156 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Rivers Bend Campground allows pets at its spacious sites along the New Haven River, providing access to water for dogs to cool off during summer camping trips. Button Bay State Park Campground and Mount Philo State Park Campground also welcome pets with designated pet-friendly areas. Most campgrounds in the region enforce leash requirements, typically six feet or less, and limit pets to two per site. Green Mountain National Forest offers dispersed camping options where pets can explore trails throughout the 400,000-acre wilderness area. Campgrounds provide varying levels of amenities from basic facilities at dispersed sites to full-service options including picnic tables, fire rings, and access to water. Sites range from densely wooded areas offering privacy to open meadows with panoramic views. Pet waste disposal stations are available at established campgrounds but not at dispersed sites. Bathroom facilities at many campgrounds remain primitive even at established sites.
Hiking trails connect many campgrounds to scenic overlooks, particularly at Mount Philo State Park where the short summit trail rewards hikers and their pets with spectacular views of Lake Champlain and surrounding mountains. The Lake Champlain shoreline at Button Bay provides water access where dogs can swim, though designated dog beaches are limited. Campers should pack extra water for pets during summer months when temperatures can rise unexpectedly, even in Vermont's typically moderate climate. Wildlife encounters are common in the region, requiring vigilant leash control to prevent conflicts with local fauna including deer, raccoons, and occasional black bears. The New Haven River offers natural cooling opportunities for dogs during hot weather. Most campgrounds maintain quiet hours from 10 PM to 7 AM when excessive barking may result in requests to leave. Very few sites offer fenced dog areas, so reliable recall training or consistent leashing is essential for pet safety.
"The first is where you'll find the lean-tos and the dog trail/beach. This area is super quiet, offers a bit of shade, and plenty of privacy."
"We selected it because it was nearby for our second outing with our new (used) R-Pod camper. Turns out it's a wonderful park."
"The toilets are composing toilets, but from the user experience, it's very close to a regular toilet in that it's in a stall in a nice, well maintained proper bathroom (unlike some composting toilets in"
"the best part is every night its only a ten minute hike to the summit from where the sites are and you get to watch the sunset over Vermont and lake champlain as the sun falls behind the adirondack mountains"
from $23 / night
Check Availability"there are no amenities other than cascading waterfalls, mountain views, incredible swimming hole, a nearby lake, a picnic table and a fire ring. the easiest access to sites one and two is the Silver Lake"
"Access to campground is on a gravel road but my van did okay. It is small and primitive and there is a camp host who is very nice."
from $15 / night
Check Availability"This is a nice little private campground in Shelburne, just outside of Burlington. Close to Lake Champlain. Good place to spend the night and good access to activities."
"Lastly, the location was perfect, just outside of Burlington made access to the area ideal."
"The best part of this campground is the view of Lake Champlain and Vermont. We stayed here one night in our RV with no hookups. The site was gorgeous and the campground clean."
"On river border of NY & VT. Nice views from the campsites, some places to walk around including a bridge. Lots of room for big RV, good hookups. Pretty quiet. Clean and well cared for."
from $18 / night
Check Availability"If you're considering a spot in Vermont to camp, come here! Also, make sure your car has a bit of clearance as some sports have dips in the ground."
"Able to see sunrise/sunset/moonrise over the surrounding rolling hills and crests. Upper meadows accessible with 4WD / high clearance vehicles."
"All pretty much have access to the streams. Nice fire rings. Keep it clean!"
"This area is right next to FireRoad 25 rd. We did not camp here we camped on FR25."
"It is located in the mountains of Vermont and right next to a beautiful river. The only con was the highway noise since it's pretty close to the road."
"Entrance and exit are a little steep and tricky in the winter, lot wasn’t plowed so AWD/4x4 and good ground clearance are recommended."
"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."
"We stay every year for the Vermont City Marathon. It is a convenient bike ride down the bike path to the waterside park. Easy access to all of Burlington by bike."
from $37 - $100 / night
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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.
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.
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.
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 visited this campground twice this summer after the switchover to KOA. They had lots of activities to take back to the campsite for rainy days. They do not have a dog park and this caused our pup to get a bit hyper.
GuideTo start off, we are avid KOA campers. So when we looked at this campground, we expected the typical layout which had a swimming pool and other stuff for the kids, however, this campground lacked all of the above. When we arrived here, check-in was easy we did drive along ways to get to our campsite which was nice to be wooded, but I did miss the typical activities and KOA usually has which when I booked the site, I usually expect them since the prices usually, fairly high compared to state parks. Our main reason for seeing KA versus state parks for these extra activities. With that said the bathrooms were clean, which we barely use since we have a full hook up camper. The dog park was very small and it looked like they did the very minimum to check the block. If you’re looking for a place to run your little guy around, he might be disappointed at this place. However, there are plenty hikes nearby to wear them out if you desire. As far as location, there is a lot of stuff to do in the area as we went and hike, the mountain, which was amazing.
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.
RangerI’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!
LegendThis KOA is what you expect from a KOA– lots of amenities, sites of all sizes and levels of cost, tons of activities, and in a vacation destination area. We spent five nights at the campground and found lots to do in the area and that we had an enjoyable and pleasant stay.
The park is a large park that is terraced since it is in a pretty hilly area. There is the range of sites from pull-thrus, pull-ins and back-in sites and can accommodate RVs of any size. Some sites are full hookup while others are not and that is reflected in the cost. We paid $57/nigh for our full hookup site which is pretty costly especially since we did not use any of the amenities. Most sites are gravel with gravel patios but there are deluxe sites with paved patios, patio furniture, umbrella, and gas bbq grill. There are also camping cabins, some of which have kitchenettes and bathrooms that sleep six people.
Our site, was located in the back of the park in a quieter section because it was away from most of the activities and park entrance. The site was a pull-in which was kind of nice because the view out of our front windshield was of a wooded area. Our fire pit was in the front of our site so there was a nice amount of privacy when we sat outside by a campfire and didn’t feel like we were on the side of the road. Despite the hilliness of the park and all the trees, we did not have any trouble navigating our 45’ RV to our site. The trees at our site would prevent satellite television reception but our site had cable and we got about 20 or so channels. The staff was very friendly and helpful. Like many KOAs there are tons of amenities and things for kids to do – swimming pool, fishing ponds, bike rental, scheduled activities, propane sales, camp store, fire wood delivery, and more. There is a fenced dog park which was a fairly good size and our lab was happy to chase a ball.
As a whole, the park was very clean and manicured. No trash laying around and the gravel roads were free of potholes. The campground is located near the Queechee Gorge, covered bridges, hiking trails (including sections of the Appalachian Trail), good dining, maple syrup/cheese farm, the Marsh Billings- Rockefeller National Historic Park.
Camping options near New Haven, Vermont range from established campgrounds to dispersed sites in the Green Mountain National Forest. The area's elevation varies from 345 feet in New Haven to over 3,000 feet in the nearby mountains, creating diverse camping microclimates. Temperatures typically range from 60-80°F in summer with occasional drops to 40°F at night, especially at higher elevations.
Swimming in natural settings: Austin Brook offers camping sites adjacent to the Mad River with natural swimming options. As one camper notes, "Great location, easy access, on a nice brook. Fire ring only, no facilities and minimal parking."
Hiking on varied terrain: Mount Philo State Park Campground provides access to short but rewarding trails. A visitor shares, "Nice trails that lead to scenic views of Lake Champlain. Bathrooms and showers were clean. Showers were quarter operated, 50 cents for 5 minutes."
Lake Champlain recreation: North Beach Campground offers direct lake access for water activities. According to a camper, "Bring your bikes! you're tucked away in the woods on gorgeous lake champlain and can bike into burlington for meals and city street strolls. it's great!"
Roadside camping: Green Mountain National Forest FR207 provides multiple roadside camping options. One visitor mentions, "About 12 sites off National Forest Road 71. Beautiful area and very secluded. All have fire rings but that's about it."
Waterfront camping opportunities: Waterfront sites at Button Bay State Park Campground are highly rated. A reviewer states, "Wonderful state park, the waterfront sites are fantastic, they are wide so smaller units can be parked parallel to the lake. Bathrooms are clean, facilities are great. Easy access to the lake."
Mountain views: Moosalamoo Campground provides scenic mountain vistas. One camper reports, "The camp sites are well spaced and it's nice and quiet with great privacy. The campground is conveniently located less than 20 minutes from Middlebury and still is down a long access road, therefore has no road noise."
Natural solitude: At Green Mountain National Forest FR207, campers appreciate the isolated setting. A visitor comments, "In the first large meadow, multiple fire rings/sites. Able to see sunrise/sunset/moonrise over the surrounding rolling hills and crests. Upper meadows accessible with 4WD/high clearance vehicles."
Dog friendly accommodations: Rivers Bend Campground welcomes pets with riverside sites that allow dogs to cool off during hot weather. Many dog friendly campgrounds near New Haven require leashes of six feet or less.
Primitive facilities are common: Many dispersed sites in Green Mountain National Forest have minimal amenities. A camper at Austin Brook notes, "This is a beautiful little pull off the road right on the river with tables & fire rings."
Weather preparedness essential: Even in summer, temperatures can drop significantly at night, especially at higher elevations. Pack extra layers and rain gear regardless of forecast.
Seasonal road conditions: Roads to dispersed campsites can become challenging. At Green Mountain National Forest FR207, a camper advises, "Make sure to have a backup plan during the mud season and treat your skin and clothes during black fly season."
Vehicle clearance requirements: Some forest roads require appropriate vehicles. A visitor warns, "This is not a place to go without at least 9" of ground clearance. Views are spectacular, choose either sunrise or sunset and you should be able to get a site to fit your needs."
Opt for established campgrounds with facilities: Button Bay State Park Campground offers amenities for families. A camper shares, "This is a good campground for families that are not too rowdy. There is a pool for swimming, paved roads are good for bikes & scooters, pavilion for activities, lake for swimming & fishing and hiking trails."
Consider site privacy levels: At different pet friendly camping areas near New Haven, privacy varies considerably. One visitor to Shelburne Camping Area notes, "This site has great facilities and is close to Burlington which is really convenient. The only downside is that the campsites are pretty small and close together so noise can be an issue."
Pack for variable temperatures: Even in summer, nighttime temperatures can drop unexpectedly. Bring appropriate clothing layers for children.
Maintain wildlife awareness: While camping with pets or children, be vigilant for wildlife interactions. Keep food secured and pets leashed at all times.
Limited hookup options: Many campgrounds offer only basic services. At Crown Point Campground, a visitor notes, "Sites are basic with a picnic table and fire ring. Trash and drinking water are available, as well as flush toilets and hot showers."
Site spacing considerations: At North Beach Campground, RV sites can feel crowded during peak season. A camper observed, "Since this campground is within Burlington city limits it is a bit cramped and can get crowded. However its location makes it convenient too."
Advance booking recommended: Popular waterfront sites fill quickly. At Button Bay, a visitor advises, "Book early for the best sites."
Road access challenges: Many forest roads are unsuitable for larger RVs. Consider vehicle size when selecting camping locations, particularly for dispersed sites.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near New Haven, VT?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near New Haven, VT is Button Bay State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 12 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near New Haven, VT?
TheDyrt.com has all 156 dog-friendly camping locations near New Haven, VT, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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