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Tawas Point State Park Campground welcomes pets throughout its sandy, beach-adjacent sites with fire pits and picnic tables. Dogs must remain on a 6-foot leash at all times, including on designated pet-friendly trails that connect campsites to the lighthouse and shoreline. Northern Bear Paw RV Park provides pet-friendly accommodations across its 57 sites with full hookups, allowing campers to bring well-behaved dogs to tent sites, RV spaces, and select cabin rentals. The campground features a dedicated pet exercise area near the Au Gres River trail where dogs can enjoy supervised outdoor time. Most campgrounds in the region require pets to be current on vaccinations and prohibit leaving animals unattended at campsites. The area's pet-friendly campgrounds generally accommodate tents, RVs, and cabin camping, with many offering electricity, water hookups, and sanitary dump stations suitable for extended stays with pets.
Rollways Campground's peaceful, forested setting makes it particularly suitable for camping with dogs, featuring large, shaded sites and accessible trails down to the Au Sable River where pets can cool off. Campers should be prepared with waste bags as most sites provide fire pits and picnic tables but limited pet waste facilities. East Tawas City Park allows pets within walking distance of downtown shops and restaurants, providing convenient access to veterinary services and pet supplies. During summer months, the pet-friendly beaches at Tawas Point State Park offer excellent swimming opportunities for dogs, though the designated dog beach is more of a wooden walkway leading to a swimming area rather than a traditional sandy beach. Most campgrounds require pets to be leashed at all times, with maximum leash lengths of 6 feet, and owners are expected to clean up after their animals and prevent excessive barking during quiet hours, typically 10 PM to 8 AM.
"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."
"The pet friendly beach is fantastic for dogs as the water is very shallow and let's them be active."
from $20 - $50 / night
Check Availability"Hike to the nearby monument and attend one of their educational programs, visit the museum, take the steps down to the floating shanty, or visit the small store."
"This is a nice campground that butts up with the Lumberman’s Memorial park with a trail leading to the AuSable sand dune. Campsites are paved with fire pits and picnic tables."
from $15 - $30 / night
Check Availability"With a soothing creek whispering in the background of our campsite, we set our camper up for a two week adventure in this northwestern part of Michigan."
"It’s sits on the Au Gres River trail to the river with seating, picnic table and fire pit. The grounds are immaculate. Very peaceful setting."
from $40 - $50 / night
Check Availability"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. "
"This is one of my favorite campgrounds in Michigan. The sites are big, most are well shaded."
"We brought our own kayaks and spent the day at on loud lake which was about a 15 min drive away. There were plenty of vault toilets which were very clean and water stations."
from $15 / night
Check Availability"This 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."
"Rifle River Recreation Area is located directly east of Houghton Lake within the AuSable State Forest, near the city of Lupton. The RRRA offers several camping areas within its borders."
from $14 / night
Check Availability"You can walk to downtown and eat at several restaurants, go to the movies, walk to Walmart and get ice cream from 3 different locations."
"The lake is Lake Huron. US 23 divides this park from the city and there is a train track and active train on the opposite side but it only goes through once a day at about 10 o’clock at night."
"I had cabin #3, very beautiful on the lake. Wish they had a grate to cook some things, however I failed to bring my own. It made do with what I had."
"This is a great campground and very close to canoe rentals. They pick up trash right at your site! Also, buy the wood from the people driving around."
from $16 - $30 / night
Check Availability"Very nice campground off the beaten path. Oscoda is on the East side of Michigan off Lake Huron. Northern lower pennisula. This campground is a good base camp for the area."
"The only complaint I have of this is that there is an active train track that goes through the front of the campground at the entrance. It came through at about 1:30am when I stayed."
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.
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.
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.
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.
ScoutA nice campground with two loops. Can be tricky getting a large RV in especially during bigger holidays but the sites are large and you can park you camper a few different ways. Decent trails. Beach access across the road. There is a pet friendly section of the beach. Lots of pets here. The bathrooms in the east loop are older and not that great but the other loop has a nice modern bathroom. Sites are mostly flat more so on the eastern loop. We had a nice visit.
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
Camping near Sand Lake, Michigan offers diverse outdoor experiences within the eastern reaches of the AuSable State Forest. The terrain features a mix of pine-dominated woodlands, inland lakes, and river access points with elevations ranging from 580 to 820 feet. Most campgrounds in the region remain open from mid-May through early October, with peak season falling between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends.
Bird watching opportunities: At Tawas Point State Park Campground, the point serves as a critical migratory stopover. "It is an important stopping point for the migratory pattern of warblers in the spring, and has a very nice nature walk. The nature walk leads out to the lighthouse by the bay, and comes up to the beach," notes Mark H.
Kayaking the AuSable River: The river provides excellent paddling routes for all skill levels with multiple access points. "We come here every summer for our annual Au Sable kayak trip! The campground is nice and clean with a good amount of space between sites. What's really awesome about this place is if you pay a little extra, they will provide dropoff and pickup of both your party and all your kayaks," explains Kelsey P. from Rollways Campground.
Hiking to scenic overlooks: The region offers trails with elevated views of forests and waterways. "The overlook tower is definitely worth the hike and there's a hidden surprise at the same location for those who know where to look," shares Tasha T. about trails near Devoe Lake Rustic Campground.
Spacious, wooded sites: Many campgrounds provide well-separated camping areas under mature trees. "Devoe campground was very private sites are open and surrounded by trees," reports Daniel C., highlighting the natural setting that appeals to tent campers seeking seclusion.
Freshwater swimming options: From inland lakes to Lake Huron beaches, the region offers diverse swimming spots. "The dog beach, a bit of a walk down the trail towards the lighthouse, surely exceeded our expectations. Most places designate barely usable waterfront areas to dog beach... it becomes clear that this beach is quite simply lovely, even for human use. The shallows go out quite far, and is pleasantly sandy," explains Sasha K. of Tawas Point State Park Campground.
Campground amenities: Facilities vary widely from rustic to full-service. "The bathrooms were clean, stocked, and had hot water for the showers whenever we needed it. On the opposite side of the bathroom, there's even a full dishwashing sink, something I have yet to see at another campground," notes Emma W. about her experience camping in the region.
Train noise concerns: Several campgrounds have active railroad tracks nearby. "A very LOUD, slow moving train that blows its horn around 22 times when it goes by. When we were here, it ran Monday-Friday and went by twice between 9:30pm-12:30am. The train tracks are right across the road from the RV Park so the closer you are to the road, the louder the train will be," warns Erika P. about East Tawas City Park.
Reservation systems vary: Each campground has different booking procedures and timeframes. "You can make reservations for the campground starting April 1st via telephone; however they do not answer the phone as they are busy helping the seasonal campers get their sites. I do not get through until about three or four days after April 1st... They do not have online booking and do not take credit cards over the phone," explains Stephanie C. about Alcona Park.
Cell service limitations: Connectivity is unreliable throughout much of the region. "Cell phone reception is nill here so do not plan to make or receive calls!" cautions Stephanie C. about certain campgrounds in the area, making it important to download maps and information before arrival.
Child-friendly amenities: Look for campgrounds with dedicated play areas. "The campground has a nice playground, and beach volleyball court near the entrance. There's a nice sandy beach that faces Tawas Bay in the campground, the public beach on Lake Huron has rougher water and more rocks," suggests Marie H.
Educational opportunities: Several sites offer learning experiences for children. "Quiet campground with lots to do. Hike to the nearby monument and attend one of their educational programs, visit the museum, take the steps down to the floating shanty, or visit the small store," recommends Becky K. from Lumberman's Monument Visitor Center.
Seasonal activities: Plan around special events for extra family fun. "The camp grounds have electrical and water access for RVs and campers, but people also camp out in their tents, and everything in between. There is a small playground that my daughter enjoyed, and a paved pathway through the grounds to Rollerblade/bike on," shares Mark H.
Site selection: Choose sites based on specific needs rather than just availability. "We had site 53, which is a 30 amp back in site. These sites are by the marsh. Unfortunately, we had no clear view of the marsh due to summer foliage. Bugs were buggy, but it's summer," notes Cynthia K. from Oscoda-Tawas KOA.
Limited hookup options: Many dog friendly campgrounds near Sand Lake offer only partial hookups. "37' is the longest length recommended. We have a 42' 5th wheel and made it fit only because we were here during the off-season. There's no way we would of got the RV in if people had the vehicles parked in their campsite or on the road," cautions Erika P. about spatial limitations.
Seasonal considerations: Water systems typically shut down in October. "The city turns the water off around the 3rd week in October. There is one bathroom building open for showers and you can also get water from the side of the office building to fill your tanks. You still have electricity and sewer at your site," explains a camper about late-season RV camping in the region.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Sand Lake, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Sand Lake, MI is Tawas Point State Park Campground with a 4-star rating from 25 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Sand Lake, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 103 dog-friendly camping locations near Sand Lake, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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