Cross Creek Camping Resort in Delaware welcomes pets at all campsites including tent areas, RV sites, and cabins. The campground features spacious pull-through sites with 30/50 amp hookups, picnic tables, and fire rings, making it convenient for campers traveling with dogs. While sites are relatively close together with limited privacy between neighbors, the grounds are well-maintained with clean facilities and plenty of shade trees. Campers with dogs appreciate the small but immaculate dog park for exercising their pets. Alum Creek State Park Campground, located less than 30 minutes north of Columbus, offers another excellent option for pet owners with numerous pet-friendly campsites and impressive amenities including a dedicated dog beach where pets can swim.
Nearby hiking trails provide excellent opportunities for walking dogs, though leashes are required throughout most park areas. Seasonal campers should note that Cross Creek operates from May through November, while Alum Creek State Park remains open year-round for camping with pets. Sites at both locations fill quickly during summer weekends and holiday periods, so advance reservations are recommended when traveling with animals. The campgrounds enforce standard pet policies including proper vaccination requirements, waste cleanup, and supervision rules. Some campground roads can be tight for large rigs with pets, so selecting appropriate sites is important. Both locations offer reasonable access to veterinary services in Delaware and Columbus for emergency situations.
$18 - $70 / night
"This was the only park we’ve gone to this uear with both a large dog park AND a fenced in dog beach! Folks were friendly at the dog park with bunches of chairs set around like a conversation pit."
"Alum Creek State Park is a beautiful park and great campground just outside the hustle and bustle of downtown Columbus and minutes away from attractions such as the Columbus Zoo."
$33 - $40 / night
"Lots of hiking trails, stocked fishing pond for kids, disc golf, dog park and the lake itself.
Site 187 this trip.""It’s close to home, but more importantly it has great trails and wooded sites. Winter camping has several sections of the park closed, only 1 shower house open and no camp hosts or camp store."
$35 - $95 / night
"We stayed two nights here on our tour of Ohio. After staying in state parks, the narrow sites are close with no privacy."
"Small dog park. Normal size lots for an RV park. Super crowded on a summer weekend. All size rvs and also tent campers. Easy to find."
$15 - $38 / night
"Walking path and playground are adjacent to the campground. There is a nice swimming pool at the south end of the village park. Campers get a discounted admission."
$38 / night
"This place is huge, tons of paths for walking and exploring. Also features mini golf, volleyball, basketball, an in-ground pool and a pond."
"There is a small lake that you can walk around. They also have a path through the woods where you can let the dogs run if you choose to."
$47 - $53 / night
"Our site was on a cul de sac and was close to the pool. The sites and road were gravel. They have an indoor pool, stocked fishing pond, and an indoor clubhouse with a pool table."
"from our garden as we had way too much for just us and asked the welcome center to tell people to help themselves to what ever they wanted. we then toured the campgroundand found the stocked fishing lake"
$29 / night
"Site 29 - this was a nice site in tall pine trees and colors all around. The pad was gravel and pretty level. We had trees in our site that could be used for hammocks as well."
"This is one of the smaller campgrounds in the Ohio State Parks system but it’s a little hidden gem."
"Great walking trail back through the woods. Pet friendly and the bathrooms were very nice. Well....I guess we did! We are now in a search for a Diesel pusher to go full-time!"
"They have a nice walking trail, potlucks, holiday events, live entertainment and are putting in a new, bigger pool! They also redid the driveway."
$24 - $130 / night
"It was definitely not an easy task to get a camp site here as a walk-in. We checked on reserve America several times with no luck."
"A well manicured campground just outside Dayton, easy to get to, back in pavement site with 30A electric, picnic table and fire pit. Plenty of potable water spigots around, just not at the site."
"The campground is tucked away in a suburb of Columbus next to a soybean field, very quiet area. Only a 15-20 minute drive into town to go shopping if need be."
"This is a hugely spaced out camp with ample space to each site and great amenities for kids & dogs. Immaculate and well run. Late check in was easy, requests were honored."
TravelerOnly weekend stays and it ends in wintertime. I’m sure it’s pretty and all, but it’s hard to find legit, free dispersed camping in Ohio! Oh well, rest stops always work for car camping.
GuideThis was the only park we’ve gone to this uear with both a large dog park AND a fenced in dog beach! Folks were friendly at the dog park with bunches of chairs set around like a conversation pit. Lots of water and dog tennis balls were available.
The dog beach was fenced so your dog can be off leash. There is even a fenced in area out in the water to keep the pooches from swimming across the Lake chasing geese.
The campground itself was quite nice and spacious. Some of the most private camping sites I’ve seen in Ohio. Shower facilities we a bit above average mad seemed to be looked after at least once a day (we were there in the off season).
IMHO, one of the nicest campgrounds in the state.
ScoutWe stayed two nights here on our tour of Ohio. After staying in state parks, the narrow sites are close with no privacy. Our pull through site was on the (inner) road, so lots of golf carts, cars and campers passing by. All pull through sites are on the road side. The site is not level and our leveling system has the front wheels off the ground. Many full time units here beautiful patios and decor. Staff is nice and friendly. Trash pickup isn’t offered and the walk to dumpster would be excessive for unfit or handicapped. We would stay again. Amenities are clean, as described and dog Park is immaculate but small.
GuideAlum Creek State Park is a beautiful park and great campground just outside the hustle and bustle of downtown Columbus and minutes away from attractions such as the Columbus Zoo.
The campground has good sized sites and is wooded throughout with clean bath houses, well maintained roads, and easy access for big rigs.
There is also a very nice dog park in the park including dog beaches with lake access for your pups to swim.
We love this campground and the beautiful lake and appreciate the easy access to local attractions, shopping, and more.
LegendLots of room! Privacy, some sites have accommodations for several tents as well as full hook up for campers. Some are adjacent to the playground There are tons of things to do: Miniature golf Disc golf BMX trails Small dog park Golf course Horse camp
TravelerAlum Creek is just beautiful, nice sites, most of them are at least partially shaded, lots of woods, hiking trails, the lake, it is what I think of when I think of State Park campground camping in Ohio. There are a couple problems. 1. Only ONE little dump station. This is a big campground, so if you're leaving Sunday, you better get up at the crack of dawn to get to the station, otherwise be prepared to wait in a long long line of RV's. We by-passed the long line and stopped at a different State Park campground on the way home and paid 10.00 to use their dump station. 2. They never answer their phone at the campground office. I mean NEVER. If you have a question you will just have to deal with the reserveamerica people who really know nothing other than what they read on the campground website. So basically you know as much as they do. It's maddening. We will go back, but it's a 2 hour drive so it won't be anytime soon.
Scoutgreat state park campground. There are some full hook ups but mostly just electric. They have pancake breakfast on Saturday mornings through summer and doughnuts on Sunday. Helpful camphost. There is a campground beach and boat launch. Lost of hiking paths in the campground and in the park area. A great dog park with lake entrance for the pups. tmThere is also some mountain bike trails. Plenty to do for everyone.
ScoutIn addition to having a pretty lake, lovely campsites that are spread apart nicely, clean facilities, lots of shade, boat ramps, etc.. this park is unique for it's Dog Park facility.
2 large fenced in field areas. One for small dogs, and one for large. There is enough room for several games of dog frisbee to happen at once. Then, there are 2 large fenced in areas for lake access. Balls, dog doo bags, trash bins.. all there. Lots of shade, water fountains, and plenty of running room. I can't rave about this park enough!
The only downside is there is poison ivy lacing the trail from the campsite down to the water, and the Dog Park portion is about 2 miles from the campsites.
Alum Creek State Park
Campground details
ScoutBeautiful park. There is a camper’s beach and a dog park
Campsites near Ostrander, Ohio sit within the gently rolling terrain of Delaware County, about 30 miles north of Columbus. The area features a mix of woods and open meadows with elevations ranging from 850-940 feet above sea level. Summer temperatures typically reach 80-85°F during the day while dropping to 60-65°F at night, creating comfortable camping conditions throughout the peak season.
Fishing access: Alum Creek State Park Campground offers multiple fishing spots within walking distance of campsites. "Sites are nice with some sites able to boat up to them. Be careful with rainy weather, some sites have flooded in poor weather," notes Katelyn P.
Disc golf course: The course at Mt Gilead State Park Campground provides a challenging experience for disc enthusiasts. "We took a night walk with headlamps and found the disc golf course. This was laid out to be a crazy course and included repelling ropes!" reports Sarah G.
Target shooting: Cardinal Center Campground combines camping with various shooting options. "We then went over to the shooting center and tried our luck with some silliolet and metal targets on the pistol range. They also have trap and skeet available," explains George J.
Off-leash areas: Berkshire Campgrounds features dedicated pet trails where dogs can run freely. "Our favorite part was the off leash dog trails that were a perfect place to let the pup run. We have struggled at some parks where the pet areas are very restrictive," shares Jess.
Private wooded sites: Campers appreciate the natural separation between sites at certain campgrounds. "The camp sites are spacious and private, surrounded by trees and brush. Beautiful walking trails," writes Catherine about Alum Creek State Park Campground.
Seasonal activities: Cross Creek Camping Resort hosts themed weekends throughout their May-November season. "What a great campground. From the activities for the kids to the nice spacious sites. We were there for the Halloween weekend and it was amazing," says Lauri C.
Site spacing varies: Some dog friendly campgrounds near Ostrander offer more privacy than others. "Nice grass for your tent and plenty of shade. Lots of traffic both vehicles and people on foot. Sites are spaced fairly well but fully open to each other," explains Bruce K. about Cross Creek Camping Resort.
Weekend crowds: Reservations are essential during peak times, especially for pet-friendly sites. "This is an RV resort, so sites are right next to each other, but the grounds and facilities are clean and well-kept. The pool is really nice," notes Catherine about Cross Creek.
Fairground camping option: Korbel Campgrounds provides basic camping with full hookups closer to Columbus. "Full hookups, close to downtown and $35/night. Trains are close and frequent," reports Jenifer K., making this a practical option for those with pets needing urban access.
Kid-friendly activities: Sunbury/Columbus North KOA Holiday offers multiple attractions for children. "Kids aged 3-13 all had a blast in the heated pool, on the jump pad and on the zip line swing! Even though we were there on a rainy/70-80 degree weekend, we still struggled to keep the kids at our site," Jennifer K. shares.
Campground beach access: Water recreation spots for families with dogs are available at select locations. "We had an absolute blast at the campsite! We stayed in L and the kids loved being close to the water. The campground beach is an absolute must," explains Jenny C. about Alum Creek State Park.
Weekend programming: Schedule your visit to coincide with organized activities at pet-welcoming campgrounds. "They have pancake breakfast on Saturday mornings through summer and doughnuts on Sunday. Helpful camphost," mentions Jill B. from Alum Creek State Park.
Site leveling challenges: Come prepared with leveling equipment at most campgrounds. "Areas in the back woods are quite nice and very treed. Quite private but a long walk to the 'town' which is where most of the activities are," Gary G. notes about Sunbury/Columbus North KOA.
Pull-through availability: Cross Creek offers dedicated pull-through sites for easier access. "Good mix of pull through and back in and is big rig friendly. Plenty to do for the kids," mentions Dave B., though noting sites are "close, but not unreasonably close."
Seasonal considerations: When camping with dogs near Ostrander, check seasonal limitations. "Seasonal campers should note that Pastime Park was a favorite place to take my family. Quaint town, quiet location, friendly campers, even if the lots are narrow," Phil R. advises.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Ostrander, OH?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Ostrander, OH is Alum Creek State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 79 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Ostrander, OH?
TheDyrt.com has all 70 dog-friendly camping locations near Ostrander, OH, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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