Beaver Pond Campground at Harriman State Park permits pets throughout its wooded sites, offering both tent and RV camping options with fire rings and picnic tables. Ward Pound Ridge Reservation also welcomes pets with spacious sites that provide good separation between campers. Most campgrounds in the area require pets to remain on leash at all times, with Croton Point Park enforcing strict leash policies while providing water access. Campers can choose from various accommodation types including tent sites, RV spots with hookups, and pet-friendly cabins at locations like Sebago Cabin Camp. Liberty Harbor RV Park accepts pets for travelers wanting proximity to New York City, though the compact parking-lot style layout offers minimal space for pet exercise. Raccoons frequently visit campsites at Croton Point Park, requiring careful food storage to prevent wildlife encounters with pets.
Trails throughout Harriman State Park provide excellent walking opportunities for leashed dogs, with multiple access points near the campgrounds. Pet owners should be aware of wildlife in the camping areas, particularly bears at Beaver Pond where rangers specifically warn about proper food storage to prevent encounters. The dense woods at Clarence Fahnestock State Park create mosquito-heavy conditions that can affect both campers and pets, especially during summer months. Most campgrounds provide trash receptacles for pet waste disposal, though some like Pleasant Acres Farm require driving to reach them. Several campgrounds enforce quiet hours that apply to barking dogs, though enforcement varies by location. A serious dog bite incident occurred at Jellystone Park Gardiner involving an off-leash pit bull, highlighting the importance of following leash rules and checking individual campground policies regarding aggressive breeds or size restrictions.
$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!"
$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."
$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."
$145 - $180 / night
"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."
"Very easy to hop on transit to get to New York City. People were friendly."
$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."
"Great park with a nice 7 mile loop around the lake with decent fishing. Lots of horses and dogs on the trail. 30 or so sites around a central public restroom."
"Hiking trails are beautiful. Dog friendly. Clean bathrooms"
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
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.
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.
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.
ScoutVery reasonable rates to pitch a tent. You get a private space with a fire pit. Ocean is close with lifeguards. Good fishing and pleasant people. Boat from New York City.
Camping options near Valhalla, New York typically serve as weekend getaways for city dwellers seeking temporary outdoor respite. Located in Westchester County at approximately 300 feet elevation, the area experiences distinct seasonal changes with summer temperatures averaging 75-85°F and high humidity levels in July and August. Most campgrounds in the region remain open from April through October, with limited winter camping available at select locations.
Lake swimming: access at multiple locations: Croton Point Park offers a private beach open Wednesday through weekend with lifeguards on duty. "Gorgeous scenery along the river and a private beach which is opened from Wednesday to the weekend with life guards on duty!" notes Anil S. at Croton Point Park.
Hiking with elevation gains: Ward Pound Ridge Reservation provides over 40 miles of trails with varying difficulty levels. Ethan K. mentions, "I believe there are over 40 miles of trails in this area. Would definitely recommend for those who want to camp near NYC but not drive too far." The trails at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation accommodate different skill levels including horseback riders.
Seasonal apple picking: Numerous orchards operate within short driving distance of Fahnestock State Park, particularly in September and October. Rebecca S. notes about Clarence Fahnestock State Park, "We stayed here on a Thursday night in September prior to taking off backpacking. The campground was clean and quiet."
Off-peak camping for solitude: Weekday visits often provide dramatically quieter experiences at most area campgrounds. "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," reports Rebecca S. about Fahnestock State Park.
Platform campsites for wet conditions: Beaver Pond Campground provides elevated tent platforms at many sites. According to Ethan K., "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. I also particularly enjoyed the communal sink which made it very convenient and easy to wash dishes and fill up water."
Train access for car-free camping: Fahnestock State Park can be reached via Metro-North and taxi service. Jess M. explains, "Came in on MetroNorth from NYC then took a pre-arranged taxi ($25 flat rate) to the campground." This makes Beaver Pond Campground accessible even for those without vehicles.
Mixed bathroom conditions: Facilities vary widely across campgrounds, from recently renovated to neglected. "Bathrooms and dishwashing... UGH. So old and dirty!!! Great hikes. Bathrooms and dishwashing... UGH. So old and dirty!!!" reports Courtney D. about Fahnestock State Park.
Raccoon presence: Food storage precautions are essential at most campgrounds. Anil S. at Croton Point Park advises, "Keep your food in the dry bag and away from the tent or benches provided or face the packs of fearless racoons at night."
Crowds on summer weekends: Most campgrounds fill completely during peak season. Jonathan C. at Croton Point Park experienced "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 quiet."
Scout site locations: Campsite quality and privacy vary significantly. Ming R. from Ward Pound Ridge notes, "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."
Consider shelter options for weather flexibility: Sebago Cabin Camp provides rustic cabins with basic amenities. Sara P. describes them as "VERY rustic, four walls, a cot, and a fridge. You still feel like you are 'roughing it' but with the convenience of a fridge."
Check for family programs: Many parks offer seasonal activities for children. According to Zorina N., Beaver Pond is a "Great place for kids - short distance from the NYC, very organized, clean pond, has a playground, showers, bathroom. Your phone will have signal."
Limited hook-up availability: Most pet-friendly campgrounds near Valhalla offer only partial hookups. At Liberty Harbor RV Park, Ericka T. explains, "Literally a parking lot with water & electric hookups. Larger rigs will barely have a yard. And don't bet on a private picnic table. On a slow checkout day, you might get lucky enough to not wait in line for the dump station."
Urban camping trade-offs: Liberty Harbor RV Park provides proximity to NYC but limited traditional camping experience. Keith and Tia S. advise, "This is all about location. The closest RV park to NYC. It's basically a parking lot with a dump station. Not much else. Pick one of the larger end row sites to get a little extra elbow room."
Size restrictions at most parks: Many campgrounds have limitations on RV length. Beaver Pond can accommodate RVs up to 25 feet, while smaller campgrounds may have tighter restrictions and require advance measurements for reservation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Valhalla, NY?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Valhalla, NY is New York City North/Newburgh KOA with a 4.2-star rating from 40 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Valhalla, NY?
TheDyrt.com has all 43 dog-friendly camping locations near Valhalla, NY, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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