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Dog-Friendly Camping near Henderson Harbor, NY

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    Sun Outdoors Association Island accommodates pets at waterfront sites with full hookups. Campgrounds near Henderson Harbor typically allow dogs on leashes no longer than six feet, with some enforcing quiet hours to minimize barking disturbances. Westcott Beach State Park, Southwick Beach State Park, and Long Point State Park all welcome pets at their campsites while maintaining clean facilities. The spacious sites at Southwick Beach provide plenty of room for pets to relax with their owners while still respecting neighboring campers. Most campgrounds in the area limit pets to two per site and require proof of rabies vaccination upon check-in.

    Dog-friendly trails connect many of the Lake Ontario shoreline campgrounds, offering pets ample exercise opportunities while camping. The plateau camping area at Westcott Beach State Park features particularly large sites with a playground in the center circle, making it ideal for families with both children and pets. Bedford Creek Marina & Campground's staff receives consistent praise for being pet-friendly and accommodating. Seasonal considerations include the midge and mayfly swarms from Lake Ontario during certain periods, which can be problematic for pets and owners alike. Local veterinary services are available in Watertown, approximately 20-30 minutes from most Henderson Harbor area campgrounds. Most state parks enforce strict leash policies on beaches and in camping areas, though some offer designated pet swimming zones.

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    Best Dog-Friendly Campgrounds near Henderson Harbor (64)

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      1. Sun Outdoors Association Island

      4.3(15)3mi from Henderson HarborRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "The sunsets were spectacular and our site was literally just steps from Lake Ontario. All sites are full hook up. Wifi is available and fairly good."

      "Great location offering both sunrise and sunsets over the water of Lake Ontario. Loved the access to the water for our dogs to swim and for beautiful views."

      from $53 - $116 / night

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      2. Southwick Beach State Park Campground

      4.6(7)7mi from Henderson Harbor131 sitesRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "There is TONS of beach to explore at this little State Park in New York. I used to visit here as a kid years ago because my grandparents owned a cottage on the lake."

      "Favorites are the beachfront sites, access to the beach and beautiful Lake Ontario. Small campground but very nice."

      from $20 - $35 / night

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      3. Westcott Beach State Park Campground

      4.3(3)5mi from Henderson Harbor154 sitesRVs, Tents, Cabins

      "You can get campsites along Lake Ontario where you can see amazing sunsets."

      "Nice hiking trail as well."

      from $20 - $200 / night

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      4. Long Point State Park Campground — Thousand Islands

      4.0(4)11mi from Henderson Harbor74 sitesRVs, Tents

      "Right on Lake Ontario and proximity to Saint Lawrence attractions make this a busy place. Its basically a field woth campsites."

      "Almost always a breeze and storms can come up quickly off the lake - be sure to keep things put away and weighted down, and be ready to “batten down the hatches” as my dad used to say!"

      from $17 - $26 / night

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      5. Bedford Creek Marina & Campground

      5.0(1)5mi from Henderson Harbor2 sitesRVs, Cabins

      "I love everyone riding around on golf carts"

      from $65 - $999 / night

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      6. Black River Bay Campground

      5.0(1)12mi from Henderson HarborRVs, Tents
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      7. Brennans Bay Campground and Marina

      5.0(1)13mi from Henderson HarborRVs, Tents

      "A great park on Sandy Pond and Lake Ontario.  Mostly Permanent sites with 6 transient sites overlooking the marina.  "

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      8. Burnham Point State Park Campground

      4.7(7)21mi from Henderson Harbor45 sitesRVs, Tents, Glamping

      "Easy access to swim in the water. Very clean bathrooms

      Electric site with water

      Boat launch

      Plenty of tree to hang your hammock

      Very relax on the rules

      Small but quite"

      "Down sides- lake front campsites are all on a slope- minimum flat space. Also- depending on day- EXTREMELY VERY WINDY AND COLD! But the view is beautiful."

      from $23 - $26 / night

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      9. Selkirk Shores State Park Campground

      4.6(7)21mi from Henderson Harbor152 sitesRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "Apparently C and D are always booked and full, because people like that it’s closest to the beach trail, the playground, and the camp store. We chose a site in loop B and were happy with our choice."

      "Lake Ontario has great fishing. The beach is smaller than it was before now that it is guarded."

      from $24 - $135 / night

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      10. Wellesley Island State Park Campground

      4.4(29)32mi from Henderson Harbor436 sitesRVs, Tents, Cabins

      "Our site is located adjacent to a mowed grass path that leads to the main road, close to the camp store. Beautiful area, lots of hiking and biking trails and swim area."

      "Walking areas. Access to water for swimming."

      from $20 - $188 / night

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    Recent Dog-Friendly Camping Photos near Henderson Harbor, NY

    21 Photos of 64 Henderson Harbor Campgrounds

    Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Henderson Harbor, NY

    209 Reviews of 64 Henderson Harbor Campgrounds

    • Crystal H.
      Jul. 9, 2018

      Fort Drum Recreation Area

      A beautiful place to stay

      With my family and pets in tow, we took a weekend and committed it to nature and ourselves. Remington is a Military campground, but for the several military families looking to disconnect a couple of miles from home this would be it.

      They offer regular camping sites and RV sites, they also have a dog park for the little furry ones.

      It is easy to get to and several forms of outdoor entertainment.. Remington is a b autiful well kept place and I could spend my summer there.

    • Laure D.The Dyrt PRO User
      Jun. 29, 2021

      Sun Outdoors Association Island

      Wonderful, windy and can be buggy

      Overall, our trip to this campground on an island was awesome! The sunsets were spectacular and our site was literally just steps from Lake Ontario. All sites are full hook up. Wifi is available and fairly good. Trash is picked up from your site between 8-10am each day. Staff was VERY nice and helpful. Most sites are spacious enough though you can see your neighbor. Fire pits are behind the camper pad so you can see others at their fire pits but most were spread out and I didn't hear the neighbors conversations. Being right on the lake and on the west facing side allowed for the prevailing winds to be felt. One night we couldn't sit outside due to the high winds. The Midge gnats were horrible for about a day and a half. They were around all week and I understand this was the time of year for them but the one day, you could not walk outside without being swarmed. In fact, I took pics of the swarm up above the trees. I've never seen anything like it before! We went out to eat the night they were so bad you couldn't cook, eat, or sit outside. There is a store with limited supplies, a "cafe" that served food but hours were not regular, a nice pool though too chilly in mid June to use. You can rent a golf cart which isn't really needed but fun. The opposite side of the island near the marina (not a full service marina just docks for your boat if you bring one)  and sunrise view had more spacious sites and you could access the lake easier. I don't think swimming is allowed though in the lake. The interior sites not on the water were okay, but a bit close in areas. The campground was not full most of the week we were there but began filling up by the weekend. There is a winery that does tastings on Friday afternoon and evenings which was fun. The closest towns are Watertown to the east which has any store you could need (Walmart, Lowes, etc.),  Henderson Harbor (not much there), Sagett's Harbor (cute but small with a couple cool restaurants though skip the brewery as they had no local beer and the food was just okay), Cape Vincent (cool lighthouse and small downtown), and Clayton which is about a 50 min. drive. We loved Clayton. Eat at Bellas on the St. Lawrence River! There is fishing at the island and a lot was being caught but most of it was small fish. Our friends went Go Karting somewhere close by. There are a few state parks that had great hiking trails and scenery. We had a lot of down time just relaxing while taking in the beautiful view. I'd happily go again!

    • Matt G.
      Aug. 1, 2016

      Southwick Beach State Park Campground

      Great part with tons of beach

      There is TONS of beach to explore at this little State Park in New York. I used to visit here as a kid years ago because my grandparents owned a cottage on the lake. Since they sold it, visiting Southwick is the next best thing. Lake Ontario is an amazing lake to be on and the water is pretty warm in the summer time. the waves don't get too big, so it is very safe for kids. Southwick itself has great camping spots right next to the beach. It is a little pricey if you only want to visit for the day, $8, but you can get a tent spot for $18 which is comparable to other state parks. Showers are available, and there are some short trails that are good for running or probably cross country skiing in the winter. There is also a sizable playground near the beach that is great for the kids.

    • Justin F.
      Aug. 7, 2020

      Yogi Bears Jellystone Park Camp Resort at Mexico

      Great Salmon fishing....Mexico NY

      This is our 4th experience at a Jellystone. The campground was clean and staff was super nice. Organized the Halloween activities nicely. Yogi and the characters were very involved. For the fisherman, it's located on Salmon River and appears to have quite a lot of large salmon this time of year. I was shocked at the size of the fish that were being cleaned. My husband believes that area of the river was a private sector for the campground. Smaller campground than others I have been too but made it nice for kids to rides bikes safely since there weren't golf carts located at this campground. What I didn't enjoy as much. 1) The sites were muddy, especially when it had recently rained. Luckily we came after it rained and it had dried out some. 2) the dog park was a walking area, not a fenced in yard for them to let some of their energy out 3) No sewer hookups available but does had a dump station on your way out.

    • Brian O.The Dyrt PRO User
      Oct. 1, 2024

      Wellesley Island State Park Campground

      crowded. fine if you're spending your days on the water

      We came to this campground after a week in Algonquin Provincial park in Canada and the contrast couldn't have been greater. Up north we stayed on a large, shady site in a radio free loop and everyone had canoes. In New York we had a cramped, open site and everyone seemed to have a motorboat on a trailer. Our neighbors across the road set up a movie screen . The overall feel was NOT "getting away from it all".
      The facilities are good and there's a nice beach and well stocked General store, also a big boat ramp facility with some docks.
      We chose this location because we were attending the Antique Boat Show in Clayton, 13 miles away, and this was the closest available. It suited us just fine for that.
      Keep your stuff secure, there are brazen raccoons.

    • N
      Jun. 19, 2022

      Oneida Shores County Park

      Campground was great, other patrons…not so much

      My husband and I camped here from 6/17/22 - 6/19/22.

      We had a great and relaxing time until Saturday evening when the three dogs at a neighboring site all slipped their collars and began running around the campground growling and charging at other patrons. One of them came at myself and my parents who were visiting. I absolutely came very close to being bit by a dog that was trying to charge at my mother but my husband intervened and began swinging a hot dog poker at the dog which caused it to bolt towards a campsite that had multiple little kids at it.

      Someone called the Onondaga county police who came and spoke to the campground manager and I believe they warned the dog owners. But in the end the dogs were allowed to stay.

      All in all we had a nice time. My only wish would be that the management would be more unaccepting of obviously dangerous pets.

      There are mens and womens bathrooms, each with multiple stalls. Showers are available but a bit far from the actual campground. Water was warm but the water pressure wasn’t great. Ice and firewood for sale at the campsite.

    • Nancy W.The Dyrt PRO User
      May. 29, 2021

      Swan Bay Resort - The 1000 Islands Premier RV Park & Marina

      Great Resort Campground

      I’ll start by saying Swan Bay is a busy, family-oriented campground. We arrived on a weekend and it was pretty busy but loved it during the week when everybody left and things were quieter. Our site (#38) was a Passport America site so we got a great nightly rate of $42 which is half of the regular nightly rate. Our site was a “standard site” near the pool, boat launch, activities, and Tiki Bar which surprised us because sites close to activities are usually desired and not discounted. Campsite costs depends on whether you get a waterfront (which is $95/night even in the off-season), water view, pull thru, or standard site. Most sites do not have shade but they added a new section that does have some old mature trees and sporadic shade. All the sites are the same in that they have paved parking areas with gravel in front, pavers for a patio and full hook-up. Some of the newer sites now have a bit of shade from trees. There are lots of rental park models and cottages close to the pool and Tiki Bar. Within walking distance is a Price Chopper Grocery, Dollar General, gas station, and wine and liquor store.  

      There is a free boat launch and boat slips (not sure if they are free) for guests. I was hoping to spend a bit of time on my paddleboard but soon realized it is very windy here and found very few windows to paddle. Our neighbor (who has camped here seasonally for the last four years) mentioned that he lost three awnings to the wind. So, don’t leave your awning out when you leave your camper and beware of winds if you want to be on the water. Check-in was quick and easy. The park is gated so you get a gate card to enter the park. You also get a BOGO card to use at the Tiki Bar which has specials during the week (like margarita Monday, bucket of beer, bloody Mary’s, etc.). The pool and Tiki Bar were not very busy when we were there. There is a second pool but it was not open yet for the season. In between the pools is a community fire pit with nice Adirondack chairs which is pretty cool. The playground is awesome and huge with lots of cool features for kids to explore. The dog park is very nice and a decent size to throw a ball for your dog. It also has potable water for drinking, which, for some reason, did not work during our stay. There are gobs of activities for kids and adults. Plenty of rentals too – ranging from boats, kayaks, golf carts, etc. 

      A couple of the downsides of this park are the price (unless you get a discount like we did), sites don’t have much privacy, the park gets crowded and noisy, and there was lots of noise from the construction work within the park they were doing. If you are in the back of the park, you get some road noise from Route 12 and the refrigerated truck at the neighboring Price Chopper. Overall, we loved this park during the slow season and during the week when there were not kids running around and adults playing loud music and drinking constantly.

    • April L.
      Sep. 9, 2020

      Sun Outdoors Association Island

      Beautiful

      Great location offering both sunrise and sunsets over the water of Lake Ontario. Loved the access to the water for our dogs to swim and for beautiful views. Our site backed up to the water and although it was windy they thought ahead and built the fire pit up to block it. Our site was a little narrower than others based on our proximity to a corner, but we still loved it.

    • R
      Jul. 21, 2021

      Wellesley Island State Park Campground

      Nice State park

      We camped in loop F site 43 with full hookups, nice asphalt pad picnic table and fire ring. Our site is located adjacent to a mowed grass path that leads to the main road, close to the camp store. Beautiful area, lots of hiking and biking trails and swim area.

    Guide to Henderson Harbor

    Henderson Harbor sits on the eastern shore of Lake Ontario, surrounded by sandy beaches and shallow bays. The area's camping season runs from mid-May through early October with most campgrounds closing after Labor Day. Summer temperatures average 75-80°F with frequent lake breezes that can create sudden weather changes.

    What to do

    Water activities on Lake Ontario: Association Island offers easy water access from waterfront sites. "We were able to drop our kayaks right in the water in front of our rig and paddle to our heart's content. The water is clear and cool," notes Donna C. Many campers appreciate the dedicated swimming areas and boat launches.

    Fishing opportunities: Lake Ontario and the surrounding waterways provide excellent fishing. At Bedford Creek Marina & Campground, visitors can access prime fishing spots directly from the campground. David G. mentions "Wonderful staff, wonderful setting, just always have a wonderful time there." The area is known for bass, trout, salmon and walleye fishing.

    Outdoor recreation: The region offers hiking trails connecting many campgrounds. Westcott Beach State Park features a 1.5-mile nature trail through woods and along the shoreline. According to Theresa F., "Nice hiking trail as well," making it suitable for both casual walkers and more serious hikers.

    What campers like

    Waterfront camping views: Southwick Beach State Park offers beachfront sites with direct Lake Ontario views. Emily C. states, "Beautiful new buildings on site, variety of campsites. Favorites are the beachfront sites, access to the beach and beautiful Lake Ontario." Sites with water views tend to book quickly.

    Clean facilities: Many campgrounds maintain excellent amenities. Gabrielle C. notes about Southwick Beach, "Bathrooms were immaculate." At Black River Bay Campground, facilities include hot showers and a well-stocked camp store with plenty of camping supplies.

    Spacious sites: Westcott Beach State Park offers particularly roomy campsites, especially in the plateau area. According to cheyenne, "We always camp in the plateau across the road from the main park area-sites are huge, clean bathrooms and a nice park right in the circle."

    What you should know

    Weather considerations: Lake Ontario creates its own weather patterns that can change rapidly. Tucker B. from Burnham Point State Park mentions, "Paddling the St. Lawrence River was a highlight," but others note that waterfront sites can be "EXTREMELY VERY WINDY AND COLD" depending on the day.

    Insect management: Lake Ontario's shoreline experiences seasonal insect activity. Tracey G. warns about Association Island: "One HUGE downfall was the amount of BUGS! Millions (not exaggerating) of midges and mayflies swarming the grounds from Lake Ontario." Bring appropriate insect repellent during peak season.

    Reservation timing: Waterfront sites book quickly at most campgrounds. For prime locations, reserve several months in advance. This is especially true for holiday weekends and the peak summer season from late June through August.

    Tips for camping with families

    Playground access: Westcott Beach State Park features a playground centrally located in the plateau camping area. Cheyenne mentions, "This is our kids favorite campground," highlighting its family-friendly layout and amenities.

    Beach safety: Southwick Beach offers a gradual entry into Lake Ontario with sandy bottom areas. Matt G. notes, "The waves don't get too big, so it is very safe for kids." However, parents should be aware that lifeguards are not present at all beach areas.

    Family activities: Selkirk Shores State Park offers structured recreation programs. Colleen S. shares, "They had a reptile exhibit with huge snakes and crocodiles, another day they had tie dyeing t-shirts, other days they had bingo (candy was the prize), exercises, and crafty things to make."

    Tips from RVers

    Site selection: When choosing RV sites, consider size requirements and hookup needs. At Association Island, April L. advises, "Our site backed up to the water and although it was windy they thought ahead and built the fire pit up to block it." Some waterfront sites have space limitations.

    Campground navigation: Many campgrounds in the area feature paved roads but may have tight turns. Stacey C. from Association Island appreciates that "At check in they take you to your spot and help you get settled in. That is a marriage saver."

    Utility considerations: Not all campgrounds offer full hookups. Jim G. from Brennans Bay Campground notes, "A great park on Sandy Pond and Lake Ontario. Mostly permanent sites with 6 transient sites overlooking the marina." Call ahead to confirm sewer, water, and electrical connections before arriving.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Henderson Harbor, NY?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Henderson Harbor, NY is Sun Outdoors Association Island with a 4.3-star rating from 15 reviews.

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