Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Thiells, NY

Beaver Pond Campground in Harriman State Park welcomes pets throughout its wooded campsites, offering both tent and RV accommodations with electric hookups. Croton Point Park maintains pet-friendly sites year-round with tent, RV, and cabin options, featuring picnic tables and trash disposal facilities. Sebago Cabin Camp provides a rare opportunity for pet owners seeking cabin accommodations in the Harriman State Park area, with both tent and cabin sites available. Clarence Fahnestock State Park Campground permits pets at designated sites from April through December, with electric hookups and picnic tables throughout its drive-in, hike-in, and walk-in access points. West Point FMWR facilities at Round Pond and Lake Frederick both accommodate pets with cabin options. Many campgrounds in the area enforce leash requirements, and some sites have designated pet areas. The bathrooms at most locations remain clean and well-maintained despite allowing pets.

Hiking trails throughout Harriman and Fahnestock State Parks provide excellent opportunities for dog exercise, with multiple pet-friendly paths accessible directly from campsites. Black bears occasionally visit campgrounds in the region, requiring proper food storage and pet supervision, especially during early morning hours when wildlife is most active. Stokes State Forest, though farther from Thiells, offers extensive pet-friendly hiking options with access to streams where dogs can cool off. Ward Pound Ridge Reservation permits pets on its trails and at campsites, providing a more manicured camping experience with port-a-potties conveniently located near tent sites. Campgrounds with river access like Kittatinny allow dogs but can become crowded during peak season, making it difficult to find peaceful spots for pets to enjoy water access. Several campgrounds enforce quiet hours to minimize barking disruptions, and most provide designated areas for pet waste disposal.

Best Dog-Friendly Sites Near Thiells, New York (85)

    1. New York City North/Newburgh KOA

    41 Reviews
    Pomona, NY
    3 miles
    +1 (845) 947-2792

    $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."

    2. Croton Point Park

    10 Reviews
    Croton-on-Hudson, NY
    6 miles
    Website
    +1 (914) 862-5290

    $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!"

    3. Clarence Fahnestock State Park Campground

    34 Reviews
    Fishkill, NY
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (845) 225-7207

    $17 / night

    "This park has a nice open beach on Canopus Lake with a concession area and bathhouse, which we found to be quite clean! They even have boat rentals - or you can bring your own boat to launch!"

    "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."

    4. Sebago Cabin Camp — Harriman State Park

    6 Reviews
    Sloatsburg, NY
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (845) 429-2039

    $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."

    5. West Point FMWR Round Pond Outdoor Recreation Area

    6 Reviews
    Highland Falls, NY
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (315) 774-9524

    $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."

    6. West Point FMWR Lake Frederick Outdoor Recreation Area

    1 Review
    Highland Mills, NY
    10 miles
    Website

    $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. "

    7. Ward Pound Ridge Reservation

    10 Reviews
    Cross River, NY
    22 miles
    Website
    +1 (914) 864-7317

    $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."

    8. Black Bear RV Park

    6 Reviews
    Florida, NY
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (845) 651-7717

    $82 - $95 / night

    "Have stayed here several times - great location and nice, full hook-up sites. Back-in and pull through sites and can accommodate large rigs. A little expensive but everything is included."

    9. Jellystone Park™ Gardiner

    32 Reviews
    Gardiner, NY
    34 miles
    Website
    +1 (845) 255-5193

    "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."

    10. Campgaw Mountain Reservation

    1 Review
    Ramsey, NJ
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (201) 327-3500
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Showing results 1-10 of 85 campgrounds

Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Thiells, NY

644 Reviews of 85 Thiells Campgrounds


  • Mackenzie B.
    Aug. 4, 2018

    Nickerson Beach Park Campground

    surfers dream

    I 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

  • Nadia V.
    Aug. 24, 2016

    Camp Gateway- Brooklyn NY - CLOSED — Gateway National Recreation Area

    Definitely a place to visit!

    Camp 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.

  • EThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 29, 2025

    Liberty Harbor RV Park

    Functional with excellent access to the City

    Very 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!

  • Christy C.
    Jun. 10, 2017

    Camp Gateway- Brooklyn NY - CLOSED — Gateway National Recreation Area

    "Camping" in Brooklyn

    We 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.

  • Allen N.
    Aug. 12, 2020

    Jellystone Park™ Gardiner

    Serious Dog Bite Incident

    Recently, 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.

  • C
    Sep. 21, 2021

    Pleasant Acres Farm RV Resort

    Not a Resort, despite the name and per night fee.

    Some 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.

  • Carrie J.
    Sep. 30, 2016

    Camp Gateway- Brooklyn NY - CLOSED — Gateway National Recreation Area

    Weird One

    This 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.

  • Karla S.
    Aug. 31, 2018

    Liberty Harbor RV Park

    New York City View

    There is only a small place for tents. Mostly people go there with campers. Not your typical campground. Very easy to hop on transit to get to New York City. People were friendly.


Guide to Thiells

The Harriman State Park region sits within New York's Ramapo Mountains, averaging 900-1,100 feet in elevation with a humid continental climate. Seasonal variations impact camping conditions significantly—summer temperatures regularly reach 85°F while spring and fall camping brings cooler evenings requiring additional layers. Winter camping remains available at select locations despite seasonal closures at many campgrounds.

What to do

Swimming access beyond beach areas: At Croton Point Park, campers can enjoy the Hudson River scenery. "This must be one of the most breathtaking camp grounds (family friendly) right on the Hudson. Tent sites are very private with some dirt roads to exit out but thats what make it unique experience!" notes Anil S.

Winter exploration opportunities: Clarence Fahnestock State Park Campground offers off-season experiences beyond summer activities. "We walked 20 min from our site to the beach across the 2-lane highway. The lake is clear and sandy (some rocks in sand on shore, but standard for imported sand)," shares Jess M.

Disc golf and water activities: For pet owners seeking varied recreation, some campgrounds offer multiple activities in one location. "There was also plenty to do during the day, like joining the hikers on those trails, disc golf, and sitting by the water," reports Jake R. from Campgaw Mountain Reservation.

What campers like

Off-season solitude: Fall and winter camping provides a different experience with fewer crowds. "Ranger said that during summer weekends the grounds fill up and can be quite noisy, but mid-week during the off-season it was great. Expect to purchase firewood, although scrounging for kindling was possible," mentions Rebecca S. from Beaver Pond Campground.

Platform tent sites: Several campgrounds feature raised platforms that provide practical advantages. "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," explains Ethan K.

Accommodation variety: Pet-friendly camping near Thiells offers diverse shelter options. At Sebago Cabin Camp, "Sebago cabins the way to get away and relax enjoy the lake 🎏 you can go hiking they also have movie nights they do big bon 🔥 on Saturday very kid friendly ranger Joe is 👌 with the kids," reports Hashim C.

What you should know

Campsite selection matters: Individual sites vary significantly in privacy and features. "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," advises Asher K.

Seasonal restrictions: Beach and water access changes throughout the year. "The beach is closed after Labor Day to the public, but open to people staying at the campsite. Clean and beautiful. Great hikes," explains Courtney D.

Noise levels vary by location: At Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, "The camping sites are a bit close to the road and there are super popular hiking trails that run right through all the camps. If you like being woken up by folks walking their dog at 7 AM, this is the spot for you," cautions Jake R.

Tips for camping with families

Public transportation options: For pet-friendly camping near Thiells without a vehicle, some campgrounds offer transit access. "Came in on MetroNorth from NYC then took a pre-arranged taxi ($25 flat rate) to the campground. Check-in was fast at the registration desk, and they sold bundles of wood for $6," explains Jess M.

Multiple bathroom options: Facilities vary between permanent structures and portable options. "The sites are much farther away from the comfort stations than most campgrounds we have been to. But there are port-a-potties very close to the sites, which is very important when you have young kids," notes Ming R.

Short-notice camping: For last-minute trips with pets, consider the season and day of week. "We stayed in site number 1, and I found it to be just wooded enough. Almost all of the sites offered privacy.... Even when the campground was full. Weekends - this park is FULL! Make sure to reserve at least two weeks out. Weekdays? You should be in luck!" advises Shelly B.

Tips from RVers

Seasonal site availability: For RVers with pets, Black Bear RV Park provides year-round options but with seasonal limitations. "This was our first stop and primarily chosen because it was one of the few places along our route that was open for RVs in the off season... It was more expensive than places we usually stay, and none of their amenities/buildings were open," reports Gabbie Y.

Hookup reliability in winter: Cold weather camping requires special consideration for water access. "Unfortunately at this site, the heated water pipe was broken so we had no water for the night... be warned that some sites might not have working water and staff could be difficult to get in touch with after hours," cautions Gabbie Y.

Site spacing for larger rigs: Site dimensions and separation vary between campgrounds. "Have stayed here several times - great location and nice, full hook-up sites. Back-in and pull through sites and can accommodate large rigs. A little expensive but everything is included," notes Dave S.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Thiells, NY is New York City North/Newburgh KOA with a 4.3-star rating from 41 reviews.

What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Thiells, NY?

TheDyrt.com has all 85 dog-friendly camping locations near Thiells, NY, with real photos and reviews from campers.