16 campgrounds with availability this weekend
Lewis North Travel Camp on Joint Base Lewis McChord provides military-exclusive camping with pet-friendly accommodations. The campground features full hookup sites for RVs and tents, plus cabin options for those traveling with dogs. Pets are limited to two dogs per reservation with designated areas for walking. Sites throughout the forested grounds maintain privacy between neighbors while offering access to American Lake. Camp Murray Beach, another military facility near Steilacoom, welcomes pets and provides water access along American Lake with electric hookups and sewer connections for RV campers. Campers observe the grounds are well-maintained with heated restrooms and camp hosts available to answer questions about pet policies.
Penrose Point State Park Campground offers wooded sites with good privacy for families camping with dogs. The park features beach access within walking distance of campsites where pets can explore shorelines under proper supervision. Trails through mature forests provide additional exercise opportunities for leashed pets. The heavily wooded setting creates natural separation between campsites, reducing potential conflicts between neighboring pets. Campers should be aware that raccoons may visit campsites at night, requiring proper food storage for pet safety. The park maintains clean facilities including restrooms and provides firewood sales on-site. Water access points throughout the park offer dogs relief during warmer months when the Puget Sound waters reach comfortable swimming temperatures in protected coves.
"Firstly, I just have to say what a positive and amazing experience I had at this campground. The volunteers were friendly, kind and absolutely awesome to interact with."
"The campground itself is tucked into a beautiful, forested area with plenty of trees and privacy between sites. Ours had a tent pad, fire ring, and picnic table."
Available this weekend
from $23 - $74 / night
"Penrose Point State Park is a great place close to Seattle to go camping in a small or large group. It's tent or camper friendly with plenty of spots for busier seasons."
"Pros: group camp is very close to beach front area, GREAT CLAMMING AND OYSTERING!"
Available this weekend
from $12 - $72 / night
"Pet friendly, but not many attractions for children (no playground, no pool)."
"New laundry room almost complete, small dog run, exterior dog bath, clean restrooms, very accommodating staff, 1st Friday movie night. Landscaping needs more improvement. Coming back next year."
from $57 - $104 / night
"Unfortunately the restrooms right next to our site were closed so it was a slight walk to the nearest restroom. Restrooms were heated and well taken care of."
"Very friendly next to the lake plenty of things to do walking, biking, hiking, fishing, Military museums, not to far off of I-5. Full hookups laundry shower facilities. Cabins too."
from $12 - $35 / night
"We arrived little later around 6 p.m. And being such a nice day there were only few sites left."
"Views from campground are great and enjoyed walking the few trails w/ my dogs. T-mobile service spotty - could not use hotspot. Had to drive about 15 mins down road to park to access 5G."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $12 / night
"This site does is a back in, but the slab is at a 90 degree angle from the drive. So you will have to back your trailer around a corner if you plan to park it on the slab. "
"Friendly staff, nice river walks and nice picnic spots. Children and dog play grounds."
"This was a beautiful pet friendly camp site showers water to play in animal friendly all around beautiful and amazing"
"Need to reserve your site online with the JBLM MWR or go to the adventure center building nearby on base. Nice access to American Lake and fishing nearby as well."
from $8 - $32 / night
"This is a very nice, typical Washington state park with plenty of trees, greenery, hiking, pathways and even a lake."
"This is a beautiful park located on Deep Lake just outside of Olympia. The park itself is huge offering lots of options for campers. "
Available this weekend
from $12 - $140 / night
"Great location if you want to relax and take long walks at nearby state parks and beaches. Robyn is a spectacular host who was great to communicate with. We will be coming back."
"The location is great, so close to the water, Penrose and other peninsula activities."
from $50 / night
"Site 8 is a pull through and is very large, but not so private as everyone walking to the main dock walks right past your site."
"Tucked away remote campsite in a forest next to estuary. Two sites have hookups. Clean restrooms with shower."
Available this weekend
from $12 - $70 / night
ScoutNo shower or bathroom but the staff is friendly and the space is a slice of quiet nature. Imrated 4 stars because it is the most confusing location for a driver or friend to find. It's nestled behind a Shell station and Google Maps will deliver your guests to a parking lot across the street..
RangerI essentially drove as far as I could into the forest and fount a cut off that absolutely was not well maintained but I managed to get my car through and my goodness was it worth it! A bit of trash left behind but other than that this was probably top 3 of the over 25 sites I stayed at over the past several weeks. I even had a little bit of service (Verizon) You do need a discover pass - so technically not free. No amentities but there was a rock fire pit that had been well used. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to find this spot again, but I’ll try and try.
TravelerNice campground, well maintained and rangers often patrol the campsite loops. Bathrooms are nice but dated, but quite expensive campground. Paying in-person was $49 for an RV spot with utilities, but booking online was $69 for the same site. Can be busy on the weekend.
ScoutThis place is so nice. We felt welcomed as soon as we walked to the check-in desk. Dave and Victoria are so kind. This place is so nice and neat and clean. They have a pool and a hot tub which is a plus and a sauna. It was very nice to be able to chatter with them and joke back-and-forth like they were old friends. You can’t go wrong staying here. The only thing is I hate to tell anyone how nice it is cause then I might not be able to get in.
TravelerSpacious spots by a scenic lake. Can accommodate just about any size rig, plenty of sites for both tents and rvs.
TravelerBeautiful spot, lots of great spots for tents, rvs and travel trailers. Loved that there was plenty of space between campsites. Would spend multiple nights here!
ScoutFirst off you get what you pay for it's cheap but you're packed like sardines in a gravel lot that looks trashy as hell I didn't go in the restrooms because they don't have stuff there till after 6:00 p.m. so I was terrified by how disgusting they might be on top of it the owner is quite possibly the rudest most inconsiderate and unempathetic human I've ever encountered he gaslit the hell out of me he insulted my intelligence he lied about our conversations that place is so shady there's no checking or check out time written on their forms they will just make up a time that seems appropriate and then if you don't respond and how they like they'll tell you that you have to leave I thought it was just me but after moving to a beautiful Campground I talked to two out of their individuals that told me that they basically told him to F off and they would find somewhere else really horrible business practices and his sister is just as rude as he is trashy place with Shady practices and Shady people running it. Also if you're one that noise bothers you you will hate this because it's right on the highway and you can hear everything from every spot in the park. Especially if you're looking for nightly you can go down the street to the one they recommended and pay $18 less a night for way more beautiful place
GuideStayed Sept 28 to 30th 2026. Nice park, hot showers, clean bathrooms, enjoyed our stay
RangerIt was MAGICAL- mushrooms, fall leaves, and moss everywhere. Keep in mind that there’s no signal, Starlink nor cell.. we also were freezing at night (35 degrees) in early October and the spots were tricky for our bigger rig. But if you have a smaller rig there’s tons of places off of road 73 for dispersed camping. Bumpy road to get there but keep on driving and you’ll find places with even firepits.
Campsites near Steilacoom, Washington offer both saltwater and freshwater access across Puget Sound's Key Peninsula and American Lake regions. The area maintains average summer temperatures around 75°F and winter lows near 35°F, creating nearly year-round camping opportunities. Most campgrounds sit at elevations under 500 feet, with thick evergreen forest coverage providing natural buffers between campsites in many locations.
Beachcombing and tidepool exploration: Joemma Beach State Park Campground provides direct shoreline access where campers can observe marine life during low tide periods. "The beach is a short walk from camp, just long enough to make you feel like you earned your sunset view, but not so long that you regret your life choices," notes Saraj B. at Dash Point State Park.
Hiking through mature forests: Several interconnected trail systems run through the region's state parks, with difficulty levels appropriate for most hikers. "Lots of walking trails and a lake. Many families and kids running free. A bit pricey ($37 peak season) but very convenient if you're in Olympia and need a campsite late/on the fly," reports Anna P. at Millersylvania State Park Campground.
Freshwater fishing and boating: American Lake provides opportunities for both motorized and non-motorized watercraft with multiple access points. "Facilities were good and trails around are fun and easy enough for me and 2 kids. The beach and its tides are why we came," shares Ingrid M. regarding Dash Point State Park Campground.
Site privacy and natural separation: Many campgrounds feature dense undergrowth and mature trees creating natural barriers between sites. "This campground is remarkable in the privacy between each of the camping spots, the bird life, the wild and deep forest vibes, and the walking trails," writes Brittany D. about Dash Point State Park.
Clean facilities and amenities: Well-maintained bathrooms and shower facilities are consistently mentioned across multiple campgrounds. "Restrooms were clean, the sites were clean when we got there. Over all we had a great time," notes Kait P. at Penrose Point State Park Campground.
Water access for cooling off: Swimming opportunities exist at both freshwater and saltwater locations, with varying water temperatures. "The beach is beautiful here! And the campsites are very secluded! There are tons of trees and bushes in between everybody's campsite," shares Alexandrea L. about Penrose Point State Park Campground.
Seasonal operating schedules: Several parks have limited availability during winter months. "The campground is open April 1– mid-December but the day use area is open year-round," reports Lee D. regarding Saltwater State Park.
Reservation requirements vary: Some smaller campgrounds operate first-come, first-served while larger facilities require advance booking. "Joemma State Park campground is no longer all first come first serve only. It is now reservable online, but if you get there and there is an available spot it is $12 a night that you pay at site," explains Diamond A. about Joemma Beach State Park Campground.
Wildlife interactions: Prepare for potential encounters with local fauna, particularly at night. "Sites were reasonably private and quiet at night (except for a brief invasion of 6 raccoons at our site one night!)," warns Rachel about Penrose Point State Park Campground.
Military access restrictions: Some camping facilities near Joint Base Lewis-McChord require appropriate credentials. "This is a DoD facility, so will be helpful for Active, Reserve, Retired military only," explains Michael C. about Lewis North Travel Camp.
Playground accessibility: Several parks feature dedicated play areas for children. "Friendly staff, nice river walks and nice picnic spots. Children and dog play grounds," notes Lai La L. about Riverbend Campground.
Campsite selection for noise management: Choose sites away from main entrances for quieter experiences. "Our site was near the entrance so traffic was heavy at times. Next trip we'll stay farther in," advises Adrienne Q. about camping at Penrose Point.
Junior ranger programs: Some state parks offer educational activities for children. "The grounds, including bathrooms, were well maintained and the kids enjoyed taking part in the junior ranger program," shares Sarah H. from Penrose Point State Park Campground.
Pet policies for families with dogs: Most campgrounds welcome dogs with specific restrictions. "Only 2 dogs allowed per reservation. No camp-wide wifi but we didn't care about that. Great AT&T cell service," explains Emma Y. about Lewis North Travel Camp - Joint Base Lewis McChord.
Hookup availability and quality: Water pressure and electrical connections vary by location. "W/s/e at each site. Great stay for the price. Laundry washers work well, but driers don't heat up," notes William B. about Lewis North Travel Camp.
Site leveling challenges: Some parks require additional equipment for comfortable setup. "The only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is because our site had a huge mud puddle from the road going to the power and water hook-up. The thin layer of mud on the pavement made things quite slick as I was trying to get leveling blocks down," warns Christina F. at Millersylvania State Park.
Dump station access: Not all campgrounds with RV sites provide on-site dump facilities. "The site had water and electrical, but no sewer connections. They do have a nice dump station," explains Doug about Riverbend Campground.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Steilacoom, WA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Steilacoom, WA is Dash Point State Park Campground with a 3.9-star rating from 79 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Steilacoom, WA?
TheDyrt.com has all 171 dog-friendly camping locations near Steilacoom, WA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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