"The campsites are primitive (no electricity, water or sewer) and there are no showers on site - there is a pay shower close by outside the park."
"Close proximity to Bar Harbor and a lot of the main attractions of the national park. Showers are just outside of the entrance to the campground, coin operated."
from $30 - $60 / night
Check Availability"**Campground Review: ** Hadley’s Point Campground is located on the north side of Mt Desert Island and just a short distance from Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park."
"There was a fire ring outside of the cabin and a picnic table. We purchased firewood at a stand close to the campground."
from $29 - $90 / night
Check Availability"I couldn't pull in I had to back in yet having the dinette overlooking the lake was nice. Everyone was so nice and helpful. The lake has 26.5 miles perimeter and a maximum depth of 124'."
"Nice peaceful lake view and access. Location was a good 45 min drive from Acadia National Park, longer than we anticipated. Drive got old after a couple days."
"Quick walk to bathrooms & showers, which are very clean. Held lots of activities over the weekend, busy crowd. Got a nice secluded tent space."
ScoutStayed Here for one night after picking up a new travel trailer nearby. The staff and campers were all very friendly and welcoming. Much of the population consists of seasonal campers with huge RVs and Motor Homes. It’s very adult oriented, super quiet, and super clean. There are nice little walking trails and a small fenced in dog park where dogs can play. Would definitely stay here again if in the area!
Legend**Campground Review: **
Hadley’s Point Campground is located on the north side of Mt Desert Island and just a short distance from Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. Hadley’s Point is a large private campground that has tent, water& electric RV, and full hook up sites, as well as Cabins. The campground is broke up in to multiple loops (campground map can be found in my pictures) with some loops in open areas with little shade and sites close together, and other loops have more wooded sites that have some shade and privacy. All style sites include a picnic table and fire ring.
Reservations are site type, not site specific, so a little bit of a gamble. We were assigned site B27 on this visit. This site was partially shade depending on the time of day and very close to our neighbors. Other sites in the B loop did have more trees and more private, but they were full on this stay. Check-in was easy and the staff was very helpful in providing info and answering questions about the area. A host guides you to your site and assist you in positioning if needed.
The bathroom on B-loop does not have showers so we had to hike to other loops to shower. The Bathrooms and showers were very clean. The showers are metered and cost $0.50 per 7 minutes, so don’t forget your quarters!
Firewood and limited supplies were available at the office. There is a full grocery store about 10 minutes away.
We found good cell phone service with Verizon throughout the property. The campground did not have wi-fi.
The campground also has a heated pool, playground, and laundry.
With Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park close by, there is so much to do and see in the area. One of the best benefits of the area is that there is a free shuttle with multiple routes around the island, so you can leave the car and parking hassles behind and just shuttle everywhere. The Shuttle has a stop right on the campground and is dog friendly (on leash and if your dog is friendly).
Speaking of dog friendly, I’ve never been to an area that is so dog friendly. The campground staff was very forthcoming with dog friendly info and I have to mention Bark Harbor in downtown Bar Harbor. Bark Harbor is a pet store that bakes their own treats, has toys and gifts, and tons of info on dog friendly areas on the island. They have pre-printed lists of dog friendly hotels, restaurants, on and off leash hiking trails, and dog parks. Super friendly crew that keyed us into an off leash hiking area that our dogs loved!
Pro Tip: A short ¼ mile walk from the campground is an off leash dog friendly beach that you can also launch your kayak or canoe from or have a sunset beach campfire. We really enjoys this beach after a long day of hiking all around the national park.
With all the outdoor activities of the national park, kayak and boat cruises in the ocean, lobster, lobster, lobster, you’ll need a full week to explore this island. Hadley’s Point made it a perfect place for us to take it all in.
**---------------------------- **
**Product Review: **
As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get to test products. At this campground, I tested the Morsel Spork. This spork from Morel is very handy to have in your gear list. We are teardrop campers, so our space is limited. Everything has to have a purpose and be compact. Items like the Morsel Spork, that serves multiple functions, fit right into our needs. We purchased both the mini and the XL. Both are the same (spork on one end, spoon/scraper on the other end), but the XL is a little longer. We found this very functional for regular eating from plates or bowls, or eating directly from food packets. I also found the scraper spoon side useful in cleaning out our french press carafe. Easy to clean, easy to use, comes in multiple colors, and happy to have it a part of our camping equipment.
GuideWe stayed at this campground unexpectedly as two places I was looking at would not accept reservations less than 24 hours in advance. They had availability, offered wooded tent spots, and were affordable as some campgrounds anymore are charging an arm and leg to camp. When we arrived, the girls in the office were super sweet. They had the essentials needed if you are in a pinch, a cute gift shop for the Bass Harbor Lighthhouse (bring your lighthouse passport with you to get stamped here), have coffee/muffins in the morning, washrooms were very clean, laundry, dog park, dog run, small rec center, and pool. Tent sites are nicely wooded and spaced out, so you are not on top of one another. Quiet hours are between 10 PM and 7 AM, and it was so nice to camp in peace and quiet with others wanting the same thing. There are homes close by, but they are fenced off and really are out of sight, so it's not really an issue. The Bass Harbor Lighthhouse is literally 500 feet away. We could hear the bouy ding from our campsite. There are two beautiful hiking trails .7 miles away from the campgrounds: Ship Harbor and Wonderland, that bring you to beautiful ocean views. One of the Acadia Park entrances is 5 minutes away. Southwest Harbor is a short ride away to grab an ice cream or a nice dinner. There is a brand new mini golf center further down the road that is amazing!! The Acadia Mountain trail is not far nor is the Cranberry Island Ferry. This was a prime location to see another side of Bar Harbor, see beautiful sites and avoid the crowds of downtown Bar Harbor. So happy I stumbled across this campground by accident. I would highly recommend and will definitely return!
LegendOverall, this is a great little private RV park with awesome views (from some sites) and great access to the ocean. The park is conveniently located just a few miles from downtown Belfast (a sweet little Maine town) which offers plenty to do and see. Plus, you are just five miles from the cute town of Searsport which houses the wonderful Penobscot Marine Museum and two miles from Moose Point State Park with hiking trails, picnic areas, and more gorgeous views.
The park offers a variety of sites (44 total) depending on if you want oceanfront, ocean view, or a pull-thru. All sites have electric (50 or 30 amp), water, cable and wifi. The five pull-thru sites also include sewer. A mobile sewer pump-out service is available for guests staying one week or longer and there is a dump station. Roads and sites are gravel with grass patios and level. All sites have a fire ring and picnic table. Our Verizon 4G phone and Hotspot worked great but we mostly used the free wifi which worked very well.
Park amenities include private ocean access, horseshoes, playground, laundry, showers/bathrooms, free coffee in the morning, free weekend papers delivered to your site, free donuts on Sunday mornings, and a restaurant on-site. The park organizes a lot of group activities including pot lucks, lobster shore dinners, and free wine and beer during Friday Happy Hours. The laundry has two wash machines/dryers and was clean and tidy.
The Moorings is in a great location. It is just a few miles from downtown Belfast where you will find restaurants, a brewery, boutiques, a movie theater, art galleries, historic museums/sites, and plenty of water-related activities. Grocery stores and fuel stations are within a few miles of the RV Park. Just a mere 20 miles away is the popular coastal town of Camden.
What we liked about this park is the town of Belfast and how close the RV park is to downtown. Also, the parks small size and friendly people make this an enjoyable place to stay. We like the fact that they had social activities (like free happy hour and donuts) that bring people together. The ocean access in this park is great! A short set of stairs takes you down to the water which is great for exploring, launching kayaks, and letting the dog run/swim when the tide is out.
The biggest downside for us was the price and lack of sewer and 50 amp at some sites. Our site was $66/night for a FHU (50 amp) pull-thru on the hill in the front of the park without much in the way of a water view. Premier oceanfront sites (with no sewer and 30 amps) are $72/night during high season. That being said, there are not too many options for campgrounds in the Belfast area and we really did like staying here.
From a dog owners perspective this park gets mixed reviews. The rules ask that dogs be on a 4’ or less lease, you may only have two pets (unless you get prior approval), they must do their business in one small area and are not allowed on most grassy areas throughout the park. We make a consorted effort not too let our dog pee or poop in others yards but we don’t always have control over where that happens. We did like the fact that you could take them down to the ocean to play in the water and on the beach when the tide was out. Within two miles of the RV park is Moose Point State Park with a few miles of hiking trails, picnic area and water access (a daily use fee is charged). Downtown Belfast does have a fenced off-leash 1.4 – acre dog park with water for dogs and benches for owners.
GuideMy family and I stayed at this KOA this past week. It was agreat experience! That staff was awesome and over the top accommodating. We had a pull through site with full hook up right across from the on site Lobster Trap Cafe. The site was spacious and comfortable. The whole campground was neat and clean. Staff members pick up trash throughout the day at all of the sites. The Lobster Trap had a good menu, and great customer service. They are mainly open in the evenings but also appear to serve lunch and breakfast on the weekends.
The camp store was well stocked also. There is also an island shuttle bus stop right at the entrance to the campground. There is a gas station and take out restaurant ( Island Take Out) right across from the entrance as well. There was a nice dog park as well. Cell service with AT&T was great. Cell service with T-Mobile was spotty. We did not try the campground wifi. The only down side to the trip was gnats and mosquitos, but that was all over the island and no fault of the KOA. This was one of the best KOA's we have visited and we will definitely stay there again when we visit Acadia.
GuideWe camped for years and years at Mount Desert Campground with our four children and my Sister-in-Law and her two sons. The kids are all grown now and are taking their own camping trips to this amazing place. It is a family run campground with immaculate grounds and bathroom facilities on Somes Sound in Mt. Desert, Maine which is right next to the fabulous town of Bar Harbor and Acadia National Forest. There are so many activities and amenities just minutes from this lovely campground but, if you choose to stay put...you will not be disappointed. There are lovely camp roads to walk, run, or bike. Fresh air to breathe, an epic long dock to catch and release crabs near, kayak or canoe rentals, and so much more. The Camp store has wonderful provisions including homemade bear claws in the am to enjoy with coffee or tea. It is above and beyond a family favorite place to camp in Maine.
GuideHadley's Point is a private campground just outside Acadia National Park. This campground prides itself on being family-friendly and welcoming to pets.
Children are allowed to bike throughout the campground until dusk. While we stayed, there was a campground-wide Fourth of July bike parade. The kids loved it.
Pets are welcome but cannot be abandoned in the motorhome when you leave. Plan to take your pet with you everywhere.
Hadley's Point offers laundry facilities, showers, a heated pool, cornhole, and shuffleboard. While the pool is heated, it is not hot -- or even very warm. But this is Maine we are talking about, and I'm sure that the water was warmer than it would otherwise have been.
The campground is primarily designed to accommodate RVs and motorhomes. The large fields and open lots for RVs provide ample parking and the campground offered electricity as well as other hookups.
Cute cabins offer cozy sleeping (but no running water) for visitors without tents or RVs.
We brought our tent and felt a little like second-class citizens at this RV-focused campground. The tent sites were tiny. Our large van, tent, and screened-in pavilion covered the entire site, leaving very little walking space. Our site also lacked trees for shade and hammocks.
Worse yet, the campground has an infestation of Black-Legged Deer Ticks -- the ticks responsible for Lyme disease. We found two on our son during our stay. I hope they treat for these ticks soon because it poses a huge risk to their campers.
There is a lot of potential for this campground but they need to spray the grounds for ticks and create more comfortable sites. They could be awesome if they shifted their focus from trying to fit as many people as possible to creating a comfortable camping experience for all.
Pros:
- Heated pool
- Bathrooms cleaned regularly
- Laundry
- Good price
- Good location
- Playground
- Kid and pet friendly
- Island Explorer Bus stops at the campground
Cons:
- Cramped sites
- Ticks
- Crowded
TravelerPerfect pet friendly campground near Acadia but far enough away from it all. Friendly staff, peaceful nature setting on the water, and starry nights. Clean bathrooms and large campsites. Couldn’t have asked for more. Great also if you love kayaking or paddling!!
GuideGreat place to camp outside the crazy tourist packed Acadia but only a 25 minute drive to the park. Very nice sites, flush toilets and showers. I got a lake view site but also forested sites available. Pet friendly camping. Would definitely go back!
Bucksport is located on the Penobscot River, approximately 18 miles from Bangor and 35 miles from Acadia National Park. The region features a humid continental climate with warm summers averaging 75°F and cold winters with temperatures frequently dropping below freezing. Most campgrounds operate seasonally from mid-May through September or early October, closing before the first frost typically arrives in mid-October.
Kayaking on Branch Lake: The 26.5-mile perimeter lake reaches depths of 124 feet and offers protected waters for paddlers. "We had loons come in close to our site. Saw an Eagle too. We sat our chairs in the water and cooled down everyday and floated on our noodles," notes a visitor at Branch Lake Camping area.
Visit Fort Knox Historic Site: Located just minutes from Bucksport, this 19th-century granite fort offers self-guided tours. "Close to Belfast and the Fort Knox," mentions a reviewer from Searsport Shores Ocean Campground.
Hiking in Acadia: Drive approximately 45 minutes to access Acadia's extensive trail system. "Stayed so we'd be close to the water as well as in the park. Great base camp for activities. Could get up and walk to loop road with my bike, or go a little further and sit on the boulders overlooking the sea," shares a visitor to Blackwoods Campground.
Waterfront access: Many campgrounds offer direct water access for swimming and boating. "Our waterfront site 344 was terrific - gorgeous view, and one of the larger waterfront spots. We could launch our kayaks directly from the site," notes a camper at Bar Harbor Oceanside KOA.
Community atmosphere: Seasonal campers create a welcoming environment. "Don't judge a book by its cover... Everyone there was extremely nice and friendly. There were a lot of seasonal campers there who were very helpful and friendly but also did not intrude on your space," reports a first-time camper at Branch Lake Camping Area.
Proximity to services: Ellsworth provides convenient shopping and dining. "The town of Ellsworth has everything you need. Walmart, home depot, the Global beverage store, laundry places, and best of all Martha's Diner. The best eggs benedict with ham," shares a Branch Lake camper.
Site privacy varies significantly: Tent sites typically offer more seclusion than RV areas. "We tent camp, without power, so we are way out back. No car noise, private, a bit of a walk to the showers and bathrooms but the privacy is worth it," explains a reviewer from Bangor Holden KOA.
Reservation policies differ by campground: Some enforce strict cancellation terms. "We incurred damage to our vehicle relying on the eyes/directions of an employee. The sites are very close together, some are shaded, some not. Our sewer dump was 3 ft or less from the neighbors fire pit," warns a visitor to Hadley's Point Campground.
Off-season availability: Some locations offer reduced services in spring and fall. "We stayed in one of their cabins out of season and really enjoyed it. Not far from the best Acadia hiking (like 20 minutes), has a nice view of the ocean," shares a guest at Bar Harbor Oceanside KOA.
Look for organized activities: Some campgrounds provide structured entertainment. "We did the pancake breakfast for donation, crafts, and wagon ride durring the day as well as enjoyed the well kept pool. The kids loved the playground and the ice cream window," recommends a visitor at Bangor Holden KOA.
Consider tent site location: Walk-in sites might require equipment transport. "The tents sites aren't accessible by car though, so you need to put all your camping equipment into a wagon and pull it to your site," notes a visitor at Searsport Shores Ocean Campground.
Check for family amenities: Some campgrounds cater specifically to children. "My daughter begs to camp here. As with any KOA they have lots of activities throughout the day for families, and a pool, but she loves the ice pop contest. if you find a painted rock and bring it to the office you get a free ice pop," shares a parent from Bar Harbor Oceanside KOA.
Site selection matters: Request specific sites when possible. "Nice campground that is very clean and quiet. Seems to be targeted at older crowd with no playground or pool. Sites are very clean, good space, well laid out and pretty level," reports an RVer from Pumpkin Patch RV Resort.
Consider seasonal stays: Many RVers establish longer-term setups. "We are full time RV'rs and have stayed at lots of campgrounds but this place holds a special place in our hearts. The people working are the perfect compliment to a beautiful location," explains a visitor at Searsport Shores Ocean Campground.
Verify hookup availability: Water, electric and sewer connections vary by site. "We offer a pump out service twice a week which is nice," mentions a Branch Lake Camping Area guest about managing longer stays without full hookups.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Bucksport, ME?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Bucksport, ME is Searsport Shores Ocean Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 17 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Bucksport, ME?
TheDyrt.com has all 89 dog-friendly camping locations near Bucksport, ME, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
