20 campgrounds with availability this weekend
Harrison Bay State Park Campground permits pets across its lakeside camping areas with newly renovated bath houses and full hookup RV sites. The campground features several smaller loops to minimize traffic while maintaining access to Chickamauga Lake. Each pet-friendly site includes a picnic table and fire ring. Chattanooga North-Cleveland KOA offers convenient pet waste stations throughout the grounds and maintains a dedicated dog park for guests traveling with animals. The campground's pet-friendly accommodations include standard RV sites, tent camping areas, and cabins. Sites are distributed within a terraced landscape allowing for nice separation between campers. The KOA's clean facilities and well-maintained grounds make it popular with pet owners visiting the Ooltewah area.
Dogs can enjoy the 4.5-mile mountain bike trail at Harrison Bay State Park, suitable for both cycling and walking with leashed pets. The trail system provides moderate terrain with minimal elevation changes, making it appropriate for most fitness levels. Wildlife is abundant throughout the park's camping areas, with deer, raccoons, and squirrels frequently seen near tent sites. Pet owners should conduct regular tick checks after walking trails, as the deer population contributes to a significant tick presence. Chester Frost Park and Cloudland Canyon State Park also welcome pets at their campgrounds within 30 minutes of Ooltewah. All sites enforce standard leash requirements, typically six feet or less, and owners must clean up after their animals. The campgrounds remain active year-round with Harrison Bay and most KOA locations operating through all seasons.
"Lake is BEAUTIFUL. So many areas to swim and great trails. Good place for pets."
"Harrison Bay is a huge park, with four camping loops (3 for RVs, 1 for tents), and a large marina, located on the Chickamauga Reservoir of the Tennessee River."
Available this weekend
"Tons of room to walk and play. Great swimming and fishing. Boating is huge here Bc there are docks all around the campground to pull up to. Playgrounds everywhere."
"They have a frisbee golf course, playgrounds, walking trails, beach, easy access to the water and fields to start up any activity you desire. We read about uneven campsite but ours was pretty flat."
from $21 - $30 / night
"Friendly Staff, Clean Bathrooms, Convenient Location. No honeywagon for water and electric only sites, but dump station in campground."
"I should have gotten one of their little cabins...they look cozy and they are right next to the primitive camping."
from $55 / night
"Hiked 13 miles trails are clean and taken care of. Staff helpful and friendly. My dog loved it. Pet friendly. Very nice camp ground for camping in tent."
"Most sites are a reasonable distance from the bathroom and parking lot. Sites further from both are more private."
Available this weekend
from $10 - $290 / night
"Pet friendly. Big rig friendly. Clean. Dog play yard. Near interstate."
"Nice dog park. Very clean laundry facilities. Wish we had time to stay a few days. Definitely recommend."
from $36 - $105 / night
"Having the dog park close by was a bonus. We would definitely stay here again."
"It is unique as well, in that there is a cavern entrance right on site."
from $55 - $56 / night
"You cant beat waterfront and being able to step outside your tent and see water. What also loved was that I didn't feel crammed by other people."
"Seemed to be a lot of locals, which were good to talk with about what to do in the other nearby parks. Shady campsites but open and not too private."
from $39 - $47 / night
"Pets allowed too so that was a plus!!"
"Battlefield Campground is an extremely convenient RV park located right of I-75 about 20 minutes south of Chattanooga."
"The campground is well situated in a mountain valley. the sites are flat and easy to access. The roads are a bit narrow but big enough if you take your time. "
"The platform sites are a short walk from a parking area near the lake so you can make multiple trips to the car if necessary, while the backcountry sites are up to a 3 mile hike in, so all gear, food,"
Available this weekend
from $14 - $55 / night
"Close to everything. Racing just down the street. That’s a positive or negative. On the nights they are racing you hear I’m the cars at the track."
"Does have very nice place to walk, dog park/wash,corn hole, fire pit with two chairs to use. We loved it there. Check the price. Pull thru sites with picnic table."
from $70 - $85 / night
ScoutI camped here with a friend last weekend and absolutely loved this place! It's a cute little site with a great host, clean bathrooms, free firewood, and super friendly dogs, goats, and people. I would for sure stay here again and recommend.
ScoutA great find to hang your hat for the evening. New owners look like they are doing amazing up grades. Our site 57 didn’t have a picnic table or fire ring but I’m sure they are working on it. Fairly quite and we would for sure come back and give it a 5 star when their done on the remodel.
GuideParksville Lake RV Campground is an absolute gem! I had a fantastic stay here. The campground is beautifully maintained, and the sites are nice, spacious, and wonderfully shaded by the trees. We loved the layout of the RV loop, especially the outer section where a peaceful creek flows right past the sites—the sound of the water at night was perfect. The restrooms and showers were exceptionally clean and well-kept. I had Starlink connectivity at my site and my WeBoost cell signal booster gave me up to three bars on AT&T. The campground host was incredibly nice, welcoming, and helpful. It's a wonderful, relaxing spot, and I will definitely be back!
TravelerEnjoyable place to stay, quiet nights. Very chill atmosphere. Would recommend.
ScoutI was worried that I would arrive and find all the campsites occupied. This was not the case. When I got there around 5:30 there was only one other site taken. I didn’t see them until the next morning. By morning, there were two other sites occupied.
TravelerThis was a last minute stay, the camp was full but accommodations were made for us by the host to park in his front yard and connect to house power. We were invited to join the host and other guests at the massive fire pit that was warming the cool mountain evening. Very pretty here…was a long and winding road up the mountain from our travel direction. Excited to see what it looks like in daylight. I have 3 bars on my T-Mobile but also have StarLink.
ScoutBeautiful view on the water. Not very full, which was nice. I came for some quiet and privacy and while it worked, there were just some that were very social. Haha
TravelerHard to find, really busy but most of them were hikers let left at nightfall.
ScoutCalled the day of to ask if we could camp and set up after hours for that day and the next the lady told me yes i could pay in the morning i got here set up that night woke up around 8 am to go pay and reserve my campsite for the day and she told me they were booked even though she had told me the day before she had plenty of campsites. Then tried to tell me the only one she had was a $75 site for 4 people which is absolutely insane. She made snarky remarks and was overall incompetent in making sure the guests receive the right information the first time. Absolutely zero care that we set up not even 12 hours before to make us take it down and leave.
Camping options near Ooltewah, Tennessee extend beyond the immediate area, with several dog friendly alternatives within a 30-45 minute drive. The region sits at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, with elevations ranging from 800-2,000 feet, creating diverse terrain for campers. Winter temperatures typically remain mild with occasional frost, making most campgrounds accessible year-round with proper preparation.
Paddle on Chickamauga Lake: Rentals available at Skull Island where the waterfront campsites provide direct water access. "We brought floaties and just hung out in the water during the afternoon to escape the hot weather. We also did some hiking in the morning which was a blast," shares Isabella H.
Cave exploration: Visit the on-site caverns at Raccoon Mountain Caverns and Campground for guided underground tours. "We all loved that Crystal Cave was right on site and enjoyed the guided tour. (Advanced reservations are required)," notes Jen O. Tours cost $22.95 per adult with discounts for children.
Miniature golf and beach recreation: Fort Mountain State Park offers additional family activities beyond hiking. "The area also has putt putt, the only playground, seasonal concession and rentals, beach area and a super nice walking trail for everybody," says Travyl Couple.
Platform camping options: For something different, check out the elevated camping platforms at Fort Mountain State Park Campground. "The site itself was in a beautiful location, had a hand pump on site, and also had a shared bear proof storage box. There is definitely active wildlife here!" reports Miranda H.
Private tent sites: Tent campers appreciate the walk-in sites at Cloudland Canyon State Park Campground. "Love the tent-only serenity of the walk-in sites. The sites have a tent pad, picnic table and fire ring, and lots of privacy as the sites are very far from each other," explains Abby M.
Separate camping loops: Multiple camping areas allow for different experiences. "The West Rim camping loop has a total of 48 tent/RV sites with 30 or 50A hookups, water, gravel tent pads, picnic tables, and fire rings. This loop is far more wooded and offers a greater variety of site size and privacy," notes Stephanie J.
Bear activity awareness: Active wildlife requires proper food storage at many campgrounds. "You will have bear visitors, something they'll warn you about upon arrival. The bears just added to the appeal of this place though," shares Shelly C. from Fort Mountain State Park.
Site selection importance: Sites vary significantly in size, privacy and levelness. At Chester Frost Park, "There are 3 different sections to the campgrounds. The first area just left of the guard station is for tents & small campers, the area to the right is for large fifth wheels & motor homes," advises Susan S.
Seasonal crowd differences: Holiday Travel Park's facilities fluctuate with seasons. "Pool is nice. Interstate noise is annoying," notes Ginger G. Many pet friendly campgrounds near Ooltewah close swimming and playground facilities during winter months, but maintain pet areas year-round.
Fenced dog areas: Hawkins Pointe RV Park provides secure pet exercise space. "Does have very nice place to walk, dog park/wash, corn hole, fire pit with two chairs to use," explains Kimberly Z., making it ideal for families with both children and pets.
Water activities for hot days: Lakeside options cool off kids during summer. "This place is definitely somewhere you wanna bring your kids they would love it! There is a man made beach with a playground and loads of camping lots next to the river!" says Haley H. about Chester Frost Park.
Site privacy considerations: For families seeking space from neighbors, avoid certain areas. "Loop A is an RV loop with very little shade, and is closest to the playgrounds and picnic pavilions. Sites 7-11 and 13-14 in this loop have the most shade, with most other sites in full sun," advises Stephanie J. about Harrison Bay State Park.
Availability challenges: Pet friendly campgrounds with full hookups fill quickly. "Our RV GPS took us to 1/4 mile before the campground so we followed the CG's website instructions and the signage to the entrance across from the Dollar Store," notes MickandKarla W. about Holiday Travel Park.
Hookup locations: Chattanooga North-Cleveland KOA sites vary in setup. "Each RV site has a table and fire ring, some do not have sewer hookups but they use a waitlist system to get full hookups," explains Laura H. Cell service varies between providers with AT&T and T-Mobile reported as excellent.
Winter camping considerations: Many pet friendly campgrounds remain operational in colder months. "We went in December and the weather was a little cool and damp but the views were great when the fog lifted. Bathrooms were clean with very hot water," shares Larry M. about Fort Mountain State Park Campground.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Ooltewah, TN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Ooltewah, TN is Harrison Bay State Park Campground with a 4.1-star rating from 60 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Ooltewah, TN?
TheDyrt.com has all 198 dog-friendly camping locations near Ooltewah, TN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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