Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Tacoma, WA

Dash Point State Park Campground welcomes pets throughout its spacious and private camping sites. Travelers camping with dogs appreciate the well-maintained walking trails that connect to the pet-friendly beach area. Each campsite features a fire pit with grill top, picnic table, and enough space to accommodate both humans and their four-legged companions. Sun Outdoors Gig Harbor, Penrose Point State Park, and Saltwater State Park also allow pets within their boundaries. Most sites enforce standard leash requirements and ask that owners clean up after their animals. The campgrounds have clean restroom facilities and spacious sites far enough apart to prevent dogs from bothering neighboring campers. Sites had plenty of tent space with good forest coverage that provides shade for pets during warmer months.

Kanaskat-Palmer State Park offers hiking trails where leashed pets can join their owners for nature exploration near the campground. Joemma Beach State Park provides water access where dogs can cool off during summer camping trips. The beach trail at Dash Point makes for a perfect sunset watching location with your pet. Campers should note that wildlife encounters are possible in these areas, so keeping pets leashed protects both the animals and local wildlife. The proximity to Tacoma means veterinary services are readily available within a short drive from most campgrounds. During peak season, pet owners should secure reservations well in advance as these pet-friendly sites fill quickly, especially those with full hookups or cabin accommodations that accept animals. The gate at some parks closes at 10 pm, so travelers with pets should plan to arrive before closing time.

Best Dog-Friendly Sites Near Tacoma, Washington (169)

    1. Dash Point State Park Campground

    72 Reviews
    Federal Way, WA
    5 miles
    Website
    +1 (888) 226-7688

    $20 / night

    "If you are in Tacoma and dont have a chance to get to the East side or the coast, head to Dash Point."

    "The campground for Dash point State Park is across the highway from the actual park, but offers lots of trails and hiking in and around the ocean and forest."

    2. Penrose Point State Park Campground

    20 Reviews
    Lakebay, WA
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (888) 226-7688

    $32 / 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!"

    3. Saltwater State Park Campground

    16 Reviews
    Des Moines, WA
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (253) 661-4956

    $60 / night

    "Pay showers ($1 for 3 minutes) and clean restroom with air dryer, pet friendly, lots of trails to hike and a beautiful beach area with a playground, seasonal/weekend snack shop, outdoor shower by the beach"

    "My family stayed here for a night when we went out to Washington a few months ago. It was a nice little place."

    4. Game Farm Wilderness Campground

    15 Reviews
    Auburn, WA
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (253) 931-3043

    $40 / night

    "Just like building and exploring in Minecraft for PC, you can craft your perfect outdoor adventure here, surrounded by nature, and enjoy endless fun and exploration."

    5. Sun Outdoors Gig Harbor

    10 Reviews
    Gig Harbor, WA
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (253) 858-8138

    $57 - $104 / night

    "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."

    "Pet friendly, but not many attractions for children (no playground, no pool)."

    6. Lewis North Travel Camp - Joint Base Lewis McChord

    7 Reviews
    DuPont, WA
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (253) 967-7744

    $12 - $35 / 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."

    7. Camp Murray Beach

    4 Reviews
    DuPont, WA
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (253) 584-5411

    $8 - $32 / night

    "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."

    8. Joemma Beach State Park Campground

    10 Reviews
    Lakebay, WA
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (253) 884-1944

    $12 / 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."

    9. Kanaskat-Palmer State Park

    30 Reviews
    Ravensdale, WA
    27 miles
    Website
    +1 (888) 226-7688

    $20 / night

    "There is good system of trails, tons of picnic tables along the river, and good river access to the Green rivers. Campground is well maintained, clean bathrooms and showers available."

    "It's close proximity to our house allows us to hook up the trailer after work and include a Friday night in our camping weekend!"

    10. Lakebay Getaway

    4 Reviews
    Lakebay, WA
    14 miles
    +1 (253) 225-6248

    $50 / 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."

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Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Tacoma, WA

1392 Reviews of 169 Tacoma Campgrounds


  • Carla S.
    Jul. 31, 2016

    Dash Point State Park Campground

    Dash Point Beach

    Really cute camp spot and play area!! Pet friendly and dog park! Went here on our trip to Tacoma north of the city. Very nice beach and area!! There's also a light house to check out while you are here!

  • Parker C.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 24, 2025

    Dash Point State Park Campground

    Easily accessible

    I love how easy it is to get to this campground from tacoma. The beach is great and the amenities are great! But it’s quite busy and loud.

  • Mary C.
    Jun. 11, 2018

    Dash Point State Park Campground

    Fun Family Getaway

    If you are in Tacoma and dont have a chance to get to the East side or the coast, head to Dash Point. Just twenty minutes from Tacoma, Dash Point has a great camp ground and yurts a plenty for a quick getaway. Easy water access and lots of trails to explore make it very family friendly.

  • Adam W.
    Aug. 4, 2020

    Fay Bainbridge Park

    Close but still near everything

    I only drove from Tacoma, which is about 1 hour 10 min away. The site was nice, great view of the water and The Ballard Locks. I’m pretty sure we paid about $35/night for Friday/ Saturday at the end of July. Nice beach, clean restrooms. We would/will go back

  • P
    Jun. 14, 2022

    Silver Springs Campground

    New Favorite Spot

    This is my new favorite spot to camp in Washington. The spaces are well distributed, the location right next to the river is beautiful and the site staff were extremely gracious. I’d strongly recommend picking a number between 2 and 10 as those are the closest sights to the river if you’re looking to enjoy the sounds of the water. There is also a full bathroom at around the mid 20s if you’d prefer a functional toilet system.

  • Daniel L.
    Aug. 6, 2018

    Ike Kinswa State Park Campground

    On Mayfield Lake

    The Mayfield Lake is the main attraction. Be sure to visit the day use area across the road for lake access with swimming, picnic, and a dog park on the water.

    Very good privacy for the standard campsite loop. Standard campsites are either pull through or back in.

    There's a trail around the edge of the lake in campsite loop. Find the point, you wont be disappointed.

  • cheriana G.
    Jun. 22, 2023

    Lake Pleasant RV Park

    Best option near seattle

    There aren’t many rv parks that are close (35ish mins) to Seattle but this is the best option. Office staff is friendly, bathrooms are clean, laundry is cheap ($1 wash), maintenance staff is constantly tending to the grounds, full hook ups, and cute (short) hiking paths surrounding the park. The lake is more of a murky pond and the geese are happy residents here so expect a lot of goose poop at any spot near the water. There’s also no dog park.

  • Natalie S.
    Sep. 15, 2021

    American Heritage Campground

    Great RV site

    Comfortable peaceful if it had wifi it would be perfect. The dog park is a wonderful addition.


Guide to Tacoma

Pet friendly camping near Tacoma, Washington features several accessible options within a 40-mile radius of the city. The region's moderate maritime climate keeps temperatures between 35-80°F year-round, with most rainfall occurring from October through April. Many campgrounds in the area sit at relatively low elevations (under 600 feet), making them accessible for most of the year despite seasonal rain.

What to do

Explore tidal areas: At Joemma Beach State Park, visitors can walk along the beach at low tide. "There's a day use lake and we had a wonderful time camping here!" shares Brittany L., highlighting the water activities available.

Hike forest trails: Several campgrounds offer wooded hiking options through evergreen forests. "The campground loop is a nice walk or cruise on a bike. There is easy access to a beautiful stretch of the Green River, with picnicking areas and walking trails," notes Shay F. about Kanaskat-Palmer State Park.

Kayak and paddleboard: Water activities are popular in summer months. Deep Lake near Kanaskat-Palmer is "beautiful and great for swimming and paddle boarding," according to Ashlie M., who appreciated being close to multiple water recreation options.

What campers like

Privacy between sites: Penrose Point State Park Campground gets high marks for site separation. "Sites were reasonably private and quiet at night (except for a brief invasion of 6 raccoons at our site one night!)," writes Rachel, highlighting the natural setting.

Clean facilities: Bathroom cleanliness matters to campers. At Kanaskat-Palmer State Park, Julie M. appreciated that "Bathrooms are super nice - each is private with a shower. Camp staff were pleasant and helpful."

Urban accessibility: Many campers value Sun Outdoors Gig Harbor for its convenient location. "Very close to Gig Harbor. Quiet, lots of trees, level gravel sites, and full hook ups available," notes Steven L., emphasizing how the campground balances nature with urban amenities.

What you should know

Campground security varies: Some areas have more security oversight than others. At Dash Point State Park Campground, Evan F. notes: "Cleanliness, peace and quiet, and ease of access are all strengths of Dash Point."

Weather preparedness: The Pacific Northwest can be wet, even in summer. "We went here in October and dry camped with our 30' Motorhome," says Cody F. about Kanaskat-Palmer, mentioning the beautiful trails that wrapped around the river despite the fall weather.

Reservation timing: Most parks fill quickly during peak season (May-September). For Penrose Point, Adrienne Q. recommends planning ahead: "The campground was full with lots of families with young kids but the sites felt relatively private and the whole park is heavily wooded."

Tips for camping with families

River access options: For families with children, consider water safety at different campgrounds. Kelly P. notes about Kanaskat-Palmer: "The riverfront accessed from the campground tends to be a bit too raging for my taste with children. We usually take the kids to the lake at Nolte state park (approx. 3 miles away) for water play."

Ranger presence: Some campgrounds have more staff oversight. "This campground is heavily patrolled by the park rangers. I usually have contact with them in my campsite at least twice a day," mentions Kelly P., which provides security but might impact evening activities.

Junior Ranger programs: Educational opportunities exist at several parks. At Penrose Point State Park, Sarah H. appreciated that "the kids enjoyed taking part in the junior ranger program. Our family camps often, and Penrose stands out as one of our top experiences."

Tips from RVers

Leveling challenges: At Kanaskat-Palmer State Park, Cody F. found: "The gravel pull through was so not level the jacks pushed the front tires 6 inches off the ground. But there was lots of private space and the trails were beautiful."

Hookup specifics: Know which parks have full hookups versus partial. At Game Farm Wilderness Campground, campers can access "18 campsites with water and electricity hookups, picnic tables, and fire pits," making it suitable for RVs requiring these amenities.

Dump station availability: Not all parks with RV sites have dump stations. Jay F. found Kanaskat-Palmer's "dump station clean and well maintained" and appreciated that they could "fill up with some fresh water" there before setting up camp.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Tacoma, WA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Tacoma, WA is Dash Point State Park Campground with a 3.9-star rating from 72 reviews.

What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Tacoma, WA?

TheDyrt.com has all 169 dog-friendly camping locations near Tacoma, WA, with real photos and reviews from campers.