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Caton Place Campground's pet-friendly sites include both tent and RV camping options, with full hookups available for campers traveling with dogs. Pet owners visiting Cavendish and surrounding Vermont communities can choose from multiple campgrounds that welcome four-legged family members. Crown Point Camping Area receives consistently high ratings from campers with pets, offering clean facilities and well-maintained grounds. The campground is particularly popular with families bringing children and dogs, featuring a lagoon for swimming and scheduled activities throughout the season. Sites at Wilgus State Park Campground accommodate tents and small to medium RVs along the Connecticut River, though some reviews note the proximity to Route 5 creates some road noise that diminishes in the evening.
Mount Ascutney State Park provides pet-friendly camping with spacious, shaded sites and access to hiking trails suitable for dogs on leash. The park's bathroom facilities, while described as rustic, are clean and well-maintained by attentive staff. Dogs must be leashed throughout the campground and on trails, with owners responsible for waste cleanup. Horseshoe Acres Campground welcomes pets but campers with larger rigs should note potential access challenges—the steep hill to upper campsites has caused issues for some RVs over 40 feet. For water-loving dogs, Wilgus State Park's location on the Connecticut River offers excellent paddling opportunities, with kayak and canoe rentals available directly from the park. The ranger at Wilgus, an expert fisherman according to visitors, provides fishing tips for anglers camping with their pets.
"This place gets my vote for best campground in Vermont. Especially true if you're lucky enough to get one of the few sites on the outside of A loop that has a Lean-to with a view."
"My wife and I along with our dog Wyatt make an annual trip to CC. There is a great secluded site off the road into the park."
"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."
"Wilgus State Park is the first Vermont state park to open each spring, well before Memorial Day each year."
"Wilgus state park has amazing campsites, very friendly staff, and great access to the Connecticut River. This campground was beautiful and very quiet even though it was full."
from $20 - $30 / night
Check Availability"The state park had everything we were looking for: close proximity to mountain bike trails, beautiful hiking trails, available leantos, and less than two hours from our home."
"Vermont parks are just some the most lush you’ve ever seen."
"Clean and quiet, good for kids and pets are welcome. There are 2 bathrooms with coin operated showers. There are sites for campers, tents, and a handful of lean tos."
"The Quechee Gorge, best accessed from the back of the lawn behind the bathhouse, is the deepest in Vermont.. which is kind of like saying the best bagel or most populous city in Vermont."
from $38 / night
Check Availability"There's a cozy lounge room to hang out in with games, books, crayons, and puzzles; a dog park with toys included; and fabulous hiking trails with lots to see, including a pond, waterfalls, and streams."
"While searching online we learned that Vermont state parks do not have hook ups. We are a family of five with a pop up pull behind and the Glamping lifestyle is a little bit easier on us these days ."
from $26 - $36 / night
Check Availability"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."
"This was our second stay at this Vermont State Park. It was a great three days. The park rangers were tremendous in ensuring we had a delightful visit. They worked with us to get the right site."
from $20 - $42 / night
Check Availability"They have scheduled events that occur including family and adult only fire truck rides around the campground."
"This is a great campground set in a thick pine forest near a large pond. They have a lagoon for swimming and a children's playground. Hiking trails nearby. Canoes for rent."
"We camped here with our dog on a tent site in camping area B."
"Dogs are allowed and I find that sites where dogs are present have less of a critters problems like racoons."
"Greendale Campground is a small remote campground located along Greendale Brook in Weston, VT. There are 11 campsites available in a wooded setting."
"We picked a nice site next to a babbling brook. While we only tent camped we plan to return with our new to us pop up this year. We only saw two cars during our entire stay."
ScoutThis is one of our favorite places to camp in Vermont. The sites are fairly private without being built too close together. Lake is clean and has a great concrete dock that the kids love to jump off. They have boat rentals and nature tours on the lake led by the state park faculty. When the kids get tired from swimming they're a nice beach area and playground.
GuideVery nice, clean campsite. Staff are very friendly and helpful. Campsites are spread out, great dog walking areas , and very spacious dog parks, one for big dos and one for little ones.
RangerThis place is pretty awesome. They have an ice cream shop attached to their office/store, mini golf just outside of it too. There is an amphitheater for concerts and shows throughout the summer. RV Spots, tent camping spots, a dog park, badminton, basketball, horseshoe, shuffleboard, the works. The bathrooms are beautifully redone and clean. The laundry room is pretty good too. Its close to Brattleboro and Putney and just across the border to New Hampshire. I'd most definitely stay again when I'm in the area. The other guest were very nice and we could also have packages delivered.
LegendThis 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:
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
LegendWilgus 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.
TravelerWe stayed in a cabin with our pup. This place was very clean and loaded with amenities: pool, dog park, events, open fields, deer, store, etc. This was glamping with a fire pit 😃 There were plenty of sites for all size RV’s with hook-ups. A town with lots to do and see is nearby including hiking trails.
ScoutWe are pleasantly surprised! The adage "you get what you pay for" just isn't true here. This campground is my new favorite. The owners, Liz and Ben, are super friendly, easy-going, and welcoming. The campground is clean and quiet, with sites that are spacious and private. The wifi is pretty darn good. There's a cozy lounge room to hang out in with games, books, crayons, and puzzles; a dog park with toys included; and fabulous hiking trails with lots to see, including a pond, waterfalls, and streams.
We'll definitely be returning!
TravelerClean and quiet, good for kids and pets are welcome. There are 2 bathrooms with coin operated showers. There are sites for campers, tents, and a handful of lean tos. It’s a short hike down to Quechee Gorge, where you can cool off in the shallow water.
It’s very close to Quechee village and Woodstock so there are plenty of other activities, shopping, and dining options near by.
Rangers also run fun programs for children- my children churned butter and made popcorn over the campfire one night, and made tie dyed T-shirts the next (for no fee.)
Pets are welcome.
ScoutWe travelled as a group with family (4 sites). When we booked all our sites were right next to each other. When we arrived not a single one of us were even on the same road. The biggest issue with this, is that there were plenty of sites available next to each other. My parents paid for 50 amp electric and the site next to them was using it instead of the 30amp they were meant to have. Also, while the campground is pet friendly, a warning about free roaming chickens would have been nice. I would not have brought my (prey driven) dogs if I had known there were free roaming chickens.
Caton Place Campground features fully pet-friendly sites across all accommodation types including tent, RV, cabin, glamping, and yurt options. Open from Memorial Day to November 1, this Cavendish-based campground maintains well-manicured grounds where dogs can accompany their owners throughout the property. All sites include picnic tables and fire rings with pets welcome at no additional charge. Clean, recently updated bathrooms and shower facilities serve both human and canine guests. While some camping areas near Cavendish tend to cater more to seasonal campers, several state parks in the vicinity also welcome pets. Wilgus State Park Campground and Mount Ascutney State Park both enforce standard leash policies and provide waste disposal stations throughout their grounds, with pets permitted at all tent and RV sites.
The Connecticut River access points at Wilgus State Park offer excellent opportunities for dogs to cool off during summer camping trips, though swimming is generally limited to designated areas. Walking trails along the river provide pleasant exercise routes for leashed pets, with the main pathway behind campsites offering scenic riverside views perfect for dog walks. Most campgrounds in the region maintain quiet hours from 10pm to 7am when excessive barking must be controlled. Crown Point Camping Area provides additional pet amenities including a designated dog walking zone near their boat launch area. Local veterinary services are available in Springfield and Windsor, both within 15-20 minutes of most Cavendish area campgrounds. The season for most pet-friendly campgrounds in the region extends from early May through mid-October, with Wilgus State Park opening earliest each spring, well before Memorial Day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Cavendish, VT?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Cavendish, VT is Coolidge State Park Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 13 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Cavendish, VT?
TheDyrt.com has all 138 dog-friendly camping locations near Cavendish, VT, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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