Looking for the best options for camping with dogs near Heron? Finding a place to camp with your dog in Montana has never been easier. Search nearby pet-friendly campsites or find top-rated spots from other campers.
Sam Owen Campground is nestled on the banks of Lake Pend Oreille in a densely wooded forest of pine and cedar. Popular activities include hiking, canoeing, swimming and boating in summer, and skiing in winter.
A beach draws crowds of sunbathers and swimmers. Visitors also like to hike the half-mile, accessible Sam Owen Trail #4. The trail reaches a beautiful vista of Owens Bay, where hikers can rest on benches and take in the astonishing view.Anglers take pleasure in catching kamloops, Dolly Varden, northern pike, trout and catfish. A boat ramp and dock are located on-site.
Sam Owen Campground is situated on a peninsula on the east side of Lake Pend Oreille in the Idaho Panhandle National Forest, at an elevation of 2,000 feet. The lake spans 82,088 acres and has 125 miles of shoreline. The well-loved campground shares a peninsula with the Sam Owen Game Preserve, which provides plenty of opportunities to see wildlife up close. Deer are very easy to spot, and watching for unique birds is a rewarding activity.
The Pend Oreille Scenic Byway is well worth exploring.
$94 / night
CLOSED FOR 2024
Green Bay Campground features 11 designated sites with picnic tables and fire rings, vault toilets, and a swimming beach.
Camp Coeur d’Alene is a destination campground with water access to Lake Coeur d’Alene. Wild and remote, yet only 15 minutes from the heart of Downtown Coeur d’Alene. Resident wildlife sets the scene with the lake and mountain for a backdrop. We have cabins, RV spaces, or tent spaces for your stay.
$39 - $83 / night
$31 - $33 / night
$12 - $29 / night
Riley Creek Recreation Area, situated on the banks of the Pend Oreille River, is the largest recreation area for the Albeni Falls Project, but still offers visitors peace and quiet and plenty of space to enjoy the scenic surroundings.
Water sports are the most common activity at the lake, and boat ramps are provided at the campground. Visitors enjoy kayaking, canoeing, swimming, fishing, water skiing and jet skiing. Campers are likely to spot wildlife in the area, with bald eagles, osprey, bears and most commonly, deer. A biking and hiking trail is available, giving campers a chance to enjoy the wildlife and greenery. Fishing piers, horseshoe pits, a beach volleyball court, basketball court and more make this campground an ideal place for family trips or groups of friends. A hiking and biking trail is accessible from the campground.
Albeni Falls Dam was built in 1955 for flood control and power production on the Pend Oreille River. Today, the popular lake has the added benefit of providing visitors with countless year-round recreational activities. Lake Pend Oreille is surrounded by scenic mountains and is one of the largest and deepest natural lakes in the western United States, plunging to depths of more than 1,200 ft. in some areas. Behind the dam, the Pend Oreille River stretches 65 miles through a glacial-carved valley that separates three mountain ranges.
The Albeni Falls Visitor Center features exhibits on the history of the dam and the natural features of the area. Tours of the dam are given daily during the summer. The nearby town of Laclede, Idaho offers gas and grocery services.
$75 / night
Whiskey Rock Bay Campground features 9 camp units with 3 sites on lake. In addition there are 4 picnic sites with fire rings, vault toilets, a dock, and a swimming beach.
Devil's Elbow Campground is perched on the banks of the North Fork Coeur d'Alene River, providing a perfect escape for a warm summer weekend. Here, visitors can camp in tents or RVs and spend their days fishing or floating the river.
Rafting, swimming and kayaking are favorite activities on the river. Rafters will find class I-III rapids further down the river. Catch-and-release cutthroat trout fishing is also popular. Visitors also enjoy explore the river valley on foot to see nearby Downey Creek or Valitons Creek.
The campground sits among lodgepole and other mixed pines along the river at an elevation of 2,600 feet. The area is located in the Coeur d'ALene Mountains, 69 miles from popular Coeur d'Alene Lake. Wildlife watchers and photographers have the chance to see mule deer, moose, osprey and calliope hummingbirds.
$92 / night
Traveler
Great tent camping. Also, it's a great starting point to some really good dirt bike trails. Be prepared for no cell service. 0 amenities. it's just a place to pitch a tent and have a fire. And it cost nothing.
Ranger
We did not stay overnight, but it's a beautiful spot, with 360 degree views. It's quiet and peaceful. The road up to the lookout is pretty rough and wouldn't recommend it in a car. There's a lovely hiking trail from the parking area as well which leads to even more spectacular views. Recommended for a day trip or overnight!
Traveler
We were glad we read the reviews for directions & info about spots — like others mentioned, the best spot is a big grassy area amongst the trees (continue past the first circular parking area). However, the entire area has sportsman access, so we listened to gun shots most of the day… not exactly the peaceful nature vibe we were hoping for. Would likely come back, but pray it’s a day of no hunters
Ranger
I wouldn’t recommend this campground, especially if you’re hoping for a lakeside experience. The campground is actually a decent distance away, and it’s not easy to access. The road getting in is rough and bumpy, which made for an unpleasant drive. Once we arrived, the campsites were disappointingly small and cramped, making it difficult to set up comfortably. The lake itself wasn’t much better. It’s small, and the water is ice cold, so swimming wasn’t really an option. To top it off, there were no fish to be found, so fishing was a bust. Overall, between the rough road, tiny campsites, and lackluster lake, this campground just wasn’t worth the effort. There are much better options out there.
Ranger
This lakeside campground is a true hidden getaway, perfect for anyone looking to escape the crowds. The lake itself is stunning—clear, beautiful water. However, be aware that there’s a steep drop-off down to the lake, which might make getting to the water a little tricky depdning on which campsite you get. The road to get there is long and rough, I wouldn't recommend bringing a standard camping trailer, and you probably wouldn't want to take a car. But the remoteness is what makes this spot so amazing. It’s incredibly peaceful, and when we visited, there was only one other camper around, so it felt like we had the entire place to ourselves. If you’re looking for a quiet, off-the-beaten-path campground with amazing lake views and don’t mind a bit of a drive, this spot is worth the effort. Just make sure your vehicle can handle the rough road.
Ranger
Love it here. There are beautiful lakeside campsites with access to the lake. Unfortunately, those were all reserved when we stayed there. This place can get busy in the summertime, so you reserve early. So we stayed at a nice pull through campsite. All the sites are nice and private with lovely trees and open grassy space between them.
There's a nice swimming area a short walk from our campsite, and Pend Oreille lake is beautiful clear, cool water for swimming.
Bathrooms are not typical pit toilets, but had running water and flush toilets.
The area is beautiful and well worth the trip to camp here.
Ranger
I recently spent a few days at this campground, and overall, it was a pleasant experience. The highlight of the trip was definitely the beautiful lake, which provided a serene backdrop for the entire stay. The surroundings are peaceful abd there is a lovely trail around the lake and an extensive set of trails heading up into the mountain behind the lake as well as a trail to a pond with a dam which is quite peaceful.
The swimming area is nice with kind of sandy beach, but there is a bit of seaweed in the swimming area. There are also two docks perfect for fishing. I had a great time casting off from them and even caught a couple of crappies and trout which was a nice bonus. However, one downside was some road noise, which occasionally disrupted the peaceful atmosphere, especially in the evenings. It wasn’t overwhelming, but it was noticeable enough to mention. Additionally, the campground and swim area can get very busy during peak summer weekends. If you're looking for a quieter experience, it might be best to visit during the off-season or on weekdays. All in all, the campground is a solid choice for anyone looking to enjoy nature, fish, or swim in a beautiful lake. Just be prepared for a little road noise and crowds if you visit during popular times.
Traveler
I was motorcycle tent camping. Nice spot. Only drawback would be there are train tracks and siding within hearing distance. Good bathrooms and free showers.
Guide
What a place! I saw no trash or broken glass, it was very clean. I got there after dark and left first thing in the morning, wish I had more time to explore. Sites only had a fire pit, I believe there are also pit toilets but I didn’t have time to check them out.
The road up is rough, potholes, it does get better about halfway up. Expect at least 30 minutes to get up after you hit the gravel, and that’s pushing it pretty hard.
TravelerStopped at the little restaurant and got a fantastic meal after being on the road all day then headed past all the massive houses to end up in such a gorgeous location. This is one of my favorite spots now!
Scout
Large site. Well managed. On the Spokane River.
Traveler
Modern and beautiful campground. Close to all the wonders of Idaho's panhandle. They have several back in and pull through sites with more on the way. Choice of full hookups, or water and electric. Their showers are emaculant and luxurious. Wife refused to use ours. They have luxury cabins and covered wagon glamping. Very family and senior friendly. Reasonably priced, can't loose booking here.
Scout
location is awesome very convenient but being right next to the train tracks is a bummer.
Guide
This was a great spot! The camp hosts, Dan and Steve, were very friendly. We loved how large the sites and overall area was, so we could back our rig in easily (40ft long x 13.5ft tall.) There were a lot of open sites, even during the holiday weekend, and even with people on either side, we didn’t feel like we were on top of anyone else. A really great central place to hang so we could check out the surrounding area.
As some others mentioned:
GuideWe were able to get our fifth wheel (40ft long, 13 1/2 ft tall) in and out easy! Lots of spaces and places to turn around. After crossing the bike path, take the first right onto the dirt road at the sportsmans access sign (parallel to the small paved parking lot.) Like another said, the best spot is past the first circular area. Keep going down the road and you’ll see a big shady area in the trees. (You can go further along to two more sites more suited for smaller pop-up campers, tents, or vans.) Close to the water so of course, there were some bugs: lots of bees and mosquitoes.
Scout
Terrible spot between road and rail, not good for tents, possibly a so-so rv spot in a pinch.
Scout
Stayed here with my wife and children while we were visiting Silverwood. This location was perfect and less than 5 minutes from the park entrance. I would definitely stay here again.
ScoutThis is my 2nd time visiting and the quality has dramatically dropped. Maybe the difference was that I went in early fall 4 years ago and this time was late summer but YIKES.
There was broken glass EVERYWHERE. We cleaned up so much trash in our site and off the road. The pit toilet was completely out of toilet paper (which we anticipated). Despite being stage 1 fire restrictions, multiple people were having fires, one person's was still smoldering when I got up the next morning. Due to the number of people, ATVs, dirt bikes, nearby shooting range, etc it was just much more noisy in the busy season. I recommend going in the off season.
The road up to the lake is really rough and narrow but manageable with a proper vehicle.
The lake is gorgeous! I just wish people were more considerate.
FYI There is a moose that frequents the area so keep your trash in your car to avoid feeding the moose.
Traveler
Albert is a very kind, chill and accommodating host. My only regret is I couldn't stay long enough to listen to his guitar skills. A gost that with stum hos guitar for his guests? Thats a good enough reason to go see the place and what made me pick it out from all the others. His prices are very reasonable too. We won't rake you over the coals if you forget something. The place can be really busy on a hot Saturday and he runs it well shuttling people around. i loved that there were clean bathrooms and showers and a general store incase you forgot or ran out of something. I also enjoyed the cool old iron bridge and the peace and quiet of the place. It's no party zone where teenagers have keggars. I was there on a Friday and by 10pm it was quiet and peaceful then the next morning everyone showed up to have swim or float the river there and the water looked nice a shallow and slow perfect for small children and for kayakers it gets a little faster on the other side and fast enough to not have to worry too much about your kids drown but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't pay attention.
Scout
This place is an absolute gem! All sites now have full hook-ups with water, power and sewer and every site has both 30/50amp. No showers but who needs that when you have full hook-ups. They have a beautiful pool, basketball court, volleyball area and small playground. They even have a shuttle to Silverwood! One the most beautifully kept RV parks we've ever stayed in with spacious sites with grassy area and picnic table at each site. Highly recommend 👌
Guide
There are several dispersed sites up here along Pack River. Good for horses, camping and solitude.
Scout
It is a private secluded location but over priced for tent camping. It made for a nice base camp. The dogs were allowed to be off leash which was real nice. They do not allow pit bulls or Rottweilers but ironic that the camp hosts have a Rottweiler. It was not crowded. The nice hike to the summit to view both lakes was worth going up. Other than the $30/night for tent camping it was okay. Had it been $15 a night I would have given the site a 5 star.
Traveler
Beautiful hideaway!
Traveler
This quiet campground is a nice place to stay. Small and peaceful
We only stayed the one night on a Monday, so the restaurant and bar were closed. The sites are a little close together, but we are used to big private sites in the provincial campgrounds in Canada. The wifi was available, but only close to the restaurant.
Full hookups are available for most sites. There is a private beach that was nice for swimming. Staff is friendly and helpful.
Scout
Beautiful area nice camping spot good amount of shade coverage keeps us cool during the summer clean bathrooms and the camp hosts are super nice.
Guide
Needed to find a camp spot last minute on a Friday evening. Took our chances and drove out to Rainy Hill Campground. We found the last open spot in the rocky low area that was wide open. A few big rigs could pull in there but would be best for one group rather than many. Not the most beautiful spot but did have some nice surrounding trees. The other campgrounds were up on the hill and far enough away to still feel private but the area we parked was highly visible from the road and people looking down from the hill tops.
Some mosquito activity and the ground was pretty rugged that we opted to stay in the vehicle for the evening and move on the next morning.
TravelerI couldn’t book through Dyrt in app on the date. I called and booked with Munro on busy 4th weekend and got it done. A very nice stay on very loud 4th weekend of fireworks at Bonners Ferry(to be expected). Campsite with fire ring, wooded, picnic table was awesome. Bathhouse and facilities were very clean. Wood, icecream, laundry detergent, and more for sale at office/bathhouse. Definitely, stay again.
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Heron, MT is Sam Owen Camnpground with a 4.2-star rating from 15 reviews.
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