Camping options around Arlington, Wisconsin include several family-friendly destinations within a 30-minute drive. The area features glacial topography with rolling hills and lakes formed during the last ice age, creating diverse camping environments from wooded sites to lakeside accommodations. Temperatures typically range from 75-85°F during peak camping season between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
What to do
Water activities at Indian Trails Campground: Rent kayaks or canoes for a trip down the Fox River with shuttle service. "They do kayaking or canoeing down the fox river. They will drop you off and pick you up," notes Mikala D., who recommends visiting during Halloween weekends for special activities.
Disc golf at Fox Hill RV Park: The campground features an on-site disc golf course through wooded areas. A camper mentioned, "This park has some nature trails, disc golf, and a good size dog run. It's well kept and maintained."
Hiking at Mirror Lake State Park: Explore several hiking trails that meander through woods, prairies, and along the lake. "There are several hiking trails scattered throughout the park. Everything from a quick half mile trek to loops that allow you to put on a couple of miles," reports one visitor who appreciated that trails weren't muddy despite recent rain.
Outdoor games at Fox Hill: Try the oversized versions of classic games. "There are well kept large outdoor games like chess, connect 4, and checkers," according to Joan, who visited with family.
Sandstone formations: Kayak Mirror Lake to view unique cliff formations. "The steep cliffs and rock formations make for some great views while paddling," notes Steven U., who spent most of his time on the water rather than at his campsite.
What campers like
Privacy levels vary by campground: Sites at Indian Trails Campground offer good separation. "The sites are decent size and spaced for privacy. Some loops have group sites where you book 2 sites that are connected. Great for 2 families that want to share common space for kids," according to Karen A.
Halloween weekend camping: Several campgrounds offer special Halloween-themed weekends. "Me and my family has an awesome time every time we go with lots of outdoor stuff we can do all day long like swimming in the pool and trick or treating in October," shares Olyvia D. about Silver Springs Campsites.
Yurt camping near Arlington, Wisconsin: For those seeking alternative accommodations, Merry Mac's Campground offers yurt rentals. "My family and I love the yurts and the giant pool/pond. The park model rentals are nice now that my grandma is getting older," notes Cherie J., highlighting how yurt options accommodate different comfort needs.
Immaculate facilities: Campgrounds maintain clean facilities. "All their bath houses are always very clean and stocked. The paths and roads around the grounds are also clean and debris free," reports Megan S. about Indian Trails, where she's been camping for nearly 30 years.
Winter camping options: While most campgrounds operate seasonally, Sky High Camping Resort and Smokey Hollow offer year-round availability for those interested in cold-weather yurt camping around Arlington.
What you should know
Campsite positioning varies: Some campgrounds feature sites arranged in clusters. At Silver Springs Campsites, "Camp sites are in quadrants. Making it hard for the last person to get to the available spot. Basically you camp with 3 other families you don't know," according to Lindsay L.
Train noise considerations: Lake Kegonsa State Park experiences train noise at night. "The first train only blew its horn a few short times. The second train acted like someone was laying on the tracks and was a little excessive for 3 am!" reports one camper who heard trains around midnight and 2am.
Highway noise levels: Mirror Lake State Park has traffic noise from nearby roads. "Beautiful facility but the traffic noise was atrocious," notes kelly B., while another visitor mentioned it "keeps the campground quiet and pleasant."
Outdoor shower options: Several campgrounds feature outdoor shower facilities. "My youngest grandson and I loved the outdoor shower," mentions Joan about Fox Hill, while B M. noted, "There are outside showers & regular showers but always love a good outside shower" at the same location.
Wildlife awareness: Keep food secured at Mirror Lake State Park. "The raccoons were brutal. They broke into our crates twice. Smart enough to figure out the clip mechanism," warns Julia B.
Tips for camping with families
Water play structures: Multiple campgrounds feature inflatable water equipment. "The lake is full of all kinds of floats the kids can climb and jump on," notes Tracy C. about Merry Mac's Campground, which offers diverse water recreation.
Kid-friendly themed weekends: Pride of America hosts special weekend events. "We have come for the countless event weekends. Halloween, chocolate craziness, wet n wild, pirates weekend, poker run! Our personal favorite, wet n wild. A huge water fight between the whole campground and they even drive a fire truck through," explains Mikala D.
Multi-generational accommodations: Consider cabin options for older family members. "We stayed at one of the beach cabins and I would 0/10 recommend. There is no parking near these cabins (not close enough) which may not seem like a big deal until you have to carry all of your stuff through scorching hot sand," warns Stacia J. about Smokey Hollow, suggesting cabins away from beach areas.
Playground proximity: Select sites near play areas for convenience. "We were in site #4 it was nice sized and quiet. We had full hook up, a picnic table & fire pit, our friends camped next to us in #5," reports B M., who appreciated being positioned near recreational facilities.
Noise expectations: Anticipate varying noise levels depending on weekend activities. "We did not spend a lot of time at the campground since we were there for the Dells on a long trip from Atlanta, GA to Duluth, MN. The kids did have a blast in the pond," shares Jeffrey S. about Duck Creek.
Tips from RVers
Site leveling requirements: Prepare for uneven sites at certain campgrounds. "Our site was very unlevel side to side. It took two 2x6 and a 1x6 under the camp side to be level. That made the first step into the coach, and last step out of the coach extremely high off the ground," reports Jeff G. about Fox Hill.
Road width challenges: Some campgrounds have narrow access roads. "Nice campground but the roads are narrow and the sites are kinda hard to squeeze into," explains Mikala D. about Duck Creek Campground.
New versus established RV areas: Fox Hill offers different experiences in different sections. "There are 2 main sections of the campground: the new part that is all full hook-up RV sites and the older part which is a mix of W/E and S/W/E. The new section will be a lot better next year, but just finished construction and it is still a wide open area," explains Kim L.
Passport America discounts: Some campgrounds offer significant savings. "This campground takes Passport America to discount by 50%! Full hookup sites are nice," shares Brenda A. about Fox Hill.
Utility positioning: RV hookups are thoughtfully arranged at Fox Hill. "All site are pretty level with gravel pad and logically positioned utilities," notes Kim L., who visited during COVID-19 restrictions.
