KOA’s Dog Pen Campsites – Updated

According to GoRVing.com, 68% of RV owners travel with a pet. I know that the ability to travel with pups certainly influenced my decision to buy an RV. Most campgrounds allow dogs, and many have a fenced-in park where dogs can run around. Some Kampgrounds of America locations even offer campsites with private Paw Pens for dogs. We have stayed at a dozen of KOA’s dog pen campsites over the last two years. This experience taught me that not all Paw Pens are created equal. They can differ significantly in size, location, and amenities, so it’s important to do some research before reserving. To start you off, here is some information on the private dog pen sites we have camped at.

No compensation was provided in exchange for this post.

The Best of KOA’s Dog Pen Campsites:

Thompson / Grand River Valley KOA Holiday – Thompson, OH

In my opinion, the absolute best of KOA’s dog pen campsites are found at the beautiful Thompson / Grand River Valley KOA in Ohio. This campground has two different Paw Pen sites to choose from. One site is a pull-through, and the other is a back-in. These giant dog pens are nicely landscaped, featuring a raised covered platform where pups can relax. Each campsite is at the end of a row and blocked from the road for privacy. Both sites are excellent, so I recommend just choosing whichever best suits your type of RV.

Angola / Hogback Lake KOA Holiday – Angola, IN

We have also stayed in several different Paw Pen sites at the Angola / Hogback Lake KOA. On our first visit, we stayed in a spacious back-in. It had a well-furnished patio, complete with a gas grill. The only downside to this location is that it is right next to another dog pen campsite. The dogs were more interested in barking at each other than taking care of “business.”

On our second visit to the Angola / Hogback Lake KOA, I reserved a pull-through site in a cheaper section. The campsite was smaller and less well-appointed but offered more privacy for the dogs. We saw many other dogs walking over, but no other Paw Pens were directly adjacent. I suspect some of these dogs had previously been using our pen and were disappointed to find it occupied.

Good KOA Dog Pen Campsites:

Niagara Falls / Grand Island KOA Holiday – Grand Island, NY

The private Paw Pen at the Niagara Falls / Grand Island KOA in New York is among the nicest I’ve encountered. It is as large and well-maintained as some dog parks intended for an entire campground. This is both a blessing and a curse. I kept finding other campers and their dogs inside our private pen. It wouldn’t have been a big deal, except they didn’t always clean up after their pets.

Pigeon Forge / Gatlinburg KOA Holiday – Pigeon Forge, TN

When I checked into the Pigeon Forge / Gatlinburg KOA in my compact campervan, they looked at me like I was crazy. Most of KOA’s dog pen campsites are designed for people driving much larger RVs. They are generally long pull-through sites with full hookups and furnished patios. I can easily back my van into a small site with no hookups, but sometimes some Paw Pens make it worth the added expense. The dog pen campsite at the Pigeon Forge KOA is one such example. Their large pen features a dog house and even a “fire hydrant.” It is grassy, and the campground’s edge location means the pups have some privacy.

Sandusky / Bayshore KOA Holiday – Sandusky, OH

Sandusky / Bayshore KOA offers Paw Pen sites in various categories throughout the campground. I booked a midrange “deluxe back-in” end site and was pleased with the location. The pen had a woodchip base and some shade cloth over the top for comfort. The one issue I had here was that the fencing didn’t completely open. The lower gate portion swings out, but humans must do the limbo under a bar to get inside. The dogs didn’t care, but my back was none too happy.

Ludington East / Pere Marquette River KOA Holiday – Branch, MI

I’ve come to appreciate the importance privacy plays when it comes to KOA’s dog pen campsites. The long Paw Pen at Ludington East / Pere Marquette River KOA is not located near any other structures for pets. While you could always end up next to campers who set up a temporary dog pen on their site, it felt pretty private when we were there. This Paw Pen is located at the edge of the campground in a dusty lower section.

Wisconsin Dells KOA Holiday – Wisconsin Dells, WI

The Wisconsin Dells KOA is an excellent example of why the location of the dog pen campsite matters. In this case, the site is located nearly opposite the campground dog park. My dogs were more interested in going to sniff around the central park than spending time in their boring little Paw Pen. It was a nice campground, but I’ll just book a standard site if I stay there again.

Disappointing KOA Dog Pen Campsites:

Northampton / Springfield KOA Holiday – Westhampton, MA

The preceding KOA dog pen campsites have spoiled me. Most of those pens are neat structures I’d be willing to place in my backyard. Unfortunately, the Paw Pen at Northampton / Springfield KOA looks more like something you’d see at the local dog pound. The pen is decent-sized, but the tall chain link makes it feel like a cage and not a comfortable place for your dog to hang out.

Philadelphia South / Clarksboro KOA Holiday – Clarksboro, NJ

I have also learned that KOA’s dog pen sites do not have a standard size. If that is an issue for you, it is wise to call the campground. I wish I’d called before booking the Philadelphia South / Clarksboro KOA. Their Paw Pen contains a small covered house which is nice but barely leaves enough space for a dog to turn around. It was certainly not worth the extra cost.

Chicago Northwest KOA Holiday – Union, IL

The Chicago Northwest KOA is a lovely campground. However, their Paw Pens simply consist of a few sections of lightweight fencing. These KOA dog pen campsites are also all in a row so the neighboring dogs can see each other. This leads to a lot of barking and unnecessary stress. It got so bad that I asked to move to a regular back-in site. The staff graciously refunded me the considerable difference in cost. We were perfectly content to visit the communal dog park at this property. The park is tucked away in a quiet corner of the campground and has many shade trees.

Things to Consider When Booking Paw Pen Sites

As you can see, not all of KOA’s dog pen campsites are the same. Paw Pen location and size are important things to consider when paying extra for one of these sites. Some KOAs include this information on their website. I recommend studying the maps provided for each property and even looking at the terrain on Google Maps before booking. When in doubt, call the campground directly to ask for specifics.

KOAs with Private Dog Pen Campsites:

More than 50 KOA locations currently offer private dog pen campsites. Paw Pens have proven to be very popular, so more are being added every season. I’ve compiled a list of locations from the Kampgrounds of America website as of June 2023.

• Arizona: Holbrook / Petrified Forest Journey, Kingman Journey, Picacho / Tucson Northwest Journey, Tucson / Lazydays Resort
• California: Boulevard / Cleveland National Forest Holiday, Coleville / Walker Holiday
• Colorado: Colorado Springs Holiday, Denver West / Central City Holiday
• Florida: Clearwater / Lake Tarpon Holiday, Orlando / Kissimmee Holiday, Orlando Southwest Holiday, Perry Holiday
• Georgia: Jacksonville North / St. Marys Holiday, Savannah South Holiday
• Idaho: Lava Hot Springs East Holiday
• Illinois: Chicago Northwest Holiday, Kankakee South Holiday
• Indiana: Angola / Hogback Lake Holiday, Richmond Holiday
• Kansas: Goodland Journey
• Kentucky: Louisville South Holiday, Renfro Valley Holiday
• Massachusetts: Northampton / Springfield Holiday, Boston / Cape Cod Holiday
• Michigan: Ludington East / Pere Marquette River Holiday
• Mississippi: Hattiesburg / Okatoma River Holiday
• Missouri: Springfield / Route 66 Holiday
• Nebraska: Ogallala / I-80 Journey, Ogallala / Tri Trails Journey
• Nevada: Las Vegas Journey
• New Jersey: Philadelphia South / Clarksboro Holiday
• New Mexico: Albuquerque Journey, Santa Fe Journey
• New York: Niagara Falls / Grand Island Holiday
• North Carolina: Cape Hatteras / Outer Banks Resort, Cherokee / Great Smokies Holiday, Wilmington Holiday
• Ohio: Mt Gilead Holiday, Sunbury / Columbus North Holiday, Thompson / Grand River Holiday
• Oregon: Klamath Falls Journey, Pendleton Journey
• Oklahoma: Sallisaw / Fort Smith West Holiday
• Pennsylvania: Erie Holiday, Raystown Lake / Saxton Holiday
• Tennessee: Jonesborough / Cherokee National Forest Journey, Nashville Resort, Pigeon Forge / Gatlinburg Holiday
• Utah: Green River Journey, Moab Holiday, Richfield Holiday
• Virginia: Fancy Gap / Blue Ridge Parkway Journey
• Wisconsin: Door County Holiday, Wisconsin Dells Holiday
• Wyoming: Buffalo Journey, Dubois Holiday, Rawlins Journey

I hope you’ve found this information on KOA’s dog pen campsites helpful. The opinions are based solely on my experience traveling with three small dogs in a campervan. If you’ve stayed at a private Paw Pen campsite, I would love to hear about your experience!