The Dyrt announced its Top 9 for K-9s: The Most Dog-Friendly Campgrounds in The U.S. for 2024.
According to The Dyrt’s 2024 Camping Report presented by The All-New Toyota Tacoma, more than half of campers (53.7%) brought their four-legged friends along with them in 2023.
The Dyrt also found that 46.8% of campers list RVing as their primary camping type. No surprise then that five of the nine campgrounds in the Top 9 for K-9s cater primarily to RVs, the company said.
The No. 1 campground this year is 4 Paws Kingdom Campground & Dog Retreat in Rutherfordton, North Carolina. Yes, “Dog” is right there in the name. This property truly prioritizes pampering pooches, right down to not allowing any humans under the age of 18 for optimal relaxation and minimal fur tugging. 4 Paws is set on nine acres and some of the individual campsites even have fenced-in yards.
“People love camping for a lot of the same reasons that dogs love camping,” says Sarah Smith, founder of The Dyrt. “You get out of the house, immerse yourself in nature, explore, see some wildlife, sit by a fire, sleep in the great outdoors. When we take Brandy (aka The Dyrt Dog) camping with us, I know she’s having as much fun as we are.”
Top 9 for K-9s is the official close to The Dyrt awards season, which started with The Glampys and was followed by the Best Places to Camp Regional and National awards, presented by Toyota Tacoma, and the Best Places to RV presented by State Farm.
Using AI to sift through The Dyrt’s millions of user-generated reviews, photos and tips of U.S. campgrounds, The Dyrt identified campgrounds that were not just dog-friendly, but dog-welcoming. They are ranked based on reviews, photos, accommodations and amenities offered:
4 Paws Kingdom Campground & Dog Retreat — North Carolina: Doggy heaven on Earth
Wagonhammer RV Park & Campground — Idaho: Welcome to off-leash island
Lake George RV Park — New York: Bark Park hits the mark
Alum Creek State Park — Ohio: Fenced-in fields for big and small dogs
Tahoe Valley Campground — California: Dogs want to go to Tahoe too
Campground at James Island County Park — South Carolina: 643 acres of exploring
Chatfield State Park — Colorado: 69-acre, fenced-in dog park
First Landing State Park — Virginia: 20 miles of trails and Chesapeake Bay beach
Santa Fe Skies RV Park — New Mexico: Trails, a dog park and unmatched mountain views
All nine campgrounds earned positive reviews from The Dyrt campers, a group which is becoming more proactive in seeking out campgrounds that meet their needs as pet owners. The 2024 Camping Report found that when it came to adding amenities, the only things property owners added more than dog parks were Wi-Fi and pickleball courts.