Dash Point State Park Campground welcomes pets at all 114 campsites with fire pits and picnic tables on its 398-acre property. Dogs must remain leashed throughout the park, including on the 11 miles of hiking and biking trails connecting to the sandy beach area. Several other pet-friendly options include Saltwater State Park Campground, Fay Bainbridge Park, and Blake Island Marine State Park, all permitting leashed dogs with proper waste cleanup. Accommodations range from basic tent sites to full-hookup RV spots, with some locations offering cabin rentals that accept pets. Campground showers and restroom facilities are clean and well-maintained at most locations. The park entrance fee is separate from camping fees, which range from $25-37 per night depending on site preference and amenities.
Hiking trails throughout these pet-friendly campgrounds provide excellent exercise opportunities for dogs, with multiple water access points for swimming at select locations. Dash Point's beach area becomes particularly popular during summer months, though some visitors note significant mosquito activity requiring appropriate repellent for both humans and pets. Sites at most campgrounds offer good separation between neighbors, creating more private camping experiences. The Puget Sound views from Blake Island Marine State Park's shoreline trails make it worth the boat trip for campers with pets. Most locations enforce quiet hours beginning at 10pm, with barking dogs expected to be properly managed. Nearby Federal Way and Des Moines offer emergency veterinary services approximately 15 minutes from most campgrounds, with pet supply stores available for forgotten essentials.
$20 / night
"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."
$57 - $104 / 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."
$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."
$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!"
$7 - $95 / night
"2, #3, #4 are IMO best after that as they move away from the beach and then curve around in ascending order.
Some neighbor noise, sites are close, but was not busy."
"Great spot on the edge of bainbridge. Lots of spots depending on your preferred privacy level."
$12 - $45 / night
"Hike the perimeter trail for views all around the island. It's a great place to stay in the summer months and relax."
"Really fantastic location. Very strict rangers which can be good or bad depending on your preference. Quiet hours are at 10pm which is early for some people so be aware."
$12 - $50 / night
"Often our first or last trip of the year, due to its proximity to the greater Seattle area. Most of the folks we meet are from western Washington. "
"Overall pretty quiet, close to town, close to ATV trails & dog friendly. The kids loved the park!"
$12 - $50 / night
"The grounds are well-maintained with easy access to some hiking trails that are easy to moderate in difficulty."
"This campground is right next to a state park. It’s also very close to a river and lots of woods."
$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!"
$20 - $37 / night
"Great place to walk around and enjoy what the deep green that is Washington state."
"The hiking around here is amazing and theres so many different things to do here. It’s close to the water, too which is really neat."
LegendReally 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!
GuideThere 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.
TravelerComfortable peaceful if it had wifi it would be perfect. The dog park is a wonderful addition.
TravelerGreat campground right before Olympic national park. Facilities are amazing and great dog park! Host was very friendly and took great care of us.
LegendWonderful RV park for long term Escapee-ers or members just passing through. We stopped here for a night, arriving on the weekend with no prior reservations or contact with them. They make it easy for you to self register when they're closed on weekends, just go up to the office and take one of their welcome packets.
We stayed in a dry camp site for only $7.50, and paid $5 for the dump (dump is only for members as well). FHU sites are around $33 depending on in-season/off-season, but I don't know how we would have figured out which sites were available. There are so many activities and amenities here for the long termers (I believe it's a 55+ park), I couldn't even list them all.
Showers and laundry were clean and efficient. There's a dog park and a dog walking path (there are signs everywhere about not letting your dog pee or poo on their nice plants). Cell service was good and they have good wifi as well. This would definitely be a spot we'd stop at again when we're in the area next.
ScoutExcellent location for those with military access to the base - active duty, retired or family. 30/50 amp hookups. Beautiful views of American Lake. Pet friendly.
GuideThis camp ground is not ideal if you have dogs. There is not much grass, in fact you have to go outside the park and across the street to hear compliant pet owner. We also found the electric box to be a little wonky. They office staff did have an adapter which help. It was very quiet and clean just not the most attractive campground.
GuideSpent 7 days (max) here. Camp hosts went out of their way to make it comfortable, clean and quiet. Completely dispersed tent or rv camping with a Washington Discovery Pass ($35 year) otherwise FREE for up too 7 days. Just register campsite upon arrival at front billboard or call ahead with questions or availability. First come first serve. Entire campground has decent roads but go extra extra slow in areas. Their are also couple nice campground public toilets but NO water or power. Bring sewer if able. Pet friendly but rules strictly enforced. I gave it 5 stars due to MY stay was amazing and my dog had a good time too. Thanks Margaret McKenny Camp hosts Ginny and Steve.
GuideThis campground has super friendly staff, decent bathrooms and showers, laundry facility, access to a lake, fishing is welcome, swimming allowed, great playground for kids, allows pets, has a small store in the office with some essentials if you forget something. It is about a 1 Hour drive to the entrance of Mount Rainier National Park.
Camping opportunities near Vashon Island span both shores of Puget Sound, with most sites accessible by car or ferry from the mainland. The island itself lacks established campgrounds but several options exist within a 30-minute drive or ferry ride. Winter camping remains available at select locations with reduced services, though summer reservations should be secured 6-9 months in advance due to high demand.
Beach exploration at low tide: The shoreline at Penrose Point State Park Campground offers excellent tide pooling and beach combing. "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," reports Saraj B.
Wildlife viewing: Dosewallips State Park provides opportunities to see local fauna. "Every night, my husband and I would walk to the wildlife viewing platform to see lots of birds, or walk down by the river and see lots of elk and bald eagles," shares Amy & Stu B.
Scuba diving: Saltwater State Park is popular with divers. "It does have a lot of activities because of how close it is to the water. We saw people fishing, diving, sailing, etc," notes Sam M., making it a good option among dog friendly campgrounds near Vashon.
Hiking trails: Most parks feature network trails for various ability levels. "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," writes Ingrid M. about Dash Point State Park.
Privacy between sites: Dash Point State Park Campground receives praise for site separation. "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," says Brittany D.
Ferry access to island camping: Blake Island Marine State Park Campground provides a unique boat-only experience. "You do need a boat or a ticket on the Argosy to get here, but it's so worth it! It is a peaceful getaway from the hustle and bustle with gorgeous views of the city," mentions Christi R.
Urban convenience: Some campgrounds provide easy access to supplies. "I spent a weekend tent camping at Dash Point State Park, and honestly, it was a great time even though I completely failed to plan any meals. Thankfully, civilization is only about 15 minutes away," reports Saraj B.
Forested settings: Many pet-friendly camping areas near Vashon offer wooded environments. "The campground itself is tucked into a beautiful, forested area with plenty of trees and privacy between sites," notes another camper about their experience.
Reservation requirements: Most parks require advance booking. "Make reservations. I'd come here again for the beach access and views during the day, but probably not to camp," advises Brooke H. about Saltwater State Park Campground.
Airport noise impacts: Some locations experience overhead flight paths. "Commercial jets landing at Sea-Tac fly directly above us at a low altitude and are VERY loud and VERY frequent (every 3-5 minutes)," warns Travis P. about Saltwater State Park.
Site limitations: Not all campgrounds accommodate larger vehicles. "The tent spots are clustered together in 2 areas with a shared covered pavilion," explains Sable about Fay Bainbridge Park.
Shower facilities: Most parks offer pay showers. "Showers are older but clean. Need to buy tokens for the shower," notes Kate B. about Dash Point State Park.
Playground access: Fay Bainbridge Park offers child-friendly amenities. "Amazing kids area pirate ship. Great beach walk and good camp sites," recommends Tanya B.
Swimming opportunities: Several parks feature swimming areas suitable for children. "We enjoyed being so close to the water for swimming and floating. It's also just a short drive into town to get supplies," shares Becky R. about Belfair State Park.
Educational opportunities: Look for junior ranger programs at state parks. "The kids enjoyed taking part in the junior ranger program," one family mentions about their experience at dog-friendly camping spots near Vashon Island.
Short hiking trails: Many parks feature easy trails for younger hikers. "There are several hiking trail loops but the most appropriate for us was the beach trail which is maybe 2 miles to the beach and back," Michael B. says about Dosewallips State Park.
Hookup availability: Sun Outdoors Gig Harbor offers full services for RVs. "Very close to Gig Harbor. Quiet, lots of trees, level gravel sites, and full hook ups available," notes Steven L.
Space considerations: Be aware of site dimensions when booking. "Larger RVs should be in the lower site numbers. Ours is mid-size and we barely fit in #26, though it was nicely shaded," advises Judy J. about Fay Bainbridge Park.
Dump station access: Not all parks with RV sites have onsite dumping. "Spacious lots. No sewer at our site, but we did have electrical and water. Dump station close by worked great on exit," shares Lauren M. about Dosewallips State Park Campground.
Winter camping options: Several RV sites remain open year-round. "Only had 2 night here, but it was quiet and very enjoyable. Wooded with ferns. Rain was nice to enjoy through the windows," notes a winter visitor to Dosewallips State Park.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Vashon, WA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Vashon, WA is Dash Point State Park Campground with a 3.9-star rating from 73 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Vashon, WA?
TheDyrt.com has all 159 dog-friendly camping locations near Vashon, WA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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