Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Jackson, MI

Waterloo Recreation Area's extensive network of campgrounds offers varied pet policies across locations. Hideaway RV Park permits pets at all sites with spacious pull-through spots that accommodate both RVs and tents. The vicious dog encounters reported at Portage Lake demonstrate why the strictly enforced 6-foot leash rule exists at all Waterloo campgrounds. Most sites feature fire pits, picnic tables, and trash collection, creating comfortable environments for campers with pets. Hideaway RV Park maintains a particularly pet-friendly environment with a small dog exercise area near the fishing pond. Greenwood Acres Family Campground provides numerous amenities for families camping with pets, including two swimming pools, playgrounds, and a beach area where leashed dogs can access the water.

Apple Creek Campground connects directly to walking and hiking trails suitable for dog exercise, with most paths shaded by the abundant trees throughout the property. Holiday RV Campground features a notably large dog park that provides ample space for pets to run and play off-leash. Campsites at Waterloo Recreation Area range from modern full-hookup options to more rustic sites, all permitting leashed pets. Seasonal considerations apply when camping with dogs, as summer temperatures can reach uncomfortable levels for pets without adequate shade. Winter camping remains available at several locations including Portage Lake, where paved sites make setup easier regardless of weather conditions. The proximity to Jackson provides quick access to veterinary services and pet supply stores within a 15-minute drive of most campgrounds.

Best Dog-Friendly Sites Near Jackson, Michigan (106)

    1. Waterloo Portage Lake Modern — Waterloo Recreation Area

    12 Reviews
    Grass Lake, MI
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (734) 475-8307

    "It is a bit of a walk to get to but is handicap accessible.
    There are two bathrooms throughout the loop and one at the beach."

    "A few bathrooms are located around the campground. The spaces are generous and the majority have electricity only. The lake has a little beach with sands. Nice place."

    2. Waterloo Sugarloaf Modern — Waterloo Recreation Area

    14 Reviews
    Chelsea, MI
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (734) 475-8307

    "It is usually easy to get multiple sites next to each other with reservations.
    There is a decent sandy beach here with a playground and volleyball net."

    "There is an outside vault toilet behind the cabin. Lots of trails connecting the cabin to the rest of the park. Cheap too! Only $68 per night."

    3. Greenwood Acres Family Campground

    5 Reviews
    Grass Lake, MI
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (517) 522-8600

    $35 - $75 / night

    "The campground offered a haunted trail, trick or treating and crafts for the kids."

    "Pool, lake, arcade, golf, ice cream parlor. Bathrooms are clean."

    4. Hideaway RV Park

    4 Reviews
    Grass Lake, MI
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (517) 522-5858

    "Quiet, very chill RV park, small beach on a pond for fishing playground for kids and plenty of room for our small dog."

    5. Holiday RV Campground

    5 Reviews
    Grass Lake, MI
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (517) 522-5846

    "Giant dog park and ponds. Pool was closed. Just needs more grass. Our spot was really patchy and resulted in a lot of mud. Great campground with polite and helpful staff. Don’t pass this one up."

    "Giant dog park and ponds. Pool was closed. Just needs more grass. Our spot was really patchy and resulted in a lot of mud. Great campground with polite and helpful staff. Don’t pass this one up."

    6. Portage Lake Campground — Waterloo Recreation Area

    4 Reviews
    Grass Lake, MI
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (734) 475-8307

    "We purchased our new rPod 193 late in the fall and have been dying to give it a test camp and Michigan Winter Weather gave us a great opportunity the week after Christmas (2021)."

    "Enjoyed a nice paddle on the lake the morning before I left!"

    7. Green Lake Rustic Campground — Waterloo Recreation Area

    14 Reviews
    Chelsea, MI
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (734) 475-8307

    "The lack of cover between sites gave everyone a nice view of the lake from our tents on our inland sites, which was beautiful."

    "I stayed at #6 and had a beautiful view of the lake. There is muddy lake access on that site and I paddled from there in my kayak. There is an official boat launch nearby."

    8. Bruin Lake Campground — Pinckney Recreation Area

    19 Reviews
    Gregory, MI
    22 miles
    Website
    +1 (734) 426-4913

    $27 - $46 / night

    "There is a new large playground structure and nice but short paved path for kids to bike or scooter around."

    "On Crooked Lake, it has 25 sites, two of which are right on the water; #7 is full sun, larger, and 20 is sun/shade and tucked away in the back of the campground."

    9. Apple Creek Campground & RV Park

    3 Reviews
    Grass Lake, MI
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (517) 522-3467

    "There is also nice walking/hiking trails connected right to the property. Our visit was for 2 days/3 nights.  Over half the sites are seasonal, so despite a lot of RVs, we saw very few people."

    "The group area is circular and surrounded by trees which helped to keep it cool. Each site had electric hook-up and some had water."

    10. Ted Ranch Campground

    6 Reviews
    Brooklyn, MI
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (517) 592-2434

    $25 / night

    "campground though, MIS started a new music night this year at the M50 Creekside campground within the track and the music was so loud that we heard the bass and every lyric at Ted Ranch (which is a mile away from"

    "This place is across the street from Michigan international speedway and sure beats fighting all the people/campers in the infield campgrounds!"

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Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Jackson, MI

599 Reviews of 106 Jackson Campgrounds


  • Ron M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 18, 2025

    Camp Sequoia

    Great people nice for short stay

    A mostly seasonal campground that can be had to find. Super amenities with huge pool and large field with dog park, baseball field, bags, basketball and sand volleyball. Many trails to walk.

  • A
    Oct. 3, 2021

    Camp Sequoia

    Quiet, Friendly Campground

    We really enjoyed our stay. The hosts were very welcoming and helpful. Delivered our firewood right to our site. Lots of shade trees, beautiful well groomed trails for walking. Even a dog park, which our Golden Retriever really enjoyed.

  • S
    Oct. 15, 2021

    Holiday RV Campground

    Nice Park

    Nice park for full timers. Large spots to accommodate big rigs and kids. Full hook ups. Cell service great with Verizon hotspot (22u, 20d, 38ms and AT&T cell(27d, 20u, 27ms). Playgrounds everywhere for the kids. Giant dog park and ponds. Pool was closed. Just needs more grass. Our spot was really patchy and resulted in a lot of mud.

    Great campground with polite and helpful staff. Don’t pass this one up.

  • S
    Oct. 20, 2021

    Holiday RV Campground

    Large RV Park

    Nice Park Nice park for full timers. Large spots to accommodate big rigs and kids. Full hook ups. Cell service great with Verizon hotspot(22u, 20d, 38ms and AT&T cell(27d, 20u, 27ms). Playgrounds everywhere for the kids. Giant dog park and ponds. Pool was closed. Just needs more grass. Our spot was really patchy and resulted in a lot of mud. Great campground with polite and helpful staff. Don’t pass this one up.

  • A
    Aug. 14, 2018

    Harrison Lake State Park Campground

    Quiet place to get away

    We have been here a few times. Really enjoy the secluded sites and the lake. It’s a small campground but it’s clean and quiet. Most sites don’t have water hookups but they do have electric. There isn’t much to do outside of the campground but there is a nice lake with canoe and kayak rentals. Very pet friendly and even has a dog beach.

  • Tara T.
    Sep. 7, 2021

    Camp Dearborn

    HUGH MUNICIPAL CAMPGROUND

    They offer campsites full hookups pet friendly

    They offer electric only no pets they offer campsites no pets.

    They have a tent only section.

    They have a beach, tennis courts, children's playground,rustic cabins, they have a recreation field Kids Activities arts and crafts!!! They have 16 resort cabins, this place is HUGH

    Bathrooms were dated and we arrived Monday after Labor Day so I can't judge them. They had a FULL HOUSE on Labor Day per the front gate. I was very impressed there was no garbage at campsites and picked up very well.

    GREAT biking trails you can catch on premise and bike over to Kensington and to the charming town of Milford

  • debe K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 1, 2021

    Cold Brook County Park

    Nice little county park!

    29 campsites pretty close together with old growth trees interspersed around the campground. Fishing pier and boating, playground area, and beach. No longer has primitive camping. Some hiking trails...short. is next to a busy road, so traffic all night. Staff was great! Showers and bathrooms cleaned multiple times a day. Pet friendly. Would stay here again!

  • Mary O.
    Oct. 3, 2019

    Bishop Lake Campground

    Fun with family and pets!

    Nice lakes for swimming and can take your pet as well!  Big playground and nice bathrooms

  • K
    Aug. 11, 2018

    Waffle Farm Campground

    Great campground. Clean. Great people. Stocked camp store. Entertainment.

    Pet friendly. Great camp store. Clean campground. Nice beach. Beautiful!!


Guide to Jackson

Waterloo Recreation Area encompasses over 20,000 acres of natural landscape near Jackson, Michigan with diverse camping options spanning both modern and rustic sites. The terrain features rolling hills, dense woodland, and numerous lakes connected by hiking trails. Winter temperatures can drop below freezing with summer highs averaging in the mid-80s, making seasonal planning important for campers seeking pet-friendly accommodations.

What to do

Fishing opportunities: Access well-stocked lakes at various campgrounds for different fishing experiences. At Portage Lake Campground — Waterloo Recreation Area, visitors can fish from a newly constructed pier. "The fishing pier is new, has two benches and tables for your stuff. It is a bit of a walk to get to but is handicap accessible," notes reviewer Shelly.

Mountain biking trails: Explore designated cycling paths connecting to campgrounds. The trail system at Pinckney Recreation Area draws mountain biking enthusiasts. One camper, Maria G., shared her experience: "We loved the trails for Mountain Bikes that are close to the Campsite! They are super fun!!"

Disc golf course: Play through the course established at Portage Lake. Valerie D. describes it as a "Nice mix of camping & Disc golf. The course is mowed down and easy to navigate. Picnic tables, fire ring, primitive tent sites available!"

What campers like

Spacious sites: Many campers appreciate the generous site dimensions at Green Lake Rustic Campground — Waterloo Recreation Area. According to Rebekah J., "We stayed the weekend at greenlake rustic... Both sites seemed larger then most suburban house lots. Site 5 had a decent view of the lake, Site 3 had odd fire pit placement under 2 trees."

Clean swimming areas: Several campgrounds maintain beach access for summer visitors. At Waterloo Sugarloaf Modern — Waterloo Recreation Area, Jonah H. reports: "The property is very well maintained with a nice park and clean bathrooms. The campground has some nice full-grown trees, but isn't extremely wooded."

Winter camping options: Year-round facilities remain accessible at select locations. Rodger M. described winter camping at Portage Lake: "We purchased our new rPod 193 late in the fall and have been dying to give it a test camp and Michigan Winter Weather gave us a great opportunity the week after Christmas. The best part of this campsite was the fact that it was paved! It was so easy setting up and tearing down. No mud, muck, or dirt."

What you should know

Noise considerations: Some campgrounds experience traffic sound due to nearby highways. At Green Lake, Rebekah J. mentioned, "the freeway is on the other side of the lake, but it didn't bother us. At night it was like white noise."

Reservation requirements: Many sites fill quickly, especially on weekends. According to John P. at Green Lake, "This is a wonderful campsite to check out in the off season, it does fill up quickly when camping season kicks off and spots are very close together."

Beach conditions: Water quality varies between lakes. Martin W. noted about Waterloo Portage Lake Modern — Waterloo Recreation Area: "The campground is great, but the beach area is very mucky and dirty. Seaweed just flats around and gets tangled around your legs and arms all the time."

Wildlife sightings: Natural surroundings bring frequent wildlife encounters. Winter campers at Portage Lake reported: "There was some wildlife - we were greeted by a deer crossing our path. Cranes, Swans, Geese, and even a Bald Eagle soared by. I also noticed some coyote tracks in the snow as well."

Tips for camping with families

Playground access: Multiple campgrounds offer child-friendly play areas. At Apple Creek Campground & RV Park, Robyn H. shares: "This is a well kept campground that has lots of trees (shady sites) and some nice amenities for kids. There is a pool and a volleyball area as well as a playground."

Weekend activities: Some campgrounds schedule organized events. William D. notes that Apple Creek has "Great owners that care about the camping experience and provide activities on the weekend for the kids."

Site selection for shade: Consider sun exposure when camping with children. At Waterloo Sugarloaf, Mike B. advises: "Most of the sites are in the sun, but there are a few sites with more shade and tree cover."

Swimming options: Multiple lakes provide swimming areas of varying quality. Debra B. reports about Portage Lake: "We have been coming here for years. We like to stay in the north campground because most of the sites are black topped. Lake is down the hill from the campground. It has a nice beach! Our grandkids love the play area!"

Tips from RVers

Pull-through options: Several campgrounds offer easy access sites for larger vehicles. At Holiday RV Campground, Sean N. reported: "Nice Park for full timers. Large spots to accommodate big rigs and kids. Full hook ups."

Site surfaces: Paved sites make for easier RV setup in all weather. At Portage Lake, "most of the sites are black topped" according to Debra B., while Raul O. adds: "The spaces are generous and the majority have electricity only."

Connectivity considerations: Internet access varies across campgrounds. At Apple Creek, Robyn H. notes: "We paid extra for internet which was decent."

Electrical service: Check ahead for hookup types and maintenance schedules. At Ted Ranch, one reviewer details: "They just put electric on some sites, but not all. They are thinking about putting in bath houses, which would be wonderful."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Jackson, MI?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Jackson, MI is Waterloo Portage Lake Modern — Waterloo Recreation Area with a 3.5-star rating from 12 reviews.

What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Jackson, MI?

TheDyrt.com has all 106 dog-friendly camping locations near Jackson, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.