Best Dog-Friendly Camping near McLeod, ND

My first and not going to be the last campout here. Beautiful sites,trails,very friendly and knowledgeable ranger. Took our 40' through the 1212 trail and was quite concerned I had gotten a little bold with following an unknown gps destination. It worked out but was very close as was also pulling a car hauler. Just for your info i was also traveling east to west. Definitely a pleasant adventure out here in North Dakota. I have to say a little paradise can be found here. I am doing the dispersed camping right in the oak valley next to the 1212. John

Small city campground that’s a glorified parking lot. Had to make my reservation online, paid for it online, and when we got here there was nobody in the office or nothing indicating that we had a reservation. The office building looked abandoned, no mention of a camp host on site. There is what looks to be a very sketchy full-time or living on the property and what appeared to be some sort of food vending truck that had been here for quite some time.

The sites are uneven not level not mowed , unkept and hard to level your rig out on. It was a shower restroom facility available but I did not venture near it as it was right next to the sketchy full timers who had many many visitors throughout the night who were not quiet.

The only positives is it is right next to the river, and it looks as if it is within walking distance to some of the town, and it is right off the highway.

Even if I was in this area again I don’t think I would choose to stay here, I would rather drive farther.

Let me start off by saying, this is a picturesque park and campground located in the heart of Fargo with plenty of trails and paths to go around! we were in the A lot. our spot was pretty spacious, but a lot of the spots in this area were pretty tight. the other downside was the proximity to the interstate. this made for a pretty noticeable drone of vehicles. Would recommend staying in the B lot, spots are spaced apart more, facing the river, and are further away from the Interstate. will definitely be back, just in a different part of the campground.

This rec area/campground is honestly a hidden gem (not trying to be cliché!) The area is very scenic and well kept, with a stream running throughout that feeds into a multi-use lake, unique and expansive campsites, groomed trails, multiple amenities and the laidback solitude and peace of the Midwest prairie/plains. If you choose to, it's easy to have enjoyable personal time and also not feel uneasy or isolated in your experience if you choose to adventure solo.

This campground is family friendly and also still very suitable for those solo stays. The campsites exist within many settings: wooded areas, more community-type settings, open prairies, and secluded nooks far away from the center of everything. Some of these sites are massive and some are quaint and tucked into the trees, down a wooded path. There have usually been multiple sites available when I've camped there towards the end of the week. 

Clausen Springs Campground is managed by the NDGF Department and Barnes County Park Board/Wildlife Federation; it is within the Clausen Springs Rec Area/Wildlife Management Area (545 acres.) This campground is about 20 miles out of Valley City, 17 miles off of I-94 and just a few miles off of ND HWY 1. (Very easy to locate, not a ton of gravel and not too far from a rural gas station/convenience store.)

The hiking trails are my favorite; they are well-maintained and interconnect with the North Country National Scenic Trail (NCT.) The lake provides swimming, fishing, and boat access for electric motored boats or kayaks/canoes. There is also a playground for the kids.

The RVs or TTs have access to electric hookups and dumpsites. We all have have access to rural drinking water, shower houses/bathrooms (very well-kept IMO,) picnic tables, and fire rings. Also present are a ball diamond and horseshoe pit. (There is also a historic aspect to this area and there are some pieces of interpretative information available.)

You are allowed an RV or Camper plus a tent ( or solely two tents) per site (max 8 people) $20/night for electric sites, $15/night for primitive. Also important to note that  sites 1-12, and 55 are reserve-able, all the rest are first come, first serve. There are 21 electrical sites and 57 primitive. 

 (I also realize I posted mainly photos of many of the sizeable, more open/exposed campsites; there are so many that are completely shaded and tucked into the trees as well! I will try to get photos in the future)

This is a year round multi-use state park along the forest-lined Sheyenne River and near the Sheyenne National Grasslands. There are miles of trails through all kinds of habititats from forest to prairie to riparian shores and the water trail. In winter there is great cross country skiing and snowshoeing and summer of course has camping, canoeing, hiking, and nature watching. This seems to be a big park for horse campers and they are well set up for that with corrals and designated horse campgrounds. There is a standard campground for car camping, campers and RVs with the usual amenities, then there is the so-called "primitive" campground which is for tents only, either in drive in tent campsites, or at walk-in tent sites that are very spacious and right on the river! Very nice. The "primitive" tent area has quiet rules including no use of generators, so we like that. The tent area did not have its own water source though, so you do have to walk across the river bridge to the main campground to get water. Also, while there were no problems about flooding on our trip, the sites are in a lowland area adjacent to the river floodplain so could be a concern at times of heavy rain. Other options, should you want to go for historic lodging or "glamping", there is the option to reserve a covered wagon or pioneer cabin to stay in, or a fully equipped really amazingly cool yurt with a loft that could host a large family or group. If you like hiking or canoeing or horseback riding or nature exploring, there are alot of good options here for the summer camper. Things are quieter right now as there as fewer campers due to  covid, they are also a little short staffed and the grounds look a tad bit rough around the edges and in need of a bit of maintanence. Also, the park was established on the grounds on an old fort which seems to have had some historic controversy, and the main park entrance sign was burned in a recent protest event so be aware of that when you are trying to find the park. And, while staying at the park, visit the exhibits in the visitor's center to learn more about the history of the area and the old fort so you can put all this into respectful context.

Very nice and well taken care of campground that surrounds silver lake. You could tell that the groundskeepers take a lot of pride in how well kept it is. Our site had a gravel pad that required very little leveling with very nice grass surrounding it. Our site had water and electric hookups however we shared a post with our neighbors and each post had one 30 amp and one 50 amp plug so you’ll need an adapter if your neighbor is already plugged in to 30 amp service. There was a very nice swimming beach and what appeared to be a new playground for the kids. There is a north section that is apparently for quiet people that don’t stay up late and south section for all the others. Dogs are welcome but must be cleaned up after and kept out of certain sections of the campground. I will defiantly be back