17 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Mirror Lake City Park campground in Hettinger allows pets at its camping sites offering water and electrical hookups for $20 per night with a 10-night maximum stay. The small city park campground features peaceful sites next to the lake with clean facilities including showers and toilets. Twin Butte Campground and Bowman Lions Park also welcome pets, with Twin Butte providing full electric hookups including 50-amp service for larger RVs. Bathrooms at Twin Butte are extremely clean according to multiple visitors. Bowman Lions Park offers free camping with a suggested donation of $12, featuring pet cleanup bags and separate men's and women's restrooms with toilets and sinks.
Several free or low-cost pet-friendly campgrounds surround the Hettinger area within an hour's drive. Hugh Glass Campground on Shadehill Reservoir features campsites on a bluff with views of the water, picnic tables, and vault toilets. The campground costs $16.91 per night with a 14-day maximum stay. Picnic Spring Campground, located down a 6-mile dirt road, offers extremely private and spacious sites where campers can barely see neighboring sites. The free Forest Service campground includes clean vault toilets and fire rings at every site. Gascoyne Lake Campground permits seven-night free stays with pets along the lakeshore, offering dumpsters and playground areas. Small cactus and ticks in grassland areas present hazards for pets at several campgrounds.
"Very beautiful campsites next to Mirror Lake. It is a small city campground. They have water and electricity. Sewer dump is in town. Cost is only $20 a night with a limit of 10 nights. Very peaceful."
"Working my way south from Bismark, North Dakota I was on the hunt for the Hugh Glass Monument. I had recently watched the movie the Revenant and wanted to see the area. "
"Easy 4 mile drive of highway on well maintained dirt/gravel road."
"What appear to be lakeside sites are actually elevated above the water. Clean vault toilets and also shower house with running water. Lots of big rigs; I felt tiny in my truck tent."
"Playground and a couple beaches around the area. A popular boating reservoir."
"There are a couple picnic tables around in a field and you’re right along the lake which had a beautiful sunset. You are allowed to stay up to seven nights and it is free."
"Its a short drive from Highway 85 over to the hills, then up and into the Ponderosa pine forest capped butte that the campground is situated on."
"Good place to get away from fireworks, if you have an anxious dog. Limited shade during those hot summer days.
The scenery is spectacular and offers cross country hiking for the adventurous."
from $15 - $30 / night
"Outside of harvest season, it is a nice open camping area right on the Cannonball river."
from $25 - $50 / night
"I had to move to an electric campsite adjacent to the marina, not attractive either but had full Verizon signal strength."
from $5 - $15 / night
Check Availability"Areas to walk dogs, or yourself (lol). Surrounded by trees and farming. We bbq in the evening and sat outside enjoying the clean air. Lots of grass and trees."
"Surrounded by lush farmland. Best well water for drinking. About 1 mile on ebike ride to town. Town has 1 grocery store- nice! And also a neat museum. Would highly recommend."
"If you don’t need hookups, then the Lions Club campground is a great ( cheaper @ $12) alternative - also a free site a few miles past Butte View is an option - on Gascoyne Lake, dry camping We did not"
"Wifi but not real strong unless you park close to the repeater."
TravelerGreta campground with many spots spread out for privacy. Two bathrooms at the top of a plateau. Extremely peaceful. Long drive down a gravel road and some avoiding of free range cows but this is a fabulous spot; even for bigger rigs since the campground has a loop. Highly recommend
LegendSuper neat spot Flat parking lot Not as big as the others on The highway
LegendPerfect campground to stay the night.
GuideHas dump, clean rest rooms, tables, fire pits, we'll maintain grass. Non portable water (no drinkable that we could find) easy to find, easy in and out. It's a bit to tight for big riggs (but do-able. )
TravelerShade Hill was on the way when we needed a campground. It’s a bit pricey at $30+$10 license /night. But it is by a lovely reservoir has excellent facilities - shower, toilets, dump and water station. Worth a stop if it’s on your way. Was almost empty just after Labor Day, but I’d bet it’s busy in summer months.
GuideReally nice little campsite that feels very out of the way for being only a couple miles from ranches and off a good, solid gravel road. There are 2 other campers here at the moment. There is currently no fee and the sites aren't numbered. No trash so pack it out, water is not tested for safety so bring your own, and there are vault toilets.
The sites are well spaced out and private. A couple seemed to not have picnic tables but the sites were all nicely situated and near some ledges that look down into little valleys. A couple don't have room for more than one small tent, unless you're ok with uneven/sloped ground.
Note: the overview of the campground (which reads a bit like AI slop imo) quoted one person who said the way in was sketchy. I'm not sure what this was referring to as the roads were really good all the way in (you could do it in a beat up sedan, just don't be dumb and treat it like a racetrack). You do have to go through a couple pastures where there might be cows, but that's rangeland for you??
RangerGreat price, very large sites with full hookups. Owner is very nice and laid back. Just a few miles from town.
Guide4 1/2 miles of a good gravel road. Very dusty so if you can’t handle the dust don’t go. Directions are not great but follow the road until it turns into open field with tall grass. Pick a place.
GuidePrimarily used by harvesters in the fall. They have all the hookups and a few fire rings but no restroom amenities. Outside of harvest season, it is a nice open camping area right on the Cannonball river. There is a small town to explore with a museum just over the bridge with nearby gas, grocery, and restaurant availability.
Camping options near Hettinger, North Dakota range from basic city parks to more remote forest service campgrounds. The area sits at approximately 2,700 feet elevation in southwestern North Dakota, characterized by rolling prairie grasslands interspersed with buttes and small lakes. Summer temperatures typically range from 70-90°F during day with cooler nights, while spring and fall camping seasons often bring strong winds across the exposed terrain.
Fishing at Shadehill Reservoir: The 5,000-acre reservoir offers good fishing opportunities for walleye, northern pike, and smallmouth bass. Shadehill Recreation Area features "well maintained electric hookup sites along the shore. Cabins also available. Playground and a couple beaches around the area. A popular boating reservoir."
Wildlife viewing at Hugh Glass: Early mornings provide the best opportunity to spot deer, pronghorn antelope, and various prairie birds. Hugh Glass Campground offers "campsites on a bluff over Shadehill reservoir in national grassland. Most sites are pretty close together. I would have selected #11 if I had stayed."
Visit Bowman Historical Museum: Located about a mile from Twin Butte Campground, this museum showcases regional history. One camper noted: "About 1 mile on ebike ride to town. Town has 1 grocery store- nice! And also a neat museum. Would highly recommend."
Clean facilities: Many campers comment specifically on bathroom cleanliness. At Twin Butte Campground, visitors appreciate the "extremely clean" bathrooms, with one reviewer noting: "Bathrooms were extremely clean. My husband and I will definitely be back."
Spacious, private sites: Several campgrounds offer sites with good separation. At Picnic Spring Campground, "the 10 sites are spacious: it's hard to see any other campers from your site. There are no amenities here except for very clean pit toilets."
Cell service availability: Coverage varies by campground, with some offering surprisingly good connectivity. One camper at Picnic Spring reported: "Good internet service phone service on Verizon and T-Mobile and AT&T." Another noted Twin Butte has "Excellent AT&T service" with "5Gs."
Road conditions: Access to some campgrounds requires driving on unpaved roads. For Picnic Spring Campground, "It was over 6 miles down a dirt gravel road. But we were on street motorcycles and had no problem."
Limited services: Most campgrounds have minimal amenities and no nearby stores. "The nearest groceries or any store for that matter is 25 miles away in either direction on Route 85. There is no potable water but there is a spring where you can water to boil."
Pet hazards: North Shore Bowman Haley Lake warns: "Beware, if you are traveling with pets, there are small cactus throughout the grasslands and ticks." The lake itself may contain harmful blue-green algae: "Blue green algae has killed a number of pets causing them to experience convulsions and die quickly."
Playground access: Several campgrounds offer play areas for children. North Shore has playground facilities, while Gascoyne Lake Campground features "two little shelter areas & a playground but it has not been mowed yet for the season so hard to access."
Budget-friendly options: Bowman Lions Park is "absolutely FREE with a suggested donation of $12 that we happily gave. This campground is run by the local Lions Club and each site has a picnic table that is painted the traditional Lions Club colors of purple and yellow."
Swimming considerations: Not all lakes are suitable for swimming. At North Shore, "signs posted stating the water may contain blue green algae that can be harmful to humans and pets." However, Hugh Glass Campground offers "a nice sandy bottom close to the boat launch" for swimming.
Full hookup limitations: Most campgrounds offer partial hookups only. Mirror Lake City Park provides water and electric but "sewer dump is in town." For RVs needing complete services, consider Twin Butte which has "30 and 50 amp hookups, lots of space. Call ahead and I'm sure they can accommodate your needs."
Dump station availability: Know where you can empty tanks. Twin Butte offers "You can fill water and a dump station avail on request," while Bowman Lions Park provides a "FREE dump station" that campers particularly appreciate.
Levelness concerns: Some sites require significant leveling. At North Shore, the "electric campsites are not attractive, or level" according to one reviewer, while sites at Hugh Glass Campground on the reservoir bluff may require blocks or levelers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Hettinger, ND?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Hettinger, ND is Mirror Lake City Park with a 4.5-star rating from 2 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Hettinger, ND?
TheDyrt.com has all 17 dog-friendly camping locations near Hettinger, ND, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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