The best EQUESTRIAN camping near
Scales Mound , ILLINOIS

Yellowstone Lake is great for hiking and fishing. They even have a swimming area. But a must is the small ice cream shop that has even lunch menu. The wife and I just loved the small town that was a drive away as well

We have only been to this campground one time because we wanted to try something new. We had a lot of fun there playing in the water on the beach however my son who was five at the time got a really bad bacterial rash from the water. Other than that we had a really good time and the campground was very clean and everyone was really nice. We were definitely go back but not to swim in the water LOL

Over 5,000 acres, featuring two lakes and some truly beautiful trails. It’s best to get reservations early. Twin Valley campground is split into upper and lower. Lower being better for larger RVs while upper has more shaded, cozier sites better for smaller rigs and tents. Cox Hollow campground is more open and may have some pull through spaces. Nearby are the kitschy House on the Rock and Frank Lloyd Wright’s famed Taliesin home and studio. Recommend the Jumping Jupiter General store outside the park for all your camping needs.

 Off the beaten path, most people who come to this area will likely go to the much larger and better known Rock Cut State Park. This is a small forest preserve with lovely picnic areas, a picturesque creek and an outcropping of bluffs ( about 3 storeys tall).
 The campground is well maintained, with the cleanest pit toilets I've ever seen. (also ADA accessible).
 There are about 40 sites, ranging from primitive tent to full size pull-through RV.  30 and 50 amp elec available. Prices based on what you choose. Reservations are recommended a week ahead through the Winnebago County Forest preserve website. There is a small fee for non-residents, but it's worth it.
 we went in November, so I can't say what it's like during peak season. But sites are well spaced, though they are all open to each other visually.
 Nearby are bike trails and the Pecatonica river, with other forest preserves for day trips out of the camp.
 This is one of three campgrounds run by the county. We have stayed at another, Sugar River, and enjoyed it as well.

Great park in the middle of nowhere Wisconsin. Not far from the house on the rock and Taliesin. Great open hiking trail. Well laid out sites with lots of space.

Only ding is the price of a state park pass. Not pro rated and they expire at the end of the calendar year.

Loved this place! So many trails , 3 nice camp areas, clean bathrooms, dog friendly, and beautiful views . I went mid week while it was freezing ,so not to many ppl , but Friday night rolled around and it sure did fill up fast . I will definitely go back in the summer for kayaking .

I came here at the beginning of October for 2 nights tent camping, site 20, with some friends. Our fire pits grill grate was mostly smashed and didn't hold a skillet while other sites had nice grates on a swivel. Plenty of space apart from other sites and fun, hilly hiking trails nearby. The lake is beautiful and we fished a bit from the dock, didn't catch anything. Nice views of the leaves changing. Very limited cell service which was welcomed. Bathrooms were kinda rough and the showers were on a different side of the park.

We reserved our campsite online and paid for a parking sticker at the park office but since no one was there we left the money in the pay box with our receipt. Same with firewood.

We took a chance. We wanted to camp last minute and it was the only place taking reservations. We would definitely come back.

I stayed at this campground when I was a kid and only recently revisited it. The state park has two very large lakes with nice pan fishing and modest but well-groomed (daily?) swimming beaches. The lakes are a definite drive from the campgrounds, however, which makes it hard for "the kids" to simply amble down for a swim. This is important, in Sept. 2020 (COVID-19 times) 1/3 of the parking lot was closed off. Not sure why, but I speculate this is to regulate the number of beach dwellers and swimmers. Regardless, it's a very large and lovely park. Here's my review of the campsites.

I am a car camper with no interest in (E) electric sites, so I did not pay attention nor note good ones. I prefer the silence and relative darkness that non-E sites provide.

Campsite - Cox Hollow

45/47 would be a nice couple of sites for a family/friends (wouldn't want this if you only needed one of them!)

The sites on the "inside" of the loop are rather close to one another.

21 has a nice view of the lake, and you can walk back to the fence to look over the bluff 24 is quite private and very large 26, 27 and 29 are all large, near the bluff

34 is interesting, it's divided into three "terraces" Kind of fun, like a campsite divided into rooms

44 right next to the water, BIG site, right near the bathroom and playground. This would be great if you have kids.

The second campground is Twin Valley - though it is NO WHERE NEAR the Twin Valley lake. Lots of driving to get to the lake from here.

221 is large with nice surrounding trees

285 is really big

This campground has walk in sites - these are sites with car parking on the road and you have to walk a minute or two to get to the site. Downside? Carrying all your gear and firewood. Upside? You can genuinely pretend that you've got the place to yourself, can't see a tent or an RV from any of these sites.

262 is 40 steps in, right on the edge of the valley with it's own personal bluff.

263 is a longer walk of 75 steps, a little less shaded than others, but PRIVATE

264 is about 45 steps off the parking lot, right against the bluff edge.

269 is 50 steps in, but it's just off the path, not as nice as others

270 is a long 120 steps walking past 269, this is the site for you if you're looking for seclusion

271 is 110 steps in, flat, really secluded

We really enjoyed our stay here, and are looking forward to coming back again!

This site was a bit difficult to back into initially, and took a few tries to get the angle right. It was our 2nd trip with our camper, so it’s probably easier with more experience. The site was level at the top, and was relatively private from neighboring campsites. The flush toilets and showers were conveniently located a few sites down the road. We would choose this site again, and also found a handful of others for our “nice sites” list!

Also good to know…there’s a hospital nearby (in Dodgeville) in the event of a mishap while cutting kindling for the fire, or other minor emergency! 😳