Ward Pound Ridge Reservation provides year-round camping with separate sites for pets, creating an exceptional outdoor experience for dog owners. Leashed dogs are welcome throughout this 4,300-acre park in Pound Ridge, with shelters and tent sites accommodating pets of all sizes. The camping sites are large and private with access to over 40 miles of hiking trails perfect for dog walking. Westchester County's largest park features clean porta-potties near the sites, fire pits, and BBQ grills at each campsite. Croton Point Park also permits pets at their tent, RV, and cabin sites, though the campground enforces strict leash rules throughout the property. Sites are far enough apart to provide privacy while dogs can enjoy the Hudson River peninsula setting. Shelter sites at Ward Pound Ridge offer a unique camping experience with protection from unplanned weather.
Trails throughout Ward Pound Ridge Reservation allow dogs to explore alongside their owners through varied terrain including forests, meadows, and alongside creeks. Many campers note the absence of mosquitoes and bugs at certain campsites, making evening walks more pleasant for pets and their owners. The park requires reservations made in person at the office, with many visitors recommending arriving when the office opens at 9 am to secure preferred spots. For campers visiting with pets during summer months, Croton Point Park offers access to water where dogs can cool off, though swimming is restricted to designated areas. Both parks maintain clean facilities with regular staff patrols. Nearby stores in Bedford provide pet supplies, though visitors should plan to bring essentials as on-site markets are limited.
$17 / night
"With Covid/social distancing requirements, many sites are closed so it’s extra quiet and spread out. I stayed at site 6 with my seven year-old daughter from Tue-Thur."
"When you are camping with a large group of friends and don't all have access to a car, this is the perfect spot."
$17 - $20 / night
"15 dolares la noche para los que viven en el Estado de New York o New York city .. si es fuera del estado son $5 dolares mas!!"
"Drive-in tent campgrounds. Adequate restroom facilities sprinkled amongst tent sites. Some campsites have raised platforms. All sites have picnic tables and fire ring with flip-top grill."
$45 - $55 / night
"Pet friendly and kid friendly with a playground available. Our favorite site is #25. Up a hill, totally private and has a lean-to."
"Close to the city and civilization, yet large enough to have nice trails and creeks to feel away from it all. The camping sites are very different so it’s useful to go in person and select the area."
$30 - $60 / night
"Tent sites are very private with some dirt roads to exit out but thats what make it unique experience! Bathrooms with shower is near by and has plenty porta potties all around."
"Was close to bear mountains state part and the train station is right there!"
$25 - $40 / night
"Love the proximity to NYC - I always look for areas that are not too far, but not too close to NY. Beautiful but small-ish tent sites."
"We are looking forward to stopping by Round Pond again in the near future."
$74 - $130 / night
"It is a step up from cabin camping. They also have a beach behind it."
"This place is only an hour away from NYC with so much to do and see. These cabins are VERY rustic, four walls, a cot, and a fridge."
$17 - $50 / night
"We love this State Park because it's close to our home for a quick getaway. This time we tried one of the sites on the water, and I probably wouldn't choose the same site again. "
"I love kettletown, it’s a favorite that is very close to home. It’s a small camp ground and it’s absolutely beautiful."
"We got a red carpet site by the Gaga pit and near the water park (Cindy bear lane) and it was a convenient yet noisy site. Kids were at the playground 8 am or before and the noise woke us up."
"With a new check in area, Gardiner has really stepped up. They expanded the pool area to include another pool plus splash area and water slides."
$20 - $150 / night
"Yes, this is a military-only campground but, that doesn't take away from how incredible it is and that is properly advertised.
This place is incredible. "
"Small dog park, communal spaces, and a camp store all made the place feel like a little village. They even have a wine store- cab sav was good. WiFi I work remotely and WiFi is always an issue."
"The staff was nice and they were dog friendly!"
GuideI grew up in Long Beach. If you’re looking for a spot to camp so you can surf, this is perfect! It’s basically a parking lot, but it’s steps away from some of the greatest waves on the east coast. Showers are clean, there’s a dog park nearby, and the island is very bikable to get around.
benefits: allows dogs childrens playground beach programs like movie nights throughout the summer
ScoutWe have enjoyed our stay. Nice campground with lots of activities and things to do. However, we picked this place because it has an enclosed dog park. It does have an enclosed dog park but the fence is only 3 feet high. While this might be fine for some dogs, I have 2 young border collies that will jump that fence like it is not even there.
GuideCamp Gateway in Brooklyn New York is one of my favorite places to visit. I went to college in New York, and loved to get out of the busy city and go camping and be outdoors. Camp Gateway was always a place that I loved to go. It is pretty close to town-which is crazy because you feel like you are miles away. Camp Gateway does offer a lot of different activities for everyone. One thing I love to do is go kayaking and stand up paddle boarding. My girlfriends and I tried to do this once a month to get away from the city and school. Because you are so close to the city, you can plan outdoor activities as well as some activities in the city. My friends and I stayed 1 night in the campground, and the next day went to a recital show that took us 10 minutes to get to. You can also walk, hike or ride your bike along multiple paths- I have done the Fort Tilden trail (I just walked, but there were multiple people that passed us on their bikes). Within the campground they do have some fire pits- which my friends and I always use because we love cooking smores and hot dogs for dinner. A little further away from the campground, about 10-15 miles there is a place where you can do horseback riding, see the Statue of Liberty (which is gorgeous!), and there is a little beach area. This beach area is where I do my kayaking and stand up paddle boarding. Again, its not very far away...you can either drive there, walk or ride your bike. The road is paved, which is nice. I stayed here also with my parents, and I know my dad went golfing one day (I didn't go, but he said it was awesome)- and again that was only a 10 minute drive from our camping spot. This campground like I said, does offer quite a bit. Sometimes it doesn't really feel like you are "camping" because things are pretty close by, but it definitely is worth going to and trying.
RangerVery plain & functional, no frills but right on the harbor & on the very edge of Jersey City, close to a ferry & the train that takes u across to New York City. Shopping & restraunts are right next door. We brought scooters & had a great stay! Plus you can see the Statue of Liberty from there!
LegendWe tried this campground without knowing what was safe and where to stay for visit New York City. It is located in Brooklyn and is little removed from everything. The sites are at Floyd Bennett Field which is an old airfield. The atmosphere here is eerily cool at the same time. You basically park and camp on the asphalt by the old hangars. No hookups at all but they do have a camp store and bath house. If you are tent camping, there are some grassy sites.
The campground is located right on Jamaica Bay so there were people fishing all the time from the seawall. At night, you could hear cars doing burnouts right next to us. To get to all the action in the city, we had to take a bus and then the subway. The travel was a headache but better than trying to drive in to New York City in our RV. One way to improve here would be to have some security at night as well as access to clean water and dump station. They remained locked most of the time for some reason.
The best part of this place was the free tour of Hangar B by some guys doing restoration of old planes (HARP). They had some great stories and gave us history of the planes on display.
ScoutRecently, we camped here for a week. We don’t ever post negative reviews like this. The last day, we experienced a violent attack by a very large and aggressive Pit Bull. The Pit Bull did not have a collar or a leash and was accidently let out of the RV to roam free and unsupervised. It immediately ran to our site(4 sites away) and attacked our dog that was tied at the time. The incident was unprovoked. While trying to save our dog, my wife and I were also attacked. The wounds were serious enough to require emergency transport to a hospital for treatment including stitches. All we could think of was what might have happened if our granddaughter had been playing with our dog.
To put it mildly, their existing pet policy is grossly lacking. They never checked what breed of dog or ask to see documentation of shots when we were registering. Yogi Bear Jellystone Park needs to better manage their pet policy to address aggressive dog breeds and ensure the safety of campers. We camped there for seven days and saw multiple sites have more than one large dog, which in many places we’ve camped at would have been banned due to breed type or size. We have RV’ed extensively across the US and have never seen such careless enforcement of a pet policy regarding aggressive dog breeds. Seriously, think about avoiding this park if you have pets or small children.
TravelerGood for skinny dipping and other fun things! Most acidic lake in New York but completely safe.
GuideThis place is kind of a toss up for me. On one hand, I enjoy it because it's a little slice of heaven in the hell of one of the busy areas of New York. I hate this place for the same reason. It's not really camping if you're going to see a play and then go tour the Statue of Liberty. It just doesn't seem right to me. If I HAVE to be in New York, maybe I'd consider staying here again just to get myself out of the city for a bit. But this definitely isn't your "great outdoors/rest and relaxation" kind of place.
TravelerSome things you should be aware of before booking: The office, playground, dog park, pool, laundry are located at the top of the hill. Camping spots are downhill, a good distance from the office and amenities. Trash is located off site in a pullout on the road you drive in on. There are 2 showers for women and 2 for men. Both are old and not well maintained or in our experience clean, either. In general the camping spots are not well maintained, weedy, un-level and picnic tables are weathered and warped. This resort campground is composed of mainly residents, the rules (we observed) apply to the overnight campers, not the residents. Children of the residents run free all day and past curfew in the evenings unsupervised. The setting is quiet, the views from the upper level are lovely. With some updating of bath facilities, cleaning and leveling of campsites, uniform enforcement of rules, Pleasant Acres could become a resort destination.
The Westchester County area offers pet friendly camping near Bedford Hills, New York within a one-hour drive. Located in the Hudson Valley region at elevations ranging from 200-1,000 feet, this area experiences distinct seasons with summer temperatures averaging 75-85°F. Most campgrounds open from April through October, with some like Ward Pound Ridge Reservation providing year-round camping options.
Hiking trail exploration: Clarence Fahnestock State Park features over 14,000 acres with varied terrain for hikers and their dogs. "There is another lake and two ponds that our neighbor campers said were great for catching panfish - one fisherman said he had caught several bass weighing over 3 pounds," notes Shelly B.
Swimming with pets: Croton Point Park offers water access along the Hudson River peninsula. "Short 5 minute drive to nearby supermarket to pick up food or firewood. I would highly recommend it. Oh...and did i say, gorgeous scenery along the river and a private beach which is opened from Wednesday to the weekend with life guards on duty," reports Anil S.
Local historical sites: The area near Bedford Hills contains Revolutionary War-era trails and landmarks. At Beaver Pond Campground, "A quick 15 minute drive from Beaver Pond, is Bear Mountain State Park. Here you can find some of the Appalachian Trail, with various smaller trail heads for this historic (Revolutionary Times 1770s) part of the region including the one to Doodle Town," shares Steve W.
Private, secluded sites: Ward Pound Ridge Reservation offers well-spaced camping areas. "This is by far one of my favorite camp site I've been to. Simply beautiful sceneries every where you turn. My family and friends stayed at the Kimberly campsite 7 on Sept, 2020 and I have to say, we couldn't ask for a better spot. No mosquitos or bugs," reports Anil S.
Platform tent sites: Elevated camping spots keep tents dry during wet weather. At Beaver Pond, "The biggest positive about Beaver Pond is how spread out it was. You definitely feel like you have your own space and are not camping on top of your neighbor. Many of the camping options were on platforms which is especially nice if it recently rained or if you are expecting rain during your stay," according to Ethan K.
Clean facilities: Campgrounds maintain regular cleaning schedules for comfort stations. "The bathrooms and showers were also pretty clean too. Lots of water spickets throughout the ground," notes Sammi A. about Fahnestock State Park.
Reservation requirements: Most campgrounds require advance booking, especially during peak season. For Ward Pound Ridge, "There is no phone or internet reservations and has to be made in person at the office. I would recommend call earlier and come in few minutes earlier to 9 am when the office opens to find the best spots."
Wildlife encounters: Bears and raccoons are common in the region. At Beaver Pond, a ranger tells campers, "Welcome to Bear Mountain" as "He offers us a highlighted map to our site, wishes us a good stay, and gives us the run down on bear activity in the area. I mean, we are in Bear Mountain, what do you expect?!?"
Seasonal water quality: Swimming areas may close due to water conditions. At Kettletown State Park, "the week I was there there was a high bacteria count, so no swimming was allowed. Also, when swimming is allowed, there isn't a lifeguard."
Shelter camping options: For easier camping with children and pets, consider lean-to shelters. "This is a really great place to camp. The shelter sites are large and private with access to hiking trails and make for a unique experience," notes jeremy S. about Ward Pound Ridge Reservation.
Pet-specific campsite selection: Some campgrounds have designated pet sections. At Beaver Pond, "We stayed here on a Thursday night in September prior to taking off backpacking. The campground was clean and quiet. RV hook-ups, tent platforms, and rustic tent sites were available."
Playgrounds and recreation: Jellystone Park Gardiner provides numerous activities for families with pets. "This place is great for kids or diverse groups that all want to do different things. It's very family themed and fun for everyone. However, it can end up being as crowded as an amusement park depending on when you go," writes Carrie J.
Site selection important: Choose RV sites carefully based on size and privacy. At Fahnestock State Park, one camper advises, "This is one of my favorite campsites I have been to but only because after several visits we have finally found our favorite site. This place can book up during camping season in the Northeast so make sure to book early in advance."
Hookup availability: Limited electric and water hookups exist in the Bedford Hills area. At Croton Point Park, "Not too many to offer... A county park with a mix of w/e (6 sites) and FHU sites plus about a dozen tent sites near a capped dump!"
RV length restrictions: Most campgrounds in the area limit RV size. Beaver Pond accommodates "trailer site, it's perfect for the trusty old pop-up, and feels nice and roomy. Although no site offers electric or water hook up, camp amenities include: a moderately stocked store, public bath houses, a laundry facility, playground for the kids and camp-sinks with access to water."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Bedford Hills, NY?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Bedford Hills, NY is Clarence Fahnestock State Park Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 33 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Bedford Hills, NY?
TheDyrt.com has all 62 dog-friendly camping locations near Bedford Hills, NY, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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