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Woodland Valley Campground and Kenneth L Wilson Campground accept pets throughout their open season from May 19 to October 9, with Giant Ledge Primitive Camp ranking highest among pet owners who value wilderness access. Campers report sleeping next to the mountain creek at Woodland Valley provides a natural lullaby effect for both humans and pets. Most campgrounds in the area feature established fire rings, picnic tables, and designated tent sites with nearby water access where dogs can splash and cool off. Devil's Tombstone Campground maintains toilets and hookups for RVs traveling with pets, though the campground's more limited season ends September 4.
The Catskill hiking trail system offers numerous pet-friendly options directly accessible from several campgrounds. Giant Ledge's primitive campsites require a moderately challenging hike with dogs, featuring rocky terrain that some reviewers note becomes particularly difficult during the first mile with a fully loaded pack. Allaben Campground provides free primitive camping with pet access close to town amenities, featuring fire pits with cooking griddles and trails to fishing access points across the road. Bear safety precautions remain essential when camping with pets in this region, as multiple reviewers mention bears frequenting campgrounds including Woodland Valley. The campgrounds enforce proper food storage regulations, with one camper reporting their bear canister remained undisturbed despite possible overnight bear activity.
"Near the Big Indian Wilderness and Sundown Wild Forest in the Catskills, so there’s a lot of hiking and nature to explore."
"This campground had easy access to excellent hiking trails. Woodstock, NY was about 30 min away and we enjoyed exploring the area on our non-hiking day. Very dog friendly."
from $20 / night
Check Availability"We had planned on driving to hiking but there was so much to do around the camp site we just walked around and did the hiking near by. The dog park is wonderful. Our dog loved it."
"Two ponds to play in and a fenced dog park. Some nice hiking in the park."
from $22 / night
Check Availability"Our first campground was in New York Aug 8th. Unfortunately, Debbie was socking New York hard. North South Lake Campground in the Catskills was our camping home."
"This is a truly beautiful and scenic campground, easily one of the best places we have visited in New York State."
from $22 - $44 / night
Check Availability"Pros: Near wonderful, little-used hiking trails - challenging ones, too!
- Close to Catskill town options to explore, e.g."
"You can see a picture here of the water just a 10 foot trail away from our campsite. All in all a great trip."
from $22 / night
Check Availability"We took our dog too. Bring a bear bell and bear mace can to be safe. We did not see any but definite signs of them. Get tracking poles if you don't already have some. Very helpful here."
"However the descriptions of this place in reviews here and elsewhere provided very little info and once I got out to the trail realized how different it was to what I expected."
"A short drive to these rustic tent-only spots, dog friendly, nice rangers and great trees for hammocks! This is my go-to in the summers."
"this is close by to many catskill hiking trails"
from $16 / night
Check Availability"Right outside downtown Phoenicia the black bear campground is perfectly situated for a multitude of activities. They offer creek front and wooded campsites."
"2 minutes walk to town"
from $35 - $65 / night
Check Availability"A great free spot for dispersed camping tucked right off the road. Had a fire pit and picnic table"
"Short walk to all campsites."
"There are two campsites located right outside of the park where you can park your car next to your tent but we opted to hike in."
"There are several beautiful, secluded hike-in sites along the lake which I would love to return to someday. The hike around the lake is a lovely, easy walk."
"We got to the spot at around 4pm, and choose a spot in the “upper field”, although we didn’t see anyone at the lower spots on the road."
"This was a good campground for a base point for hiking around the peekamoose area. I stayed in the middle field campground site #6 (which is the worst spot on that field)."
GuideNear the Big Indian Wilderness and Sundown Wild Forest in the Catskills, so there’s a lot of hiking and nature to explore. The campground is very basic but memorable for its simple beauty and all the nearby hikes. The camp sites along the stream are best, and if you’re in a tent a few of them are even farther from the road (but only about 100 feet).
ScoutThe campsite was great. Big and going after Labor Day means there was tons of space. Well priced. We did have neighbors that had a trailer and used their generator early in the morning and late at night. Beside that it was fantastic. We had planned on driving to hiking but there was so much to do around the camp site we just walked around and did the hiking near by. The dog park is wonderful. Our dog loved it.
GuideLots of room in many sites for my 24 ft RV and 30 ft trailer. Big meadow in middle with new full playground set.
Dry camping but water available and a sewer dump. Gotta haul your own trash.
Two ponds to play in and a fenced dog park.
Some nice hiking in the park.
GuideSuch a clean and well maintained campground. Staff were so nice and friendly. Only one shower area that was a bit of a trek from our site, a bike would have been nice to get around. We had to move our tent as we had set it back too far and was not on the site pad and park ranger Brian who was very lovely came and asked us to move it and we had a nice chat. Lovely big dog park. There are some nice little walks and small hikes on the ground with a lake that you can rent kayaks or canoes. Close to Woodstock which is a cute town. Our site was a little exposed but the sites either side of us were closed for restoration thankfully. There are some more secluded and set back sites too though.
LegendWe were on a 5 state East Coast camping trip. Our first campground was in New York Aug 8th. Unfortunately, Debbie was socking New York hard. North South Lake Campground in the Catskills was our camping home. Thursday & Friday it was Neverending rain & wind. Saturday was the nice day.
North South Lake has no electricity. The sites are almost all beautiful, tucked in under shady trees. Not a good way to try out our solar panel! Some are by a stream. A few are by the lake. This is a tent campers paradise. New York tent campers are hard core camping during Tropical Storm Debbie!
There are 7 loops. We were in loop 2. Site 85. There are some sites with an incline down to the site. That might give some rvs trouble. It did for us & I had to be driven out of the campground to call 911. Thank you Mary!! It all ended well & we got a different site.
There are bears that visit the campground & one came one of the nights & visited our camping neighbor's site. They showed us a picture- it was a large black bear.
Generators are allowed for 5 hours & they tell you when you can use them.
The bathrooms/showers are state park clean- which means not very.
There is NO cell service & just forget about WiFi. You are unplugged.
This is a hiking park & for this middle aged overweight flatlander they are pretty strenuous. Kaaterskill Falls is an exception - short, easy trail, but the parking fills up quickly. Then they close it! You'll have to take a shuttle to get in.
The trail to the Mountain House Site is also pretty easy, with more of an incline.
There's 2 nice lakes with beaches.
The Catskills are very scenic& we enjoyed our time there!
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 campground is nestled in the Catskills, New York, with easy access to New Jersey and Connecticut. With large campsites and most surrounded by trees, you will find just the right mix of privacy and community depending upon what you are looking for. Although the showers aren't top notch, they do have them and a great recycling center for all of your garbage. If hiking is what you enjoy, they have nearly 4 miles of trails within the campground and surrounding areas that circle two nearby ponds and their day use area. If you are looking for something offsite, don't miss the Giant Ledge hike, a 30 min drive and about a 3 mile out and back hike to Giant Ledge for amazing views overlooking the entire area. Head out to watch the sunrise one morning with awesome views looking east. When you need a break from cooking, don't miss the nearby Phoenicia Diner for some great breakfast and coffee! All of the Park Rangers are very helpful and will provide recommendations and maps, just ask!
TravelerNorth South lake is one of the larger public camp grounds in New York. The sites are well spaced out. Great for families. The lake is huge.
Avoid holidays to avoid the crowds.
Catskill camping near Big Indian features heavily forested terrain with elevations between 1,200 and 3,500 feet. The region receives approximately 50 inches of annual rainfall, creating lush woodland environments with abundant creeks and small bodies of water. Many campgrounds remain open from May through October, with limited options during the colder months when temperatures can drop below freezing.
Creek exploration: At Phoenicia Black Bear Campground, campers can enjoy multiple water activities. "River access for tubing!" shares reviewer Kendra P., who also noted it's just a "2 minutes walk to town." The creek access provides cooling relief during summer months.
Lakeside activities: Fishing and non-motorized boating options are available at most water-adjacent sites. At North-South Lake Campground, visitors appreciate the swimming beach and boat rentals. Reviewer Kyla B. mentioned, "We happened to spend the weekend on a day with free canoe/kayak rentals which was great!"
Hiking to viewpoints: The region offers trail connections to popular Catskill peaks and viewpoints. Multiple trail options exist for different ability levels. "The campground is in a nice forest. There's also a man made waterfall at the edge," notes one Little Pond reviewer, while another mentions "nice even path" access to waterfront sites.
Privacy between sites: Many campers value separation from neighbors. At Kenneth L Wilson Campground, reviewer Katherine P. noted, "Campsites are fairly close together with a variety of levels of privacy. Ours allowed you to be pretty far back from the road for more privacy."
Natural sound barriers: Campsites positioned near moving water offer natural noise reduction from neighbors. "We got site 9. It was absolutely massive! It was set back very far from the main road and was an extremely large site!" writes C.R. about their experience at Kenneth L Wilson, adding "Though it was totally private on one side, we could see our neighbors in site 10 on the other."
Minimal light pollution: The remote location offers excellent stargazing opportunities on clear nights. At Alder Lake, one reviewer notes, "There's no noise at night apart from the running water of the stream and we had a very peaceful weekend." Another mentions enjoying an "awesome sunrise" during their stay.
Seasonal restrictions: Most campgrounds in the area operate on a limited seasonal schedule. At Little Pond Campground, services run mid-May through late September. Reviewer Giselle P. cautions, "Cell service is non-existent and they have a pay phone near the entrance booth where you can use to make/receive phone calls. It's a 20 min drive back into town to get cell service."
Wildlife precautions: Bear activity requires proper food storage at all campgrounds. Katherine P. notes that at Kenneth L Wilson, "If you bring a pet make sure you have your paperwork with you, they do actually look at it." Another reviewer at the same campground had a more direct wildlife encounter, saying they "Got chased off by a bear."
Pack-in requirements: Some sites require walking gear in from parking areas. At The Peekamoose Valley, a reviewer explains, "At the middle field, you have to walk 200+ feet from the parking lot to your campsite, so just be prepared to carry your stuff." Another visitor mentions making "6-8 trips for each load-in and out."
Site selection strategy: For families with young children, choosing sites close to bathrooms and water sources reduces hiking distances. At Little Pond Campground, reviewer Lauren S. suggests, "Do recommend bringing something with wheels. It's not too far from the parking lot, but it's far enough to be annoying to carry everything."
Dog-friendly options: Many campgrounds welcome pets with proper vaccination documentation. For those traveling with dogs, reviewer Becky G. recommends Kenneth L Wilson as "Beautiful wooded dog friendly camping!" noting it's "just a stone's throw from NYC."
Water access considerations: Sites with gradual water entries work best for younger children. At Alder Lake, one reviewer mentions, "The campsites are very spacious with lots of room between you and other campers, and have a fire pit and some have picnic tables."
Size limitations: Many campgrounds have narrow access roads limiting larger rigs. At Devil's Tombstone Campground, reviewer Sam L. shares, "We had a VW Westfalia, which we had no trouble pulling into our site. If we had something bigger, it might have been an issue."
Limited hookups: Most sites offer basic hookups with few full-service options. "No showers or hookups. The toilets were pit toilets, which could have been cleaner. There was potable water," notes Sam L. about Devil's Tombstone Campground.
Unlevel terrain: The mountainous landscape means many sites require leveling blocks. Reviewer SJ W. cautions about Alder Lake, "Was not the easiest for my RV van to get up the hill with the ruts, but I have a small lift so it helps, lower clearance vans might not make it."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Big Indian, NY?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Big Indian, NY is Woodland Valley Campground — DEC with a 4.2-star rating from 29 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Big Indian, NY?
TheDyrt.com has all 133 dog-friendly camping locations near Big Indian, NY, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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