Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Jay Peak, VT

I have a 24’ RV towing a 30 foot trailer for perspective. I easily fit in site 107 and lots of other sites would have worked. They have a place to drop trailers if you don’t fit.

Sites 90 to 108 are best. Spaced out under trees.

Sites 1 to 16 are close to each other.

Sites 113 to 119 are bad. Very close to each other. No redeeming qualities.

Sites have 30 amp electric and water but might need a longish cord or hose. Clean easy to use dump with water.

Tent sites looked nice.

Short walk to nice beach or you can drive a car. Short tunnel so no campers or bikes on the roof.

Right next to rails to trails path that goes onto a causeway over the lake. There is a bike ferry to keep going. Nice ride.

Nice dog park 3/4 miles to the South on the trail.

Far away from noise. Can’t comment on loud campers.

This campground is drive in and never touch the car again. Two huge sites that can be rented in tandem as a group site. Each site has a prep table, picnic table, fire pit, 5 gallons of fresh water, a raised platform for tents, and a porta potty. Very spacious sites. Easily two camoer vans and two tents on each site. Site is at the bottom of Kitchel and Herbs trails, atop the exit/entrance trails into the village of East Burke. Showers are a short walk away at Mike's Tiki Bar, in the Kingdom parking lot. The sites can be reserved, and usually are up to a year in advance. So call ahead! Sites are pet friendly and there's lots of space for big dogs to run around. Sites are super private from the outside world. This place is truly a hidden gem that can make your trip.

This is a small family-owned and operated campground just a few miles outside of St. Johnsbury, Vermont. The campground abuts the Moose River which makes for a pretty backdrop and wonderful place to dip your toes in the water. The shallow river is a clear flowing rocky river. 

The campground is a mix of seasonal and transient campers with sites large enough to fit big rigs. There is also a rental camper and cabin available. There were tent sites but the owner mentioned they may fade those out. We stayed in a large pull thru (well over 125’), full hook-up site in the center section of the campground. (Site 27 @ $47/night). The electric worked fine and the sewer was easily reached with my 20’ sewer hose. The pad was gravel (as were the roads) and the patio was nice grass. Cable television is available and produced 32 stations. Our Verizon hotspot and phone worked well. 

There are lots of activities at this park. It seems like every week there was a community bonfire where lots of palettes were set ablaze. During our stay, there was a potluck dinner in which the owners supplied roast beef and hosted us in a large covered pavilion. One evening they drove around the campground offering free ice cream sandwiches or drum sticks. Some mornings they supplied free bagels or donuts and always had free coffee. And, there were people always on the porch playing cards. Amenities include river access, a decent size dog park, large covered pavilion, bathhouse and laundry. When you arrive, you are given a swag bag with printed information about the surrounding area and businesses. This is a really nice touch because the reusable bag can be used in the grocery store as plastic bags have been banned in Vermont. 

If you can score a riverfront site those are nice to sit outside and enjoy a fire. The pull thru sites are very close on one side as each RV pulls in the opposite direction; however, the sites are so long that if you pull up far enough you are not looking at your neighbor. Your patio opens to a neighbor but the sites are far enough away that it’s not a bother and you don’t feel like you are on top of them. Probably the nicest site in the park is #23 which is a back-in site with your patio facing the river. 

The campground is in a good location, just a few miles from downtown St. Johnsbury, just a mile or so from “Dog Mountain,” and about 15 miles from Littleton, New Hampshire. There is a town forest just a few miles away that has some nice hiking trails. The campground is pretty small so we were happy to find places to hike with our dog.

I've camped on Valcour all my life since I was 7. It was amazing. So beautiful. Now it's covered in cockroaches and the water is murky and everything is covered in Zebra muscles. Other campers are rude and have no respect for your property. Has been all Canadians from my experience. They let their pets on the island to defecate and we've had one let their two large dogs swim ashore from their yacht and urinate on all our tents and destroyed our campsite and stole our food off from the picnic table all while the owners watched and laughed it off from their boat. The dogs then swam back and boarded the boat and they left. It's not like it used to be. We were yelling at them the whole time, trying to get the dogs away from our campsite and the owners didn't even apologize. One of the dogs defecated on my son's clothing that has fallen off the line.

This hut has it all and its pet friendly! It's a short walk from a roadside parking area (though a little longer in the winter due to the parking being moved across the road). There is a lovely wood burning stove and fire wood is supplied. There's a nice deck outside with a picnic table and fire ring there as well. The river is a few steps away and water can be treated from there. 

There is a well maintained privy outside the cabin and toilet paper was available. The cabin has a sleeping loft with a few foam mattresses but the stairs are quite steep, too steep for a four legged doggo to make it up and down. There is a futon downstairs that can be used as a couch or sleep two people. There are dishes and everything you need from knives to bottle openers. There is a propane stove and a kerosene lamp. 

The Nulhegan section of the Silvia O. Conte wildlife refuge is a short drive away with a lot of hiking options. There is a general store less than five minutes away in Bloomfield, VT. This spot really can't be beat!

I’d say this was one of Vermont’s best kept secrets, except I don’t think it’s exactly a secret. Even in October, the Park seemed full with visitors and Stowe was hopping! Leaf peepers were in full force and the grounds were absolutely spectacular- I really picked the perfect time of year to go. Nights got pretty brisk, but the foliage was breathtaking.

The Park, located along scenic Rte108, has about 20 tent sites and 14 lean-to’s well dispersed throughout the grounds. A couple spots were drive-in sites, accessible to those with disabilities; most had small pathways and/or stairwells leading to their platforms. There was not a bad site within the entire vicinity. All were fully shaded and extremely private. Although, I’d be curious about checking out Sites 1 or 16 next time around!

Bathrooms were clean and the main office sold firewood at the entrance. Facilities are also pet friendly. Plus, there are so many hiking trails and recreational opportunities in and around the Park-from Stowe Mountain Resort to the quaint shops in town and local craft breweries. And even with the Park seeming “full”, the grounds were perfectly quiet, without the incessant sound of generators you find at larger state parks.

Without a doubt, Smugglers Notch State Park is a favorite of mine!