Ward Pound Ridge Reservation's large, private shelter sites welcome dogs on leashes throughout the 4,315-acre park. Camping areas feature picnic tables, fire rings, and access to multiple hiking trails, with portable toilets located near campsites and full comfort stations available elsewhere in the park. The reservation has earned consistently high ratings from campers with pets, maintaining clean grounds with well-separated sites that provide ample space for dogs to relax with their owners. Sites must be reserved in person at the park office, with camping available year-round. Croton Point Park, situated on a peninsula along the Hudson River, also permits leashed pets at both its tent and RV sites, featuring water and electric hookups with some full-hookup options available.
Numerous hiking trails throughout Ward Pound Ridge Reservation provide excellent opportunities for dog walking, with over 40 miles of marked paths ranging from easy to moderate difficulty. The extensive trail system allows for varied daily walks without repeating routes. Dogs must remain leashed at all times to protect local wildlife and other park users. The grounds are well-maintained with trash receptacles available, though campers should bring sufficient water for their pets, especially during summer months. Local visitors particularly appreciate the shelter camping option, which provides protection from unexpected weather while still allowing pets to enjoy the outdoor experience. Pet-friendly campgrounds near South Salem also include sites with full-hookup RV options, making it practical to bring all the gear your dog needs for a comfortable stay. Sites located farther from comfort stations have porta-potties nearby, an important consideration when camping with dogs.
$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."
$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."
$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!"
$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."
$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."
"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."
$17 - $50 / night
"One of my favorite so far , went with family , to comply w covid and social distancing, the camp only rent your site and no one on your left or right or across ! Amazing !"
"My family has been camping at Lake Waramaug for over 20 years. I can say most of what’s been said is true or partially so but whether it’s bad or good depends on your point of view."
"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.
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!
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.
ScoutThere 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.
GuideSmall campground with good electrical, clean water, sewer and a friendly owner. Each site has grass and a picnic table. There is a wonderful little frozen custard shop down the road called roses farm stand. It’s a perfect campground for seeing the local area or even catching the train to New York City.
GuideSuper lindo todo!! $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!! Lo mejor es reservar online y escojer el espacio pero no es obligatorio.. si quieres acampar en un area lejos y solo pues escojan la seccion W... no todas las secciones tienen una plataforma de madera para poner tu caseta de campaña.. algunas secciones son las casetas ensima de la grama.. lo mejor es buscar una seccion que esten los bańos y las duchas cerca en caso también de que se te antoje ir de madrugada ... para el mes de Agosto no habia nada de mosquitos ni moscas .. El personal muy amable .. no habia mucha vigilancia.. lo que si es llevar mucho gas y carbon y palos de madera para la fogata y estar preparado si llueve.. hay una tienda que venden palos para la fogata $12.. venden Cafe $1 . Hielo $5 ..$10 .. venden frisas .. leche y muchas cosas mas!!! Hay un lago estilo playa..bueno lo unico que los que no están acostumbrados a ver o escuchar animales salvajes es un poco miedoso en la noche!! Nunca tener comida ni nada de olor dentro de las casetas por que los osos viene por la comida .. dejar todo dentro del carro .. y en fin todo muy lindo.. los bańos y bańera muy limpios y ademas puedes cargar en el bańo el celular
ScoutCroton Point Campground is a modest little campground, located along the Hudson River within Croton Point Park in NY. In addition to camping, the park itself offers many of its own attractions, including swimming, hiking, kayaking, cabin rentals, and a host of other family-oriented activities just along the Hudson.
The park, which is honestly probably the largest attraction here, is located just an hour and a half outside of the city. This proximity is both its perk and its downfall, as the park itself, but particularly the campground, has become laden with all sorts of inexplicable and burdensome rules, endless guidelines, and restrictions only a New York State-run bureaucracy could ever make sense of, let alone hope to justify.
This includes all manner of restrictions on how you can camp, where you can camp, what equipment can be used, and use in relation to what particular site you may have been lucky enough to reserve. Much of this you can understand while imagining what may have taken place here to bring them to such measures, but it doesn't make it any easier to contend with.
In terms of the actual camping conditions Both the tenting section and RV sites are each very clustered together, and quite crowded, with regular patrols🚓(actual patrols) being made day and night, by both the Park Rangers and what appears to be general park staff members, all looking to see if you or your family might be doing something that they might consider outside of the guidelines or not in compliance with the many restrictions.
This is not to say you can't possibly have a good time here. It just might mean being a bit more diligent toward reviewing the potential legitimacy of your normal camping routine to ensure it meets with many restrictions and guidelines imposed, while also making yourself comfortable with some fairly regular surveillance during your stay here. These all being things we hoped to get away from while camping ourselves It just turned out to be a bit much for our particular liking.
Camping near South Salem, New York offers diverse options across Westchester County and neighboring areas. The region sits at the intersection of the Hudson Valley and Western Connecticut, with elevations ranging from 200-1,000 feet creating varied terrain for campsites. Summer temperatures typically reach 80-85°F with moderate humidity, while fall camping benefits from cooler nights and colorful foliage across the local state parks.
Hiking exploration: Clarence Fahnestock State Park Campground provides access to numerous marked trails, with one reviewer noting, "The 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!" Several interconnected paths allow for day hikes ranging from 2-8 miles.
Water activities: At Croton Point Park, campers can enjoy swimming and fishing on the Hudson River peninsula. "This is a state park, very large nested on Peninsula on the Hudson River," reports one visitor. The beach area is monitored by lifeguards during summer months, with swimming permitted only within designated buoy areas.
Historical exploration: The region surrounding South Salem contains significant Revolutionary War sites and historic towns. Many campgrounds serve as convenient bases for exploring these locations. One camper at Beaver Pond noted, "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."
Platform sites: Beaver Pond Campground — Harriman State Park offers raised tent platforms that provide practical benefits in wet conditions. "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 one camper.
Quiet weekday camping: Several campgrounds in the area have distinctly different experiences depending on when you visit. As one reviewer at Beaver Pond noted, "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." Weekday camping from September through mid-October typically means fewer crowds and more peaceful surroundings.
Family-friendly facilities: Kettletown State Park Campground receives consistent praise for its cleanliness and layout. "The camp areas were secluded if you wanted more private camping (also super unique layouts) but there were plenty if you needed a quick stop over," mentions one visitor. The campground provides access to fishing spots and hiking trails suited for various skill levels.
Reservation requirements: Most campgrounds near South Salem require advance booking, with some having specific reservation processes. At Jellystone Park Gardiner, "This campground has a lot of activities and has kids of all ages galore. I was worried my 12 year old would be too old for it but he enjoyed making friends there." Reservations during summer weekends should be made 2-4 months in advance.
Bathroom facilities vary widely: Campground bathrooms in this region can differ significantly in quality and maintenance. A camper at Kettletown State Park noted, "I tented here while doing a river stream reconstruction project in southern Connecticut. The bathrooms needed updating and people at the tent area made a comment that it took a while to get a turn at the showers."
Noise considerations: Being relatively close to populated areas, some campgrounds experience noise from nearby roads and facilities. One reviewer at Croton Point Park mentioned, "Nice site and a 30-40 minute drive from Western Queens. The site was very loud (dance music) until after 11pm. Quiet time at 10pm. Great site for a party, try to stay away from this end of the site or choose a site away from other bookings if you'd like quite."
Lake activities: Lake Waramaug State Park Campground offers excellent water-based recreation for families. A longtime visitor explains, "The lake is great for kayaking, paddle boarding, canoes and for fishing. Bring your own gear but kayak and canoe rentals are available. The swim area is marginal- best for little ones."
Wildlife education: Many campgrounds feature natural wildlife that can become part of the educational experience. At Croton Point Park, "Keep your food in the dry bag and away from the tent or benches provided or face the packs of fearless racoons at night." This provides families an opportunity to teach responsible camping practices.
Group site options: For families camping together, several parks offer adjacent sites or group areas. As one Kettletown camper noted, "Nice place. Sites are close together so recommend reserving two for more space. Well maintained and secure. Staff patrols for safety. Good place for families and large groups."
Site selection: For RV camping near South Salem, many campgrounds have limited suitable sites. One RVer at Clarence Fahnestock shared, "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." Research site dimensions before booking, as many were designed before larger RVs became common.
Utility connections: Availability of hookups varies widely between campgrounds. While most offer some electric options, full hookups are less common. At Sebago Cabin Camp, a visitor noted, "They have rustic cabins. These do not have plumbing or heat. It is a step up from cabin camping." Similar limitations apply to many RV sites in state parks across the region.
Access considerations: The narrow, winding roads common in this region can present challenges for larger rigs. When planning routes, account for restricted parkways in Westchester County that prohibit commercial vehicles, including many larger RVs. Some campgrounds have size restrictions, typically limiting units to 30 feet or less.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near South Salem, NY?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near South Salem, NY is Ward Pound Ridge Reservation with a 4.5-star rating from 10 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near South Salem, NY?
TheDyrt.com has all 56 dog-friendly camping locations near South Salem, NY, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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