Wildwood State Park Campground's pet-friendly sites accommodate tent campers, RV travelers, and those seeking cabin accommodations along the North Shore of Long Island. Cathedral Pines County Park, another pet-welcoming option near Yaphank, features wooded sites that provide natural shade for pets during summer months. Both parks enforce leash requirements for dogs throughout the campground areas. The pet policies remain consistent across Suffolk County parks, with campers reporting rangers strictly enforce rules regarding pet behavior and waste cleanup. Bathroom facilities at Smith Point County Park receive high marks from pet owners for cleanliness and accessibility during early morning and late evening dog walks.
Southaven County Park trails offer pet exercise opportunities with numerous walking paths through wooded areas, though campers should be vigilant about ticks affecting both humans and pets. Several reviews mention deer sightings in Cathedral Pines and Smith Point, requiring pet owners to maintain control of dogs that might give chase. Smith Point's beachfront camping provides direct ocean access, though pets must remain leashed on the beach areas. The proximity of Smith Point to veterinary services in nearby Shirley provides peace of mind for pet owners. Summer weekends see higher occupancy and increased pet traffic, with most campgrounds requiring advance reservations for pet-friendly sites. Sites with electric hookups tend to fill first, especially among RV campers traveling with pets who need climate control during warmer months.
$20 - $250 / night
"The beach is in a walking distance. You can swim or fish there. This camp site has a relatively new and clean facility. There are many farms near by where you can get fresh veggies and fruits."
"However there are too many loud families and the sites are too close in proximity for me."
"Literally steps to the beach."
"A short walk from the ocean to the bay, both accessible by walking from your campsite. No shade so be prepared to wake early if you’re in a sweltering tent. Staff has been great, no complaints."
$33 / night
"Recently went camping in our pull behind, met some old friends and had a great time. Rangers have a hardon for people screwing up tho. Think they're all that and then some..."
"Great Location Clean Park."
"Beautiful location steps away from the beach. Listen to the waves crashing as you sleep and stargaze over the clear ocean. Not ready for full on camp-life? No problem!"
"Camping gets you away from the bustle. It is a little less than a half mile walk from the ferry dock and located behind the dunes which offer some protection. Take a quick walk down to the beach."
"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"
$20 / night
"* cottages far enough away from each other
- fire ring with Adirondack chairs
- dumpster and recycling within walking distance
- lots of bone dry firewood around for campfire
- walkable beach"
"Overall my experience was positive. Camping Sites
Each camping site has a picnic table and barbeque grill."
"Campsites are located close enough to the beach/marsh. Multiple playgrounds for the kids although they were closed due to Covid."
"There are dog friendly which was very nice. It is a lil tight from each site but you have the beach and a little hiking trails that makes it worth it."
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
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.
GuideSears Bellows in New York is a lot of fun. It really does offer a lot of outdoor activities for you and your family. I have stayed at this campsite 1 time, and stayed 2 nights. This campground does offer tent sites as well as RV/trailer sites. When I went with my friends in college, we just stayed in the tent sites and really enjoyed it. The campground is very well kept and clean which I really liked. They do have quite a bit of garbage's to dump your trash in. One thing I really liked about this campground is that there was a river/pond close by (Bellows Pond). The first night I stayed here my friends and I rented some rowboats and went on the water. It was a lot of fun, and the price of the rowboat was pretty cheap. The next morning we got up and did some hiking. The trails were beautiful, and the flowers were in bloom. There were people who were also biking on these trails, which looked like so much fun! We also saw some people fishing in the pond- and it seemed like most people were catching. The people who stayed in the campsite next to us were cooking up some type of fish for their dinner that they caught that day. One thing to note is that there are not any electrical hook-ups, so if that is something you need you might now want to come stay here. I would love to come back here someday, but stay maybe a day or two longer to do more things- I would also bring my bike and fishing pole to do more outdoor activities. I would also advise to rent the rowboats because that was a lot of fun!
GuideThe actual beach isn't too nice; not soft sand, broken shells, and cigarettes. However, the campgrounds have nice facilities like a shop, good showers, a playground, and volleyball courts. Be noted PETS ARE NOT ALLOWED in the summer. We were not aware of this.
ScoutBeautiful campsites! Lots of lean to sites with fireplaces in them. You have to go in person to make a reservation and pay. The camp area is beautiful, especially in the fall. Pet friendly and kid friendly with a playground available. Our favorite site is #25. Up a hill, totally private and has a lean-to.
LegendI had a hankering for East Coast seafood, so I picked Hammonesett Beach State Park for Connecticut. Our 2nd state of 5.
Hammonesett Beach has a huge campground. They divide the loops with names. I unfortunately chose Pequot. This loop has THE WORST bathrooms/showers on the South side of the campground. Looks like they were built in 1950s with rotten wood siding. Dirty. The showers were outside the bathroom- there was a bench & hooks OUTSIDE! We found out all the other loops had modern bathhouses.
My first impression of this campground is it's loud, crazy busy & there's traffic noise from the beach road. I actually liked it! This is a fun campground for families. There were kids on bikes, scooters, skateboards,roller blades. Watch your speed! They don't always watch out for your car.
I found out most people stay through Sunday & leave on Monday. There were still lots of campers left. Lots of tent campers.
I chose site 14 on the Pequot Loop because I thought I would have a view of one of the ponds. There was tall vegetation, so that was out.
The sites on the other side of the loop were right by the main beach road. Noisy during the day, but quiet at night.
There are some sites with shade, but most are sunny.
There's no electricity at most of the sites. Our site was full sun(yay for the solar panel!). On Beach Road in the campground there's 2 rows of full hookup sites, but they go FAST! I tried.
NO PETS! Including dogs.
No WiFi, but there's cell service. At least 5 dump stations.
The beach was popular.
There was a stream running from a pond that kids were playing in.
They have a beautiful Nature Center. A couple of easy hikes through one of the preserves.
This was a good base camp for the area. Gillette Castle & other state parks are within driving distance. Connecticut is a beautiful state!!
RangerMy husband and and I camped one night at this newly reopened park over the weekend in Long Island just to check it out and were pretty disappointed by the tent camping area. There are 69 tent/trailer sites(no hook ups). There is no distinguishing separation between each site nor a designated driveway for your car- you merely pull up on the grass. It's basically like camping in your local city park. People park wildly all over the place, which also makes it more difficult to determine which site is which by the number painted on the roadway. Each"site" has a picnic table and an barbecue grate on a post. There is one bath/shower house in the center of all of these sites with no path provided for folks to walk to and fro, so naturally people will walk right through your site randomly rather than around the road. While the bathroom building itself is in decent shape and has a large amount of toilet stalls and about five showers, the condition of women's room was absolutely ghastly inside.
At some point during the evening, a maintenance worker on a golf cart showed up with a mop and some cleaning supplies and cleaned the men's side of the building. I was so relieved when I saw him, but he seemed to neglect the women's side completely, so I resorted to using the men's facilities all night.
There are no fire pits on any of the sites, although I learned afterwards that they do allow you to bring your own metal fire pit as long as it is elevated off the ground. There are large dumpsters located throughout the camping area and a large trash bag is provided (if needed) at the camp office when you check in.
The highlight of Heckscher State Park is the newly constructed heated cottages located on the shore of Nichol's& Great South Bays.. There are currently 11 cottages--- with more under construction. There are cottages suited for two, four, and six people and range in price from$225-$285 per night during off peak seasons and$250- 320 per night during the peak seasons.
The cottages are fully furnished, with a full kitchen and large bathroom with a walk in shower. The cottages are a short walk from the beach and also include a fire pit with Adirondack chairs and an outdoor shower on the exterior each property. I do not have photos of the inside, but they do have them on the Reserve America website if you are interested.
While the cottages are lovely and their location is fabulous they are quite pricey and no TLC was spent in the$22 tent/rv camping area, other than a new registration office which is not yet completed as of this weekend. I do hope they invest some funding in the primitive area to add fire pits,more water spigots, clearer site markings and for the continued maintenance& upkeep of the bath/shower house.
* I emailed the parks departement about the issues mentioned above about the camping area and received this reply:
I am sorry that you are upset with the conditions in our recently opened campgrounds. We have replaced all of the picnic tables. Although, they may look old because they are weathered since these picnic tables were put together during the Winter, however, they are brand new. All of the barbeques are also new and were installed during the Winter. We have changed and modernized the light fixtures and we will be replacing the rusted doors that you mentioned. There are also plans to install a playground within the campground beginning this Fall and we are looking for other improvements and additions to the campgrounds. As you probably noticed there is a new building under construction, at the entrance to the campgrounds, and it will serve as a check-in area, as well as, additional comfort stations, including family restrooms. Your suggestion of fire pits is a good one and the Park Managers will evaluate the feasibility of installing these. Lastly, I have spoken to the Park Manager who will review the cleaning operation to ensure the restrooms are appropriately maintained. I apologize for our employee not cleaning the women's room. Again, I am sorry for your negative experience but we are continuing to make improvements to the campgrounds.
Sincerely, George Gorman Regional Director New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
I will check back later this year to see if anything was changed and report back.
Rangerthis place seemed okay to begin with, but then you start noticing that the bathrooms are run down and not well kept, the lots are near an expressway that constantly has loud traffic, and there are tons of feral cats wandering and sometimes even begging for food. i probably would like to find a different place to stay during my next visit
GuideWard Pound Ridge is very well known to the locals as a great place for sled-riding in winter (Pell Hill area) and a place for big group gatherings. The many different trails are frequented by the locals as well. In recent years, the county government also allow bow-hunting of deer to control its population during the months of October to December.
As far as camping as a family, it is not too exciting a place for us. The grounds are far too well trimmed, as you can see in one of the videos. There is wide open space and the paths are well paved so kids can have fun riding the bikes or running around. There is also many trails of various difficulty levels to suit everyone, including horseback riders. The Trailside Nature Museum is also fun for the kids.
There are lean-to sites as well as tent sites. A maximum of eight people in two tents are allowed at each site. But if you really do have a party of eight, one picnic table seems to be inadequate. 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.
All in all, it is not a place I would recommend if you want to get close to nature.
Suffolk County campgrounds near Yaphank offer diverse landscapes from pine forests to oceanfront settings. Most sites require advance reservations through the Suffolk County Green Key card system, which provides reduced camping fees for residents. The terrain varies from wooded inland sites to sandy coastal areas with temperature ranges from 75-85°F in summer to 30-45°F during spring and fall camping seasons.
Beach activities at Smith Point: Walk from your campsite to both ocean and bay waters at Smith Point County Park, where shoreline activities are just steps away. "A short walk from the ocean to the bay, both accessible by walking from your campsite. No shade so be prepared to wake early if you're in a sweltering tent," reports camper Ali O.
Wildlife viewing: Observe local deer populations that frequent the campgrounds, especially at dawn and dusk. "You get visits from the nearby deer. It is paradise," notes Tim M. about Smith Point County Park. Many campers report deer sightings with opportunities for photography.
Fishing opportunities: Access freshwater fishing at Southaven County Park's lake or saltwater options at oceanfront parks. "Trails were awesome. Row boat for fishing was great," reports Christopher S. about Blydenburgh County Park, which offers boat rentals for anglers.
Beach proximity: The oceanfront camping at coastal parks provides immediate water access without driving. "Literally steps to the beach. Stayed on the bayside (site 30), which had a fantastic direct bay view," shares Gianna about Smith Point County Park, highlighting the dual-water access many campers value.
Wooded seclusion: Cathedral Pines County Park offers shaded sites with more separation between campers. "Was a pretty spacious park, very quiet, nice people, but not very many electric sites," notes Junior D. The park's pine forest setting creates a cooler microclimate during summer months.
Long Island Sound views: Wildwood State Park provides unique northern shoreline camping with different water views. "It is right at the entrance to wine country on Long Island and has a beach on the Long Island Sound. (A little rocky on the north shore)," explains James O., highlighting the different coastal experience available.
Rental fire pits required: Several Suffolk County parks don't provide permanent fire rings at campsites. "Lame not having a fire ring, you have to rent one or bring your own," advises Ossama B. about Wildwood State Park. Campers should budget for fire pit rentals or pack portable fire containers.
Site privacy varies significantly: Some parks offer more seclusion than others. "The further camps are very far from facilities and the ones closer to the bathrooms are usually louder/taken up," explains Connor M. about Cathedral Pines County Park, suggesting site selection strategies.
Reservation requirements: Most Suffolk County parks require advance bookings, especially for pet-friendly sites with hookups. "Suffolk county is really only RV friendly place. Worth buying green key card for resident access. 200 but you'd spend that 4 nights regardless," advises Maria P. about Blydenburgh Park.
Playground access: Several parks have dedicated play areas for children. "There is a playground just for the campground," notes Giselle P. about Heckscher State Park Campground, which also offers family-friendly amenities like ice cream trucks that visit the campground.
Educational programs: "There are park rangers on site and have excellent programs for kids," reports Inocencia O. about Watch Hill Fire Island Campground, which offers ranger-led activities throughout summer months.
Safety considerations: Most Suffolk County parks feature regular security patrols. "Kids were roaming freely and safe! Some sites were large and loud, but I hope that was only exceptional nights!" shares Ossama B. about Wildwood State Park, noting the family-friendly atmosphere despite occasional noise.
Site layout awareness: RV sites vary in terms of privacy and hookup availability across parks. "RV pull through sites were fantastic. It was a great campground for maiden voyage in new rig. Plenty of amenities," reports Lori R. about Wildwood State Park.
Hookup availability: Water and electric connections aren't universal at all parks. "Need to move to dump station prior to leaving (2 night visit) and had to drive to fill the fresh water tank once while there," explains Janelle G. about Indian Island County Park, suggesting RVers should plan water usage carefully.
Level site selection: Check campground maps for the most level options if bringing larger rigs. "Site was level, pretty spacious and easy to back into," notes Janelle G. about Indian Island County Park, highlighting the importance of site selection for RVs.
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Yaphank, NY is Wildwood State Park Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 24 reviews.
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