Donaldson Point Conservation Area Camping permits pets throughout its dispersed camping sites along the Mississippi River. This free camping area features basic tent and RV accommodations with a flat, sandy terrain providing sunset river views. Riverview MDC Donaldson Point also welcomes dogs at its primitive camping area, accessible via a dirt road leading to riverside sites. Most established campgrounds near New Madrid allow pets, including Reelfoot Lake State Park with electric and water hookups at pet-friendly sites. Hinton RV Park offers level gravel sites with full hookups for campers traveling with dogs. Lady Luck Casino RV Park provides sewer, electric, and water connections at their pet-friendly sites, including some cabin options for travelers with animals. The area's campgrounds have minimal restrictions for pets but require owners to maintain control of their animals. Area campsites tend to experience significant mosquito activity that affects both humans and pets.
Pet owners camping at Donaldson Point should prepare for challenging water access, as reaching the Mississippi River can be difficult with dogs. Walking paths along cotton fields at Bootheel RV Park provide exercise areas for pets needing activity after travel. Reelfoot Lake offers unique opportunities for pet owners who bring watercraft, with dogs able to join owners exploring the flooded forest and bayou environments. The lakefront provides excellent wildlife viewing opportunities, though campers should be aware of snakes in the area, particularly near the cypress knuckles along shorelines. Seasonal flooding affects many campgrounds in the region, with sites sometimes underwater after heavy rains. Most campgrounds lack specialized pet amenities like dog parks or washing stations, so visitors should bring all necessary pet supplies. Veterinary services are limited in this rural area, making it important for pet owners to pack first aid supplies and any medications their animals require.
$30 - $38 / night
"If if you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, and not be around a whole lot of other campers with kids, this is the campground for you."
"You can kayak among this and other lovely bayou environments, lakes, etc. I love this park and have enjoyed it in all seasons."
"The facility allotted pets, sewer, water, and electric hook up. If had a few mature trees but mainly a place to catch-up before heading off again."
"Our only hiccup was we passed it first time driving by so look closely for the entrance. Veterans discount. We would 100% stay again if we needed to."
$22 - $35 / night
"They are dog friendly and has a central shower,toilets and laundry area. There is a soda machine outside the women's showers."
"Very clean all around. All site are hard and somewhat level. You can drive a short distance to the river for some boat watching. Everything is very well cared for. Lots of Civil War history on site."
$50 - $2000 / night
"Sitting between Hwy 22 and Lake Drive on Reelfoot Lake. Spectacular sunsets and eagles flying all around."
$25 - $35 / night
"Near highway, access road is narrow and a little rough. Called to check availability, staff seamed very nice, sent text with directions and check in info."
$40 / night
"Road noise from nearby I‑57 noted. Felt $40/night was a bit high.
CatTrailzz (24 Jul 2024)Quiet despite being near the freeway. Loves the deli (noting salads and pulled pork)."
"Boomland RV Park& Campground was super easy to find off I-57 near the I-55 junction. After passing the Boomland complex, the large campground sign clearly marks the right turn into the park."
"Easy to access off the highway, easy gas station nearby, cheap, AND fhu. Office looks like it hasnt seen a soul in 20 years but this place is the perfect stop."
ScoutThe older man in the office was kind and helpful. The facility allotted pets, sewer, water, and electric hook up. If had a few mature trees but mainly a place to catch-up before heading off again.
RangerWorth the trip up from US 60 if you’re driving E/W, standard MSP rates and setup. There’s a campground on the lake and and a campground up on the ridge. We’ve stayed on the ridge twice, and on a weeknight or any night in the off season, you can nearly have the place to yourself. On a Monday in July, I counted 2 other campers in the ridge campground.
Close to several trails, and obviously the lake, for my Bootheel and Bootheel adjacent friends, this is a great spot close at hand.
For folks from away, look, from April to September, you’re gonna want electric so you can run AC (or at least a fan), Missouri humidity is not a joke.
LegendBoomland RV Park& Campground was super easy to find off I-57 near the I-55 junction. After passing the Boomland complex, the large campground sign clearly marks the right turn into the park. The campground operates first come, first served, so campers choose a site in either the 50/30-amp or 30-amp pull-through sections, all with full hookups, with power options clearly marked on numbered site posts. We drove the small campground loop to find a longer pull-through so we would not have to disconnect our 40-foot fifth wheel and F-450 for an overnight stay, and settled on site 20 with 50/30-amp service. The 30-amp section in the center of the campground appeared to have the longest sites overall. After parking and setting up, registration was handled inside the building by completing an envelope with name, vehicle license number, and payment, then dropping the envelope in the box. All utilities functioned properly, though the campground does not offer Wi-Fi. Cell service was solid with three bars on both Verizon and T-Mobile. We walked to the Boomland complex and noticed 24-hour diesel pumps that accept major credit and trucker cards, which could be convenient even though we did not fuel there. The Boomland complex was worth exploring, with a restaurant, gift shop, packaged foods, fireworks, souvenirs, and snacks, and during our November visit the seasonal Christmas shop was especially impressive. Boomland also offers a 10% military discount on non-food items. The campground does not have a designated pet area, but a large park-like space across the street provided plenty of room for off-leash exercise. Overall, this campground made a solid and convenient overnight stop.
GuideThis was a 1 night stay, just passing through. Glad we found this gem. Mid week in October, so the campground was 1/4 full. Our site was just steps away from the beautiful lake. Water, power and nicely shaded. Sparkling clean bathrooms and showers (with heat lamps!). Took a short drive to the Wildlife Refuge. Quick walk to the Blue Bank Fish House for a great dinner. Would stay here again.
LegendWe camped here for 2 nights on the weekend. The state park has 2 campgrounds. We stayed at the main one at the lake and near the visitor center. The campsites were extremely close together. Each of them had electricity and water. There were a few primitive sites at the end of our loop. The campground has 2 bathhouses with showers. You also have a little check in building. The staff was very nice and provided excellent knowledge about the area. They also rent out boats and sell some merchandise and ice. The boat ramp is right next to it. The lake is very beautiful. We saw pelicans, bald eagles, and herons. The campground is on a main road so you will hear traffic. If you don't want to cook, there are restaurants very close by. The area is very well maintained. There is even a little nature trail starting at the campground. The other short trails are within brief driving distance. The sunset from area near the boat ramp was spectacular. For our taste it was just way too crowded. We drove over to the other campground and it was much more quiet and less packed with RVs and tents. The disadvantage is that the driving distance to the lake and the town is much longer. If you are into fishing and bird watching, it is the place to be.
ScoutThis campground had a lot of families, a simple but age appropriate playground (ages 5-12), and many spots with views of the lake. The bath house nearest our site (88) was not in commission, and judging from the webs and nature overtaking it I would say it hd been closed for a long time. The land is low so if there is heavy rain it will be soggy in many places. The site we had was spaced nicely from others but close to the main road. Lots of campers with dogs. Only one hiking trail on-site. We did choose one night to go to the resort restaurant (a fish house) next door to the campground (a quick walk even with small children).
TravelerThis is a lovely park with wide asphalt and level spaces, water and electricity hookup. We snagged a lakeside spot and listened to the water lapping up against the bank while we slept. Quiet and peaceful. Took our jeep and did some off road exploring. Also, the price to stay at this park is very low for what you get. Highly recommended. We drive a 40 foot Tiffin Allegro Bus and had no issues navigating the park.
LegendWe tried to get into an Arkansas park but they were full so we headed into Bootheel where we’ve stayed before. We called about 2 hours out and the only sites left were 30 AMP with water. GPS takes you to the campground right off I-55, but there are directions on their website that are better as far as which exit to take. Upon arrival, there are envelopes in a brown box with the available site numbers on the envelopes. We walked around to look at each site and decided on site 12. You complete the required information on the envelope, include your payment and drop it off in the drop box. The park prefers a cash payment but you can leave credit card information on the payment envelope. They do offer a Good Sam Discount. Site 12 was an easy pull through with 30 amp and water only. Parking was easy. Once set up, we found out we were blowing the breaker with only 1 aircon running, and it killed that side of the post. We plugged into site 11 on the shared post with the same results but this time we only blew the post breaker. We got a hold of the owner and she got the maintenance guy to us really quick. Come to find out, it was our 30 AMP surge protector that was the problem. Hats off to park management for a quick response. The last row has the 50 AMP FHU sites. The first three rows in the park are 30 AMP with a mix of FHUs and water & electric. We got 2 bars on AT&T and Verizon. The last time we stayed here last January they stated they were getting new park WiFi and this time the WiFi worked much better. There’s no cable but we got quite a few OTA channels. There was plenty of area to walk our dogs along the adjacent cotton fields. They also had a very nice laundry facility that was decently priced. There is quite a bit of road noise from I-55. We dumped on the way out at their dump station that only has a dump and no water for a cleaning hose. As we are based near St. Louis, MO area and traveling to northern Mississippi once a year for RV maintenance, this no frills campground makes a perfect overnighter.
GuideIf if you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, and not be around a whole lot of other campers with kids, this is the campground for you. We stayed in the Air Park campsite number 4. There are two circles in this campsite with no frills except Water and Electric. The area is very flat and the bathhouse is within walking distance. The lake is absolutely gorgeous and Grey's bait shop offers boat rentals for $80 a day. There is a picnic table and fire pit at each campsite. Located 4 hours west of Nashville is in the upper corner on the Kentucky line in West Tennessee.
Dispersed camping opportunities near New Madrid, Missouri concentrate along the Mississippi River corridor. The region sits at approximately 315 feet elevation with largely flat terrain characterized by agricultural fields, cypress forests, and river bottoms. Seasonal flooding significantly impacts camping conditions from late winter through early spring when many riverside sites become inaccessible due to high water.
Wildlife viewing along river corridors: Columbus-Belmont State Park offers excellent observation points for Mississippi River traffic and wildlife. "Perfect area for history buffs, plus lots of hiking, boating, and wildlife. There is info on local nature and historical facts, primarily Civil War," notes a reviewer who highlighted the Civil War museum as a "surprise" feature.
Kayaking flooded forests: Reelfoot Lake State Park provides unique paddling experiences through cypress stands. "Exceptional canoeing and wildlife! This park is like nothing else, it's a flooded forest. You can kayak among this and other lovely bayou environments, lakes, etc.," explains a camper who recommends taking ranger-led tours by land or boat.
Historical exploration: The Civil War historical sites feature prominently in the region. "Great little Civil War museum," mentions one visitor to Columbus-Belmont, while another notes it has "plenty of areas to have a cookout, an abundance of trails to explore...history woven into its fabric which is narrated to you by way of signs and a museum."
Level camping pads with river views: Riverview MDC Donaldson Point offers direct Mississippi River access. "Gorgeous views of the Mississippi River. It was a little sketch getting here but super easy. One lane dirt road but room to move over if need be," reports a camper who found the access roads manageable despite initial concerns.
Quiet camping locations: Columbus-Belmont State Park provides peaceful settings away from busy roads. "Very clean, wooded open sites. Close to town," writes a visitor who appreciated the campground's cleanliness and proximity to services while still maintaining a natural environment.
Affordable overnight options: Hinton RV Park offers economical rates for travelers passing through the area. "This little RV Park is not far off the highway and it was easy to find. Staff was nice and friendly. Each space has full hookups and its own picnic table," notes a reviewer who found the convenient location ideal for short stays.
Seasonal flooding challenges: Reelfoot Lake State Park experiences significant inundation during wet seasons. "A good 90% of the campground was underwater! The handful of sites that were still open for use had pools of water standing on the site," reports a camper who couldn't stay due to flooding, adding "I wish this would have been listed as a warning on the TNSP website."
Limited facilities at river sites: Donaldson Point Conservation Area provides minimal services. "The area was flat and sandy... very sandy. Trash everywhere. Bugs were bad. Hard to get down to the water," explains a camper who still rated the experience positively despite these drawbacks.
Road access considerations: Many sites require careful navigation on unpaved roads. "One lane dirt road but room to move over if need be," notes a camper at Riverview MDC Donaldson Point, suggesting that while access is possible, drivers should proceed with caution.
Weather-dependent site conditions: Camping areas around New Madrid often become muddy after rain. "Sites are gravel/dirt—can be dusty or muddy," observed a visitor to Magnolia Campground, highlighting how weather significantly impacts camping comfort in this region.
Playground amenities: Columbus-Belmont State Park offers recreational facilities for children. "Just down the street from the campground, maybe 0.5 miles, is the main attraction for the state park...picnic tables, covered areas, grills, a snack bar, mini-golf, and even a Civil War museum!" explains a visitor who found plenty of family-friendly activities.
Educational opportunities: Historical sites provide learning experiences for children. "Great little Civil War museum," mentions a camper at Columbus-Belmont, where families can explore the self-guided walking tour through Civil War trenches with cannons and historical artifacts.
Water safety awareness: Families should monitor river conditions when camping near water. "We had a blast watching the ducks swim right up to our site," shares a camper at Reelfoot Lake, suggesting wildlife viewing opportunities while also indicating the proximity of water that requires parental supervision.
Leveling requirements: Hinton RV Park provides well-maintained sites. "Nice level gravel sites. Owner is very friendly and helpful," notes a reviewer who appreciated both the site quality and service while staying with their RV.
Electrical hookup capacity: Multiple campgrounds offer varying power options. "Campground was nice it is an older campground some of the bath houses were closed and looked like they have been locked up for a while," explains a visitor to Reelfoot Lake State Park, suggesting that RVers should check which facilities are operational before arrival.
Full-service alternatives: Lady Luck Casino and RV Park offers complete RV hookups. "Paved pull through with hook ups, there where several out of commission but nice clean quite spot," reports a camper who paid $66 per night for these accommodations, adding that the Wi-Fi didn't work but their dogs enjoyed walking along the river.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near New Madrid, MO?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near New Madrid, MO is Reelfoot Lake State Park Campgrounds with a 4.3-star rating from 17 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near New Madrid, MO?
TheDyrt.com has all 25 dog-friendly camping locations near New Madrid, MO, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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