Looking for the best horse camping near Belleville? Whether you own a horse or are joining a tour group, equestrian camping is an adventurous and unique way to experience the city. With our help, you'll find the best Wisconsin equestrian campsites from scenic to easily accessible.
Located 10 miles northeast of Rockford, Rock Cut State Park is a 3,100-acre recreation area that encompasses two natural grasslands, a natural creek area, a nature preserve and 162-acre Pierce Lake. The area was designated a state park in 1957 as a way of preserving a local polititian’s favorite fishing hole. Prior to this, the park and wider area has a long history of Native American residence, including the Mascouten, the Winnegabo, and the Chippewa. With abundant water and preserved natural areas, the park now supports a thriving habitat for local birds, fish and wildlife. And with year-round camping and outdoor activities, you can experience the many seasonal sides the park has to offer.
The campground at Rock Cut provides 270 sites that can accommodate tent campers, as well as RV and trailer campers up to 40 feet. Back-in sites are mostly grassy and equipped with picnic tables, cooking grills and electrical hookups. The campground provides water faucets, restrooms, showers, and a dump station; the water and dump station are not available November through April. One of the park’s multiuse trails runs right through the campground, and provides access to the larger trail network. Most of the campground’s facilities are ADA accessible. Dogs are permitted in the park, but must remain leashed; alcohol is not permitted.
For recreating in temperate seasons, more than 40 miles of hiking, cycling and equestrian trails allow you to explore the park’s woodlands and prairies. These are ideal ways to observe some of the local birds, animals, and wildflowers. For fun on the water, paddle around in a canoe or kayak, take a dip at Olsen Beach, or go fishing for some of the lake’s largemouth bass, bluegill, sunfish, pike and walleye. Several picnic areas throughout the park are ideal for group or family gatherings. In the snowy season, many of the park’s trails are open to cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, with gear rentals available. For more family fun in the area, check out the nearby Volcano Falls Adventure Park.
For those who want to include an overnight stay in their visit to Rock Cut, the campgrounds provide electricity at the site, water hydrants at the beginning of each camping loop, sanitary dump stations, showers, toilets, a boat launch and playground equipment. There are 210 Class A Premium sites and 60 Class B/S Premium sites. There is also a primitive cabin (it has electricity, but does not have water or plumbing facilities).
From November - April, only electricity is available; there is no access to water or dump station.
Equestrian camping is restricted to a site on Hart Road, is only available on a first-come, first-served basis and the Ranger will collect the fee at your site in the evening.
Rock Cut is an alcohol-free park and campground, and this rule is strictly enforced.
$12 - $50 / night
Whether you visit for an afternoon or stay a few days, you will leave Lake Le-Aqua-Na State Recreation Area with many happy memories. Located in Stephenson County just west of Route 73 on Lake Road, the park is 6 miles south of the Illinois-Wisconsin state line and 3 miles north of Lena.
Highlighted by a 40-acre lake and all the recreational opportunities there, the park also offers multi-use trails, picnic areas, and RV, tent, equestrian and youth group campgrounds.
Developed as part of a statewide plan to provide Illinois citizens with recreational opportunities close to home, the park was started with a land acquisition program in 1948 and dedicated as a 715-acre state recreation area 10 years later.
Lake Le-Aqua-Na’s name is the result of a contest sponsored by the Stephenson County Sportsman’s Club, one of the park’s many sponsors. The name is a combination of the town of Lena and the Latin word for water, aqua.
$10 - $30 / night
Merry Mac Campground is a family friendly campground nestled between the South shore of Devil’s Lake and Lake Wisconsin. This 40 acre facility offers activities for all age groups: swimming pool, beach, swimming pond with water inflatables, jumping pillow, dunk tank, miniature golf, playground, sand volleyball, basketball, gagaball pit, trykes and bikes, friendly camp store surrounded by Mother Nature’s beauty!
$35 / night
Life preservers are required for boating in the rivers. Swimming is prohibited.
$15 - $25 / night
The vision for McCarthy Youth and Conservation Park began in 1974 with a donation of 180 acres of land that was owned by Russell and Ella McCarthy. The McCarthys’ primary goal was for the park to become“a place where kids from the city could learn about nature.” The park offers a group camp, hiking, cross-country skiing, equestrian trails and camping, picnic opportunities, and a beautiful prairie/wetland restoration.
There are two separate group camps at McCarthy.
McCarthy Group Campsite
Group Camp area for up to 50 people situated on top of wooded glacial drumlin adjacent to Maunesha River. Connection to hiking trails. Scattered level wooded camping areas. Located~ 1 mile from the park entrance through a gated access road– road is part of the hiking trail system. Ranger will open gate. No potable water at this time Vault(pit) toilet Picnic tables Campfire ring No electricity No shelter Vehicle parking in parking lot at base of the hill below the Group Camp site
McCarthy Equestrian Group Campsite
Located~.6 miles from the park entrance access through road gate– road is part of the hiking trail system. Ranger will open gate. Camping setup for self-contained camping units No potable water at this time Your group may rent a portable toilet(from a vendor of your choice) if needed. Picnic tables. Hitching posts. Campfire rings. No electricity. No shelter. Vehicle parking in parking lot at base of the hill below the group camp site
Reserve a campsite online here: https://web2.myvscloud.com/wbwsc/widanectywt.wsc/splash.html
Check opening and closing dates here: https://www.danecountyparks.com/about/Parks-Opening-Closing-Schedule
See campground rules here: https://www.danecountyparks.com/about/rules
$65 / night
Guide
I wanted so badly to love this campground experience, but just didn't. Site 19 was an easy walk-in that theoretically had nearby vault toilets, parking, and water.
Each site only had space for one car to park before walking in. Not a huge deal, but annoying as there were 2 of us who drove separate and we had to problem solve. When we got to the site I was shocked to see that what was labeled as a tent site had literally NO flat space to actually set up a tent. Spacious site, but fully sloped.
Also, what I would have loved to know, is that the vault toilets are closed because they are doing construction to build something new in that space. Construction that starts loudly each day at 7am. Honestly every site from about #35 down was affected by the noise because the construction is happening in the middle of the loop (and actually blocking some of the one-way road as well).
The park in general was okay. Per the usual, the pet areas were lacking. No beach at all, just grass covered in goose poop and one cut out on the raised shore between tall grasses and foliage where a dog could potentially jump in. Certainly nowhere for a human to enjoy the water with their pups unfortunately.
Scout
We have a 30 amp trailer. When we got there, the electricity wasn't working. It was 93° on a Saturday. We called the Rangers and asked them to look at our site breaker since it kept tripping. They came, told us the park was old and not updated but then ultimately told us it was our trailer. We had to rent a motel for the night because we couldn't even pull out the slide or anything. This was after spending about 6 hours pulling apart all the electrical in the trailer. Went to camping world the next day just for us to use their plugs and it was fine. We thought maybe it was our cord so we bought a new one and still nothing. We called the Rangers again who came to look at it. Told us that the park was just so old that it probably couldn't keep up and moved us to a 50 amp sight. The 30 amp plug there would work for about 2 mins and then would keep tripping again. So we ended up having to go back to camping world to get an adapter to use the 50 amp. Wasted about 30 hours of our trip over their electrical not being updated and they knew that. Tried to reach out to get the first night reimbursed since we literally couldn't even stay there or use our trailer. Was told we had to come back the next day to speak to the head ranger, came back and he wasn't there again. Was told he would call us two different times and never got a call. Will never stay here again.
GuideWe camp here at least 5 times a year. It’s only 8 miles from our home. Many trails and not to expensive. They have sites with electric and sites just for tents. The only negative is no drinkable water. Tons of trails, fishing and even a swimming pond.
ScoutA perfect spot for a weekend trip. We stayed in the White Oak area and used our tent. This location was close to the shower house (which could have been a little bit cleaner but still usable). There are plenty of scenic photo opportunities especially during the fall season.
LegendFor whatever reason you find yourself up here in northern Illinois, whether just entering the Land of Lincoln or fleeing to the 'nation of cheese curds' to the north (a.k.a. Wisconsin) – only 10 minutes from this natural outcrop by the way – be sure to stop by this multi-campus nature preserve camping outpost. With more than 3,000 acres of wetlands, tall grasses and protected forest preserves, Rock Cut SP packs a punch from a camping perspective as it offers up so much in such a concise area of land that has Pierce Lake perfectly placed in its center.
The biggest problem you are likely to encounter here is exactly which of the 7 (yes, I just said 7!) campgrounds to stay at: Staghorn, Prairie View, Plum Grove, Hickory Hills, White Oak, Equestrian or Youth Group. And if 7 campgrounds aren’t enough, there’s also a single rustic cabin with electricity (mind you, no running water or even a bathroom) you can rent as well as 3 other smaller, really intimate primitive camping spots (that are actually my favorite) with the following names: Hawk, Crow and Owl, which sit along the same lane opposite the Youth Group campground on this eastern stretch just due north of the lake. Over here, you'll also see the boat launch area.
For this particular review, I will focus my efforts on detailing Staghorn, which is the second campground (with the first campground you pass by being Prairie View) you will come across after entering Rock Cut SP from its northernmost entrance, with Highway 173 to the west and Harlem Road to the east. Once you enter the park, you will follow the long winding nicely paved roadway until you begin seeing the signs highlighting where to go for the various campgrounds. Once you access this road, you’ll come across a small building with a smiling SP ranger inside where you will register, after which, you will pass by a designated dump station before coming around a small bend where you will take your second right (careful: taking that first right will have you driving into Staghorn the wrong way!).
The sites begin with #300 and as you circumnavigate the simple circular loop, you will pass by about 2 dozen or so slots that are nice flat paved slots perfect for just about any RV or 5th Wheel. You will note that the odd numbered sites are on the exterior while the even numbered sites are located on the interior of the loop. There are two his / her restrooms located at Staghorn with the first being placed behind the campground host sites (#302 and#304) at the beginning of the loop, while the second is strategically placed towards the end of the loop behinds sites #324 and #326. At the end of the loop there is also a designated trash area just past site #331. To access the shower, you will need to go back to the main road and hike it down the road with your towel and toiletries, which makes the latter sites (#318+) more attractive for their convenient location to the bathhouse (if that’s important to you).
As far as amenities go, Rock Cut SP offers up an awful lot (if the 7 campgrounds weren’t enough to help you arrive at that conclusion). In addition to all of the camping options, of course, one of the greatest assets here is the very massive Pierce Lake, which is great for fishing, boating, kayaking and swimming. In the Staghorn campground specifically, in addition to restroom and waste disposal, you’ll also have access to running water spigots at each site along with running electric. A single amphitheater is located centrally just past the camp store and before reaching the Hickory Hills campground. While I'm at it, this camp store in the middle of Rock Cut SP is just decent (not amazing) and offers up ice, firewood, ice cream, snacks, games, limited groceries and a number of other sundries you might need while camping. In all, there are 5 shelters that have electricity, water and restrooms nearby, with each shelter available by reserving them well in advance. Two of the shelters (Red Oak and Puri Crest) also have children’s playgrounds nearby. To launch your watercraft, you’ll have to head south to Hickory Hills campground where on the eastern side of this area you’ll be able to find the boat launch. To make a reservation either to camp or rent out a shelter, you’ll have to visit the ExporeMoreIL site to make a reservation.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) IMHO the best sites here in Staghorn are those that are positioned on the exterior of the loop and located furthest from the main road, for the obvious reasons being less traffic, less noise and more privacy. As such, odd-numbered sites from #301 to #319 are the best spots as they deliver peace & quiet, privacy and thus an intimate nature experience; (2) Once you grow weary of trying to conjure up that next meal from the depths of your onboard RV fridge, fret not, and just head out of the park where you will find a handful of dining options, including: Tom& Jerry’s, Fresh Start Café, Waffle Shop, Golden Chopsticks Buffet, Sunrise Family Restaurant, Beef-A-Roo (in fact, there’s like 4 of these that the park is surrounded by, so apparently they are very popular), but one of my absolute favorites is Pig Minds Brewery Company, which is, surprisingly, a Vegan joint, but one nonetheless that you can grab a number of seriously astonishingly awesome brews; (3) If you are on the prowl to see some of the most amazing animals that call northern Illinois their home, then you’ve hit the wild animal jackpot with easy viewing of white-tailed deer, red foxes, raccoons, squirrels, opossums, woodchucks and beavers; (4) But because there are so many wild animals out here, be sure to keep your domesticated pets on a leash (as its a requirement here at Rock Cut SP); and (5) If you would like to experience a bit of Illinois history, you could go for a nice long drive to the northwest corner of Illinois where you can experience Galena or if you don’t have enough time for that, then just head south of Rock Cut SP to check out Midway Village Museum.
Happy Camping!
GuidePretty Good size camp site.
TravelerCampsite 201- spot was nice with plenty of space behind us along the woods. Camp store just 100 ft away. Park was very nice. Lake was great. Rented kayak for $20/hr. Has a dump station and water hookup just inside the entrance past the office. Area construction didn’t affect experience for camping, but did not allow you to hike around the entire lake. Overall, nice campground for a relaxing weekend.
TravelerOur first trip out with our pop up was to the local state park. We were pleasantly surprised by how quiet it was. Bathrooms were meh. Some sites had good shade, but many had very little. Our site was okay, but friends across the road had no shade.
Legend This is a very large state park located halfway between Mineral Point and New Glarus, both nice visiting destinations in their own right.
It has a large lake with three boat launches, a main one with a motor ramp, a canoe launch near the marshy end, and a fishing pier. There's also a boat rental place run by the nearby Cork Down Saloon. There are no boat-in or lake accessible campsites however.
The campground is up a long 30 degree hill across from the main launch and Beach/ main picnic area. The sites are more secluded from each other than you'll find at most parks , which is very nice. Beware that some sites are so secluded that they are bi-level. That is, parking pad and then step(s) down to the site. Be sure to check the photos provided when reserving. There are very nice walk-in sites, but no carts are provided.
the facilities are clean, but there's only one building with running water and showers. Water throughout has a mild iron taste.
There's no playground in the camp area, it's located in a picnic area near the canoe launch that you pass as you com in. Not walking distance, remember the big hill.
There's an Ice Cream/concession at the east end of the lake with limited hours. Beyond that is the Cork Down Saloon, just outside the secondary entrance to the park. It's your closest option to eat out. Also there is the private Chalet campground (see others for a review) Neither has a view of the lake as they are below the Dam.
A fun place to visit in the area is the Toy Train Barn Museum in Argyle, indoors if you have a rainy day.
Scout
wonderful park! Only problem is the park does not enforce their rules. Several sites had 3 to 4 cars/ trucks and as many as 15 people per site. And these were not the double sites which allow greater numbers. This was observered on single sites. Rules say max of 6 people and 2 cars. This creates very loud partying late at night. I asked at the ranger station about the rules and discussed what I saw what I experienced. Pretty much just blew me off! Reserving only one site and packing as many people as they can get away with does not create a very family friendly camping experience. Only leads to trouble. No Rangers in the Park after 8pm which to me is a safety issue! After 8pm the local police in Dodgeville take over. We were there 5 nights and only saw the police roll through 1 night! Too bad. Such a nice Park is going down hill!
TravelerThis is a great state park not too far from Chicago. Has a lot of rv sites and dedicated tent site close to the lake.
ScoutFirst time camping at Rock Cut State Park. Sites are spaced out well enough to provide privacy. Close to biking and hiking trails. Add bonus for EV owners, electricity is included in most sites so bring the travel charger.
GuideThis campground offers sites with electricity for RVs but some of the sites seem pretty narrow to use RV awnings. We booked an RV site but decided to camp. The site had a picnic table and fire ring but since it was an RV spot not a lot of good tent placement options. There are numerous pit toilets to use. The park has hiking trails that are accessible from the campground. The lake has a walking trail, kayak ramps and boat ramps.
Traveler
We love to go kayaking here, the lakes are lovely. There are also lots of trails to explore. It can get busy, especially during the summer holidays. The beaches tend to be where the people are most dense. The campgrounds are pretty large but most sites offer good privacy. We stayed at Cox Hollow campground and enjoyed our stay. The stars were glorious. P.S. Bob’s Bitchin BBQ in Dodgeville is banging if you’re looking for a yum treat.
LegendThe sites were separated pretty well.
Our site was not very level, the gravel area (pad) was washed away and needed some repairs.
Decent bathrooms, about 100yds from site.
TravelerVery nice park. Well marked and maintained trails. A large lake with boat launch and beach area. Separate pet area.
We spent the weekend at site 101, which is a tent site. I wouldn't recommend this site. based on a quick walkaround, it seemed a bit smaller than other sites. That's not really a deal-breaker, but it didn't really have any flat spots to pitch the tent. We ended up pitching it up on the parking area, but it was still a bit slanted and we could feel the tire divot a little through the air mattresses. Aside from that, it was great. The site had a picnic table and fire ring that we used a lot. It was secluded from the surrounding sites.
We hiked the Windy Ridge trail and the Prairie Loop trail. both were well maintained and enjoyable trails. We also spent some time on the beach.
TravelerAwesome place for camping!!No highway noise, nice trail for walking…We will be back!
LegendThe campsites here are deep with lots of greenery. However we chose this site thinking that it was on the end. The loops curl around so there were campers around us. On the other side was a playground that had children enjoying it all day. While this is great for some, our reactive dog was quite distracted.
Upon arriving at the check in, there is still a couple miles to wind around until the campground, longer to get to twin lakes campground. The road is hilly too. It’s not a problem in our vehicle but it would be tiring on a bicycle. There are showers in the center of our loop. It could be expanded a bit - we had short lines for the restrooms. Water , garbage and recycling are available as well as a dump station.
It was raining when we arrived but we drove around to see the park. We hiked the short distance to Stephen’s Falls and was not impressed. Maybe they need more rain this year but all we saw was a splatter.
We saw folks who kept their kayaks and canoes locked up by the lake. The beach looked nice too. The other end of the park has an equestrian campground. We did see some horses riding the trail around the park.
The vibe here wasn’t for us. Various sites had music playing loud enough for us to hear. Trails from camp would be great. We ended up walking along the narrow road.
GuideGreat beach, lots of space with picnic tables. Awesome concession stand- great ice cream. We enjoy this park. Lots of bat houses so the mosquitoes weren't a problem.
TravelerThe campsite were secluded from each other. It was cosy and surrounded by trees. The staff was friendly and attentive. Since we came in late and left early we unfortanly didn’t get to explore the surroundings.
ScoutI have camped in the tent section and also used the 30 amp service with our Class B van. Plenty of sites to choose from during the week but tends to get crowded on weekends. There are some sites out in the open and some that are totally private and secluded. It pays to drive through the camp ground and note a couple sites that you are interested in and then book your site at the entrance during walk in days. Once you have a couple favorites you can then book in advance online.
It does get congested and noisy on the weekends and holidays but can be a very peaceful and relaxing campground during the non-busy days. There is obviously the lake, hiking and biking paths throughout the park, 2 camp stores, showers and plenty of restrooms scattered around the park.
Pet friendly.
GuideLoved this quiet park! Camped at site 62 which is tent only. The site was huge and could easily fit 4 tents. Most sites had good privacy. Bathrooms could use a little work along with signage. However, I will absolutely be going back.
TravelerMade a reservation on line. $25. Added a conservation fee of $7. Taxes added to that. Pulled in on my motorcycles with my son and they charged us an additional $22 vehicle charge. This site cost us almost $60 for one night and the place was filthy. There were worms crawling around in the men’s urinal. The bathrooms were disgusting and there were signs all over complaining about how short staffed they were. Never go to this campground.
Legend
This was an unexpected good find in Illinois. The campground was nice with the standard set up - picnic tables, restrooms, water available. You can follow the road or the trails and make your way to the lake. We didn't go in the lake but we saw people fishing.
The hiking trails were enjoyed often by us. We found one section that had some interesting wildflowers. We paused and turned around when we found the archery area. We suggest keeping an eye on hunting season if you head this way.
We would certainly return in the future.
GuideGreat camping here. Water readily available. Clean bathrooms. Welcome center when you arrive. People friendly. Lot of different types of sites. Lot of sites. Did about 10mi of hiking. Buggy, but it's June in WI.
TravelerI may have had high expectations here and so was let down. The site was great, private and for being so heavily wooded the mosquitoes were not bad at all. But you can hear I90 as well as the Rockford Speedway which was a bummer. The small camp store was nice, good selection but the restaurant at Pierce lake was not run well. We waited almost 40m for a bagel.
Boat rentals were great, the husband and youngest took out a pedal boat and enjoyed a cruise around the water.
Trails were overgrown with the exception of the one paved trail just off the water but that one was very busy.
It’s close to home so that’s a perk but it’s not a favorite for me
TravelerSites were nearly unusable, covered in poison ivy, mud, and gravel. People walking through constantly due to some unmarked bike path. No privacy from your neighbors. Will not be back.
Horse camping in Wisconsin offers a unique opportunity to explore the great outdoors while enjoying the company of your equine friends. With a variety of campgrounds equipped with horse-friendly amenities, you can experience the beauty of nature alongside your horse.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Belleville, WI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Belleville, WI is Yellowstone Lake State Park Campground with a 4.1-star rating from 31 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Belleville, WI?
TheDyrt.com has all 12 equestrian camping locations near Belleville, WI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
