Mauthe Lake Campground, near Campbellsport, Wisconsin, is a fantastic destination for those looking to enjoy the great outdoors with a touch of comfort. The campground is situated right by the lake, offering stunning views and easy access to water activities, making it a popular choice for families and friends alike.

With a variety of sites available, including rustic options and those with electric hookups, visitors appreciate the well-maintained facilities. Many campers have noted the cleanliness of the campground, with convenient amenities like drinking water, showers, and toilets readily available. One visitor mentioned, “The park is clean and very well-maintained,” which speaks to the care taken in keeping the area enjoyable for everyone.

Outdoor enthusiasts will find plenty to do here. The campground is part of the Kettle Moraine Northern Unit, providing access to numerous hiking and biking trails that wind through beautiful landscapes. Fishing is also a highlight, with a fishing pier that many campers have enjoyed. As one reviewer put it, “Great fishing and day-camping experiences too.”

While the campground can get busy during peak times, the vibrant atmosphere and the chance to connect with nature make it a worthwhile experience. Whether you’re setting up a tent or parking your RV, Mauthe Lake Campground offers a welcoming environment for all who visit.

Mauthe Lake campground has 135 sites, including 51 electrical sites, one shower building with flush toilets in the 300 loop and several vault toilets throughout the campground. The campground is located within the Mauthe Lake Recreation Area. The beach area has playground equipment. Food/drink concessions and kayak/canoe rentals are available seasonally. Campsites accessible to people with disabilities are also available. A sanitary dump station and recycling/garbage station are provided for registered campers. Mauthe Lake campground is open for camping year-round.

Mauthe Lake Campground — Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit-Iansr

Whether you're an RVer or tent camper, Campbellsport, WI is a great place to post up for the weekend—or longer. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. At The Dyrt, campers like you share their favorite spots, plus tips and photos. No matter where you're headed in Campbellsport, you'll find the best spot for you and your camping crew.

Campbellsport

The Best Camping Near Campbellsport, Wisconsin

This campground has a good mix of wooded and open sites, and most of the sites are spacious and pretty private.  They also have a large teepee site you can reserve, but you'll need to reserve far in advance.

There is a nice large bathroom/shower building with large private showers accessible from the outside.  

The lake doesn't allow motorized boats, which makes is great for swimming and canoeing.  

There are a couple hiking trails accessible from the park, and more than are withing a 15 minute driving range.  The Ice Age trail is also nearby.

Great lake for swimming, lots of hiking, nice sites

Mauthe lake is our yearly go to campgrounds. Clean and well kept. The lake is great for swimming and there is also a pier for fishing. There is also a trail surrounding the entire lake. Upper loop campsites are a little more secluded. Lakeside sites are also available but a little more crowded. There is also a general store just down the road from the park entrance which has just about anything you might need. 

Our favorite campgrounds

Nice sites, great beach, lots of fishing opportunities, amazing picnic area and great paddling. Also plenty of areas to hike and bike.

Hidden Gem in the kettle Moraine

Lots of room. Big lake, wooded sites. Right off the Southern Kettle Moraine trail. 

This is a very beautiful area with some awesome campsites. All of the campsites I've had were super private with lots of space! Couldn't see any other campers from our spots. The hike around the lake is also very pretty.. especially during fall colors!

Great campsites

I live very close to this park and camp here often. It is a nice family type campground with a nice swimming beach and playground for children. There is only 1 bath house here and MANY pit toilets that are surprisingly clean and not real stinky. It is part of the Northern Unit of the Kettle Moraine and there are great hiking and biking trails as well as horse trails with a horse camp nearby. Every once in a while you can spot an eagle soaring around dinner time. There are sites very near the lake, but I prefer the ones up the hill. Mosquitos are present in the early summer and the breezes topside keep them at bay.

Mauthe-Lake Northern Kettle Morraine

Mauthe lake was my very first camping experience and continues to be a go-to site for my family.  Decent sized campsites with options for tents, campers, electric, etc.

Family-friendly

**Campground Review**

With the rising popularity of this campground, we were fortunate to get a short-notice reservation for a portion of Fourth of July weekend.

Our site was about 50/50 sun and shade throughout the day. Within the campground, both coniferous and deciduous sites are available and you have your choice of full shade all the way to almost full sun.

Each loop in the campground has pit toilets and there is a new-ish centralized shower and flush toilet building.

The lake is clear and beautiful for swimming, canoeing, kayaking, or just relaxing. The area around the beach has a playground, as well as a large area with picnic tables, park grills, and open fields for playing sports or games. There is even a reserveable shelter for special events.

There are a lot of hiking options within Kettle Moraine North and one of our favorites is the the Tamarack Nature trail. Unfortunately, much of the trail was flooded, though it didn't stop us. With more than 6 inches of water in some places, my shoes were wet, but it was still a good time.

**Product Review**

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time, this time I tested a [High Hopes Hammock](https://highhopeshammock.com).

Having used hammocks in the past, the biggest issue I've had was the hammocks are often too short for me, at 6'5". I was happy that the High Hopes hammock was long enough, and very comfortable. The quality of materials are very good and the bag is attached.

If you get the version without the straps (as I did), the included "rope" is just a couple short lengths of paracord. I'd recommend picking the version with the straps if you don't already have any.

High Hopes has two distinguishing characteristics. The first is that they donate either a hammock, survival supplies, or money to organizations helping underprivileged countries, the homeless, or those affected by natural disasters. This giving program is the reason you are paying a little more than other similar hammocks. The second feature is their cocoon function with velcro. This is great if you want some privacy (from people or bugs)...perfect for a nap.

Overall, High Hopes hammocks are quality and comfortable. Check them out, especially if you are on board with the High Hopes charitable mission. High Hopes is certainly a Ranger-worthy product.

Ranger Review: High Hopes Hammocks at Mauthe Lake, WI

We've been camping here for years and love the beautiful lake for swimming and watersports. No motor boats so nice and quiet. :) Also great trail running opportunities on the Ice Age. There is a crushed gravel trail running from here to Long Lake that is great for running/walking/biking. If you like ice cream, head to Dundee and visit the Hamburger Haus.

Great swimming lake and access to Ice Age.

Great clean sites and fishing. Many hiking trails. Historical attractions. Wisconsin does their parks and forests right.

Great for family

Nice clean swimming and lots of hiking and biking options

Quiet and very nice

great state park to go to. my family has been coming here with a group for a few years now. the shower facility is nice. it’s a good lake to bring our kayaks to with a little ro er to go up. bike trails go straight from the campground into cute town of Dundee 

great park

Mauthe Lake is a great campground for both family camping or friendly adult camping. Each campsite comes with a fire pit and grate, as well as a picnic table. Sites are spacious and clean. Showers are warm and clean.

Sites 522 and 523 make for a perfect "group" site without the group price. Book them together and you have an instant party pad that fits 12 people. 522/23 are also in the upper corner of the park so it's a little more private. You get a similar effect with sites 508 and 510 but much more foot-traffic.

I love camping at Mauthe in the fall while the leaves are turning. As it starts to cool, the crowds thin out. We've camped while being the only (party) group on the entire upper-500s loop. It's fantastic! I also prefer camping at Mauthe in the fall because the hiking is lovely. I don't miss the swimming because the lake and beach are small and not great for sunbathing or wading. It gets VERY crowded.

There is a general store just outside the park gates and they have anything you could possibly need in a pinch. Owners are very friendly and helpful.

Mauthe Lake is Fantastic

Fantastic campground. Been there couple times. Bathrooms are great showers are OK. There is plenty of hiking swimming boating kayaking etc. The Ice Age Trail runs through the park and makes for great hiking. This is a campground I would go back to over and over again .

One time we locked her keys in the vehicle. The Rangers were very helpful.

Great in the Summer Even Better in Fall

Mauthor Lake is a beautiful state park in Wisconsin. Good for biking, hiking, swimming and fishing. Sites are fairly wooded and private. Most of them seemed to be a decent size. Electric hook-ups, but no water. You can fill up at the dump station but I recommend bringing drinking water. There is a general store just outside the park where you can rent row boats, kayaks and paddle boats. The beach is mostly shallow water great for little ones. Flush toilets and changing area nearby. Small concession stand and playground within eyesight of beach

Great little state park

Mauthe Lake Campground is located in the Northern Kettle Moraine Forest in East/Centreal Wisconsin. This is one of my frequent visited campgrounds in the state given all the recreational trails for hiking and bicycling. The campground is clean and spread out. This campground offers some of the cleanest showers I have encountered on my camping trips. The Lake to Lake bike trail connects Long Lake Campground and Mauthe Lake Campground which is abut an 8 mile trip one way. This trail is a mix of paved, dirt, and gravel and travels through different landscape . There is a short hiking trail around Mauthe Lake that you should be able to complete in an hour at a average pace. The Ice Age Trail also runs through the park as part of its 1200 plus miles through the state. Ice cream and restaurants are close by, just follow the Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive, which takes you on a scenic rout through the North Kettle and Southern Kettle Moraine Forest. Be prepared for LOUD FROGS when attempting to sleep, if you can sleep through this noise the campground won't let you down.

Great Camping in the Middle of Kettle Moraine Forest

This lake is an amazing place to swim, bike and hike. There are plenty of sites for camping, electric, non-electric and tent. It is a no motor lake, so it is very quiet and clean. There is a playground, a big field, plenty of picnic area and a concession stand. 

Beautiful and quiet

Very busy on the weekends. The public can come swim on the lake without having a campsite reserved so it is PACKED in the summer, otherwise beautiful campsite! very family friendly, there’s a playground, snack stand, and paved trails leading up to the beach area. There is a trail that takes you all around the lake that you can bike if you wanted. Great area for kayaking/canoeing too!

Nice little lake!

**Campground Review**

Mauthe Lake is a solid campground with nice sites and a beautiful lake. There is ample hiking in the area being part of Kettle Moraine State Park. The 2 mile trail around the lake is very nice.

There is a good mix of options for campsites: full shade all the way to sunny. While most sites are good sized, there are a few small ones.

The campground has a central bathroom/shower building and each has its own pit toilet restrooms.

Overall, this is a nice campground and we try to go once a year.

**Product Review**

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time, this time I got to test the Renogy Solar Backpack[https://www.renogy.com/renogy-solar-backpack/].

As a backpack it is great, and the solar panels are an added bonus.  

**_What's great_**

*   The backpack is stylish, has tons of pockets everywhere, and small features that add to its utility
*   It has a solar panel that can charge your stuff

**_What's not great_**

*   The solar panel part zips off and can be reversable on the backpack itself, but to access the inner pockets of this part while it is still attached to the backpack is somewhat difficult/awkward.
*   The solar panel is slower to charge than I thought it would be. It charged a little less than a quarter of my 13k mAh battery in about 3 hours with mostly sunny conditions. This was about 70% of my phone. I don't have much experience with this small solar kits, so maybe this is normal, but I was expecting faster. 
*   Mine was stepped on and it got some cracks in it. I would have expected it to be a bit more durable on a backpack. It does still charge, but looks all cracked. I'm not sure if the performance is affected by this.

**_Final thoughts_**

Overall I'm still very happy with the backpack and will definitely make use of it, though if I were to need a solar charging kit, I'd probably buy it separately from the backpack itself. I don't see the practicality of hiking with the solar panel charging…the pack would only be a day pack, but if you only need a day pack, your phone should be fine for just a day. You'd get better performance from a stationary panel, which is how I used this one anyway.

Ranger Review: Renogy Solar Backpack at Mauthe Lake

The campground itself is fairly small, but is segmented in ways that allow you to have great privacy and some decent hiking. The lake has a nice area for swimming, as well as dedicated boat/kayak launches. There's a nice hiking trail that wraps around the entire lake, which makes for a good hike. Very family friendly.

Small, but quaint and relaxing

lots to do at mauthe lake! one of my favs. good fishing.

love this place!

lots to do at mauthe lake. big campsites. not too close to neighbors, good fishing!

love mauthe lake

Took our kids on their first camping trip here. Nice, small lake. Ice Age Scenic Trail is nearby. Exhibits at the VC. Overall a very nice time.

Great for kids

I backpacked the IAT with a group and we camped for the night at Mauthe Lake at the beginning of April. There are lots of downed trees at the campground, which sort of detracted from the landscape (tornado damage, I'm told). Pit toilets were open, but water had not yet been turned on so be prepared to filter if you go this early in the season. We perused different sites/loops for a while to find adjacent non-electric sites large enough for multiple tents at each and were able to fit 8-9 (small backpacking) tents between 314 and 313\.

Lots of downed trees, but nice and quiet in shoulder season

The campground and campsites are pretty standard.  Nice amount of space and privacy. 101 Walk in site was quite nice. Level ground, nice tree cover so it didnt feel too open. 

  

Loved being close to the beach and playground area! The kids really appreciated it :) The beach was very clean and even though it was a warm, busy day we didnt feel like it was too crowded.  The earlier you arrive the better chances you have of getting a picnic table in the shade ;)  

  

Enjoyed the walk around the lake, some parts are still a bit muddy, but overall it was a nice walk and the kids actually made it without too many complaints ;)  Nice variety of scenery!  Even caught a couple frogs.

  

Definitely a place to visit again! 

  

\*checked out some of the trails near by which were really great as well!

GREAT beach!

Our campsite was up the hill and away from the lake as those sites are quite ‘busy’ and we  usually look for sites with more privacy. This campground is huge and offers many different kinds of sites depending such as open sites in a pine forest, down by the lake, or tucked away in the trees and bushes. We found several decent choices on a busy fall weekend without a reservation. 
We enjoyed the spacious campsite that had a couple of it’s own mini-trails and plenty of opportunities to hike in and around the area. I don’t fish, but it seemed like the popular thing to do for many other visitors. The vault toilets were okay but there is a nicer bathroom down the lake.

North Unit 

We had a pretty cool site up on a hill which was awesome. But the noise from the congested RV campgrounds below made it feel less peaceful. I can deal with mosquitos, but the mosquitos here were unbelievable. It seems like a fun way to get out on a lake, but in terms of hiking or rest and relaxation it wasn’t really our thing.

A few nice sites but very loud and very buggy 

Mauthe has several great wooded sites.  You can’t go wrong with how close the park is to Milwaukee.

Great sites close to city

Pros:

Quiet

Beautiful area with tons of trails

Plenty of bathrooms

Few insects due to the cooler weather

24 hour automated firewood vending

  

Cons:

Water was shut off due to covid19 except at the sanitary station, and that water was very rusty and not appealing to drink 

Sites are often close together; do some recon if you want some privacy

  

  

Be prepared for:

Standing water between sites

Fearless raccoons roaming the grounds after dark 

Really dark roads/walkways--the pit toilets have interior motion detectors, but otherwise, it's a dark toilet trek!

Great late season camping

My partner and I camped here with our son for a night. We reserved a spot kind of late and wound up between the shower building and a loud group of hunters in an RV. If we return we'll definitely try to get one of the more secluded walk-in spots that are maybe 40 meters off the road. I'd recommend those spots in any case, if you don't need any of the amenities of the spots very close to the road.  

  

Bring cash for firewood. You can get it on sight (need $5 bills to use the giant wood vending machine), or you can get it at the nearby general store.

  

The trailhead for the Ice Age Trail is close to the entrance, and there are lots of other spots for fishing, picnicing, or biking.

Nice spot for family camping

Nice beach/swimming area, bike path, and playground for the kids. Also the most beautiful sunset over the lake and pines in July 

Love it! 

I visit this site often and love it. Great walking and biking trails, and reasonably private sites. The 300 and 400 loops are better and the 500 loop is the best in terms of space and privacy. 

If you do t mind cold camping (or have a 4x4 class B like me) go in the winter. Beautiful and empty. So peaceful.  

Great spot year round

Mauthe Lake-Kettle Moraine is a joy for campers. Located right on Mauthe Lake the campsites are separated by lush trees and bushes.  Make sure to pick the right campsite, tho.

Some of the campsites seems very shallow but if you looked closer they have a path or another site to put a tent. 

The sites are well separated for privacy. Also, the shower house is perfect for an end of the day washing. The lake itself is great for canoeing or kayaking. I would highly recommend visiting.

Well kept campsites

The size of the campsites are inconsistent. I found the  sites in the 200's are the smallest and closest to the lake.   The 300 and 400 series have larger sites with more  gravel and less vegetation close to the sites.   Since  the bugs are huge here that is important.   We stayed in 212 and if I came back would look at the 400's.

The pluses of this campground are the lake and beach.  There are some canoes and  kayaks to rent on line here  and they are right at a  boat launch so you don't have to relocate them like some parks I have been too.  The prices were $20 an hour.  There are lots of hiking trails.   This campground is part of a very large park system and there is an extensive bike trail that is about 7 miles that links up different parts of the park.   It is gravel and mostly level and goes through the woods and in sections on a separate trail at the side of the road.   There is a playground at the beach with a large amount of picnic tables.   There is a long fishing pier that juts out into the  lake for fishing.   Both AT &amp;T and Verizon have very strong signals.

Surprised by how much to do

We went late in the year in October the place was full but still peaceful. Did some biking and walking along the trails. 

Nice quite sites  

A quick last second get away for the first time as a family this season. We stayed in site 201 which was convenient. I wouldn't stay in the site again as it had nothing but swampy muddy low ground around it. It was also right at the entrance. Lots of traffic. However, the kids had plenty of fun running and playing on the hill directly across the street. The weather was great. The easy access to the lake and surrounding hiking trails made for an enjoyable weekend. The Mauthe Lake campground area in the KM forest is a great option for all. Nice and quiet early in the season with beautiful scenery.

First Family Trip of the new Season

I have a self contained van and so like to camp in rustic sites. The full electric sites here are pretty small and tightly packed, but the tent / rustic sites are great. Aim for the 500 loop. 

Rustic sites are great

Mauthe lake is in the Kettle Moraine Northern Unit. It feels remote but we drove through a bunch of rural houses on the way in. The rustic roads made for good cycling. We passed quite a few pedaling up and down the hills. 

The campground itself sprawls along one side of the lake. With the loops for each group peeling off, it is easy to lose your way. The signs mark the direction well so go slow. It helps to know your site number. 

There was nobody at the entrance office. I’m not sure if it’s just today but make online reservations. It seems to be the 2022 way. 

There is a shower house but we made use of the more convenient vault toilets. Water is available in different ways - even a drinking fountain. There seems to be only one garbage collection site on the way out. This was less convenient since we have dog droppings to deal with. 

There is a nature trail that goes around the lake. By the beach and picnic area it’s paved. The rest is gravel or dirt. With recent rains we found a few puddles to walk through and mud to avoid. Our dog loved having the trail so close. Most of the trail is in the sun so bring water on hot days. 

Swimming isn’t allowed due to a blue algae bloom. This left plenty of empty space for us to sit with our dog under the trees. Folks did make good use of the fishing pier and playground. We also saw kayaks and stand up paddle boards on the lake. 

Kettle moraine trail access here

Awesome views and tons of sites to pick from, although they are crowded and close together and some even have open paths connecting them. Great fishing and day-camping experiences too. 

Great Views

I camped at site #102. There are great views of the lake and easy access to water and bathrooms. The site that I stayed at was actually a teepee site and had a large-ish wooden platform. Parking was right in front of my site but not a drive-in site.

  

I've become a spoiled baby after hiking the PCT last year, so established campgrounds are hit or miss for me, primarily because of how noisy they are. That said, the hosts were wonderful and the park is clean and very well-maintained. I ended up leaving halfway through my second day because I just didn't want to deal with the noise and traffic.

  

Overall, I would definitely visit this park again! Next time, I'll aim for dates outside of peak summer camping!

Great campground but loud and busy

It was hot and crowded but we had a decent campsite with plenty of shade so we were happy enough. Showers were nice. We spent most of our time fishing at Long Lake, which we liked much better. If you go, make sure to get fresh cinnamon rolls delivered to your site! 

Photos of Mauthe Lake Campground — Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit-Iansr

Real photos from real campers