Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Arlington, VT

Campground is placed 10 minutes from the bottom of Lake George with great hiking trails in the surrounding area. The campground it’s self it’s very clean in every aspect. On a river with water activities, beach, pool, a BAR, and so many more outdoor activities. Every night there are wagon tours of the campground, staff is seen frequently but very relaxed environment. Very family and pet friendly (They have their own dog park!) This was my 5th summer going up with friends and about our 8th trip overall and every time it’s a great experience!

We got a wooded site that is not a too far walk from any of the action or amenities. The dog park area is huge and allows for lots of play. The human amenities of the camp store and cafe are great. Lots of types of ice cream and other snacks.

We love going to Lake George RV Park.  It's got large sites, virtually all blacktop roads, bike trails, dog park, indoor pool, outdoor pool and another (new) water park with zero-entry pool.  Great store on-site, Movie theater & shows/entertainment, tennis courts, ball park, paddleball courts.  Pretty close to Lake George Village and the lake, but not on it (about 5 miles).

My only minor issue was with WIFI on one trip, but most of the time it's pretty good for a campground.

We try to get there once or twice a year.

This was my very first trip in an rv so I was a little nervous but overall everything went very smoothly. All of the sites are pull through so no worries about backing in. They are pretty close together but we went so early in the season we didn’t have anyone on either side of us - in fact I think we were the only people there that weren’t seasonal. We didn’t have a ton of interactions with the other campers beyond a smile and nod but no one was outright unfriendly. At the office/store the employees were very nice and helpful. The public bathrooms were very clean but the toilets didn’t flush very well in the 2 different bathrooms we went to. The pools looked nice but they weren’t open yet because it was still cold. There was a nice little dog park fenced in area for my dog to run around in. The kids/teens were typical kids/teens and did get a little rowdy/noisy but it wasn’t anything excessive and quiet hours seemed to be well respected. Overall I’d stay again.

Easy access site, riverside electric 30A and water. Nice people. Great for pets. They have pet poo drop boxes and bags. Super clean bathrooms. The sites are not very private, but spacing is decent. Getting there you have to follow directions on their website to avoid the two low covered bridges. u.s. cellular coverage 3 bars.

It was a family-friendly and pet friendly campground. It's was clean, friendly and very helpful staff. Loved the heated pool

Nicely treed sites and cabins with a pretty lake. Hiking, biking, swimming, boat/canoe/paddleboard rentals. No hookups but does have dump station. Pets allowed. We really like it here

We camped here with our dog on a tent site in camping area B. I really appreciated the VT state parks interactive campground map, which allowed us to see the sites from home and choose the one that would suit us best.

The site was large and clean, and relatively quiet even though it was a holiday weekend. Hiking trails are steep, so prepare for a good workout. We were a little confused about the No Dogs signs on the hiking trails, because it contradicted the pet policy on the park map that the ranger gave us. But we were glad to have an out of the way spot to launch our kayaks and take our dog for a boat ride.

Campfire wood was a reasonable price, but all of it was very wet! Fires were a challenge. I'm assuming that this was just a wet season here. Restrooms are about average for state parks. They were definitely cleaned daily. Don't forget to bring quarters for the shower.

Overall it was a great weekend, and we can't wait return!

Site was clean, easy to get in/out with 21' travel trailer. Swimming at the beach wasn't inviting. Lots of seasonal campers with years of lawn ornaments. There was a sense of the campground being clicky place. Pet friendly. Mixed emotions....

Camped here Labor Day Weekend in our 40 ft 5th wheel. We had a pull thru site. Easy to drive into the campground and into the site. We had no issues at all. Hosts were very friendly and helpful. Campground was very clean and well manicured. Pet friendly, and we met a lot of nice folks. We will definitely be back!

Wilgus State Park is the first Vermont state park to open each spring, well before Memorial Day each year. While it's still pretty cold for camping in Vermont in early May, you can get a jump start on the season by renting one of the four camping cabins. I'll admit that I haven't stayed in one of the Wilgus cabins, but they are pretty much the same all over Vermont - nothing fancy - just four solid walls, bunk beds, and a small table.

Usually when we stay at Wilgus State Park, we rent a lean-to or stay in site #16, which is the very last tent site, and the most private. All sites have a great view of the river, but I won't go so far as to call them waterfront as there is a bank covered with lush foliage between the sites and the water. There is also a short trail that runs between the campsites and the water - a great place to watch the sunrise!

The best part about camping here is getting out on the water. You can rent kayaks and canoes, and the river moves slowly enough to paddle up stream. There is also a shuttle service run by Great River Outfitters upstream in Windsor. If you make reservations, the come to the park (I think on Wednesdays and Fridays), and they will pick you up in the morning, drive you up river to Windsor, outfit you with a canoe or kayak, and let you paddle back to the park. Later in the evening they will come back and pick up the boats. If you choose this option, be sure to stop at Artisan Park, right on the river and have lunch at Harpoon Brewery.

The campground is really small (under 25 sites) and super quiet. Restrooms are clean. There is a short hiking trail, which is just okay - no views or anything. The ranger has been there for years and is an expert fisherman. He's got lots of tips if you ask. For good hiking, be sure to check out Mt. Ascutney, which is just a few miles away.

This tops our list for camping in Vermont. There is so much to do here, and yet the campground feels very private and quiet. There are 41 tent/RV sites to choose from and 18 lean-tos. Some of the lean-tos are situated right on the West River, but they are well-loved and coveted so we've never actually stayed in one.

For our July trip, we stayed in the Juniper lean-to, which is incredibly quiet and near the overlook hiking trail. The park is small enough to walk to the swimming area from your campsite, as well as into town. Note that you will not get cell service here, but if you walk into the village of Jamaica, you will find Wi-Fi hotspots at the library or the grocery store. 

Here are all the awesome things to do in Jamaica State Park:

1. Learn about the first peoples who lived here: The area along the West River was an important trade route for the Abenaki tribe. Throughout the park, there are interpretive signs with lots of information about the Abenaki, as well as the archaeological dig that was conducted here in 2010.

2. Cool off in the West River: The main swimming area is at Salmon Hole, right in the campground, but you can swim anywhere in the West River. It's awesome!

3. Ride your bike to the Ball Mountain Dam: There's a bike trail that leads from the campground all the way to the federally-owned Ball Mountain Dam, which provides great views of Ball Mountain Lake and the surrounding mountains. It's a 5-mile ride from the campground, round-trip.

4. Learn about Jamaica's railroad history: It's crazy that the rail trail was really a railroad at the turn of the century. It's a narrow, mountainous route. As you ride along the trail, stop and read the signs. No wonder it was called 36 miles of trouble!

5. Hike the Overlook Trail: It's a 2.5-mile loop that brings you up on a ridge with great views.

6. Hike to Hamilton Falls: It's actually easier to bike part of the way on the rail trail and then hike the 1.1 miles to the falls. Otherwise, it's a 6-mile hike round-trip. Hamilton falls is 125 feet tall, and one of the loveliest waterfalls in Vermont.

7. Walk into the village of Jamaica for donuts: Seriously! Head to D&K Grocery for the best donuts ever, or stock up on camping provisions.

Lake George RV Park may be the greatest campground we’ve stayed at yet! 

Located about 2-miles from the New York State Thruway(I-87), this park is ideally situated for a Lake George area vacation. We spent 6-days in early-August and it really wasn’t enough. 

The staff treated us so nicely and the array of resort-level amenities are beautifully-maintained and clean. They run a free trolley within the campground and to the local retail outlets. The park is so large, you’ll be happy to see that red trolley coming around to take you to and from your campsite and the swimming pools(plural), game room, theater which offers nightly entertainment, paddle boats, cafe, dog park, and much more. In addition, a local trolley service operates an hourly ride to and from Lake George Village. The cost is just$1 per person per trip(free for young kids) and discounted tickets are available for sale at the campground. The many opportunities for activities and entertainment are top-notch. Not just“campground-nice,” but really nice! And everything they offer is included at no extra cost(except food, of course). Check out their mobile app for updates to activities, a trolley tracker(fun+ helpful!), and more. 

The camp store was well-stocked with food and drinks, souvenirs, and RV/camping supplies. 

Our pull-thru site(#109) was level and the full hookups all worked fine. Like most of the park, our site was nicely wooded for shade, but none of the trees were in the way of our motor home. Each site had its own trash can and they collected garbage daily. That’s nice and convenient. 

Lake George RV Park is such a great place to stay that I hate to point out anything negative, but it’s why we rely on reviews. Two negatives to report. The site was a nice size and beautiful in so many ways except for the sandy dirt. With how charming everything is, I was surprised they didn’t at least put down gravel let alone concrete or asphalt in the sites. It was impossible to keep the dirt and sand out of our RV— and we tried. It also rained a few times during our stay which made it even worse. The other negative is their nonexistent wi-fi. It’s 2022, and we rely on wi-fi for connectivity to the office along with the ability to watch tv using streaming services(especially on a rainy night). The size of this place probably makes it difficult to provide good coverage, but it would be a huge improvement if they could figure it out. 

It’s obvious that this is a family-operated campground because they offer so many niceties that corporate owners have done away with elsewhere. I positively can not say enough about how great this campground is. It’s a tremendous place and we can’t wait to go back! 

THINGS I LIKED: 

• Clean and meticulously maintained property and facilities. 

• So many activities and entertainment options(at no extra cost!). 

• Proximity to Lake George Village. 

THINGS I’D CHANGE: 

• Cover the sites with gravel, concrete, or asphalt. The sandy dirt is too messy. 
• Install reasonable wi-fi service.