Elk Neck State Park Campground accommodates pets at tent sites, RV spots, and cabins within multiple camping loops around the Chesapeake Bay. Campsites feature fire rings, picnic tables, and level gravel pads with many sites offering partial water views. The park enforces standard pet policies including leashed pets at all times, proper waste disposal, and pets not being left unattended at campsites. Several loops offer electric hookups and water access, with the North East loop providing full hookups including 20, 30, and 50 amp service. Bathhouses throughout the campground remain clean and well-maintained with hot water available even during late-season camping. The camp store stocks essential pet supplies along with firewood and basic camping items. Sites on the riverside loops offer the most scenic views but tend to book quickly during peak season.
Hiking trails throughout Elk Neck provide excellent exercise opportunities for dogs, with the Turkey Point Lighthouse trail being particularly popular though requiring a short drive from most campsites. The 1.5-mile lighthouse trail offers spectacular views of the Chesapeake Bay and is manageable for most dogs, though water shoes are recommended when taking pets to the swimming beach due to the rocky shoreline. The Beaver Marsh Trail provides additional pet-friendly hiking options with direct trail access from some campsites. Wildlife sightings including bald eagles and great blue herons add to the natural experience when walking pets. The nearby town of North East features pet-friendly shops and restaurants including Woody's Crab House, with Turkey Point Vineyard offering another option for outings with well-behaved dogs on leash.
$21 - $55 / night
"Accessible and pet friendly. Great trails and great staff"
"Our go to State Park for camping as it is pretty close to home. Standard State Park with all the amenities you need. We are tent campers/ non electric (no pets/ no kids)."
$21 - $50 / night
"Our site was really good and I love that it had it's own access to the bathrooms. Quite a few of the inner loop sites do. If you're a tent camper Acorn has some very private and secluded sites."
"The campsites are separated more widely than many other parks in Maryland (Cunningham Falls, Ft. Frederick, Pt. Lookout), and are quite secluded in comparison."
$22 - $40 / night
"We hiked the 7.5mile lake trail with our two pups. It was beautiful and along the way there were opportunities to kayak/sup, beach it, or even play on a ropes course."
"The site itself was set back some, and felt secluded while still being near the parking area. Walk to bathrooms and camp store was on the longer side."
$70 - $90 / night
"The campground seemed to stress pet restrictions both in the rules section of their registration packet and signage around the grounds."
"This is close to us so it was an easy trip. Full hookup but we’re told to turn off and unhook water the night it dropped below freezing."
"So we make sure to get close spots so we can walk. You can bring pets but we choose not to as we are not at the camp much. We do go fishing while we are here and my daughter loves this place"
"We stayed here in November with beautiful weather which meant the large farm behind the campground was spraying manure over their fields. We could smell it."
"It’s a clean, well kept space, completely surrounded by state forest, very close to shore access along the rivers/bay, hiking/biking trails right out of the campground."
$10 - $16 / night
"Has outhouse, fire pit, running water on side of house near outhouse. An is a wonderful person. Good reception with T-Mobile!"
"The large lake is great for a day of kayaking and fishing with supplies readily available for rent at the boat dock store."
"The observatory is open to public once a month, we recommend you plan your trip around this."
"There was a lot of space so walking our dogs was great. The smaller bathroom stalls are pretty small but got the job done. Playground and pool were both nice and clean. Wonderful place for a family."
"Highly recommend staying here with lots of close hiking trails within driving distance."
$28 - $72 / night
"The camping area is small but worth it. a short walk from the scenic overlooks and other hiking trails."
"Some walk in tent sites. There are lots of long scenic hiking trails down to Deer creek and to the Susquehanna River."
TravelerCampground sites are nice and spacious, bathrooms are good, and there’s plenty to do for everyone. We hiked the 7.5mile lake trail with our two pups. It was beautiful and along the way there were opportunities to kayak/sup, beach it, or even play on a ropes course. We always travel with our dogs and this place has the BEST dog park. Big open space with access to lots of water play. We definitely recommend this spot!
RangerWe stayed here for a night in transit. Beautiful campground — lots of trees, pond, kids play equipment, dog park, etc. facilities all clean and whole place is well maintained. Easy late arrival. Good location - convenient but far enough off the highway. Would stay here again.
GuideI was able to book my site the day before the trip. The site itself was set back some, and felt secluded while still being near the parking area.
Walk to bathrooms and camp store was on the longer side. Firewood was $5 a bundle, but the register wasn't working and they could only take cash.
The hiking in the immediate area was beautiful, lots of fun trails and wildlife. Fishing, kayaking, zip lining, tons of great activities.
The firepits have grates over one half, so campfire cooking is a breeze. Cook up and use the provided picnic table for an easy dinner set up.
The park itself is very dog friendly and most sites had dogs. There is also an off leash dog park at Lum's pond and dog water dishes outside the camp store.
The showers and bathrooms were incredibly well kept with hot water and stocked supplies. If you didn't feel like walking so far, the tents had a spiget with running water near the parking areas.
Reception for Verizon was spotty, t mobile was pretty great. Wish there was an ATM on site though I don't think the cash only situation is a normal one for this campground.
All in all an amazing trip, and I'll be back as soon as possible.
GuideMy family and I stayed at French Creek State Park while attending an event in Reading. The park was clean and well maintained. We stayed in Loop A which had no camp host. The camp hosts were in loops B & C. We had a full hook up site. The water and electric worked great! The campground was well patrolled by Rangers throughout our stay. The bathhouses appeared to be clean and maintained. The quiet time starts at 9pm and seemed to be followed by most campers. There are numerous hiking trails in the park that seemed to be well marked and maintained. The park is about 20- mins from Reading, and 10 mins from Birdsbroro. There are many stores and restaurants in the area for food and supplies if needed. We had good cellular service with both AT&T and T-Mobile. The one downside was that there was no off leash dog park. We had to take our dog to a dog park in Birdsbroro. We would stay at this park again.
TravelerOur first visit (March 2018) was just prior to peak season (lower rates) and we had a site literally 10 ft. from the water! Full hook ups and sites were a little close, but nice. There seemed to be a lot of long term/permanent residents, but most sites along the waterfront remained open. The campground seemed to stress pet restrictions both in the rules section of their registration packet and signage around the grounds. There was a pet exercise/walking area, but could use some sprucing up. However, no one really made an issue of walking your dog around the campground and as the weekend came around, more and more dogs were around.
You have to drive through a residential neighborhood to reach Bar Harbor, so big rigs take care/caution. Would like to try Bar Harbor again sometime.
Guidewell marked trails great for hiking. pet friendly! we love walking here with our dog. there are even a few great spots to get a small creek swim in! It also has a greag picnic area with grills.
GuideWe do Lums Pond at least twice a year if we can get reservations.
Sites are big and all were redone in the last few years with concrete pads, 30 amp service and full sewer. There are some equestrian and tent sites as well.
Lots of boating (electric motors only) and kayaking on the pond and a decent amount of hiking. There’s an off leash dog park, equestrian center and boat ramp. Book early because it fills up fast!
LegendThis is unquestionably the best KOA I’ve been to. I usually do not like KOA, except when there are no alternatives. This one is way above average. Typically these places are all gravel and dust. This one has paved roads, grass and trees. There is a pond for fishing, too. The only complaint is that, like all KOAs, the sites are on top of each other. The neighbor’s sewer connection is right next to our picnic table! But, the sites are large enough for large RVs, they have 30/50 amp hookups and water & sewer. There are cabins and large tents you can rent. There is a playground, pavilion, laundry, and several shower/bathrooms. (The one near us didn’t have hot water. The office people said they were working on it.) There us also a large, grassy, fenced dog park which my 2 spaniels appreciated.
TravelerWe stayed at site 18 in Loop A. There is a connector trail nearby that can get you to most of the hiking trails. Site was nice. Bathrooms okay. This is a pet loop so be aware of dogs. Hiking trails in park were a nice challenge.
Elk Neck State Park Campground offers full hookup options including 20, 30, and 50 amp service in the North East loop. Campsites feature level gravel surfaces and concrete pads designed for easy setup on black top parking. Late season camping remains viable with water still available through November at many sites. Several camping loops circle the Chesapeake Bay area, providing access to both wooded and waterfront locations within a short drive of I-95.
Hiking at Susquehanna State Park: Access 7-mile hiking trail and 8-mile multi-purpose trail systems through diverse terrain. "There are lots of long scenic hiking trails down to Deer creek and to the Susquehanna River. There's a great bike trail to the Conowingo dam which is a nice place to visit, and a great place to see lots of eagles. There are amazing wildflowers on that trail," notes David G. from Susquehanna State Park Campground.
Fishing opportunities: Cast directly from waterfront sites or dedicated piers at multiple locations. "Sites are on top of each other. Water hookup access was on the ground. It was raining and the area was saturated with no where to drain. Very pricey for a dumpy place," reports Elvira A. from Bar Harbor RV Park & Marina.
Boating and kayaking: Explore local waterways with rental options available at several parks. "Camped here at the end of summer, really loved it. Had our kayaks with us and the water wasn't but a few steps away. Some sites you are right on the waters edge," shares Janet P. about Bar Harbor RV Park.
Wildlife viewing: Observe native species including bald eagles at the Conowingo dam area. "We took her older cousins to the fishing pier, and we didn't even get a nibble, but I think it was too cold for panfish that close to shore," mentions Jalissa Y. about her experience at Elk Neck State Park.
Level sites with concrete pads: "The sites are large and well spaced. Many are in full sun. The bathroom facilities and laundry are clean and modern. There are separate, individual shower rooms," according to Adam and Suzanne B. from Lums Pond State Park Campground.
Privacy at select sites: Some campgrounds offer more secluded options. "Our site was a level full hook up. The road on the FHUnloop is narrow and hilly. Out site was uphill and at a difficult angle. Plenty of bigger TTs and 5th wheels were camping," notes Adam and Suzanne B. about Elk Neck State Park.
Clean facilities: Most area campgrounds maintain quality restrooms. "The bath house was absolutely immaculate, and the design made even my public-bathroom-phobic sister-in-law comfortable and at ease," reports Mark from Tucquan Park Family Campground.
Proximity to town amenities: Quick access to local shopping and restaurants. "Nearby grocery stores and restaurants," mentions Adam and Suzanne B. about Lums Pond State Park, while "It's located about 40 min. from Baltimore Harbor, Ravens and Orioles stadiums. Bel Air is 20 min. away and has several restaurants," notes Laure D. about Bar Harbor RV Park.
Seasonal weather considerations: Late season camping requires preparation. "Finished the season at this state park in MD with full hook up (20, 30, and 50 amp, water and sewer) and the water was still on in November," reports Laure D. about Elk Neck State Park.
Varying hookup access: Water and electric locations can be inconvenient at some sites. "The site offered electric and water but they were on 2 different sides. This made it difficult to set up. Had to park the camper crooked to use both," notes Amanda H. from Lums Pond State Park.
Reservation importance: Popular campgrounds fill quickly, especially waterfront sites. "Book early because it fills up fast!" advises Ellen B. about Lums Pond State Park.
Site conditions: Many parks have mixed terrain requiring careful selection. "The primitive sites are back in the woods which kept us nice and cool on hot July nights. The location also kept us fairly bug free," shares christine L. about Tucquan Park Family Campground.
Pet-friendly trail access: Most area parks welcome dogs on trails. "I camp there multiple times a year! It's dog and family friendly, close to resources, but far enough that it's quiet and feels remote! No cell signal in the campground so the family is forced to disconnect," shares Megan S. from Elk Neck State Park.
Activity options: Choose campgrounds with built-in entertainment. "There's a ton of camping at Elk Neck, including a loop with full hook ups. There's a camp store, boat ramp, swimming, fishing and lots of great hiking," notes David G.
Playground facilities: Several parks feature quality play areas. "This campground features an amazing playground, a pond, a beautiful pool, a rec room, a wonderful hiking trail, and a basket ball court," reports christine L. about Tucquan Park Family Campground.
Water recreation: Swimming options exist throughout the region. "Our 3 young kids enjoyed the playground the most — there were lots of fun things for the kids on the playground. There was also a nice pond — it looked pretty full of fish," shares melissa about Tucquan Park.
Site levelness: Some campgrounds require significant setup adjustments. "The site was fairly level, side-to-side, so I really only needed to level front to back. That was a bonus," reports Mark from Tucquan Park.
Hookup preparation: Bring extra equipment for challenging sites. "Bring 50 ft of hose for water hook up and an extension cord with a converter. The water hook ups are randomly placed, ours was 2 sites away," advises Chris G. from Muddy Run Rec Park.
Access considerations: Narrow roads can complicate arrival. "In the full hook up loop pay close attention to the lengths specified. The actual pads are fairly level but some of the driveways to them are very sloped. Long rigs will have issues in a few of the sites," warns David G. about Elk Neck State Park.
Cell service limitations: Connectivity varies widely between pet-friendly camping areas near Perryville, Maryland. "The campground WiFi does not reach the primitive sites and I had 0 cell/GPS service on the entire premises (my carrier is AT&T)," notes christine L. about Tucquan Park.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Perryville, MD?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Perryville, MD is Elk Neck State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 60 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Perryville, MD?
TheDyrt.com has all 85 dog-friendly camping locations near Perryville, MD, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
