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Dog-Friendly Camping near Johnston, RI

124 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.

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    SUMMARY PRESENTED BYT-Mobile

    George Washington State Campground features spacious pet-friendly sites suitable for tent, RV, cabin, and glamping accommodations. Located 28 miles from Johnston, this quiet state park allows dogs throughout the campground with standard leash requirements. Several other pet-welcoming options include Holiday Acres Campground, Newport RV Park, and Dyer Woods Nudist Campground, all within driving distance of Johnston. Campsites at these locations typically include fire rings, picnic tables, and access to drinking water, with many offering both electric and water hookups for RVs. Most campgrounds maintain a clean, family-friendly atmosphere with occasional weekend activities during peak season. The sites at George Washington are particularly spacious with good separation between campers, creating a calm environment perfect for pets who need some space from other animals.

    Wooded hiking trails throughout the area provide excellent dog walking opportunities, particularly at George Washington State Campground where fishing and hiking are available right in the park. Most campgrounds enforce standard pet policies requiring leashes, proof of vaccinations, and proper waste disposal. Campers report that George Washington remains uncrowded even during peak times, making it ideal for dogs that need quiet surroundings. Seasonal considerations apply to most campgrounds in the region, with George Washington operating from mid-April through Columbus Day and others like Normandy Farms Campground open April through November. The big open sites at state parks provide ample room for dog play while maintaining distance from neighboring campers. Visitors should note that while pet-friendly, these campgrounds expect owners to maintain control of their animals, especially during quiet hours to prevent noise disturbances.

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    Best Dog-Friendly Campgrounds near Johnston (124)

      1. Normandy Farms Campground

      4.7(40)19mi from JohnstonRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "So you can enjoy the outside without the pesky bites that come with camping!"

      "Great dog park. Sites are large and level and free from low hanging branches. Staff is friendly and accommodating. I highly recommend Normandy Farms Campground. You won’t be disappointed."

      from $50 - $200 / night

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      2. George Washington State Campground

      4.4(26)16mi from Johnston80 sitesRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "So if you are confused about things like location, let’s knock that out first: This campground is located near 2185 Putnam Pike, Chepachet, RI 02814."

      "The campground was safe, nicely laid out so we could have a series of sites next to one another. Biking was a blast for the kids along with trail hike around pond, beach, and fishing."

      from $18 - $75 / night

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      3. Holiday Acres Campground

      2.6(7)8mi from JohnstonRVs, Cabins

      "The swimming area has a 'icky bottom' (kid term :))  The entrance / office setup is confusing."

      from $35 - $65 / night

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      4. Newport RV Park

      4.4(17)20mi from JohnstonRVs, Tents

      "The campground is close to relatively easy hiking trails and Portsmouth Dog Park. Clean site areas, but many are on a slight slop so leveling blocks are needed."

      "We got a great pull through full hookup with a 5 minute walk to a huge dog park. There are also a bunch of beautiful trails right from the park"

      from $70 - $140 / night

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      5. Stateline Campresort & Cabins

      4.6(9)16mi from JohnstonRVs, Tents, Cabins

      "The manager came up and they assigned me to a site next to the frog pond, but with our little kids I was t too keen on staying literally on the pond."

      from $25 - $50 / night

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      6. Wawaloam Campground

      4.4(10)19mi from JohnstonRVs

      "Wawaloam Campground in Rhode Island was our 3rd state & campground on our East Coast trip. Not a lot of choices in Rhode Island, but we liked this camp ground in a rural wooded area. 

         "

      "The charge extra for pets per day. They have a huge clean pool and a water slide park (extra fee) and a mini golf course (extra fee). The bathrooms are very clean as are the pay showers."

      from $50 - $75 / night

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      7. Burlingame State Park Campground

      4.0(51)33mi from Johnston715 sitesRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "I've never camped in Rhode Island, so I was curious to see what a state park campground had to offer."

      "Site wise no one was around us so it was extra quiet and the park rangers are always around so always help if you need it. Walmart is less than ten minutes away too if you’re needing anything."

      from $18 - $50 / night

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      8. Circle Campground Farm Campground

      4.3(7)20mi from JohnstonRVs, Tents

      "I did not see a playground and there was not a dedicated dog park if you are wondering.  Site size was adequate."

      "Everything you need 100% Everything clean 100% EASY Access to all attractions 100% We did Boston (caught the train), Salem, mystic seaport, Sturbridge village, plymouth rock, the Mayflower ship, and plymouth"

      from $45 - $75 / night

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      9. Dyer Woods Nudist Campgrounds

      4.5(2)14mi from JohnstonRVs, Tents, Cabins

      "Three miles of well kept trails to explore. Friendly community of regulars with potlucks and campfires on the weekends. Being nude in duch a wonderful place is so relaxing and good gor the soul."

      10. Fishermens Memorial State Park Campground

      4.3(32)30mi from Johnston182 sitesRVs, Tents

      "Fisherman’s Memorial State Park is a large 182 site campground in Narragansett, Rhode Island."

      "Layout is amazing, mostly pull through and pet friendly. Definitely a summer destination next year."

      from $18 - $28 / night

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    Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Johnston, RI

    828 Reviews of 124 Johnston Campgrounds


    • Jean C.The Dyrt PRO User
      Mar. 1, 2020

      Burlingame State Park Campground

      Huge campground, not many level sites.

      I've never camped in Rhode Island, so I was curious to see what a state park campground had to offer. Rates are reasonable for state residents, but quite high if you are out-of-state, given the amenities. There are no hookups, but dump stations are available. Bathrooms have flush toilets and coin-operated showers. There's a small beach at the pond, a boat ramp, and proximity to wildlife refuges and the ocean. It's a HUGE campground, with 700 sites and 20 cabins. Canoes are available to rent.

      There's a nice playground, a camp store, and a naturalists cabin. Trails are available for hiking and biking. The beach is sandy and there's a small parking lot there, but I suspect most people walk to it. No alcohol allowed. 

      I didn't see more than a handful of level sites, with varying degrees of slope, but many are quite large. If you have an RV, plan to level; if you have a tent, be sure to bring good mattresses to protect you from the roots and rocks and orient your head to the uphill side. Most of the sites have some degree of visual separation from their neighbors, but there are places where it's hard to tell where one site ends and the next one starts. Site have fire rings and picnic tables, but if you plan to cook over the fire, bring your own grate or plan to use sticks and/or aluminum foil. 

      If you don't have a tent, consider reserving one of their rustic cabins. These offer two sets of bunks (no mattresses) and a small porch with a picnic table and fire ring outside. Some are located along the pond.

      3-4 bar cell phone coverage. No road traffic. East Beach is nearby, but parking fills early.

    • Nancy W.The Dyrt PRO User
      Jun. 9, 2026

      Pinewood Lodge Campground

      Nice woodsy campsite with lots of amenities

      We visited in early June and really appreciated the shade at our site as the temps rose into the mid-80’s. There are lots of tall pine trees but are trimmed back and not a problem getting or big-rig through the park or in our site. We loved site 47 which was long and level with nice grass around it. The next site (46) was pretty close, but luckily nobody was in it while we visited. Our patio area was fairly large with no other sites next to it, just a road. We chose a 50A/water pull thru site and the electric was good at 124 volts on each leg. Honey wagon service is quite expensive at $35/pump out, or you can use the dump station for free. We used the campground cable tv and got about 60 stations, included the major stations (local news was out of Boston). This was a good thing since the trees blocked our Dish receiver from getting any channels. The wifi was 2.4G and just o.k. You could surf the internet but definitely not strong enough to stream.  I went to the lodge and got great wifi speed to download movies quickly. 

      The campground is gated and charges$15/day for visitors. There are lots of amenities. There is a good access to a small lake (with a canoe/kayak launch and rentals), fishing pier (for catch and release, no license required), ice cream stand, food truck, playground, a large dog park (with two runs), laundry, playground, horseshoes, etc. The campground is conveniently to the downtown Plymouth attractions (10 minutes) and a grocery store (2 miles).  

      The biggest downside was the dust since most of the roads are gravel. It was very dry during our visit and the dust was crazy. Another negative was the $5/day pet fee. There are restrictions as to where you can walk your pets in the campground and they are not allowed on the beach.  There is a good size dog park with two runs.  If you dog is afraid of gunshots, do not come here as there is a gun range nearby that is pretty loud.

    • Cynthia K.
      Aug. 30, 2024

      Wawaloam Campground

      Nice!

       Wawaloam Campground in Rhode Island was our 3rd state & campground on our East Coast trip. Not a lot of choices in Rhode Island, but we liked this camp ground in a rural wooded area. 

         This is kid heaven. Families laughing & enjoying themselves. Besides the pool they have a splash pad, a water slide, mini golf, a nice pond for fishing. The playground is nice. The grounds are well taken care of. The bathroom& showers were checked often. The showers are now free!

        In wooded, rural Rhode Island, but an easy day trip to Newport.

    • A
      Oct. 16, 2021

      Newport RV Park

      Clean sites and easy hiking trails

      The campground is close to relatively easy hiking trails and Portsmouth Dog Park. Clean site areas, but many are on a slight slop so leveling blocks are needed. We Took one of the nearby Trails get to the Portsmouth Publick House restaurant, which is dog friendly, for lunch. The waterfall along the blue trail is picture worthy.

    • I
      Oct. 26, 2020

      Newport RV Park

      Best dog park

      We got a great pull through full hookup with a 5 minute walk to a huge dog park. There are also a bunch of beautiful trails right from the park

    • Steve T.
      Aug. 3, 2020

      Fort Getty Campground

      Tent campers

      Perfect location for a summer / beach camp. Mostly for RVs but tent site #6 was great. Views of the ocean to wake up too and tucked away from main area.

      Worst part is you can’t bring your car on the site. Do not understand this, especially since it was over 95° and we have dogs that need AC, one if which is 14. We did sneak the car up by asking an RV camper to use his land because they block off the entrance with giant tree trunks.

      More good stuff, the private pet friendly beaches were great! Small but perfect to relax. No problems with the pets at all and old but clean bathrooms.

    • allison W.
      Aug. 4, 2022

      George Washington State Campground

      Updated information! Good site.

      Okay, I will try to update this information on the Dyrt site, but I’ve had mixed success getting that to stick. So if you are confused about things like location, let’s knock that out first:

      This campground is located near 2185 Putnam Pike, Chepachet, RI 02814. It’s by Bowdish Lake, near the Connecticut border. This is a cool area of Rhode Island that I enjoyed getting the chance to explore a little bit. Great Italian restaurant if you don’t feel like cooking (Mr Z’s By The Lake) and some historical sites like a very nice covered bridge to the northwest.

      Full water and electrical hookup and a very unique and fun play area for kids. The lake access is excellent, obviously. Pay showers of varying degrees of cleanliness. Open to tents, but clearly preferred by the RV crowd.

    • RThe Dyrt PRO User
      Aug. 22, 2020

      Waters Edge Family Campground

      Incredible campground

      Most amazing weekend with tons of woods (privacy is huge for us). Very friendly guests and staff! Amazing weekend with lots of fun for the kids and even the dogs! We’ve been to campgrounds with playgrounds worse than the waters edge dog park. Every one of us had a great time with the perfect campsite deep in the woods (still able to park my 26’ camper trailer). Swimming pool, great playground, among lots of trails and wooded area surrounding almost every site. Best camping weekends we’ve ever had have been at Waters Edge.

    • Jean R.
      Aug. 30, 2022

      Pinewood Lodge Campground

      Beautiful

      Nice and quiet, here for a 3 night stay. 4 star because there are signs posted No dogs allowed on the road to the beach or other areas in the campground, limits walking. There is a dog park, though.


    Guide to Johnston

    Campgrounds near Johnston, Rhode Island offer varied terrain within the state's mix of woodlands and ponds. Most local camping areas sit at low elevations between 200-400 feet above sea level with mild summer temperatures averaging 75-85°F. Seasonal availability typically runs mid-April through October, with cooler spring and fall camping requiring warmer sleeping bags rated for 40°F nights.

    What to do

    Hiking and trail exploration: Multiple hiking trails available at George Washington State Campground where visitors report "great hiking trails going around some lakes." The wooded paths accommodate various skill levels with minimal elevation changes, making them suitable for casual hikers and families with children.

    Fishing opportunities: Ponds and lakes throughout the region provide good fishing spots. "There is a nice beach for children. The water was warm and clean. You can kayak or canoe," notes one visitor about George Washington's water features. Most campgrounds don't rent equipment, so bringing your own fishing gear is necessary.

    Swimming in natural settings: Several campgrounds offer swimming areas, though water quality varies by location. Massasoit State Park Campground features "a beach area for swimming and paddling" with a newly renovated swimming zone. Water tends to be warmest in July and August when pond temperatures reach the high 70s.

    What campers like

    Spacious sites: Newport RV Park receives praise for layout and design. "The distance between sites was far enough that you did not feel cramped or on top of your neighbor," notes one camper. Sites typically range from 35-50 feet in length, accommodating most camping setups comfortably.

    Clean facilities: Bathroom cleanliness stands out in several reviews. At George Washington State Campground, a camper reported "very clean bathrooms with hot showers (bring quarters, $1.50 for 6mins)." Most parks maintain regular cleaning schedules, though weekend peak times may affect bathroom conditions.

    Wildlife viewing: The wooded settings provide good wildlife watching opportunities. "Beautiful, silent, and shows the power nature has," writes a camper about Massasoit. Common wildlife sightings include deer, wild turkeys, various bird species, and occasionally foxes, especially during early morning and evening hours.

    What you should know

    Reservation requirements: Most campgrounds require advance booking, especially during summer weekends. Wawaloam Campground operates with a reservation system and offers both seasonal and regular sites. "It was private, a great size & has water/electric," notes a visitor about site spacing.

    Seasonal considerations: Operating seasons vary by campground. A camper mentions that Normandy Farms is "approximately 35 miles from Boston... open from April 15th to November 15th." Most other parks follow similar schedules, with reduced services during early spring and late fall.

    Bathroom facilities: Quality and availability of bathrooms varies significantly. One camper noted that at Burlingame State Park, "bath houses are usually pretty filthy, and that's because there are too many people per bath house." Come prepared with hand soap and sanitizer as not all parks provide these basics.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Johnston, RI?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Johnston, RI is Normandy Farms Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 40 reviews.

    What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Johnston, RI?

    TheDyrt.com has all 124 dog-friendly camping locations near Johnston, RI, with real photos and reviews from campers.