Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Gaylord, MI
Otsego Lake State Park Campground permits pets throughout its family-oriented sites situated on the southern shores of Lake Otsego, approximately 10 minutes from Gaylord. The park maintains clean facilities with full hookups including electric, water, and sewer connections for RVs, while also accommodating tent campers and offering pet-friendly cabins. Gaylord KOA welcomes pets at its 100 campsites with designated pet areas and maintains a strict leash policy throughout the grounds. The campground is heavily used from Memorial Day through Labor Day, creating a busy atmosphere that may not appeal to campers seeking solitude with their pets. Both campgrounds provide fire rings, picnic tables, and access to modern restrooms with showers. Beaver Creek Resort and Gaylord South/Bradford Lake KOA also accept pets, with the latter featuring a clean, privately-owned campground on Bradford Lake with a nice beach area.
Nearby Pigeon River State Forest Campground offers more rustic pet-friendly camping options with vault toilets and drinking water but no electrical hookups, ideal for tent campers seeking a quieter experience with their dogs. The campground connects to hiking trails suitable for leashed pets. Hartwick Pines State Park Campground provides additional pet-friendly options with access to hiking paths through old-growth forest. The bike trail starting near Gaylord South/Bradford Lake KOA extends into Gaylord and offers excellent exercise opportunities for active dogs and their owners. Most campgrounds in the area enforce standard pet policies requiring leashes no longer than six feet, proper waste disposal, and restrictions on leaving pets unattended. Campers report the Gaylord area campgrounds are generally well-maintained with clean facilities, though summer weekends can become crowded, potentially creating challenges for reactive dogs.