Harrisville State Park Campground offers a pet-friendly cabin with bunk beds, mini fridge, microwave, and coffee pot. Several campgrounds near Black River welcome pets with varying amenities and restrictions. The pet cabin at Harrisville includes a front porch, picnic table, fire pit, and is conveniently located near a grassy area with puppy potty bag dispensers. Jewell Lake NF Campground provides pet-friendly sites suitable for tents, campers, and RVs with access to water activities. Ossineke State Forest Campground features lakeside sites that accommodate pets and fill quickly due to their prime location on Lake Huron. Campers report the facilities are clean and well-maintained at most pet-friendly locations, with Harrisville's bathrooms and showers being notably nicer than typical state park facilities.
Dog-friendly beaches distinguish several campgrounds in the region. Harrisville State Park has adapted to high lake levels by relocating its designated pet beach to accommodate dog owners. Tawas Point State Park's dog beach exceeds expectations with pleasantly sandy, shallow water that extends far out and is warmer than the Huron side of the point. Negwegon State Park offers backcountry camping with pet access, featuring sites about a mile or two from the parking lot with Lake Huron just 100 feet away from some campsites. Most campgrounds enforce leash requirements, though reviews mention occasional issues with campers not following rules during quiet hours. The two-mile nature trail at Harrisville provides an excellent hiking option with dogs, while the paved path connecting the campground to town allows convenient access to the local grocery store.
$28 - $74 / night
"We rented their pet-friendly cabin. "
"Tons and tons of paved hiking trails. Pet friendly. Best part was checkout was at 1pm instead of 10am."
$20 / night
"Right on lake huron, the lake side sites fill up fast. The sites are tucked in just enough to eliminate traffic noise but super close to markets and fuel. Clean privy."
"The camp spots were spacious and all were either on the water or had a path to the water."
$15 / night
"It is possibly the nicest camping we've done in Michigan. Water filter is a MUST unless you want to walk to the parking lot every time you need potable water."
"First of all, each of the sites are only a mile or two away from the parking lot of the park. This gives newbies the chance to take a small hike in for that backcountry feel."
$15 / night
"Did have my dog with me. I would definitely go back."
"Gorgeous area right on Jewell lake. Walking distance from Barton City. Sites have nice privacy between them. Utilized the grill on the fire ring alot Privy was well kept."
$23 / night
"The cool northern Michigan air felt refreshing as well as watching the seagulls & Canadian geese. Adequate showers & restroom. Will stay here again."
"Alpena Fairground camp sites are conveniently located right off Route 23 within minutes of local attractions and historic sites. "
"I think jewel lake is pretty good because they have good campsites. I like the dog, they have an island, you can go on can't sleep on there, but you can go on it."
"We have witnessed MANY OUTSTANDING POSITIVE changes in the operation of this park over our time here. The one thing that kept eluding Mark and Judy was the quality of the internet service."
"Nice area and RV spots around the lake. Check in was easy and friendly. Internet and cell coverage were good. Showers were clean and maintained. Level site, had shade trees. Very quiet and laid back."
"Very family and pet friendly. It has a playground and a small beach. There are many options to stay here! Highly recommend"
"Sites are reasonably priced around$25-30/night. The park is very dog-friendly, which we appreciated.
Nice large, woodsy, level lots. Many are waterfront. "
GuideThis here is one of my favorite campgrounds in Michigan. The facilities are clean and kept up. All access to trails, lakes and the river are close and easy to get to. Great location to bring family and pets.
TravelerWe rented their pet-friendly cabin. It consists of a single room, two bunk beds, a table mounted to the wall, two chairs, a mini fridge, a microwave, coffee pot, a wall heater and a wall-mounted fan. Nothing fancy, but serviceable. There's a site with a picnic table, grill, and fire pit, connected to the cabin, as well as a decent sized front porch. Also nearby the dumping station, but this isn't as bad as it could be, at least during our midweek stays ((We've done two weekday stays.) There's a patch of grass across the drive, where puppy potty bags are dispensed, for easy bathroom breaks with the dogs, and it is also close to the campground host site and firewood vending machine. The firewood is really decent quality, and the machine accepts cards, which is nice, compared to other parks. The bathrooms/showers are a short walk away, and are really a lot nicer than most state park facilities. Several accessible/family restrooms are available, offering shower seats, benches, a dual height showerhead, sink, and toilet with grab bars, all in one lockable room. Several campsites are one the waterfront. As other's have mentioned, the beach is seeing some significant changes, due to historically high lake levels, which has forced several campsites to close, and the designated dog beach to be inaccessible. They have alleviated this by shifting the pet-friendly beach area to the site of the closed campsites. It is still an amazingly beautiful place to just sit in awe of the beauty of Lake Huron. There is a two mile nature trail that winds through the outer part of the park, and it supplied a great hike with our dogs. The park itself is within a reasonable walk to the local grocery store, utilizing a paved path that leads from the campground to the town. We just love it there. The only thing holding back from a five star is the beach area's struggles. But that doesn't even feel fair, because there's little that humans can do at this point, to change that.
ScoutI think jewel lake is pretty good because they have good campsites. I like the dog, they have an island, you can go on can't sleep on there, but you can go on it. They have a beach, they have a bridge, so you can fish on good water to go swimming, you can drive a boat, you can go on a kayaking on a jet ski, any type of water boats the camp site it's pet friendly perfect for campers or pull behinds tense, they're ok, for motorhome\ RV's but it's pretty good.
TravelerIt is very nice and extremely clean. However it is kind of cramped. Sites feel close and everyone was very nosey. Pet beach is nice. Water is beautiful. Convenient location. People didn't listen to rules such as quiet hour and let their badly behaved dogs run loose. Bath house is extremely nice! All in all, I would camp here on an off day/season.
Guidebut we were blown away! The dunes along the river seem out of place, and wonderfully so. you could spend so much tIme here, climbing around, swimming, kayaking, and enjoying the views. We keep our Jeep ready for camping at any moment and places like this are why we do it. We just had to stay, and I am so excited to go back in the fall. I know this says no pets but we were able to bring our dog and saw many other dogs enjoying the park as well!
TravelerThe park is very clean. Some sites are small, some are larger. Have visited many times. Fun interpretive programs for adults and kids. Beautiful beach to spend the day on. Located close to town. Lots of areas to walk as well. Not pet friendly though, they are allowed at the sites, but not on the beach.
GuideThis is a beautiful and picturesque park. The bathrooms are clean and well maintained.
Sites are large in general with plenty of room for activities.
The pet friendly beach is fantastic for dogs as the water is very shallow and let's them be active.
The access roads on the loop are narrow, so you may need to take some care of if you have a large vehicle.
There's also a kids playground and volleyball court.
TravelerI have been coming to this campground for many years. I bring my whole family! Very family and pet friendly. It has a playground and a small beach. There are many options to stay here! Highly recommend
ScoutWe stayed here on a Tuesday and Wednesday night. We were at site 96 right on the water. It was gorgeous and clean and there were lots of spaces. The bathroom wasn’t bad but the water was cold. The showers were nice and have a private toilet in them as well. The fire pits are nice and every site comes with an electric hookup. Tons and tons of paved hiking trails. Pet friendly. Best part was checkout was at 1pm instead of 10am. Felt like it was more a family campground though so probably won’t be revisiting myself. $30/night for a tent site and wood is available on site for $7/bundle. Wood comes from a “vending machine” so it’s always dry and ready to burn which came in handy durning the rain. I did also see an area for water and sewer dumping as well.
Campgrounds near Black River, Michigan offer a variety of accommodations within the Huron-Manistee National Forest region. The area features sandy Lake Huron beaches with shallow-water access points suitable for wading. Weather patterns can change quickly, with average summer temperatures around 75°F and frequent evening cooling that requires layers even in July and August.
Lake exploration by boat: Jewell Lake NF Campground features a small island accessible only by water. "They have an island, you can go on can't sleep on there, but you can go on it. They have a beach, they have a bridge, so you can fish on good water to go swimming, you can drive a boat, you can go on a kayaking on a jet ski," notes Emily G.
AuSable River activities: Water recreation options abound at Old Orchard Park Campground. "The area around the park has several areas of interest including Lumbermans monument, iargo springs, and downtown Oscoda on lake Huron. It is on the banks of the Ausable river. Kayaking, boating, pontooning, fishing-all beautiful," explains Linda H.
Rock collecting excursions: The shorelines around Black River feature distinctive stones worth collecting. "We take our bikes with us and ride up town. The town is very small, but worth visiting. If you get a chance, visit Northern Accents just before you get to town," recommends Stephanie C., mentioning a local shop to visit after beachcombing.
Quiet backcountry camping: Negwegon State Park Campground offers remote camping with beach access. "There are only 4 primitive sites at Negwegon which is a dark sky preserve. We had site #3. It is a little less than a 2 mile hike. Water is available at parking lot. Pit toilet and picnic table at our site," reports shawn M.
Waterfront sites: The region features numerous camping spots with direct lake views. "We camped at site 15. About 30 yards off Lake Huron. Sandy with a good amount of shade, level spots. Nicely kept bathrooms. Fire ring and picnic table at each. You can hear some car traffic every now and then. Great beach to walk along," Emily V. shares about her Ossineke experience.
Amenities beyond basics: Some campgrounds provide family-friendly extras beyond standard facilities. "Some great things include: putt putt, most sites are on water, there is a fishing pond, a camp store, nice workers, they pick up trash at the camp sites, they will drain your camper tanks for you at your site for $10," notes Alexandra M. about Campers Cove.
Site selection matters: Choose your campsite carefully based on ground conditions and location preferences. "Do not recommend reserving either site 129 or 130. These sites are LOW and WET. It is fully covered in trees so no sunlight is able to shine through to dry it out," warns Stephanie C.
Weather and bug considerations: Be prepared for variable conditions. "The Mayflies were not out this year so that was good! Last year they were covered all over all the buildings and campers!" notes a visitor describing seasonal insect patterns.
Cell service limitations: Alpena County Fairground offers in-town camping with connectivity, but many forest campgrounds have limited service. "THERE IS NOT INTERNET SERVICE!!! Do not plan to send or receive emails or check facebook because you are not going to have service. There are zero television channels here as well," cautions a camper about remote locations.
Dog friendly options with space: Several dog friendly campgrounds near Black River provide ample room for pets and kids. "The camp spots were spacious and all were either on the water or had a path to the water. One downside was the fire pit was so tall (like over 2 ft off the ground)…you had to stand up to feel the heat from it," notes D G. about Ossineke.
Activities for various ages: Look for campgrounds with diverse recreation options. "So everything isn't perfect, but for kids it's great. There are bikes, pontoons, kayaks, canoes and much for that can be rented and is pretty inexpensive. They also have putt putt golf which costs us 1.50 per person," mentions Matthew E.
Quieter weekday visits: For families seeking a calmer experience, midweek camping reduces crowds. "We stayed here on a Tuesday and Wednesday night. We were at site 96 right on the water. It was gorgeous and clean and there were lots of spaces," shares Joni F.
Utility placement awareness: At Thunder Bay River State Forest Campground, RV campers should note hookup locations. "Water and electric are poorly located. Need extra hose/cords," advises Tracey R., suggesting bringing additional connection equipment.
Site size considerations: Verify site dimensions when bringing larger rigs. "Sites are pretty close together which makes getting to know your neighbors from the get go," mentions Rachael D., indicating the social nature but limited space at some campgrounds.
Dump station availability: Some campgrounds provide on-site tank services. "There is a dump station and wasn't very busy," notes one camper, while another mentions, "They will drain your camper tanks for you at your site for $10," highlighting convenient options for longer stays.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Black River, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Black River, MI is Harrisville State Park Campground with a 4.1-star rating from 29 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Black River, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 64 dog-friendly camping locations near Black River, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
