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Huggy Bear Campground welcomes pets on large sites for campers seeking family-oriented outdoor activities in northwestern Ohio. Multiple swimming pools, fishing areas, and spacious pet-accessible grounds accommodate dogs throughout the facility. The campground maintains clean conditions and offers water and electric hookups for both tent and RV camping, with no breed restrictions mentioned. Pet owners appreciate the generous site sizes that provide room for dogs to remain comfortably leashed near their camping setup. Sites are primarily on open, developed grounds rather than wooded areas, consistent with the region's agricultural landscape. Most camping areas are designed for weekend stays, with many activities scheduled during summer weekends to entertain both families and their pets.
River Trail Campground and Blue Water Campground provide additional pet-friendly options within 20 miles of Van Wert, both featuring ponds for fishing and swimming alongside designated pet exercise areas. The water at Blue Water sometimes has a noticeable sulfur smell that can affect both humans and sensitive pets. Most sites feature gravel pads with nearby grassy areas suitable for pet relief. Weekday camping tends to be quieter with fewer occupied sites, while weekends bring numerous visitors and planned activities. Grand Lake St. Marys State Park offers pet-friendly camping with full hookups approximately 30 miles from Van Wert, though lake water quality issues sometimes affect outdoor activities. The campground's new pool and splash pad provide alternative recreation when lake conditions are unfavorable. Veterinary services are available in Van Wert and surrounding communities for emergency pet needs.
"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 you’re 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."
"Nice lake, you can bring golf carts nice size camping lots. We will go back again great experience beautiful place."
from $45 - $100 / night
Check Availability"Pool, lakes, very dog friendly, activities, food, washer and dryer, showers!"
"The pool, ponds, playground and pavillion are all within walking distance from almost any site."
"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"
from $29 - $110 / night
Check Availability"Lake front sites are hard to come by as most were for permanent sites. The beach and swimming area were very nice. Our boys loved the water slide anchored in the lake to play on."
"Nice pools and small lake with beach. Place was swarming with sweat bees while we were there"
"The paved bike trail in the park starts near the campground, and connects with a bike trail along the Wabash River that goes into nearby Bluffton, and is an easy ride. "
"Plenty of trails to hike and a nice little lake to enjoy. Will definitely come back here"
from $20 - $33 / night
Check Availability"The location here is pretty crazy it’s 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 **"
"Easy access to downtown, the Coliseum, IPFW, and shopping. The River Greenway path cuts right through the park, and there is also a boat launch for the river."
from $15 - $45 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $30 - $75 / night
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LegendThe location here is pretty crazy it’s 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 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.
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 🙁. 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, there’s a few ADA and some lakeside making for a great view to enjoy your morning coffee.
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. It’s great!
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.
GuideI spent one night here with my two dogs on Memorial Day weekend and I was much more impressed with this location than I thought I was going to be.
The park itself is very narrow and long, and stretches down the Maumee River bank. It's very green with lots of trees and shade cover. The paved path that goes along the camping sites is very nice and makes for a great walk or bike ride.
We stayed in campsite 16 which has its pros and cons. Most of the campsites in this area have one site that is closer to the river and then a site "behind" it, with little roads/walkways on each side. The pro of 16 is the fact that they don't rent out the space in front of it, at least when I booked it, so there is no one between you and the river. The down side of 16 is it is situated right next to the toilets, so you get a lot of foot traffic from others using the bathroom and the constant slamming of the toilet door gets a bit annoying.
However, speaking of toilets, these were the cleanest port a potties I have ever used. I was quite impressed with the bathrooms, for what they were.
There is no direct access to the river in most areas, but there is an opening near the middle of the campsite which allows access, along with access for kayaks, which is pretty cool. I would have liked more access to the river along different locations, but I understand the steepness of the hill down to the river and it's not really possible.
The one big drawback in my opinion and why I gave this 4 stars and not 5, is the fact that the two lane traffic road is within 50-100 yards of the campsite, so the sound of vehicle traffic is quite frequent, especially since this road appears to be a favorite of motorcyclists.
I will be returning and I'd like to stay in another location towards the end of the site, and on a less busy weekend. Overall this is a nice location.
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.
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.
LegendI think for us this park might be better in the fall. 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. The site we had was nice and wooded but if we go back I would like to try and get a water site. There was a brand new kayak launch and playground by the beach area that looked nice. The beach is one of the bigger ones I have seen in a state park and it was very clean. There were signs posted everywhere to use caution with the water because they were know to have blue green algae in the water so we had to keep the dogs away from it. If the water was clear and the bugs were down I would probably rate this park higher.
Camping options near Van Wert, Ohio provide outdoor recreation opportunities in the predominantly flat, agricultural landscape of northwestern Ohio. Most campgrounds sit at elevations below 800 feet, with summer temperatures typically ranging from 75-85°F during peak camping season. Winter camping isn't common in this region, with most facilities closing between November and April due to the area's cold winters and frequent snowfall.
Fishing opportunities: At River Trail Campground II, campers can enjoy a stocked pond with catch-and-release fishing. "The playground is very nice, there is a nice pool and a clean pond that is stocked with bluegills," reports Shane M. Local fishing regulations apply, with most ponds requiring no additional permits.
Swimming options: Most campgrounds in the area feature swimming pools rather than natural swimming areas. "We spent 3 nights had a very nice stay... Nice lake, you can bring golf carts nice size camping lots," notes Monte M. about River Trail's swimming facilities. The pools typically operate from Memorial Day through Labor Day, weather permitting.
Hiking and trails: The region offers limited hiking opportunities due to the agricultural landscape. "No woods or hiking areas to explore but what can you expect for middle of corn country?" notes Laura D. Many campers combine camping trips with visits to nearby attractions like the Neil Armstrong Museum in Wapakoneta, approximately 30 miles from Van Wert.
Multiple water recreation options: Grand Lake St. Marys State Park offers both a pool and lake access. "Has a pool, playground, putt putt golf, boat docks, hiking trails, and some other great amenities," writes Ashleigh D. The pool and splash pad provide alternatives when lake conditions aren't ideal.
Large, accommodating sites: Campgrounds around Van Wert typically feature spacious sites. "Large spacious sites with cement or paved spots. Can be muddy after rain," mentions Ashleigh D. about Grand Lake St. Marys. Site sizes vary from standard 30-foot pads to larger pull-through sites accommodating bigger rigs.
Weekend activities: Structured weekend programming is common. "My family camped here last summer and it was a nice getaway. Nice pool and clean pond for swimming and fishing," writes Susan S. about Blue Water Campground. Activities typically include bingo, crafts, and outdoor games during summer weekends.
Water quality issues: Some campgrounds in the region have water concerns. "The women's shower was gross too. (I ended up, not using their shower room.)," reports Doris C. about River Trail. Similarly, at Grand Lake St. Marys, one reviewer notes: "The entire lake stinks of pig poop. All the air smells like poo."
Weekday vs. weekend experiences: The atmosphere varies dramatically between weekdays and weekends. "Thursday the campground was an almost ghost town. But once The weekend rolled around the place was packed," notes Ed A. Campgrounds often operate at 20-30% capacity midweek and 90-100% on weekends during summer.
Site preferences: Many campgrounds have both sunny and shaded areas with varying levels of privacy. "We do like the B section and try to stay there when we can," mentions Andrea F. at Indian Lake State Park. For more privacy, request sites along perimeters rather than interior loops.
Pool and splash pad access: Several campgrounds offer water recreation beyond swimming lakes. "Great sites, awesome new pool. Lake isnt able to be swam in, but we aren't lake people so it's ok," explains Cyndi L. about Indian Lake State Park. Most pools operate from 11am-7pm with mandatory hourly safety breaks.
Weekend-focused programming: Family activities concentrate on weekends. "Bingo on Saturday evening! We all enjoyed our stay," shares Amy B. Planning weekends can maximize activity options, while weekday stays offer a quieter experience with fewer organized events.
Pet-friendly considerations: Huggy Bear Campground accommodates families with pets. "Clean! Tons to do especially for kids, pet friendly, definitely get rowdy on the weekends- book ahead to snag the best sites," suggests Allie H. Most dog-friendly campgrounds near Van Wert require leashes 6 feet or shorter and proof of rabies vaccination.
Sulfur water awareness: Several campgrounds in the region have water with noticeable mineral content. "The only reason I did not give it 5 stars was because the water had a strong sulfur smell coming out of the fresh water hook up. Next time I'd fill my tank prior to arrival with fresh water," advises Ed A. about Woodbrige Campground.
Site selection strategy: For better experiences, consider specific site locations. "Our site was far from anything and with 3 kids it was tough not to spend the 65/day cart rate," notes Chad W. about Huggy Bear. Many campgrounds offer site maps online showing proximity to amenities, which is particularly important for families with young children.
Hook-up variations: Full hookup availability varies across campgrounds. "The campesites are fairly large with gravel pads. They offer water and electric hook-up for 30&50 amps. There is not a sewer hook up but they do offer a weekly pump out for a small fee," explains Paula S. about Blue Water Campground. Dumping stations typically operate between 8am-8pm daily.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Van Wert, OH?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Van Wert, OH is Huggy Bear Campground with a 4-star rating from 3 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Van Wert, OH?
TheDyrt.com has all 48 dog-friendly camping locations near Van Wert, OH, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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