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Ray Behrens Campground accommodates pets throughout its multiple camping areas including Deer Run, Cedar Ridge, and Little Blue Stem. Each section maintains clean, well-spaced sites with asphalt pads and full hookup options for RVs while also offering tent camping areas. The campground enforces standard pet policies requiring dogs to remain leashed at all times within the developed areas. Sites include metal fire rings with cooking grates, moveable aluminum picnic tables, and lantern posts with adequate space between neighboring campers. Campers regularly spot wildlife including deer throughout the property, so maintaining control of pets remains essential. The campground features clean, regularly maintained restrooms and shower facilities, though recent renovations have temporarily limited some shower access.
Mark Twain Lake's pet-friendly camping options extend beyond Ray Behrens to include Indian Creek RV Park and Mark Twain State Park campgrounds like Puma, Coyote, and Badger. Several hiking trails accessible from the campgrounds lead directly to the lakeshore where pets can enjoy water access points. Pet owners should note that Mark Twain Lake has steep shorelines with sharp drop-offs in many areas, making supervised water access important for dog safety. The lake area offers limited swimming beaches suitable for dogs, with most water access designed primarily for boating. Nearby Black Jack Marina provides convenience store access and boat rentals for campers. Weather conditions vary significantly throughout the camping season from April through November, with summer temperatures regularly reaching the 90s, requiring appropriate water supplies for pets during hiking activities.
"The whole park doesn't match the awesomeness of site 97 and the few around it, but the end of this loop is almost perfect."
"This is the most common place my friends and family camp at for Mark Twain Lake. Very clean and well kept. The kids bike around on the pavement and play in the little park."
from $24 - $30 / night
Check Availability"Nice trails to access the lake by foot or with the dogs. Clean bathhouses and campsites are some of the most well kept I've seen."
"Though I grew up outside of St. Louis, I'd never been to this campground or to Mark Twain Lake. Really enjoyed exploring the area and the campground was nice. "
from $10 - $125 / night
Check Availability"Hiking trails and easy access to Mark Twain lake."
"The lake is beautiful...if you can see it. We have five sons and one of our musts for a campground is easily accesible water to play in. This is NOT the campground for that."
from $18 - $30 / night
Check Availability"Used their dump station and filled the water tank as we exited the park. Would recommend & would stay there again"
"There is access to the lake from the campground, there is no beach. We spent on night during the week in mid May and there were only 5 campers in the whole park. We had the place to ourselves."
from $24 - $30 / night
Check Availability"Relaxing spot near the lake with some beautiful views. The whole campground is in the woods so there’s lots of shade. Some spots are full hookups."
"Great family location and for expanding children's knowledge"
from $20 - $299 / night
Check Availability"This campground is located near the Mark Twain caves. There is also a winery located at the entrance to the campground."
"Just a short walk from the Mississippi River and downtown Hannibal. They have two caves you can tour along with a winery on site."
from $28 - $34 / night
Check Availability"Gorgeous little lake. Vault toilets. Our camp fire ring was shaped like a heart! Probably not on purpose but we liked it. Very quiet. Lots of fishing. And we actually saw the cat!"
"Another cool find in Missouri. Lake in Conservation Area. Doesn't offer much but it was a bit out of the way. Campground was free. Sites are close together. Some spots more shaded than others."
"Lake with free paddle boats(do need life preservers) and fish hatchery across the street. Free potable water and dump station behind ranger station."
"Even sitting next to the busy highway, there isn’t a lot of road noise thanks to the trees."
"Gravel based sites with access to salt river. Can fish off the gravel ramp into the river. There is a stage for bands that come in. Wifi isn't too terrible, but be prepared to be unplugged."
from $25 - $130 / night
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GuideCleanest campground with all the amenities. The hosts are the owners and they are so nice and helpful. You follow them to your site and they deliver firewood if you paid for it. Sites are clean. There is a gated dog park. Everything above is at the campground. Our dog really liked the owner too.
GuideGreat staff, wonderful level sites. Bathroom on site. Pool during season. Partially shaded. Dog walk area. Pet friendly.
GuideWe were parked on a hill with lots of gravel. Campsites are very narrow. But there was a very nice pond to fish at although it was a bit of a hike to get to. They have a dog park which was nice.
LegendStayed for one night, water/elec only. Easy on/off the interstate and staff is very friendly. Assigned site was in the back of the park and nice and shady. They have a very nice, large dog park which our pups loved. Being in the back of the campground we had to walk a little to get there, but no big deal. Did not use their showers or bathroom, so can’t comment on that. Booked to stay again on our return trip.
ScoutWe are homeless and we got a campsite for two week here and I got a special needs child. And my boy were up at the water and all I did was call then over to me and I get 3 cops at my site. When cross from me the people at that site start there car off and on all night and dog parks from 6 am to 8 am. But I get told if I am loud I get kick out. Thank you for the welcoming feel
LegendThe campground (CG) was easy to find, located just 5 miles off I-70 with clear signage along the way. We parked at the designated registration area, and check-in was quick for our one-night stay. We were then escorted to pull-through site 17 with full hookups. The gravel pad was fairly level, and although the utilities were toward the back of the site, we had no trouble connecting. There were two sewer hookups—a nice touch. Water is shared, but the pressure was solid at about 50 psi. Sites are decently spaced, though some are closer together; ours was relatively close to the next site on the driver side. Our site had a nice yard, picnic table, and fire pit, but if someone had been in the site next to us, we would have been sharing that area. We got 2 bars on Verizon and 3 bars on T-Mobile, and our T-Mobile Home Internet worked very well. The CG WiFi was fine for email and web browsing. While the grounds have mature trees, most sites—including 17—are satellite-friendly. The 1/2-acre dog park was especially impressive. There was a mix of permanent, seasonal, and short-term guests. The park was clean, well-maintained, and featured fun wood carvings. The setting includes a pond and a trail to a small lake. A small camp store, ice, and propane are also available. Overall, this is a solid CG for overnight or extended stays. Out of the 325+ campgrounds we've visited, this one has the best rules sheet—hands down. It's hilarious, and you’ll instantly get their vibe!
LegendThe Pine Ridge Campground a few miles down the road was full, so we ended up at 1 of the 8 sites here. This is an equestrian campground that allows non-horse campers, but prefers you check Pine Ridge first. We had a fine one-night stay while traveling through, but encountered A LOT of ticks on the overgrown trail. BEWARE of ticks and check yourselves and your pets if staying here. No cell service.
GuidePulled in 4/12, smaller campground, very few people here this time of year. Owners live right off the property so very convenient. Very nice owner Helen, came by the site to check us in. Right off a small county hwy, but not too noisy. Very quiet and relaxed place. No picnic talk or fire pit. They to have a public fit pit with free firewood. Laundry area is clean and 1.00 to was and .75 to dry. Gravel site with small grass area. minature golf and pet area. One trash receptical with recycling bins. Nice place for a stop over.
TravelerGorgeous little lake. Vault toilets. Our camp fire ring was shaped like a heart! Probably not on purpose but we liked it. Very quiet. Lots of fishing. And we actually saw the cat!
Ray Behrens Campground area offers several access points for pets at Mark Twain Lake, where water levels fluctuate seasonally due to the dam-controlled reservoir. The lake covers 18,600 acres with 285 miles of shoreline, reaching depths up to 70 feet. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 90°F from June through August, while spring and fall provide milder conditions for outdoor recreation with pets.
Hiking with dogs: Multiple trails near Indian Creek Campground connect to lakeside access points where pets can explore. "A quaint little campground on a beautiful creek. Well manicured grounds with restrooms and showers," notes camper Jeyd A.
Boating access: The shoreline offers multiple boat ramps for water recreation at Mark Twain Lake. "This campground is out in the boonies so you'll want to stock up before you pull in," mentions Amie M., who adds "there are multiple water access points to get to the shoreline."
Night sky viewing: Clear nights provide excellent stargazing opportunities away from city lights. "Total darkness, perfect for stargazing," reports Jason R. from his Indian Creek stay, where he also noted "abundant wildlife" during evening hours.
Fishing spots: Multiple fishing locations exist around the lake with dedicated cleaning stations. According to Phil W., Ray Behrens Recreational area is "well kept and offers both standard-electric and full hook up" sites convenient to fishing areas.
Level campsites: Many campgrounds in the area feature paved, relatively flat sites. "Great level concrete campsites! Majority of them are full hookups with paved roads throughout," notes Cathy S. about Doe Run at Ray Behrens.
Spacious camping areas: Sites throughout the region typically provide ample room between neighbors. Sam H. observes that Ray Behrens has "enough empty space in between that most campgrounds would have stuck another site in-between."
Water access trails: Multiple footpaths lead directly to shoreline areas. Jennifer F. from Ray Behrens Recreational notes "the trails lead you to the lake, but a short drive to the other side of lake they had a lake beach entry to swim."
Clean facilities: Most campgrounds maintain their bathhouses regularly. According to Josiah P., Ray Behrens is a "well maintained campground with clean restrooms."
Limited supplies nearby: The remote location requires advance planning for provisions. According to Amie M., Indian Creek is "out in the boonies" with the closest Walgreens 25 minutes away and Walmart 45 minutes distant.
Steep shorelines: The lake features sharp drop-offs in many areas, making supervised pet access important. Gwenn W. notes about Ray Behrens: "This is a man-made lake and there are sharp drop offs all the way around."
Limited beach access: Most water entry points are designed for boats rather than swimming or wading. "If we had a boat and the kids were older we might go back but probably not, I really prefer having a beach," mentions Gwenn W.
Seasonal insect activity: The wooded environment hosts various bugs depending on the season. One camper at Indian Creek noted: "Only issue I had was the amount of bugs that were everywhere. When I stepped out it felt like I was walking through a thousand spider webs."
Playground access: Select campgrounds offer play areas for children. "We ended up with a spot that we loved since it was close to the playground," says Jennifer F. about Puma Campground at Mark Twain State Park.
Biking opportunities: Paved roads throughout many campgrounds provide safe cycling for kids. "The kids bike around on the pavement and play in the little park," says Elisha P. about Ray Behrens.
Educational programs: Some campgrounds host ranger-led activities. "Park programs for kids and friendly camp host," mentions Chuck H. about his stay at Badger Campground.
Hiking difficulty levels: Consider trail difficulty when planning with children. Charlotte B. notes that Badger Campground has "a great, and decently easy, hiking trail located at the park that has great views of the lake."
Leveling requirements: Many sites require blocks for proper leveling. Nora V. from Ray Behrens notes: "Had to use blocks site goes down hill. Stayed 2 nights for $18 total with National senior pass."
Full hookup availability: Several campgrounds offer complete utilities for extended stays. Jennifer B. observes at Frank Russell Campground, "Nice new concrete sites with fire pit, full hookup."
Site selection strategy: Choose sites at loop ends for maximum privacy and space. Sam H. recommends: "The whole park doesn't match the awesomeness of site 97 and the few around it, but the end of this loop is almost perfect."
Dump station access: Convenient facilities exist for waste disposal when departing. Jan K. notes about Frank Russell: "Used their dump station and filled the water tank as we exited the park."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Perry, MO?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Perry, MO is Ray Behrens with a 4.6-star rating from 17 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Perry, MO?
TheDyrt.com has all 56 dog-friendly camping locations near Perry, MO, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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