Best Cabin Camping near Beaver Dam, WI

I drove through this state park to find some great campsites for future camping; I haven't actually stayed here yet.

The purpose of sharing the following is that is difficult to figure out what are nice sites from the online reservation site. For anyone who is interested in camping here, the following sites, in my opinion, are the best campsites in terms of shade, not being flooded during a rain and privacy.

There are several camping areas in this state park, I found the most appealing sites in the Pine Woods area because it has no electricity, is a 24-hour quiet area and no pets allowed. The sites in this area generally have long driveways, more "privacy" than I've seen in many State Parks campgrounds and generous space between sites. I don't think there is a lousy site in this loop but my favorites are the following.

4

7 very private 

10 pull-through driveway 

11 private, long driveway 

12 awesome, large, private, long driveway 

14 private, long driveway 

19 a bed of pine needles to sleep on 

33 level, pine needles, room for two tents

We have a big private site #138 it’s in the Cliffwood loop at the end where the circle is. We had electric, picnic table, (you have to fill your camper with water after you enter there’s many hoses) we had a fire pit and a private trail behind the campsite that leads to a view of the lake. It has been so quiet in this loop it’s hard to believe it’s opening week due to COVID.

The lake is nice and cold lots of kayaking and canoeing. You can launch at the boat ramp.

There is a swim beach, nice pet area and trails in the park to hike.

There are 3 loops for camping we like the one we’re in. Cliffwood loop Big sites near us ours 138, 137 big but soggy when it rains hard, 136 is nice it has a view of the lake. 139 is ok the back drops down a hill where you park for day use.

Sandstone ridge loop some nice big sites are 74, 75, 77.

Bluewater bay loop has no electric smaller sites we saw all tents in this loop.

Some sites are not level so come prepared.

We ate at Ishnala supper club it’s very pricy yet excellent food. The building is cool with some original parts from the old log cabin it once was. The service is great beautiful view of the lake from a window seat. Several bars and a little gift shop.

Good food in Baraboo at the little village cafe. The chocolate torte is so good. The owners are so nice.

We would stay here again.

Unless you knew of Hickory Hills Campground, you wouldn’t happen across this site by luck or accident. While technically within the small itty bitty town of Edgerton, Hickory Hills is located far enough north and east for one to scratch their head in a bit of abject confusion. Located due east of the major highway of 39/90, as you are barreling north or south in the south-central area of Wisconsin, you would have to exit off State Highway 73, where you see signs for the small hamlet of Albion, from which you’ll head north a smidge, until you catch State Highway 106 east until you run into an intersection with Hillside Road, where you’ll head north for about a few miles until you come across Hickory Hills Campground on your right.

Directions aside, this campground will immediately feel to you as though it is certainly dated as you’ll discover that the buildings and overall infrastructure are a bit dilapidated and definitely in needed of repair. That said, the thickly wooded forest that encircles this campground creates a sense of peace and serenity that are unmatched. Plus, you are so far away from the major highway you likely just got off of, in addition to being so far away from any signs of civilization, you’ll feel completely burrowed away from all the noise, traffic and distractions you were eagerly trying to leave in the first place.

As for the campground itself, this is an update from my previous post, where I wanted to share an update as well as some additional photos. For the most part, despite 2+ years passing since writing my initial review, not much has changed here apart from brand new management, where you’ll still enjoy a smattering of overnight accommodations, whether that’s a cottage, bunk hose, smartly outfitted cabins, substantial number of back-in and pull-through RV slots (complete with the standard electric, water and sewage hook-ups) as well as primitive tent camping spots. Other amenities include: campground store, 172 acre spring-fed lake with its own beachhead, oversized inflatables, mini-golf, shuffleboard, fully-stocked snack bar, swimming pool, rowboat & canoe rentals, athletic field, basketball courts, sand volleyball court, dedicated fishing spots, shower & restroom facilities, horseshoe pits, Gaga pit, playgrounds, space ball, water wars and a massive jumping pillow.

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you’re looking to get your fishing on, what’s great about Hickory Hills Campground is that they provide you direct access to Rice Lake, where you’ll catch no shortage of blue gills, small and large mouthed bass, bullheads and crappie; (2) Once you grow tired of conjuring up that next meal from your roto-molded Cordova cooler or onboard RV mini-fridge, I’ll be honest, you might be challenged as you are clear out in the middle of nowhere, but that said, if you don’t mind a short drive, head east where you’ll find Outpost, which sits right on Lake Koshkonong and offers up a stunning log cabin wooden bar offering a sublime selection of local, domestic and import beers on tap, a well-stocked liquor bar and a typical Wisconsin food-shilling restaurant offering up bites like duck bacon wontons, ultimate grilled cheese, where you’ll want to splurge and get it with bacon and tomato, as well as some decently smoked brisket; (3) If you’d like a nice slice of old school Americana while you are in these parts, head on over to Little Amerricka Amusement Park that will keep your kiddos entertained and off the smart phones for at least 2-3 hours as they will enjoy this retro-1950s amusement theme park; and (4) Should you elect to learn a bit of local history, head on over to either Milton House Museum or Stoughton Historical Museum, both of which will make you more educated on the place you happen to be in than most of the folks here.

Happy Camping!

Conveniently located next to absolutely nothing just due northwest of Fort Atkinson, you’ll love Pilgrim’s Campground for its successful delivery of (capital letters) P&Q! What I love most about this location is how they keep all the RV campers penned in up against the slight diagonal embankment, which actually provides some pretty phenomenal views of the surrounding areas (if not your next door neighbors) as well as excellent drainage and subsequently separated from the primitive TV campsites. These latter sites are placed just due southwest of the grounds and are pitched perfectly in a tree-lined meadow, encircled by freshly cut corn fields, where you’ll find no shortage of amazing animals coming to graze throughout the day (and night) from deer, raccoons, opossums and endless tag teams of squirrels. 

Because there isn’t so much around, be prepared to bring everything with you (save ice and wood, which is sold on-site). While the bathroom / shower facilities are just passable, what you are giving up in terms of creature comforts is more than made up for in the sheer proximity to all of nature. During the warm summer months, there’s a small in-ground pool on-site, which sits right in front of the main office. All of the standard camping surround-sound elements are here from fire rings and picnic tables to water, electrical (50 / 30 / 20 / 15 amp) and sewer hook-ups. In all, there’s about 100 sites here at Pilgrims Campground, with the lion’s share of this pet-friendly property dedicated to overnight and seasonal RV / 5th Wheelers offering both back-in and pull-through sites. 

Insider’s Tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you don’t mind some rough hiking, there’s fantastic ‘spazierengehen’ to be had just wandering around the countryside in the bountiful corn and bean fields or head over to nearby Dorothy Carnes County Park for some decent trails to explore; (2) In the event that you don’t like being awaken too early from all of the nearby roosters, then bring some ear plugs; (3) When you grow tired of having to forage through either your on-board RV mini-fridge or bear-proof Cordova roto-molded cooler, then look no further than ‘What’s the Point’ (no, seriously, that's the name of the restaurant!) for traditional Midwestern comfort food like corned beef & cabbage, fried fish, BBQ ribs and prime rib; (4) Should you come bearing watercraft and looking for a decent spot to dip your kayak or canoe at, then check out Rose Lake State Natural Area, which BTW is quite small, but very convenient, or try out much larger Red Cedar Lake or Lake Ripley; and (5) Cell coverage and WiFi is pretty horrific in these parts, so bring a booster or plan to leave civilization behind you. 

Happy Camping!

General: There is both a north and a south part to this campground with a total of 178 sites. The sites in the south part are all on a grassy field and there is a small man-made lake with an inflatable play area. The sites in the north part are a mix of full hook-up and tent sites. There are also small cabins (only one of which has a bathroom) and three “condos”. These all had air-conditioners, but I did not see the inside of them. The north unit features a pond, which I was disappointed to discover was algae-filled and completely green. 

Site Quality: Some are pull-through and some back-in. Some sites have electric and water hookups, some have picnic tables, and some have fire rings (but not all sites have all of these amenities). Only a handful have concrete pads; the rest are all on grass. 

Our impression of Sleepy Hollow was influenced in part by the fact that it poured rain for much of our overnight stay. The roads were all dirt and with the rain, became very muddy along with the campsites as well. When leaving the next day, we had some challenges backing out of our site with the amount of mud. There is no clear delineation between the sites other than where the electric and water hookups are placed. 

Bathhouse: Was very clean (in both the north and south units of the campground). Showers are available for a fee (five minutes for$1.00) but we did not use them so cannot comment on how well they worked. 

Activities/Amenities: In the south unit, there is a small manmade lake with an inflatable play structure and plenty of life jackets. The color is a beautiful Caribbean blue, but it did not look natural, and I was not sure of the source of the color. We were there on a weekday in September, and no one was using the lake. There is a small bar and grill (in the north section) and a concession (south unit) on-site, but both were closed when we were there. Firewood was available (15 pieces for $10); we asked and were granted permission to use the golf cart to bring the wood to our site. Other than the lake, there really is nothing offered for recreation. 

We chose this campground for its location; it is very close to Highway 41 in Oshkosh (you will hear road noise) and we were meeting family there. We checked in online the day before and arrived at 3:30 pm. No one was in the office when we arrived but the family members we were meeting had arranged for us to camp in the site next to them (not the original one we had selected). This campground is VERY close to EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association), and I imagine it would be completely full during the annual EAA convention. For us, it was a convenient location but aside from spending time with our family, the reason we chose this campground.

We liked this site because it was on the "quiet loop." No radios or pets allowed. I'm not sure about children! :) The sites are fairly close together and the trees are sparse, but it was a beautiful site and wonderfully quiet for the long weekend over the 4th of July 2017.

You can walk over to an area that has hiking trails right out of the campsite. State park mountain biking trails are also close by, but you would need to drive to them. The showers were clean and when we used them, available. There is a playground right next to them as well.

The campsite itself had a good log-stopper so you wouldn't drive too far into the woods, great fire ring, and picnic table. We had nice flat areas for our tents.

I am not so sure I would have enjoyed myself if I'd been in another loop. The quiet was perfect!