Grand Lake St. Marys State Park campground permits pets across all accommodation types including tent sites, RV spots, cabins, and glamping options. The campground features spacious pull-through sites with cement pads, making setup convenient for campers traveling with animals. Pets must remain leashed throughout the park, with local regulations enforced by park rangers. River Trail Campground II also welcomes pets with designated pet-friendly areas and waste disposal stations throughout the property. The campground maintains 260 sites open from April 15 to October 15, with both tent and RV accommodations available for pet owners.
Lake Loramie State Park Campground provides year-round access for campers with pets, featuring waterfront sites where dogs can enjoy shoreline areas under supervision. The park enforces standard pet policies including leash requirements and proper waste disposal. Wapakoneta KOA offers additional pet-friendly options with cabin accommodations that accept well-behaved animals. Pet owners should note that while Grand Lake St. Marys has extensive shoreline access, algae warnings occasionally restrict water activities for both humans and pets. Mercer County Fairgrounds provides an alternative with 155 pet-friendly sites and full hookups, though alcohol is prohibited throughout this facility. Most campgrounds in the region require pets to be current on vaccinations, and the nearest veterinary services can be found in Celina and St. Marys for emergency care.
$29 - $110 / night
"great like campground on Ohioâs biggest inland lake"
"friendly staff, very clean restrooms, playground, could not swim in the water due to contamination which they have spent millions to repair and is slowly on the up and up, not too far from town, surrounded"
$45 - $100 / night
"Nice lake, you can bring golf carts nice size camping lots. We will go back again great experience beautiful place."
$27 - $110 / night
"Relax on the waters edge in shear tranquility. Perfect beach for swimming, excellent trails for hiking, and awesome lake to boat. Multiple launch ramps provide ease and convenience."
"Love being so close to the lake we can fish all the time. The beach is a bit of a walk from the campground but not to far. They offer canoe rentals, and bike rentals."
$42 - $55 / night
"We stay here while visiting family nearby Ohio. Lots of shade and quiet even with families and usually pretty full, hosts are extremely nice and accommodating. Swimming pool is clean."
"Close to I75, level sites, laundry, showers, two dog areas and a store and restaurant. The managers are wonderful!"
$29 - $52 / night
"The camp store is really big and itâs right next to their pool. They have a dog park, place to dock your boat and a small beach. I would imagine this would be a pretty busy during the summer."
"This Ohio State Park is in a small quaint town. Good sites, nice beach + a real swimming pool. Many places for fishing from shore OR launching your boat !"
"No hiking, significant highway noise, yes a couple big ponds, but a truck stop and truck storage is behind both - so no views. Most of the campers we saw were elderly or had young kids."
"Therefore no pool or other water amenities except for the lakes. It seems that the 50 amp sights are very spread out and randomly located."
"Tons to do especially for kids, pet friendly, definitely get rowdy on the weekends- book ahead to snag the best sites. We stayed 5 days and it was awesome."
"If you youâre going for family friendly fun where you can sit around a fire wIth friends and family, this is the place. There is swimming and family activities to keep everyone busy."
LegendThe location here is pretty crazy itâs right in the middle of town but feels like a park there is a river and wooded area that makes you feel like you are in nature but you are just a parking lot away from an arena and college. There is a playground and a dog park. Here as well as ball diamonds. This is a great family friendly place but is very very busy during the season.
LegendOur pad was not level front to back so we had to adjust a little bit. The fire ring was nice but our picnic table was beat up. I went to move it and the seat pulled right off. We stayed on a Sunday night so it wasnât packed. There are a ton of sites. Some had great shade and others didnât have any at all. The bathrooms were flush toilets and they did have shower houses too. The camp store is really big and itâs right next to their pool. They have a dog park, place to dock your boat and a small beach. I would imagine this would be a pretty busy during the summer.
LegendWe love camping in the off season but with that comes closures. Some sections of the campgrounds might not be open, no camp hosts and limited bathrooms and showers houses. This is to be expected, but when I called the morning of our trip to make sure potable water was available and I was told yes it was only to drive 2 hours and realized they were wrong. No water đ. This would not have been a peas we have dry camped before but all the bathrooms were closed as well.
After called the park ranger he did let us get some water at the maintenance building so we were at least able to finish the weekend. Lesson learned always pull with at least some water.
Now back to the campground itself was nice and clean. Site are a little close together. The biggest down side is you are there to enjoy the lake but the lake had algae warnings everywhere not to go near the water.
They do have a dog park, pool and splash pad when in season and a marina. Also they have WiFi and good cell coverage.
RangerRelax on the waters edge in shear tranquility. Perfect beach for swimming, excellent trails for hiking, and awesome lake to boat. Multiple launch ramps provide ease and convenience. Rent a canoe or kayak and head out for some time alone or with your favorite person. The cabins are heated but pets are not allowed. Campground is huge as are the sites. Some are premium, thereâs a few ADA and some lakeside making for a great view to enjoy your morning coffee.
GuideThis park has a beautiful lake and nice (although short) hiking trails. The problem is that there is no running water- no showers and smelly pit toilets. There is one spigot for drinking water.
Beware that the campsites are mostly in one big grassy field with no shade. I'd pick a site along the perimeter or along the lake.
This park is overrun with feral cats (or it was when I was there). Some people might think that is cute. I consider feral cats to be wild animals that carry disease. What's really bad about them is that they've been fed so they are comfortable around people. We spent the whole weekend trying to fend them off- every time our backs were turned, they jumped up on our picnic table. They ate our food, which we had to throw away. When we sat by the fire, they rubbed up against our legs, which is disgusting, considering they carry Bartonella, which is transmitted through their fleas and ticks (Bartonella is a co-infection of Lyme, or you can get it on its own. I know- I've had it since middle school. Feral cats probably carry Lyme too, as they are mammals). I can't express how stressful it was, trying to keep these wild cats away from us the entire weekend. I don't know why the park can't get them under control.
Sure, cat people will be offended by my statement, but would you want raccoons or skunks up on your table, eating out of your pots and pans? Would you want raccoons rubbing up against you while you are trying to relax? These cats are also wild animals, yet way too tame for comfort. Ugh,I shudder remembering it.
LegendThis park is know for the lake that is kayak and canoe friendly since it doesnât allow any kind of boat with a motor. It also features a beach , 2 playgrounds and several hiking trails. Just be careful if you hike with dogs since some trails intersect with a nature preserve which doesnât allow pets.
The campground itself has 20 electric sites , 56 primitive sites and 4 camper cabins. All the electric sites are pull through and all sites have a fire pit but only the electric sites come with picnic tables.
Due to off season and COVID the camp store is closed and there is no camper host or park office staff around.
We did notice lots of downed trees on the poorly marked hiking trails. Some trails just started but no maps were around and no trails were blazed. It was hard to tell where we were headed or how long a trail was. I tried using the new Detour app and it wasnât very accurate for this park.
We did have good Verizon cell coverage.
ScoutClean! Tons to do especially for kids, pet friendly, definitely get rowdy on the weekends- book ahead to snag the best sites. We stayed 5 days and it was awesome. Mini golf, fishing, 3 pools, inflatable in the water, they have a whole schedule for the weekends here. Itâs great!
GuideFirst the good: the campground is big and spacious. Some areas were like RV parking lots- no trees, no shade, but there was a grassy area in the middle with nice big trees and shade. There is a nice pool and splash pad. Weirdly, the pool closed from 4 to 5, leaving us with nowhere to go on a 90+ degree day.Â
Now, the not-so-good: we stayed in a camper cabin and it was very shabby and dirty. It had bunkbeds, a full size fridge, and a folding table and folding chairs, which was nice (and rare in Ohio state park camper cabins). The bathrooms were average. Not new, not especially sparkling clean, but fine. Not gross, at least.
Now, the terrible: the entire lake stinks of pig poop. All the air smells like poo. You feel like you are breathing feces when you approach the water. We were right on the water so we couldn't escape the smell.Â
This lake is notorious for having algae blooms that prohibit swimming. So I did a google search before our trip and the Ohio Department of Health reports that the bacteria level in this lake is dangerously high, and no one should swim in this lake. However, when we walked to the campground beach, there was no sign or warning or anything indicating the bacteria in the water- and people were letting their children and dogs swim in it!!Â
We opted to not kayak or paddleboard in the lake because it was clear that it was full of poop. So we had nothing to do at the park except go to the pool (it was too hot to do anything else). We ended up driving around the country roads and seeing the sights so we could escape the smelly lake and hot poo fumes. Neil Armstrong was born in nearby Wapakoneta so there are some sights to see there, and the towns of Celina and ? one other are cute too.Â
Overall, I will not return to this lake or this part of the state. If you can't get in the water, paddle board or kayak, the only thing left to do is ride around in a boat and hope the water doesn't get anywhere near your mouth or your skin. No thanks.
GuideThey have a tremendous pet park with a well maintained yard. The only problem so far has been the water distribution. But the price is very affordable. My site was 30 dollars a night. Bath house and bathrooms are very nicely kept clean. And there is a river right beside it.
Grand Lake St. Marys serves as the central hub for pet friendly camping near Celina, Ohio, located in western Ohio approximately 80 miles northwest of Columbus. The region features relatively flat terrain with elevations ranging from 870-900 feet above sea level, contributing to its abundant lakes and reservoirs. Seasonal weather patterns include humid summers with temperatures regularly exceeding 85°F between June and August, making water recreation the primary draw for campers.
Swimming and water activities: Grand Lake St. Marys State Park features a swimming pool and splash pad that provide alternatives to lake swimming. According to one camper, "Large spacious sites with cement or paved spots. Can be muddy after rain. Has a pool, playground, putt putt golf, boat docks, hiking trails, and some other great amenities."
Fishing opportunities: Lake Loramie State Park Campground offers excellent fishing access with shoreline camping options. A reviewer notes, "We have stayed many times. Love being so close to the lake we can fish all the time. The beach is a bit of a walk from the campground but not too far."
Recreation facilities: River Trail Campground II maintains recreational options beyond water activities. One visitor mentioned, "The papers were friendly and helpful. Friendly patrons throughout the park. Clean saltwater pool, a park and a clean pond with a swimming beach. Catch and release fishing allowed. Bingo on Saturday evening!"
Spacious campsites: Many campgrounds in the region provide ample space between sites. At Grand Lake St. Marys State Park, a camper observed, "My husband and I drove 8 hours to visit family and decided to camp here instead of staying in a hotel. It was great! The showers were always clean, the site is huge compared to what we normally stay in."
Family-oriented activities: Scheduled events keep younger campers engaged. One visitor at Grand Lake St. Marys mentioned, "The camping spot was great. It was very close to the pool and playground. The sites were pull through which was nice for having young kids. Could sit at our spot and watch our kids at the playground."
Clean facilities: Campgrounds maintain well-kept common areas. A camper at River Trail Campground reported, "We stayed there three nights had a very nice stay. They have a lot of sites owners were very friendly people at the camp ground were all friendly. Nice lake, you can bring golf carts nice size camping lots."
Water quality concerns: Grand Lake St. Marys experiences periodic algae blooms affecting water activities. One reviewer explained, "The entire lake stinks of pig poop. All the air smells like poo. You feel like you are breathing feces when you approach the water."
Weather and bugs: Seasonal factors impact camping comfort. A visitor at Indian Lake State Park Campground shared, "This parks has a lot to offer if you like water sports. There is a camper beach area, swimming pool and boat launch within the campground. The down since a lot of site are in full sun and no privacy."
Site variations: Some campgrounds have significant differences between site types. According to a River Trail Campground visitor, "We stayed 3 nights. Our site was a dirt pad. There are mostly full-time residents. There is the smell of a massive Chicken coup at our site. THERE ARE A TON OF FLIES!"
Pool access: Wapakoneta KOA provides dedicated water recreation options for children. A family noted, "Wonderful facility! Pool, pool table, games for kids and adults. The grounds are beautiful and the staff is super friendly and helpful!"
Playground proximity: Select sites with easy monitoring of play areas. At Indian Lake State Park, a parent commented, "This is definitely a campground for families and for those who want lots of company in their experience. There are no wooded areas in the campground so all spaces are open to all the other campers."
Weekend activities: Many campgrounds schedule regular weekend events. One camper at Lake Loramie State Park Campground shared, "We had a great weekend of camping! The weather was perfect, the kids loved the playground and had fun at the Fun Field Day activities! Plenty of fishing and relaxing!"
Pull-through options: Several campgrounds offer convenient pull-through sites. At Huggy Bear Campground, a reviewer noted, "Clean! Tons to do especially for kids, pet friendly, definitely get rowdy on the weekends- book ahead to snag the best sites."
Hookup availability: Full-service sites are available at most locations. A Wapakoneta KOA visitor shared, "Great service and help getting the trailer positioned correctly. A few food options on site are nice. The actual sites are very small. Not much room to fit the trailer and vehicle."
Level site considerations: Site conditions vary across campgrounds. At Indian Lake State Park, an RVer commented, "Our pad was not level front to back so we had to adjust a little bit. The fire ring was nice but our picnic table was beat up. I went to move it and the seat pulled right off."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Celina, OH?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Celina, OH is Grand Lake St. Marys State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 14 reviews.
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