j
jennifer B.
Traveler
TravelerVoss Park City Campground
Welcoming
Host was very welcoming! Easy to set up. Has electic and water hook ups. Tent spots available . Nice path around lake for a walk, jog, or bike. Has Showers. pets welcome.
Dog-Friendly Camping near Mountain Lake, MN
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Island View Campground provides pet-friendly camping with full hookup sites in Mountain Lake, Minnesota. Pets are allowed at all ten pet-friendly campgrounds in the area, including Voss Park City Campground, Kilen Woods State Park, and Cedar Hanson County Park. Most campgrounds have established pet policies requiring leashes and proper waste disposal. Campsites offer various amenities including electric hookups, water access, showers, and picnic tables. Island View features clean facilities and access to a 5-mile trail around the lake perfect for dog walking. Voss Park City Campground welcomes pets with spacious sites that accommodate both tent and RV camping, offering electric and water hookups, modern showers, and shade trees.
Cedar Hanson County Park offers a more secluded pet-friendly experience with large grassy sites overlooking the lake. The park provides electric sites ($25) and primitive sites ($15), including some walk-in options ideal for campers seeking privacy with their pets. Dogs can enjoy the lakeside environment with access to water for swimming. Jackson KOA accepts pets at their tent sites, RV spots, and pet-friendly cabins, providing a clean, well-maintained environment with helpful staff. Kilen Woods State Park features walk-in sites nestled in woods that offer excellent privacy for camping with pets, with trails through prairie, river, and oak savanna landscapes. Campers report the walk-in sites are approximately 100 feet from parking, making them accessible while still providing seclusion from the electric sites and other campers.
Best Dog-Friendly Campgrounds near Mountain Lake (69)
1. Voss Park City Campground
"Nice path around lake for a walk, jog, or bike. Has Showers. pets welcome."
"Kids love the park and lake!"
2. Island View
"Frisbee Golf, playground, and a 5mile trail around lake. As good as you get for a Municipal Campground."
3. Island Park
"Arrived a bit before dark and decided to sleep in my car rather than my tent just due to the timing and being tucked away by the river by myself."
"Very quiet, right on the river. there's a kayak and canoe launch rights next to it."
4. Kilen Woods State Park Campground
"Found this site by luck just searching on the Minnesota DNR site! Lots of RV sites but there are 4 walk in sites down a small trail, very private and away from everyone else."
"It was HOT, but there is a tree in the center of Site 7 that offered shade and lots of bushes and trees around that offer shade. We just had to keep moving to get it."
from $20 - $30 / night
Check Availability5. Cedar Hanson Co Park
"This camp ground is surrounded by farm land including our own. The only down side is the lake is shallow so fishing is best early early camping season."
"Large grassy sites with big trees overlooking lake. Bathroom with showers. Can hear train whistle but no cars."
6. Sands Country Cove Campground
"You drive through farm fields to get there and we were surprised when we arrived at how nice it was. It was just as described."
from $30 - $50 / night
Check Availability7. Jackson KOA
8. Everett Park
"Dog friendly."
"Right by a lake. The staff is attentive, kind and welcoming. Have not been able to have a greater look of the surroundings because just staying for a night and leaving early morning."
from $15 - $20 / night
Check Availability9. Sandy Point Park
"What a great little gem - lakeside, crickets chirping and perfect"
"Views of the lake through the trees at the back of the campsite. Clean bathrooms and showers. Water and electricity."
10. Korte's Checkers Welcome Campground
Drive Time
- 52 min from Mankato, MN
- 1 hr 28 min from Sioux Falls, SD
- 2 hrs from Minneapolis, MN
- 2 hrs 21 min from St. Cloud, MN
Recent Dog-Friendly Camping Photos near Mountain Lake, MN
16 Photos of 69 Mountain Lake Campgrounds
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Flandrau State Park Campground
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Oak Woods Campground — Lake Shetek State Park
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Red Fox Campground — Minneopa State Park
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Beaver Falls County Park
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Blue Earth City Campground
Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Mountain Lake, MN
258 Reviews of 69 Mountain Lake Campgrounds
- DDaniel
ScoutOak Woods Campground — Lake Shetek State Park
Little Gem in the Shetek Lake
Spacious sites and great full hook up sites!! Tons of walking trails and pet friendly!! You’ll see lots of birds and deer... Second time here and love it!!
William S.
RangerLime Lake Co Park
Small and tucked away
Tucked back along a winding road past a cemetery, you'll find this cozy site, a well-groomed park with a handful of drive-in sites, picnic pavilions, and lots of open spaces. There's also an absolutely gorgeous lake and a small footbridge over an artificial dam/waterfall.
Lime Lake County Park's drive-in sites feature picnic tables and fire pits, along with electric hook up sites. There's no camp host, so after you drop in your $17/night fee in the strong box, you can settle in for the day, or perhaps launch your boat from the provided dock and ramp.
Leashed pets are allowed, and I highly recommend the walk to the back, over the footbridge where you can listen to the relaxing sound of the lake draining into a creek.
The toilet area features one stall, but it does have plumbing.
Alyssa D.
GuideKilen Woods State Park Campground
Great private site all the way in back!
Found this site by luck just searching on the Minnesota DNR site! Lots of RV sites but there are 4 walk in sites down a small trail, very private and away from everyone else. We chose site 4 and we definitely made the right decision!! Great hiking with beautiful sights. We will definitely be back and are already planning our next visit!
- Samantha B.Scout
Emerson Bay State Recreation Area Campground
The best place in town
This campground is right on the lake! The spots are spacious, the bathrooms are clean, and the price is right. There are a few docks available for boating, fishing or just lake gazing. This is a great location as a home base to everything in Okoboji. Start the morning with coffee at the beach, hop on the Great Lakes bike trail and everything is nearby.
All the campsites are on crushed gravel so be prepared to sweep frequently or leave your shoes outside.
Dog friendly, lots of places to walk the dogs. Can't leave the dogs unattended in the camper, so keep that in mind when planning trips. Boji Bark has doggie daycare.
- Krista T.
LegendRed Fox Campground — Minneopa State Park
A mixed bag of campsites
We visited Minneopa state park because a) I love hiking b) I’m trying to get as much state park time in before the summer hordes descend and c) my back is dying from working at home out of a dining room chair so I preordered an office chair for curbside pickup at an office store which is on the way home from this park.
Minneopa is a unique state park. A River Runs Through it. So does a train(choo chooo). And a neighborhood(kind of). If you have never visited the park before you need to decide what you are going to prioritize first because all of a sudden there are two different park road signs pointing you to either turn left or right depending on what you want to do.
One direction is the waterfall part. It is a nice waterfall. The parking lot is right by the waterfall- so it is very accessible for people who are unable to hike to a lot of waterfalls. However, because the parking lot is RIGHT THERE it isn’t the most rewarding waterfall that I’ve been to, it’s kind of like a less impressive Minnehaha. On this trip we didn’t visit the waterfall because it’s plague time and I figured that it might be busy. Tip: On the weekends get to state parks as early as possible during social distancing time! Most people don’t roll out of bed at 6 am like we did, so it will be fairly easy to socially distance yourself. We got there at 8 and only encountered 4 other hikers that were just heading out when we were almost back to our car.
The other direction is the BISON DRIVE. Yes, you can actually drive amongst bison if the road is open. It wasn’t on our trip on 4/10/2020 because the road conditions are still gross from the winter thaw. Instead we hiked the entire loop(I think it’s 3.3 miles) because it goes around the entire bison enclosure, and I wanted to guarantee that I would see me some bison.
Other highlights about this section of the park are the views of the magnificent Minnesota river, an old windmill(the blades are gone), and the campground is also situated here. This section isn’t as popular as the waterfall section, as evidenced by the relatively small parking lot. The hike was enjoyable while we were there- if it is a hot hot day you might want to just do the Minnesota River Bluff Trail for the shade- the Seppman Mill trail is exposed and you can drive and park at the mill.
As I mentioned before there is also an access point to drive into the bison enclosure. We were able to see the bison herd once we got to the mill area, unfortunately for my photos the bison were just far enough away that I didn’t get a quality photo.
Now onto the campground. Loop A is superior for tent camping in every which way, unless you happen to want electricity or want to rent the cabin which is in loop B. Loop A has trees, large sites, a bathroom, and several sites have awesome views of the river. One thing to keep in mind is that the sites on the outside of the loop are much more private and have way more trees- the inner loop is relatively open in comparison and would be good sites to choose if you are group camping. I would be prepared with lots of bug spray and a screenhouse if you are camping here in the worst of mosquito season- there was quite a bit of standing water and swampy pond nearby.
Site notes(see pics/videos): A2 is nice and spacious, but next to the swampy water
A4 is the immediate neighbor and is distinctive because it’s up on a hill
A3 is on the inner loop and is visible to the road, but I liked it anyway
A5 is a nice spacious site on the inner loop that is less private, I’m pretty sure A19 butts up behind it if you are looking to get a few sites
A12 is the type of site that I would love to camp at- view of the gulley and of the river
A14 is the site that you need to reserve a year in advance if this campground were more popular- amazing location with a spectacular view of the river
A24 also has a good river view
A26 is large and has some badass oak trees
The B Loop is weird- a lot of the campsites don’t seem to even have space for a 2 person tent unless you are ok with not having a campfire(or burning down your tent). If you have a tiny scamp you might be ok?
Site notes: B3 is a good pull-through site for an RV
The cabin is here! It has a screen porch and a propane tank for heating it in cold weather! Also has a decent view of the river- inside is just some bunk beds and a table. There is a pit toilet next to it that I’m guessing other campsites use too.
B20 is definitely the best site in the loop for tent camping- I actually would camp at this one.
There are also 4 group campsites that could probably fit 2-3 tents on them that are only a short hike-in from the parking area. Nice pit toilets are nearby. Minneopa is definitely either a nice day trip or camping trip from the Twin Cities! I was extra pleased that the drive down 169 is interesting- the terrain is beautiful, there are some really random touristy places and showrooms(giant yellow barn/extended structure that is without a doubt indeed Minnesota’s Largest Candy Store), and driving through Saint Peter is a nice old-timey experience.
- JJames A.Scout
Sunrise Campground — Lake Shetek State Park
Fantastic campground
Our party consisted of two adults, and three children under 12. The cabin consisted of bunk beds with double beds on bottom and twin bed on top. With our gear for four days we found the cabin had just enough room for our party. Any longer or more kids and the cabin would be too small.
The cabins are close to the lake. In early October the leaves are mostly fallen and you have an unobstructed view of the lake and surrounding hills. During the day take in the great vistas across the lake, at night look up and see stars that can only be seen in the wilderness.
The area has several good hikes of 3 - 7 miles in length. If you are looking for heavy wooded off trail hikes you can forge your own way otherwise we found the trails great for family hikes, and a morning run.
Bathrooms, and showers are clean and better than I have experienced at other state parks.
- Jim W.Scout
Blue Earth City Campground
Just off the interstate, great place to stop for the night.
Sites can accommodate tents or up to 50' RVs. Lots of grass, bike/walking paths and dogs on leashes welcome. 14 Sites now, with plans for 10+ Sites built this summer. On site host, so typically quiet and friendly. One price, $25/night.
- T
TomRangerSunrise Campground — Lake Shetek State Park
Beautiful well maintained MN State Park
Beautiful lake setting. LARGE well maintained walking trails, most are flatter so easy to walk.
Easy access to fishing, kayaking and canoeing.
3 different campgrounds in the park. Sunrise campground is newer, electric, water and sewer hookups. Sites are very level, open with newer smaller trees. Sites are spaced apart really nicely. Oakwoods campground is nicely shaded underneath many large oaks.
Bathroom/shower buildings are VERY CLEAN, well maintained and showers work great and have very warm water. The bathroom/showers are in the Oakwood campground.
FLUSHING toilets in the Sunrise campground!
Swimming beach was clean and nice sand.
Park is located at a Historical site, read up about the area before visiting to get a good understanding about the area.
Nice clean RV DUMP station.
Nice little restaurant just outside of the park called Trails Edge. Also have LP tank refill. Located right on the Bike Trail
Guide to Mountain Lake
Pet-friendly camping options surround Mountain Lake, Minnesota, located at 1,309 feet elevation in southwestern Minnesota. This area experiences hot summers with temperatures averaging 83°F in July and cold winters dropping to 5°F in January. The campgrounds near Mountain Lake sit amid agricultural lands with small lakes scattered throughout the region, offering a mix of prairie and woodland camping environments.
What to do
Kayaking opportunities: The Des Moines River and local lakes provide water recreation options for campers with pets. At Island Park, "There is a kayak and canoe launch right next to it," according to Safya B., who stayed at this riverside campground. Sites are right by the water, making it convenient for paddlers.
Fishing spots: Many campgrounds offer lake access where both you and your dogs can enjoy water activities. Cedar Hanson Co Park provides lakeside fishing opportunities, though camper Alex C. notes: "The only down side is the lake is shallow so fishing is best early early camping season."
Hiking trails: The region features walking paths around lakes and through prairie landscapes. Visitors to Kilen Woods State Park Campground report: "Entire park can easily be hiked in a day, with prairie, river and oak savanna views," according to Meg W., who appreciated the diverse scenery on the trails.
What campers like
Privacy between sites: Several pet-friendly campgrounds offer secluded camping spots. At Kilen Woods State Park, camper Alyssa D. shares: "There are 4 walk in sites down a small trail, very private and away from everyone else. We chose site 4 and we definitely made the right decision!"
Clean facilities: Many campers mention well-maintained bathrooms and showers. At Welcome Campground, Jesse G. noted: "Clean showers and restrooms and great owner," while camping during winter months for a work project.
Quiet atmosphere: Many campgrounds provide a peaceful environment away from traffic noise. Michael S., who stayed at Sandy Point Park, reports: "We were the only ones here on a weekday besides the host. Views of the lake through the trees at the back of the campsite."
What you should know
Seasonal considerations: Some dog friendly campgrounds near Mountain Lake have limited seasonal availability. Cedar Hanson Co Park operates from "mid May-mid Sep," according to their listing information. Camper Mindy B. advises that "Wind sometimes brings farm odors into area so sites at the end of the road may be better."
Walk-in site distances: At Kilen Woods State Park, Meg W. provides specific details: "The walk-in sites are nestled in the woods and fairly private. From the parking spot to the campsite was an easy ~100'." This helps pet owners plan for transporting their gear while managing their dogs.
Payment systems: Some campgrounds require online payment even when on-site. Chloe T. shares about Kilen Woods: "First thing to know is that you cannot pay for anything there directly... no cash, no checks, no credit cards, no tap, nothing. You need to use the Yodel app to purchase firewood."
Tips for camping with families
Playgrounds and activities: Sands Country Cove Campground offers family-friendly amenities. Sarah N. notes: "Peaceful lakefront property with a playground, mini golf, and ice cream for kids (and parents)." This pet-friendly campground provides activities for children while accommodating dogs.
Budget-friendly options: Cedar Hanson Co Park offers affordable camping with pets. Mindy B. shares specific pricing: "Electric and water $25 primitive $15. Some of those are walk in." This helps families plan their budget while traveling with pets.
Swimming access: Several dog-friendly sites allow water access for both humans and pets. Alex C. mentions that at Cedar Hanson Co Park, there's dock access and notes about the shower facilities: "The showers are also odd to get dressed since there's no mat so maybe go in with a swim suit."
Tips from RVers
Hookup availability: RV campers with pets should check specific utility offerings. At Voss Park City Campground, Cory S. explains: "Has 50 amp, 30 amp and 20 amp services as well as boondocks sites. Dump station at park with blue tote available from the office."
Site spacing: Several campgrounds provide ample room between sites for RVs with pets. Bill E. observed at Voss Park: "I tent camped but looks great for rv. Reasonable priced tent $15, modern clean showerhouse. Large amount of trees for shade."
Accessibility: Some campgrounds offer easy access for larger rigs. Clint G. describes Welcome Campground: "Site size was moderate with some shade, a fire ring, picnic table, on a level gravel pad. $20 per Passport America members for FHU is sweet."
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