Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Skowhegan, ME

Basically this is a small independent RV park split between season RV campers and regular RV campers. The only reason for a tent camper to go is to take advantage of the laundry room and the nicely scrubbed showers. It’s 5 minutes from Skowhegan and a short 2 minutes from Kennebec Banks rest area on route 2.

There are about 5 tent sites– two of which are on a small point stretching into the confluence of the great Kennebec River and the small Wesserunsett River. 

The only two tent sites I would recommend are #50 & #51 on the point with # 51 being most desirable. I absolutely would not recommend any of the other tent sites for various reasons. I used site #51 and pitched my tent about 20ft from the Kennebec. At 6:45am  I saw two bald eagles patrolling the Kennebec. 

The RV sites that are interesting are the ones directly along the Kennebec. They are sites 39-45; 47A; 47B; 47C; 48; and, they park parallel to the river. Otherwise, it’s a very tight center filled with RV’s and very large motor homes. Sites # 52– 58 may look like they are water sites… but the water feature on the map is only a brushy swamp. 

The 2 showers are very good, clean and include a bench. There are 2 flush toilets also sparkling clean; but, they are some distance from The Point. The 24hour self-operated laundry is housed in a small, dedicated bungalow. There are 2-3 docks and canoes to use. 

At night, one can clearly hear the noise from route 2 just at the edge of the campground. The river amplifies the sound of cars passing by.

Overall, 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.

I don’t have many complaints about this campground. There was a slight bee problem during our stay, but that’s to be expected. Most of the bathrooms in the park were closed down except for one, which our site (29) was next to. They have running hot water showers, a large basin sink outside to wash dishes, and flush toilets. The beach isn’t a far walk away, if you wanted to go on a small hike. Pets are allowed at the campground, but not on the beach. There’s also plenty of trails to explore.

If you need firewood, there’s a store on the way to the park that sells some as well as a shaws and a tractor supply in town that sells it as well. The parks fire wood burns too quickly.

Overall, would recommend

We love everything about this campground and were glad we booked for the whole month of September! The campground opened in May 2022 and is just what the Greenville area of Maine needed– a nice, large campground which is big-rig-friendly, nice amenities, and close to downtown. Everything about this park is very well-done from the layout to the landscaping to the fancy fire pits. 

The owners are super friendly and take great pride in how the campground looks. Moose Creek has just over 100 sites and they are expanding in 2023 to include more RV/tent sites, cabins, and a rental house. The place really deserves the title of “resort” with amenities like a large 25 x 90’ heated swimming pool, 3.5-acre stocked fishing pond with kayaks/paddleboats/canoes, large spacious sites, restaurant and bar with live music on the weekends, nice camp store with clothes, gifts, food and RV supplies, dog park, volleyball/basketball courts, and a playground. 

All campsites and roads are gravel with a mix of pull-thrus and back-ins. All sites have a nice picnic table, large gravel patio and well-placed water/sewer/electric hook-up. There is no cable but many sites have a clear view to the sky so you can pick up satellite or over-the-air channels. The only critism we have is that a handful of sites are sloped and we would not be able to get our 45’ motorhome level, luckily our site (#10) was perfectly level. Our favorite sites are 10 and 17–26 which are back-ins with privacy behind you and nice separation between sites. 

The pavilion and café are the hub of activities and a great place to grab a bite after a long day hiking. The food they offer is not what you would typically find in a campground and much more creative like a smoked trout plate, charcuterie, roasted mesquite Brussel sprouts, and slow roasted pork pile nachos. They also have a full bar and great beer list. In addition to bar seating and plenty of indoor tables there is lots of outdoor seating and propane firepits with comfortable chairs. There is live music on the weekends which draws a great crowd and all the bands played a nice mix of music that seemed to please everyone. 

Prices during the summer season are$55 (for a standard site) and$60 for premium– which is a great price in this region of the country and for a nice campsite with lots of amenities. Monthly discounts are available which drastically reduce the price. Campsites are designed for RV’s but you are permitted to put a tent on any site. All the facilities were super clean and the grounds were very well-maintained. The bathhouse (which was spotless) has six individual rooms with toilets and shower and two are ADA accessible. There is on-site laundry with three washers and three dryers costing $2.00/load. 

One of the great aspects of this park is that they put the pavilion and pool in the front of the campground so the noisy aspects are not smack in the middle of the campground and you don’t have to listen to “Marco Polo” all afternoon at your campsite. Since campsites are located in the back portion of the property, you don’t have any road noise. Another great thing is that the dumpsters and recycling is located at the exit gate so there is no stink and crashing sounds of garbage trucks at 8 am. While the surrounding area is popular for ATVing, they do not permit them in the park which cuts down on noise and dust (there is overflow parking for those units across the street). 

Greenville, Maine is one of our favorite towns. The hiking is great, there are tons of places to paddle and fish, and the fall foliage is spectacular. Downtown is a fun mix of outdoor stores, lakeside restaurants, a couple of museums, and a scenic tour boat that travels up and down Moosehead Lake. In early September, Greenville hosts the International Seaplane Fly-in where planes from all over descend on the lake participating in competitions.

This is private land that the owner rents to campers.  It is a lovely single camp site with great views and fields. It is relatively close to the road but there is very little traffic and no noise. The space is level.  There is a picnic table, fire ring, full hook ups, and box with an information sheet that includes things to do and places to eat for the surrounding area. The view was expansive and beautiful, with wonderful sunsets. The walking trails that have been cut are lovely, and a great place for a short walk, or to walk with your dog.  The owner met us immediately upon our arrival and was very friendly. The only challenge is we stayed in July, and the horse flys were viscous. They were not by the campsite, but were abundant on the trails, and I literally had to run to get back to the camper to minimize the bites. If you are susceptible to horse fly bites, be aware during the horse fly season. My husband did not get bit.

This area is very rural.  Skowhegan, which is just over 20 minutes away, is the closest town, and has a few restaurants and a nice farmers market.  There are many hiking  and atv trails in the general area.  I would recommend this spot for a weekend in the area, or passing through for the night.

Nestled in western Maine just past Sugarloaf ski mountain lies Cathedral Pines. When you arrive you will appreciate the name. Running alongside beautiful Flagstaff lake this campsite offers something for everyone. Beautiful sunrises over the Bigelow mountains, hikes along the Appalachian Trail, bike trails, kayaking, canoeing, swimming , fishing and the ability to just huddle around the fire with a book! You can even take a short drive to the Canadian border or visit the numerous antique shops along the way in town.

There is a kids activity center where planned activities are always a hit. There is even an arcade for the kids if weather is bad. Spacious sites, some with power and water and some without. A winding maze of paved roads intertwine thru the woods. Perfect for the kids and adults alike to bike!

I am partial to waterfront sites because I love being the first up to start coffee and watch the sun rise and morning break. I've also stayed inside the campground more away from the water and have no complaints. All the facilities are meticulously cleaned and the staff are amazing!

Every year when the few families we camp with get together to pick our campgrounds and dates, it's always when are we going to Cat Pines, not will we go.