Baker Bay Campgrounds & Marina accommodates pets at all 48 lakeside campsites near Dorena, Oregon. Campers can bring leashed dogs to tent sites, RV spots, and glamping accommodations throughout the campground. Sharps Creek, Hobo Camp, and Rujada Campground also welcome pets with designated waste disposal areas and access to swimming spots where dogs can cool off. Sites are generally well-spaced with good tree placement, providing adequate runs for dogs. The campgrounds maintain clean bathroom facilities, though during summer months the popularity of these pet-friendly sites means weekend reservations should be secured well in advance. Baker Bay's lakeside location offers convenient water access where pets can swim under supervision.
Layng Creek near Rujada Campground provides excellent dog swimming opportunities with small waterfalls and clear pools. Most trails surrounding these pet-friendly campgrounds allow leashed dogs, including the 2-mile Swordfern Trail which follows the creek in a loop suitable for families with pets. When camping with dogs in this area, owners should watch for poison oak at COE Dorena Reservoir Schwarz Campground and steep drops to creek access at Sharps Creek. The nearby waterfalls at Pinard, Moon, and Spirit Falls are all approximately 2 hiking miles each and dog-friendly. Campground quiet hours typically run 10pm-6am, with barking policies enforced by camp hosts who generally stay out of campers' business but ensure rules are followed for everyone's comfort.
$20 - $75 / night
"no hookups in this little campground but you can’t beat the location. nestled on the shores of Dorena Lake east of Cottage Grove in the trees. little boat dock. stocked lake. rental kayaks and swimming"
"Father’s Day weekend our small group of 4 plus a dog stayed in site 32."
$24 - $150 / night
"It’s close to several great fishing holes and beautiful covered bridges. During the summer, the Army Corp of Engineer Rangers give a tour of the Dorena Dam every Saturday."
"Schwarz campground is located just past Cottage grove, right on the Row river. I hadn't realized, until I took a nice little walk, it's located just below Dorena reservoir."
$26 - $115 / night
"The site we’ve always stayed at is huge, way far from any other sites, and has a neat little trail between the parking spot and camping spot."
"I really enjoyed our 3 days here and the dogs loved swimming in the river. There are nice trails running through this campground."
$20 - $26 / night
"This campground is run by the Army Core of Engineers, so if you have the Federal Access Pass enjoy half off your stay :) Several campsites right along the lake."
"Close to Eugene."
$20 - $24 / night
"Sites are surrounded by trees to give privacy and not feel like you are sharing a site with your neighbor. There is a good hiking trail by the park Swordfern trail."
"Laying Creek sounds heavenly all throughout the camp, the trails are great to walk, and you will eventually wander to a swimming hole. Beautiful campground, with a great history going back to 1933."
$48 - $54 / night
"We were able to maneuver our 5th wheel to position it around a large shade tree so we could get our slide and awning out plus have the utilities more centered on our rig."
"Dog friendly. We especially liked the trains that occasionally tooted and roared down the opposite side on the river canyon."
"Great spot to get away from the usual busy family campgrounds and state parks. Nothing fancy here. Vault toilets. Don't remember if there is even running water."
"PRO’S remote, heavy forest nearby, beautiful landscape -every site on the North side of the campground has a trail down to the river. Site 7 has concrete steps to the river."
$16 / night
"Easy Access to the Brice creek trail, and the Tressel creek falls. Also there is gold panning allowed in the creek."
"Great creek access with tressel creek falls nearby."
$20 / night
"The tree placement was good, we had a couple options to put our hammock, and was able to have a good run for our dogs. "
RangerSmall, convenient campground near Eugene. Large dog park adjacent, which is very convenient when traveling with your four legged friends.
TravelerThis is one of my favorite campgrounds that we’ve come across in OR, it’s very charming & quaint. Perfect place for dog owners as they have the best dog park; it’s actually the community dog park, so they’re always dogs/people there. The sites here are spaced enough so you don’t feel like you’re in a traditional RV park. The hosts are nice, grounds are clean and there’s great opportunities for walking & fishing.
GuideLoved this park! The campsites were nicely situated so you weren’t right on top of each other and the park was great. There is an off leash dog park and access to the river. The laundry and showers were closed due to COVID but the public restrooms were still open and were just fine. Would definitely stay here again
LegendIt's $33 a night, but hey, at least you get a lot of somethings for it. These are 32 reservable sites, pretty well spread out with - bonus - vegetation between some campsites. Overall it kind of has a little bit of a sanitized, urban feel with what's on the outskirts of the campground, but it's fairly open and roomy, there's a boat ramp to the large McKenzie River, an active park host in an active go-cart, a volleyball court, lots of room to walk and walk dogs (includes a 2-acre dog park), horseshoe pits and, because it's just a few miles north of Eugene I suspect, wi-fi (that could be a good or bad thing). Drinking water, flush toilets? But of course. You won't be blown-away, but you won't be disappointed. A clean, well-organized camping area, a step up from KOAs for those true campers out there (and you know who you are...).
RangerI've stayed here a number of times and each time it's a pleasure. Nice big sites, super clean park and facilities and nice staff. I personally stay in all sorts of locations, but usually stop here for a couple of nights to take advantage of the great stores in Eugene to stock up before heading off for more primitive camping. This park is pet friendly with 2 reasonable dog yards and there doesn't seem to be a quantity or breed problem (I'm parked next to a rig with 2 pitbulls, a small mixed breed and 2 cats). Everyone I've encountered in here is super respectful. They also have a small inexpensive laundry. While walking around with my 4 dogs, I noticed they have Tepees for rent also. I always feel safe and comfortable when I stay here. The only downside is that it's right off I-5 so lots of freeway noise.
ScoutAdvertised as a pet friendly glamping space. Brought my dog and upon arrival was told dogs are not allowed inside tent. On the website it states dogs must be on leash and not left alone outside. How is anyone able to sleep inside a tent while not having your pet alone outside not being allowed inside tent? Apparently my campsite is recorded audio and video by the hosts and we were unnecessarily aggressively confronted. The creek we camped next to was polluted with pet feces, nitrous cartridges and used cigarette filters. Overall we left and felt scammed. They charged us $25 for wood we never burned
ScoutMore of a motor home campground, although there were some tents. Nice dog park at entrance.
Pretty quiet.
GuideOwners are very kind and welcoming. Helped us back into our site. Sites are large enough to park vehicle next to camper. Picnic area is on cement. Roads in good shape. Very clean and organized. River is right by campground and you can walk by it. Nice dog park. Would stay again.
LegendWe stayed here because we had an appointment in Eugene in the morning and wanted to be somewhere close the night before.
Though this isn't the type of park we usually prefer to stay at, it does a good job at being a good, safe, basic RV park.
There are activities right on site: horseshoe pits, playground, half court basketball hoop, small dog park (small is referring to the size of the park, it's for all dog sizes), and rec room. The free showers and laundry room were nice and clean. The park as a whole was nicely maintained and clean, though some residents seem to be pushing the limits on that on their individual sites.
There's a little store with basic items in the office, as well as a $1 DVD rental.
There's bulk propane on site at $3/gal, and a dump station (free for guests, $10 for non guests).
Good strong free wifi. Good cell reception here as well.
There are recycling bins here but they don't specify what they allow. It's just the generic blue toters that say "recycling."
It's near the road and near a TA truck stop, so there's noise from that, but it wasn't obnoxious.
Lots of long termers here, some of them look really settled in. Sites are really close together. We didn't have neighbors on either side of us, thank goodness.
With fees, etc our stay was $49 for a water and electric site. FHU was just a few dollars more, but since the dump is free for guests we went that route and saved a couple of dollars. Way too expensive but I suppose it's the proximity to Eugene. We weren't asked about pets when we checked in, there don't seem to be any restrictions or additional fees.
Dorena camping areas offer riverside accommodations with moderate summer temperatures averaging 75-85°F during peak season. Located in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains at 800 feet elevation, campgrounds provide access to creek and lake swimming during hot summer days. Most open seasonally from May through September.
Swimming holes access: At Sharps Creek, two beautiful swimming areas are available across the street from the campground. "The swimming spot is across the street and it is semi hard to get down but once you are down, there are two beautiful areas, one has a 10 ft jumping rock. The other spot is a long channel made by smooth white rocks with deep clear water," notes Stephen T.
Waterfall hiking: Within 6 miles of Rujada Campground, visitors can access multiple waterfall trails. "If you want bigger hiking payoffs, just up the road approx. 6 miles, you can find 'Pinard', 'Moon', and 'Spirit falls'. Each are around 2 easy hiking miles and worth hitting, you can easily do all three in one day," according to one camper.
River paddling: The Willamette River offers calm water access for kayaking and canoeing near several campgrounds. "We could leave our kayaks on the shore and just hop right in and paddle if we wanted," says Kaylee C. about her experience at Baker Bay.
Riverfront sites: Casey's Riverside RV Resort receives high marks for its location along the middle fork of the Willamette River. "The two rivers converge right at site 52... so lovely," writes Kelley D., while Dave H. states it's "Well maintained, clean, and a beautiful setting along the middle fork of the Willamette River."
Tree coverage: Most Dorena-area campgrounds feature significant tree coverage for summer shade. At Black Canyon Campground, Kiri D. reports, "This is a HUGE campground. Every site is gorgeous, lots of forest in between so you have privacy."
Creek sounds: The natural soundtrack of moving water enhances many dog-friendly campgrounds near Dorena. "When it was quiet, I could still hear the river even though I was in the far side of the camping sites," says one camper about Rujada Campground, while Tj B. notes that at Cedar Creek, "The Creek is beautiful and there are many hiking trails to Swimming Holes and Water Falls."
Campground maintenance: Facilities vary widely between campgrounds in the Dorena area. At Hobo Camp Campground, Larry B. notes it's a "Nice quite place though on the road, it's not highly traveled though. It's right on the river except the group camp."
Seasonal water conditions: Algae blooms affect lake swimming during peak summer months. Kelli B. warns about Dorena Reservoir: "Watch for signs of Algae or Swimmers Itch as it has been present the past few years at Dorena Lake."
Road and rail noise: Some campgrounds experience transportation noise. Ryan C. explains about Black Canyon Campground: "The train tracks are literally across the river. Maybe 200 ft away. The train runs all day and sadly all night. If you fall asleep easily to the sound of a train horn and train cars along a track then you'll love it here."
Creek exploration: Cedar Creek Campground offers excellent water access for families. "Adjacent Brice Creek is refreshingly cold for a swim on a hot day," says Michael, while Ryan C. notes "every site on the North side of the campground has a trail down to the river. Site 7 has concrete steps to the river."
Playground facilities: Several campgrounds include play areas for children. Patricia N. observed at Schwarz Campground, "Large groups were utilizing the group areas when we stayed, lots of children having fun."
Tent site selection: For privacy with children, select outer sites at most campgrounds. "The inner sites don't offer much for privacy or shade, but found that the outer had a little more privacy and tons of shade from the oak and pine trees," recommends Tj B.
Site leveling needs: RV sites throughout the Dorena area often require leveling adjustments. At Pine Meadows Campground, Jill R. suggests, "If I stayed again, I'd take my hard sided trailer and generator. If you can't beat em......"
Road access limitations: Several campgrounds have narrow access roads challenging for larger rigs. Patricia N. warns about Schwarz Campground: "The campground roads can be tight if you have a big rig so be careful. Because there is no power in the sites people were running generators for hours, even the tent campers."
Generator restrictions: Policies vary regarding generator use. Todd M. notes at Black Canyon Campground: "The sites only have enough room for one vehicle, and many did not appear long enough for a larger motor home over say 20 feet."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Dorena, OR?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Dorena, OR is Baker Bay Campgrounds & Marina - a Lane County Park with a 3.8-star rating from 10 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Dorena, OR?
TheDyrt.com has all 160 dog-friendly camping locations near Dorena, OR, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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