Best Dog-Friendly Camping near St. Paul, NE

North Loup State Recreation Area features tent and RV camping with pets allowed throughout the grounds. Most campgrounds near St. Paul maintain pet-friendly sites with standard leash requirements. George H. Clayton Campground offers spacious, shaded sites for campers with pets and maintains exceptionally clean facilities. Mormon Island State Recreation Area provides year-round pet accommodation with electric hookups, water access points, and picnic tables at each site. Grand Island KOA welcomes pets with dedicated areas for exercise and walking paths, accommodating tent campers, RVs, and even pet-friendly cabins from April through mid-October. The tent area at Clayton Campground features particularly soft grass that's gentle on dog paws.

Bader Memorial Park's multiple fishing ponds and river access provide excellent opportunities for dogs who enjoy swimming, with designated beach areas where pets can cool off during summer months. Most campgrounds in the region require pets to be leashed at all times when outside vehicles or tents. Ravenna Lake State Recreation Area maintains well-mowed grass areas suitable for pet exercise, though holiday weekends create crowded conditions that may be challenging for reactive dogs. Trade Winds campground, located 3 miles east of Loup City, offers cabins and tent sites where pets are permitted, though sites are positioned quite close together. The gates at Clayton Campground close at 8:30 pm, requiring campers with pets to plan evening activities accordingly.

Best Dog-Friendly Sites Near St. Paul, Nebraska (36)

    1. North Loup State Rec Area

    3 Reviews
    St. Paul, NE
    4 miles
    Website
    +1 (308) 385-6211

    "The loup river is a short distance away and it is BEAUTIFUL."

    2. Grand Island KOA

    30 Reviews
    Doniphan, NE
    29 miles
    Website
    +1 (402) 886-2249

    "The pool is cool and tucked away in the back. The store sold single local beers and was open late. They were slinging hot pizza. We stayed in an air conditioned camping cabin."

    "The pet friendly cabin was a cozy air conditioned break from the August heat. The location is great and feels tucked away every though it isn't far from the highway. The staff were very helpful."

    3. Cottonwood Park

    2 Reviews
    St. Paul, NE
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (308) 246-5278

    "Though located on the North side of the Missouri River, this campground is considered to be in Nebraska. Run by the US Corp of Engineers, there are no state permits required."

    4. George H Clayton Campground (Hall County Park)

    11 Reviews
    Grand Island, NE
    24 miles
    Website
    +1 (308) 385-5087

    $15 - $30 / night

    "Cool campground with lots of playground equipment, easy access to walking and bike paths and right next to Stuhr Museum which is well worth a trip!"

    "Beautiful park on the outskirts of town. I counted 20 concrete rv pads and numerous tent sites. Access to water and dump station with electricity at the site. $30 per night."

    5. Mormon Island State Recreation Area Campground

    19 Reviews
    Doniphan, NE
    27 miles
    Website
    +1 (308) 385-6211

    $25 - $30 / night

    "Family and pet friendly campground"

    "- very few campers on a Tuesday in Oct

    • nice paths for an after dinner stroll with the dogs
    • att cell service is good
    • no internet
    • easy acces from the Highway
    • lots of Highway truck noise"

    6. Streeter Park Campground

    28 Reviews
    Marquette, NE
    33 miles
    Website
    +1 (402) 694-6992

    "There's a playground nearby and several walking paths as well as a restroom. these cell service was great and the camp even has free wi-fi provided by the city."

    "Nice city park trail through the trees for a good morning walk. "

    7. Bader Memorial Park

    5 Reviews
    Marquette, NE
    22 miles
    Website
    +1 (308) 986-2522

    "Campground Review: Bader Park is located in Merrick County a few miles from Marquette Nebraska."

    "You have the option to fish from 3 or 4 ponds plus the river is walking distance. Beach area for kids seems to have people there often. Good weekend get away."

    8. Sherman Reservoir State Rec Area Campground

    2 Reviews
    Loup City, NE
    24 miles
    Website
    +1 (308) 745-0230

    $30 / night

    "Finding a camping spot with access to the lake is difficult. After driving around the lake, we found one, and it was an amazing spot! Clean outhouses. "

    9. Ravenna Lake State Recreation Area

    5 Reviews
    Ashton, NE
    26 miles
    Website
    +1 (402) 471-7755

    "There were a lot of people fishing and kayaking and a lot of dogs."

    10. Trade Winds

    1 Review
    Loup City, NE
    23 miles
    +1 (308) 745-1187

    $22 - $80 / night

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Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near St. Paul, NE

246 Reviews of 36 St. Paul Campgrounds


  • Melanie T.
    May. 27, 2023

    Kearney RV Park & Campground

    Why not 5

    Very nice campground. Plenty of room between sites. Nice little beach areas. Plenty of room to walk the dog. And the dog park is big enough for the dog to run & play in. Wi-Fi is excellent. Cell service too. Now you wonder why not a 5. Being right next to the  highway very bad road noise. Had to turn the fan on high to drown it out. Other than that, this is a great campground.

  • Dawn I.
    Jul. 29, 2021

    Grand Island KOA

    Favorite KOA

    This campground is set among the corn fields. The staff was super! The pool is cool and tucked away in the back. The store sold single local beers and was open late. They were slinging hot pizza. We stayed in an air conditioned camping cabin. Super close to the pool and bathrooms! 2 of the nicest fenced dog parks of any KOA. I would definitely stay there again if driving through.

  • MThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 30, 2022

    Kearney RV Park & Campground

    Nice stopover

    Stopped here for one night headed east. Friendly staff, nice laundry and bathroom facilities that are handicapped accessible. Big dog park area for the pups. No fires here. Level concrete pads and you can move the picnic tables if needed. There are storm shelters available in the bathhouse.

  • Danielle C.
    Aug. 22, 2020

    Grand Island KOA

    Cozy Cabin in the Cornfields

    This was a wonderful spot to visit during our trip across the country. The pet friendly cabin was a cozy air conditioned break from the August heat. The location is great and feels tucked away every though it isn't far from the highway. The staff were very helpful. I would definitely recommend!

  • T
    Jul. 9, 2021

    Cottonwood Park

    Would get ve 5 stars if there were full hook ups!

    Though located on the North side of the Missouri River, this campground is considered to be in Nebraska. Run by the US Corp of Engineers, there are no state permits required. We paid $16/night, but it’s possible that we could have gotten 50% off with our America the Beautiful pass. I just forgot to check and didn’t think to include the pass when registering.

    The site was electric only and I don’t believe full hookups are a available at the campground. We snagged this site, in what is normally a fully booked campground, thanks to Campnab.

    The site was paved and had an area covered with small rocks where the picnic table and fire pit were located. We had two trees at the north of our site that facilitated hanging the hammock with extended straps and also a tree on the west side of the site. The bath/shower house was a short walk (as was water access) and were very, very well kept and clean. Contractors live on site and clean several times a day. It was a great area for riding bikes and was very family and pet friendly.

  • Jennifer T.
    May. 28, 2024

    Ravenna Lake State Recreation Area

    Pleasant Stay

    The only way to reserve a site is through camp spot and we have a little trouble with that because it did not let me pick my site number. We arrived Friday evening on Memorial weekend and it was crowded. The campsite is great on the pocketbook but you have to pay a $10 fee to lock in your site and I am so glad we did! There was only three other empty spots in the entire campground and they were all marked reserved when we got there. The campground was pretty busy We were a little disappointed in our site because it was very small and kind of sandwiched between two big campers so not a lot of privacy and not a lot of room. There were a lot of people fishing and kayaking and a lot of dogs. There are showers and bathrooms but they are up near the entrance to the campground although they did have porta potties near the campsites. Although the grounds were well maintained the grass was mowed there was volleyball net setup disc golf available a pet exercise area the fountain was beautiful and shady in most areas. We would probably return on a non-holiday weekend when it's not so busy.

  • Kyla B.
    Sep. 1, 2025

    War Axe State Rec Area

    Convenient, clean and family friendly

    Stopped for the night. Primitive camping at $10 per night. Must have State Park sticker as it is managed by NE Game and Parks. Has handicap restroom available and covered picnic tables. Little pond for fishing with a dock. Pets allowed, no fire pits onsite, no water or dumpsite. Can see interstate so expect traffic noise.

  • Crystal C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 6, 2019

    War Axe State Rec Area

    Easy Highway Access

    Nebraska is abounding with recreation areas many within a reasonable distance of the main highway running across the state.   But War Axe, a much smaller area offers immediate access to fishing and fun within only 30 seconds of the highway!!

    I visited this area and quickly was surprised by how such a small location could have such a great opportunity for someone like myself to enjoy a quiet day at a small lake.   Despite being so close to the highway, the location is quiet and calm, a perfect way to spend a day or up to 10 days.

    There isn't much to say about this site that is negative, the grass is a plush green and backs up to a corn field, so iconically Nebraska!!   The site is small and only caters to a handful of campers at $10 per site.    While primitive there is a flush toilet with running water making it feel not quite as primitive as other sites along the same stretch.     Lush trees shade the camping zones and a small boat launch offers those stopping in. the opportunity to get in the water or enjoy the small shoreline.

    One thing to be said for any recreation area in Nebraska is a friendly reminder that you will need an access pass to stay here or even visit.   These cannot be obtained at the site and must be repurchased before visiting either online or at one of the main offices.   This I found to be a big inconvenience throughout the entire state as I passed by on a weekend and was unaware.    

    The area is well patrolled and actually a ranger was present when I visited.   He was a great source of information and allowed me to access the area despite my lack of knowledge of the pass requirement.   There is no gate or monitoring when you enter only an honor box near the restrooms.

    Campsites are marked with tables and fire rings and any restrictions are posted at the same area as the honor box.   

    I loved this location and would gladly stop in again if in the area!!  Very cute and small, not busy and easy to access makes for the perfect place to spend a day or night.

    Tips:

    • Make sure to look online and get your pass for any Nebraska parks or rec areas before traveling to.
    • Bring anything you need with you as there are no services.   Since this is along a major highway you are only a short distance from stores if you forget something but better come with everything rather than having to find them after.

Guide to St. Paul

If you're looking for pet-friendly camping options near St. Paul, Nebraska, there are several great spots where you and your furry friends can enjoy the great outdoors together.

Dog-friendly activities while camping near St. Paul

  • At Bader Memorial Park, you can explore numerous trails and enjoy fishing in the ponds, making it a perfect spot for a day of adventure with your dog.
  • North Loup State Rec Area offers a peaceful environment with large trees for shade, ideal for relaxing with your pet after a day of fishing.
  • Trade Winds features a marina where you can rent kayaks, allowing you to enjoy water activities while your pet enjoys the nearby grassy areas.

Pet owners appreciate the amenities

  • George H Clayton Campground provides electric hookups and clean facilities, ensuring a comfortable stay for both you and your pet.
  • At Mormon Island State Recreation Area, you'll find well-maintained sites with easy access to water and trash disposal, making it convenient for pet owners.
  • Cottonwood Park features picnic shelters and a fishing pond, perfect for a relaxing day outdoors with your pet.

Tips for camping with dogs near St. Paul

  • Always keep your dog on a leash at Tooley Park Campground to ensure their safety and the comfort of other campers.
  • Bring plenty of water and a portable bowl when visiting Davis Creek Dam Campground to keep your pet hydrated during outdoor activities.
  • Make sure to clean up after your pet at Ravenna Lake State Recreation Area to maintain the beauty of the campground and ensure a pleasant experience for everyone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near St. Paul, NE?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near St. Paul, NE is North Loup State Rec Area with a 3.3-star rating from 3 reviews.

What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near St. Paul, NE?

TheDyrt.com has all 36 dog-friendly camping locations near St. Paul, NE, with real photos and reviews from campers.