🐾 Kids at the Dog Park: Real Stories, Safety Risks & Smarter Solutions
If you’ve spent time at an off-leash park, you’ve probably seen it:A parent strolls in with a stroller 🚼 or […]
Ray Behrens Recreation Area offers a peaceful escape for dog lovers and families near Perry, Missouri. Known for its dog-friendly atmosphere, this park features spacious campsites nestled under large trees, along with paved pads and neat gravel yards—making it a wonderful spot for leashed pets to accompany their families on camping trips.
This recreation area boasts pet-friendly hiking trails, lake access, and plenty of grassy space for walks. Campers and daily visitors can enjoy amenities such as picnic tables, barbecue grills, playgrounds for kids, public restrooms, and accessibility features like wheelchair-accessible entrances and parking lots. Whether you’re hiking nature trails, relaxing by the lake with your pet, or enjoying a peaceful night under the stars, Ray Behrens Recreation Area is an inviting dog park destination in Perry, MO.
Most of the camping spots are very large with trees between them. We were in lot 96, the last full hookup spot in our section. We came after Memorial Day weekend, so there were only a few other occupied spots. Be aware that the shower water pressure is very strong, it was almost stinging but much better than no pressure at all, like many other parks we stayed at. This is the only campground we added extra days to, as it was so peaceful. Note to other campers…please don’t dump your ashtray in the fire pit when leaving. I had to pick all of them up, as I didn’t want to smell or taste them when I sat to enjoy our fire. Just gross.
We loved the campsites! We were in a group, so we had sites 100-104. The only downslide was the map shows restrooms right there, but they are not. Quite a walk to them.
Stayed in the Deer Run Camp area (all sites electric with some full hook-up sights) in late August. Very quiet with few campers during the week. Dear Run does not have a shower house (plans posted for a new one to be built, no date posted). You can drive about 1 1/2 miles into the campground to use the shower house at the Little Blue Stem camp area (all sights electric with some full hook-up sights). Then, the last camp area, Cedar Ridge, is even less used… no water hook-ups… all Electric hook-ups there with a shower/bathroom house.
The camp sights are neat…paved pads with a nice gravel “yard” area with aluminum picnic tables. Shower houses and bathrooms clean with toilet paper. Take your own hand soap to leave in the bathroom. Each camp area has a playground. Leashed pets are allowed.
There is a super nice boat ramp available for campers for free and for day visitors for a fee.
We really enjoyed our stay here and will be coming back! 😊
Uncrowded, unhurried. Good spacing between sites. Lots of grass under large trees. Several walking paths to lake, plus nature trails for hikes. New bath houses are well built (bring your own soap). Convenient access to lake.
Nice campground! Close to Marina. Dog friendly. Sites are slanted, so be aware of your rig and leveling out.