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Best Dog-Friendly Camping near St. Albans, VT

417 Reviews

Burton Island State Park Campground offers boat-accessible pet-friendly camping on an island in Lake Champlain, with camping options including tent sites, cabins, lean-tos, and RV spots. Dogs are welcome throughout most of the island, with a dedicated off-leash dog beach providing water access for pets. Other pet-friendly options near St. Albans include Grand Isle State Park Campground, Knight Island State Park, and Woods Island State Park, all of which permit dogs in designated camping areas. Campgrounds maintain standard leash policies in common areas, with pets needing to be under control at all times. Primitive camping sites on the islands tend to offer more privacy for camping with dogs, while the mainland campgrounds like Maple Grove Campground and Apple Island Resort provide full hookups for RVs traveling with pets.

Accessing the island campgrounds requires either private boat transportation or the Vermont State Park ferry service from Kamp Kill Kare State Park. Dogs can enjoy swimming at designated beaches, hiking the well-maintained trail systems, and exploring the shorelines alongside their owners. The island parks generally operate from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, with Burton Island offering the most amenities for pet owners, including a camp store and bistro. Campers report that sites at these campgrounds book quickly, especially waterfront locations, which should be reserved up to 11 months in advance. Weather considerations for pets include summer bugs and insects, with many reviewers recommending bug spray for both humans and pets when exploring inland trails.

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Best Dog-Friendly Sites Near St. Albans, Vermont (77)

    1. Grand Isle State Park Campground

    28 Reviews
    Grand Isle, VT
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (802) 372-4300

    $6 - $28 / night

    "Beautifully set on Lake Champlain in Vermont! This is a relatively large campground but is well laid out and doesn't feel small even when it's packed to the gills."

    "Since the park is on a island in Lake Champlain in Vermont there is water all around. Good places to walk and ride."

    2. Burton Island State Park Campground

    8 Reviews
    North Hero, VT
    6 miles
    Website
    +1 (802) 524-6353

    "I've been exploring Vermont State Parks since before I could walk, and Burton Island State Park is my all time favorite!"

    "Burton Island is a 2.5 mile long island state park off of the shoreline of Lake Champlain."

    3. Apple Island Resort

    12 Reviews
    Grand Isle, VT
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (802) 372-3800

    $55 - $105 / night

    "Visit this campground in the fall and experience quintessential Vermont in all its glory. The campground is nice. The people are friendly."

    "Lots of things to do around here with dogs and kids. Breweries near by for the so inclined. Should have brought my roadbike, this is a bicyclers heaven."

    4. Lake Carmi State Park Campground

    12 Reviews
    Franklin, VT
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (802) 933-8383

    $29 / night

    "Our first time in Vermont, we were coming from Montreal, Quebec. And while there are many nice campsites to visit in Quebec... we've done them all, within a 2-hour radius. Well, guess what?"

    "Dog friendly, cool trails to walk on. The sites were very private. Would love to come back! The sites and bathrooms were also VERY clean. Friendly staff!"

    5. North Beach Campground

    28 Reviews
    Burlington, VT
    23 miles
    Website
    +1 (802) 862-0942

    $37 - $100 / night

    "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."

    6. Knight Island State Park Campground

    3 Reviews
    North Hero, VT
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (802) 524-6353

    "There are some nice leantos on the east side of the island that give you access to the lake and some good fishing. Deer, .turkey, fox and smaller animals can be seen throughout the island"

    "It doesn't host a ton of amenities other than outdoor toilets, but it doesn't need to because every remote campsite is waterside, with fabulous access to amazing swimming, gorgeous sunsets, and fantastic"

    7. Maple Grove Campground

    3 Reviews
    Milton, VT
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (802) 849-6439

    $25 - $40 / night

    "The laundry room is near most sites. The campground is in the perfect location to visit Lake Champlain. There is so much to do in the area."

    "Site Quality: RV sites are arranged around an oval. Pads are gravel. Because the loop is on a hill, some sites are not quite level, but only slightly."

    8. Campbells Bay Campground

    2 Reviews
    Swanton, VT
    8 miles

    "It had a view of the water yet it's a distance away. We had water and electric and a small dump station. There was a tree in our site which gave us a little shade yet no privacy in-between the sites."

    "It’s always a great time, cabins are clean, neat & very close to the water. Everything is clean, no litter on grounds or in water. Boat access is very easy, docks can be a bit shakey lol."

    9. Woods Island State Park Campground

    1 Review
    North Hero, VT
    6 miles
    Website
    +1 (802) 524-6353

    "One of three neighboring island parks in Lake Champlain’s “inland sea”(along with Burton Island and Knight Island), Woods Island became Vermont's forty-fifth state park in 1985."

    10. Champlain Resort Adult Campground

    5 Reviews
    Grand Isle, VT
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (802) 372-5938

    "This campground is a gem in the Lakes Region of Northern Vermont. It sits right on Lake Champlain and has the most amazing sunsets."

    "Our camp spot had an amazing view of the lake which we didn’t ask for specifically which made it even better."

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Recent Dog-Friendly Camping Photos near St. Albans, VT

45 Photos of 77 St. Albans Campgrounds

Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near St. Albans, VT

417 Reviews of 77 St. Albans Campgrounds

  • Tara S.
    Oct. 18, 2017

    Burton Island State Park Campground

    10 Reasons to Love Burton Island State Park

    I've been exploring Vermont State Parks since before I could walk, and Burton Island State Park is my all time favorite! There's a million reasons to love camping here, and if you are visiting Vermont in the summer, I think it's one of those must-visit destinations. Here's why it's my favorite place to camp in the whole state.

    1. It's like going to to a tropical island without leaving Vermont.
    2. There are no cars on the island. You have to paddle yourself out or take the VT State Park passenger ferry from St. Albans.
    3. It's super family friendly - maybe it's because there aren't cars all over the place, but the island is full of free range kids, and they're having a blast.
    4. There's a camping bistro where you can buy pancakes, coffee, local beer, and fine wines
    5. Sunsets are magical - if you can, get a lean-to right on the water. If not, hike to the western shore for the main event.
    6. You can bring your dog - there's even an off-leash dog beach!
    7. You can stay in a cabin! If you don't want to rough it, you don't have to.
    8. There are lots of trails to explore, and almost all of them lead to the water where you can cool off in Lake Champlain.
    9. There are kayaks and canoes to rent.
    10. There's a marina (with WiFi), and you can rent slips for the night.

    Waterfront sites book very quickly (like 11 months in advance), but if you don't mind being farther from the main campground and running water, you can almost always rent one of the four primitive sites, which are secluded and waterfront. You can paddle out to Burton Island on your own from Kamp Killcare State Park, where you'll leave your car. It's a very short paddle and shouldn't take more than 10 minutes. The passenger ferry runs throughout the day, if you don't have a boat of your own.

    Once you're on the island, you can borrow a cart to bring your gear to your site, or you can pay one of the park rangers to haul it in one of their golf carts. We have stayed in a few different sites over the years -- we aren't picky, because we usually get one of the last sites available. We've never been disappointed a site. They're all great, and within easy walking distance of the beach.

  • D
    Oct. 3, 2021

    North Beach Campground

    Great Campground “On The Water”

    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.

  • Erin J.
    Sep. 24, 2022

    Lake Placid/Whiteface Mountain KOA Holiday

    Great Area

    We 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.

  • Brandon L.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 12, 2024

    Lake Placid/Whiteface Mountain KOA Holiday

    This is a good place to sleep, but not much more to it

    To 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.

  • Shanna M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 12, 2025

    Valcour Island

    Valcour Island

    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.

  • Rachel P.
    Oct. 16, 2018

    Smugglers Notch State Park Campground

    Smugglers Notch State Park

    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!

  • Meag F.
    Sep. 1, 2016

    Shady Oaks Camping Resort

    Great Place for Big Rigs

    Mostly Seasonal area with some overnight spots. No tents allowed. But pet friendly. Small but clean areas with electric at each site. Has some benches outside, a small pool, playground, and community of seasonal campers. I think there was only a few overnighters.

  • Fransheska A.
    Aug. 11, 2021

    Smugglers Notch State Park Campground

    Great family friendly campground

    We stayed last year during the fall and the views were breathtaking. 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. The staff was friendly and the bathroom facilities were kept nice and clean.

  • Fransheska A.
    Oct. 7, 2019

    Smugglers Notch State Park Campground

    Clean, quiet, and private site

    Smugglers notch was not only beautiful but the campground was one of the best ones I’ve stayed at. We stayed in cherry (leanto) site which was fairly private and big enough for us to set up our 8 person tent. They were pet friendly which is always a plus. The bathrooms were the cleanest ones yet. The staff was friendly and helpful. They make nightly rounds to check on the campers and make sure no one has any questions or concerns. There were trails leading from campgrounds and beautiful views. We had an unforgettable weekend. Would 100% camp there again in the future!

Guide to St. Albans

If you're looking for a pet-friendly camping experience near St. Albans, Vermont, there are several great options that welcome your furry friends. Enjoy the beautiful outdoors while ensuring your pets have a fantastic time too.

Dog owners appreciate spacious sites and amenities

  • At North Beach Campground, you’ll find ample space for your pets to roam and enjoy the outdoors, along with features like drinking water and picnic tables.
  • Grand Isle State Park Campground offers a variety of sites, including waterfront options, making it a great spot for pets to enjoy the scenic views.
  • Lake Carmi State Park Campground provides a mix of tent and RV sites, ensuring plenty of room for your pets to play and relax.

Dog-friendly activities while camping near St. Albans

  • At Apple Island Resort, you can take your dog for a walk along the beautiful trails and enjoy the stunning views of Lake Champlain.
  • Mallets Bay Campground is close to a public beach where you can take your dog for a swim or a fun day of playing fetch.
  • Brewster River Campground features a peaceful setting by the river, perfect for leisurely walks with your dog and enjoying nature together.

Tips for camping with dogs near St. Albans

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near St. Albans, VT?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near St. Albans, VT is Grand Isle State Park Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 28 reviews.

What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near St. Albans, VT?

TheDyrt.com has all 77 dog-friendly camping locations near St. Albans, VT, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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