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Elmore State Park Campground welcomes pets throughout its lakeside camping area featuring 45 spacious tent and RV sites with fire pits and picnic tables. Mountain View Campground offers additional pet-friendly accommodations including cabins and RV sites with full hookups. Both properties maintain clean facilities with drinking water and trash collection, though leashed pets must be supervised at all times. The sites at Elmore State Park provide varying levels of privacy—some wooded tent sites offer seclusion while others in meadow areas have less coverage but excellent night sky viewing. Most sites at Mountain View Campground are well-maintained with level gravel pads and grassy patios, though they sit closer together than the state park options. The campground areas remain quiet at night despite Mountain View's proximity to Route 15.
Dogs particularly enjoy the shoreline access at Lake Elmore where the state park features a sandy beach, though specific pet swimming regulations may apply. Hiking trails around Elmore Mountain, including the path to the fire tower offering panoramic views, accommodate leashed dogs and provide excellent exercise opportunities. Mountain View Campground positions pets near the Lamoille River where dogs can cool off after walks. Both locations require waste cleanup, with disposal facilities available in the campground areas. The nearby Elmore Store stocks pet supplies and food items when needed. Summer temperatures can reach uncomfortable levels for pets, so campers should ensure adequate shade and water access. Campground roads are primarily gravel, providing easy walking surfaces for dog exercise around the camping loops.
"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!"
"Close to tons of beautiful hikes. As for the campground. It was quiet, comfortable, and kid, as well as pet friendly. Would definitely camp here again."
from $20 / night
Check Availability"Little River State Park is located just outside of Waterbury Vermont so it’s an ideal location for jumping off on other adventures!"
"We came here to hike the Dalley Loop Trail (which is a great trail full of history), but we wish we had camped here instead of the private campground 45 minutes away where we did stay."
from $19 - $28 / night
Check Availability"This beautiful, small state park has a beach on the shores of Lake Elmore and a hiking trail to the fire tower atop Elmore Mountain. There are 45 spacious tent/RV sites."
"Our lean-to, Hickory is situated in a lovely meadow, but quite close to other campers and a view that overlooks the campground road. There is very little shade and no privacy."
from $19 - $28 / night
Check Availability"It can get a bit noisy due to the proximity to the highway, but it's still a good option for car camping in this part of Vermont."
"Nice grass site with a large field behind, and Just a short walk to the river. Clean facilities and proximity for exploring Stowe and surrounding areas. Would love to camp here again."
"While we were next to the creek at site 12, it was blocked by brush and trees.
Check in was easy, and the staff were present enough in case you had questions or needed to buy firewood.""Our dog loved swimming in the creek and meeting his first bullfrog. The campground also has a small pool, one washer and one dryer, and decent showers/restrooms."
"I love this location because you have to paddle out to a site for camping. It‘s private, quiet, and really gives you that “forest bathing” escape."
"Each campsite includes a fire pit and access to an outhouse. Usually the outhouse is shared between 2 to 3 campsites, but there is plenty of space between each site."
from $20 - $50 / night
Check Availability"They ask that you limit your driving on the path to the site- so we were sure to go into town to get all we needed before we settled into camp- which wasnt hard to do."
"Camp spots were far enough away from one another, trees helped with privacy, and the tent site had a great area to setup the tent.
Facilities were accessible and clean."
from $32 - $55 / night
Check Availability"Remote campsite #9 was a bit wet this spring but in truth everything has been wet here in Vermont this year. 3 night get away with son, and first time on Kettle pond."
"Kettle Pond is a classic northern pond set in Vermont's Groton State Forest."
"Been coming here for a few years now and it’s my favorite place to go in Vermont so far."
"It’s a beautiful and quiet campground with limited spots that you have to reserve before going (they don’t do walk in’s). The woman in the office is so sweet and helpful."
from $45 - $70 / night
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RangerThis beautiful, small state park has a beach on the shores of Lake Elmore and a hiking trail to the fire tower atop Elmore Mountain. There are 45 spacious tent/RV sites. The campground was nearly empty during our stay so it felt extremely private. No hookups are available but there is a dump station and a bathroom facility with paid showers.
LegendI almost gave this campground three stars. Our lean-to, Hickory is situated in a lovely meadow, but quite close to other campers and a view that overlooks the campground road. There is very little shade and no privacy. Other sites in the campground have a similar feel. Some of the wooded tent sites are quite private, but most are not.
Despite not feeling all that private, I was impressed with the sandy beach on Lake Elmore and the hiking trail up to the top of Elmore Mountain. Because this is the only trail within the park, it does get really busy on the weekends, and I found it nearly impossible to give 6-feet of space to other hikers because of how narrow the trail is. I would not hike this on a Saturday in summer or fall, at least not until the threat from COVID is behind us!
The restroom in the campground loop we were in was very clean but outdated. The sinks are cold water only, which I normally wouldn't mind, but the temps dropped into the 20s during our trip, which made washing up a little bit painful.
Because our lean-to was in a meadow with no tree coverage, we were treated to the most awesome night sky we've ever seen at a Vermont state park. It was mesmerizing! I only wish that I had the skills with a camera to capture it! It totally erased all my grumblings about not having privacy. Starry sky for the win!
GuideI 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.
GuideWe just spent 5 days at this wonderful campground. They have paid attention to all of the finer details. Beautiful landscaping, well leveled sites, very clean and neat. The staff is wonderful. My only disappointment with the camp is that there are only a few sites with sewer hookup. However, the dumping station is conveniently located, so if you have a small tank, daily trips are not a problem. There is plenty to do in the area - Littleton is a beautiful little town. The old houses in are incredible. New Hampshire is not a dog friendly state, but a short Drive into Vermont gets you access to many fine restaurants where you can bring your dog. Be sure to visit Dog Mountain in Vermont- a truly touching memorial to departed pets.
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.
GuideThis 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.
LegendThis 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.
ScoutI'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.
LegendThis 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!
The Vermont camping season around Lake Elmore typically runs from Memorial Day weekend through mid-October. Located in Vermont's northern region at approximately 1,139 feet elevation, the area experiences cool summer nights with temperatures often dropping into the 50s even during peak season. Most campgrounds near Lake Elmore remain open through foliage season, providing access to the surrounding Lamoille County's extensive trail networks.
Hike to fire towers: Smugglers Notch State Park Campground offers access to Mount Mansfield's trail system with multiple summit approaches. "Good flat sites. a little small but comfortable. rangers are very helpful. You are minutes from some amazing hiking, which is great when you don't feel like driving long distances after a day hike," notes Matthew H.
Paddle remote ponds: Green River Reservoir State Park Campground provides boat-access primitive campsites across the 653-acre reservoir. "We try and make our way north to Green River Reservoir every summer. It's a primitive park, perfect for paddling, wild camping, swimming, and watching wildlife. Be sure to paddle out to the Beaver Meadow - we have seen moose there several times," shares Tara S.
Mountain biking: Access to the Cross Vermont Trail system offers family-friendly biking near Kettle Pond State Park. The trail utilizes old farm roads, snowmobile trails, and railroad beds with connections to multiple state parks in the Groton State Forest. Winter visitors can access backcountry skiing near Smugglers Notch during off-season camping.
Secluded lean-to options: Underhill State Park Campground provides walk-in sites with a remote feel. "What can I say about this lovely state park campground? Totally beautiful, private spots, pit toilets and a night sky to die for! This is the best of car camping - you get the feel of really being out in the woods, with your car a short distance away," reports Molly G.
Access to water recreation: Little River State Park Campground offers multiple ways to enjoy the water. "I would highly recommend this campground to anyone looking to visit the Stowe/Waterbury area. The bathrooms were clean, the site was well maintained, and the reservoir was a great place to relax after a day of hiking!" says Alison O.
Dark skies for stargazing: The lack of light pollution creates exceptional night viewing at several campgrounds. "Because our lean-to was in a meadow with no tree coverage, we were treated to the most awesome night sky we've ever seen at a Vermont state park. It was mesmerizing!" reports a camper at Elmore State Park.
Remote camping preparation: Kettle Pond State Park Campground has no running water on-site. "There is not ANY running water. The running water is accessed by going to New Discovery Campground, which is about 3 miles down the road. So bringing several large water vessels is important," advises Rita M.
Seasonal variations: Early and late season camping offers more solitude. "Stayed at a lean-to site here in March. Free of charge during off season, you just have to call a couple weeks ahead to reserve and make sure you park in the allotted area. Hike/snowshoe in to your site as the gate is closed and the area is not plowed. No facilities off season," shares Ed M. about Smugglers Notch.
Reservation timing: Dog friendly campgrounds near Lake Elmore book quickly during peak season. "Reserve early, as this place doesn't have a ton of sites and it fills up quickly!" warns Ben C. Many state parks begin taking reservations in January for the upcoming summer season, with holiday weekends filling first.
Water-based activities: Little River State Park Campground offers excellent swimming options for children. "Had a great one week stay here on the reservoir. Staff was friendly and helpful. The small playground was great, and the small boat launch and beach kept us in the water," shares Megan O.
Historical exploration: Several nearby trails feature old foundations and settlement ruins. "The hiking trails are really good—actually pretty steep. There are lots of old foundations hidden on the trails that are fun to discover," notes Rita M. about Little River State Park trails, providing an educational component for young campers.
Pet-friendly considerations: Most campgrounds welcome leashed dogs, but swimming regulations vary by location. "The campground features a nice pool and spacious level camp sites. This campground is the perfect location to setup base camp to see all that Stowe has to offer!" explains Jeff W. at Gold Brook Campground, where many visitors bring their pets.
Hookup availability: Mountain View Campground offers full-service RV sites with electric, water, and sewer connections. "The sites are gravel and seem pretty level. The campground is updated with a new laundry room and shower house. There are 2 pools (one for adults only) and a hot tub," describes Michelle C.
Site spacing and privacy: RV sites at state parks tend to offer more separation between campers. "Despite not feeling all that private, I was impressed with the sandy beach on Lake Elmore and the hiking trail up to the top of Elmore Mountain," notes a reviewer about the trade-offs at Elmore State Park Campground.
Winter access restrictions: Most campgrounds close water systems after Indigenous Peoples' Day weekend in October. Some areas remain accessible for primitive camping through winter, but require special preparation and often permit advanced arrangements. Check individual park websites for seasonal closures and special winter camping policies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Lake Elmore, VT?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Lake Elmore, VT is Smugglers Notch State Park Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 23 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Lake Elmore, VT?
TheDyrt.com has all 132 dog-friendly camping locations near Lake Elmore, VT, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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