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Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Minster, OH

277 Reviews

Lake Loramie State Park Campground near Minster accepts pets throughout its spacious campsites, making it a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts traveling with dogs. The campground features full hookup sites with electric, water, and sewer connections for RVs, as well as more primitive tent camping areas where leashed pets are welcome. Sites are roomy but offer limited privacy between neighbors. The park's camping area includes clean restrooms, showers, and trash facilities, though some visitors note the bathrooms could use updating. The swimming pond can get quite weedy during summer months, requiring dogs to be kept away from water when algae warnings are posted.

Several hiking trails surrounding Lake Loramie provide excellent opportunities for walking dogs, with most requiring pets to remain on leashes no longer than six feet. The campground is located in a residential area with houses visible from some campsites and occasional road noise from nearby highways. Sites near water offer fishing access directly from camp, and many families appreciate the playground areas for children. The park experiences heavy mosquito activity during summer months, making bug spray essential for both humans and pets. Most campers find the atmosphere family-friendly, though weekends can become crowded and noisy with multiple large camping groups. Despite being close to town, the park maintains a natural setting with plenty of shade trees in select camping areas.

Best Dog-Friendly Sites Near Minster, Ohio (70)

    1. Grand Lake St. Marys State Park Campground

    14 Reviews
    St. Marys, OH
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (419) 394-3611

    $29 - $110 / night

    "great like campground on Ohio’s 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"

    2. Lake Loramie State Park Campground

    9 Reviews
    Fort Loramie, OH
    3 miles
    Website
    +1 (937) 295-2011

    $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."

    3. Wapakoneta KOA

    8 Reviews
    Jackson Center, OH
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (419) 738-6016

    $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!"

    4. Indian Lake State Park Campground

    34 Reviews
    Lakeview, OH
    26 miles
    Website
    +1 (937) 843-3553

    $29 - $52 / night

    "The camp store is really big and it’s 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 !"

    5. Cottonwood Lakes

    1 Review
    Fort Loramie, OH
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (419) 582-2610

    6. River Trail Campground II

    6 Reviews
    Celina, OH
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (419) 795-1400

    $45 - $100 / night

    "Nice lake, you can bring golf carts nice size camping lots. We will go back again great experience beautiful place."

    7. Venture Out Resorts Arrowhead Lakes Resort

    4 Reviews
    Jackson Center, OH
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (419) 738-5000

    "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."

    8. Mercer County Fairgrounds

    1 Review
    Celina, OH
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (419) 586-3239

    $15 - $45 / night

    9. Kiser Lake State Park Campground

    12 Reviews
    Fletcher, OH
    27 miles
    Website
    +1 (937) 362-3822

    $25 - $55 / night

    "This park is know for the lake that is kayak and canoe friendly since it doesn’t allow any kind of boat with a motor. It also features a beach , 2 playgrounds and several hiking trails."

    "I may be biased, with it being close to home, but they have a lot for the kids to do. Beach, volleyball net, playground. Plenty of water locations. For me the bathrooms are unusable."

    10. Stillwater Beach Campground

    3 Reviews
    Bradford, OH
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (937) 448-2382

    $50 / night

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Showing results 1-10 of 70 campgrounds

Recent Dog-Friendly Camping Photos near Minster, OH

31 Photos of 70 Minster Campgrounds

Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Minster, OH

277 Reviews of 70 Minster Campgrounds

  • Janet R.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 16, 2025

    Wright-Patterson FamCamp

    The right place for a stop on a road trip

    If you are retired or active duty military, you have access to recreation sites maintained adjacent to many bases. Wright-Patterson has a recreational family-friendly “Fam Camp” campground located by a small lake in the woods on the south side if the base. Families or adults can enjoy staying at the campground for a few days of camping, fishing, paddling and as a base for exploring in and around Dayton. There are many sites with hookups for RV’s, an area for RVs that dont need hookups, basic tent sites, and also a number of camper cabins by the lake. It is also a convenient stopover for folks on roadtrips and seems to be popular with retirees traveling with RV’s. We stopped for one night while on a road trip ourselves, and stayed in one of the tent sites which was very pleasant. This stay was in May, but we stayed here one time in October as well. There is a full bath house with showers snd bathrooms, a rec center with rental equipment for getting out on the lake, and a clubhouse. There is a field with bleachers for ball games, and a nice fenced in dog park.

  • Shannon G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 3, 2025

    Indian Lake State Park Campground

    Lots of sites

    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. We stayed on a Sunday night so it wasn’t packed. There are a ton of sites. Some had great shade and others didn’t have any at all. The bathrooms were flush toilets and they did have shower houses too. The camp store is really big and it’s 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.

  • Lisa S.
    May. 1, 2019

    Lake Loramie State Park Campground

    Perfect retreat for the family or solo adventure

    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. 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, there’s a few ADA and some lakeside making for a great view to enjoy your morning coffee.

  • Andrea F.
    Nov. 30, 2020

    Grand Lake St. Marys State Park Campground

    Off Season and No Water

    We 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 🙁. 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.

  • Megan M.
    Sep. 6, 2018

    Kiser Lake State Park Campground

    Beautiful lake, no running water, feral cats

    This 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.

  • Andrea F.
    Apr. 17, 2021

    Kiser Lake State Park Campground

    Quiet Park

    This park is know for the lake that is kayak and canoe friendly since it doesn’t 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 doesn’t 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 wasn’t very accurate for this park.

    We did have good Verizon cell coverage.

  • Allie H.
    Aug. 3, 2025

    Huggy Bear Campground

    Overall a great experience

    Clean! 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. It’s great!

  • Megan M.
    Aug. 27, 2025

    Grand Lake St. Marys State Park Campground

    Campground is fine but the lake reeks of POO

    First 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. 

    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. 

    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!! 

    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. 

    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.

Guide to Minster

Grand Lake St. Marys State Park lies just 10 miles northwest of Minster, Ohio, with campsites averaging 30 to 40 feet in width. The region features flat, glaciated terrain with several small lakes and reservoirs throughout Auglaize and Mercer counties. Winter temperatures often drop below freezing, while summer humidity levels can reach 80-90% during July and August.

What to do

Fishing access: Grand Lake St. Marys State Park provides ample fishing opportunities for campers seeking to catch fish directly from their sites. "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," notes Ashleigh D. from Grand Lake St. Marys State Park.

Swimming options: Beyond lakes, several campgrounds offer alternative swimming facilities. At Wapakoneta KOA, visitors find "a pool, pool table, games for kids and adults. The grounds are beautiful and the staff is super friendly and helpful," according to Rebecca H. who stayed at Wapakoneta KOA.

Paddling activities: For those preferring non-motorized water activities, Kiser Lake provides a more serene environment. "This park is know for the lake that is kayak and canoe friendly since it doesn't allow any kind of boat with a motor. It also features a beach, 2 playgrounds and several hiking trails," explains Andrea F. who camped at Kiser Lake State Park.

What campers like

Spacious sites: At Indian Lake State Park, campers appreciate the generous camping areas. "Roomy sites, plenty of shade. Not a lot of privacy. There is a sand beach for swimming (even a separate doggy beach!) or a new in-ground pool. Primitive to full hook-up sites available," shares Jamie L. from Indian Lake State Park.

Lakeside views: Many campers value waterfront locations for their scenic qualities. "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. They offer canoe rentals, and bike rentals," mentions Ashley W. about Lake Loramie State Park.

Clean facilities: Properly maintained amenities rank high on camper priorities. "Family oriented, new pool, splash pad for kids, great playground area. Full hookups and very well kept clean campground," says Carol T. about Grand Lake St. Marys State Park.

What you should know

Seasonal water conditions: Lake quality varies throughout the year, particularly during summer months. "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," warns Megan M. about Grand Lake St. Marys State Park.

Insect activity: Bug populations increase significantly during warmer months. "The bugs were really bad every time we were outside. There are several nice walking trails but the mosquitoes were so bad even in the day that we kept away," reports Andrea F. about Lake Loramie State Park.

Proximity to residential areas: Some campgrounds are situated near local communities. "Google took me here through the narrowest roads ever. On arrival at my spot, I could see residential houses across the street. The campgrounds were roomy but no privacy," notes David D. about Lake Loramie State Park.

Tips for camping with families

Recreation options: Many pet friendly campgrounds near Minster provide multiple activities for children. "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," shares Chad W. from River Trail Campground.

Swimming alternatives: When lake conditions are unsuitable, look for campgrounds with pools. "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," mentions Megan M. about Grand Lake St. Marys State Park.

Weekend activities: Several campgrounds organize special events for families. "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!" writes Shanda A. about Lake Loramie State Park.

Tips from RVers

Site selection: Choose sites based on shade and access needs for your specific rig. "Don't get a site in the back under the walnut trees in the fall. They drop all day & night long," advises John L. about Kiser Lake State Park.

Hookup availability: Check for full utility connections before booking. "Clean family oriented and spacious. Well run facility w good restrooms and showers plus electric hook up per site. Out in farm country so very little light pollution overall," notes a reviewer from Poor Farmer's Campground.

Parking considerations: Pull-through sites offer easier setup for those with larger rigs. "The pull through area is very cramped; more like a parking lot; the campground is quiet; family friendly; no golf carts all over," mentions Kim M. about Grand Lake St. Marys State Park.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Minster, OH?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Minster, OH is Grand Lake St. Marys State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 14 reviews.

What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Minster, OH?

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