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Blue Mound State Park Campground permits pets throughout its wooded campsites, with sites well isolated by mature forest growth. Campers can bring leashed dogs to both tent and RV sites, each featuring fire pits and picnic tables. Brigham Park provides electric sites for pet owners, with 23 rustic campsites northeast of the Village of Blue Mounds serving as a good alternative when Blue Mound State Park fills up. The campground maintains clean vault toilets and water access for pets. Cedar Hills Campground accepts pets at its cabin accommodations, offering a clothing-optional environment from April to October. Sites backing up to woods on the outer loop at Brigham Park provide more seclusion for camping with dogs, with sites 12, 14, 15, 16, 18, and 20 recommended for better privacy.
Military Ridge Trail connects to Blue Mound State Park's hiking paths, providing extensive pet exercise opportunities on leashed walks. Pet owners appreciate the well-maintained trails, with the Flint Rock and Weeping Rock trails ranking among the best hiking experiences in the area. The campgrounds experience minimal mosquito problems due to constant slight breezes and dense tree cover, making summer camping more comfortable for pets. Blue Mounds State Park remains open into November, allowing for fall camping with dogs when temperatures are cooler and fall colors enhance the hiking experience. Nearby Cave of the Mounds provides additional exploration options, though pets are not permitted inside the cave itself. Wildlife sightings are common throughout the area, with deer and turkeys frequently spotted near campsites, requiring proper pet control.
"I spent two nights in the campground at Blue Mound State Park."
"Go to Blue Mounds Grocery on the way in. easy access to hiking, mountain biking, and running trails - including Military Ridge Trail. Camped here with 2 friends during a cross country road trip."
from $18 - $50 / night
Check Availability"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,"
"I randomly picked this campground, after trying to book Devil's Lake with no luck. WE LOVED IT! Sites are very private, some in the woods, and some have sun/shade."
from $25 - $40 / night
Check Availability"Lakes, trails, kayaking, boating, paddle boarding, fishing. Hidden gem of Wisconsin. The campsites are pretty private, nestled in trees. Some shaded, some have sun and shade."
"Site 271 was just enough of a walk to feel remote but not so far that I couldn't carry all my stuff."
from $25 - $40 / night
Check Availability"Lunney Lake Farm County Parks) will be RV only with self-contained restroom facilities and no tents allowed! This 232-acre county park is located northeast of the Village of Blue Mounds."
"It's up on a hill, so there's good views of the driftless area of Wisconsin. Plenty of open walk up camp sites, but it might be more full in the summer."
"This is a popular place in the area, the human beaches are full and the small pet beach area was well used by my husband, myself and our two dogs; Odinn & Frigga over Memorial Day."
"Tons of forest with cross country, equestrian, and hiking trails. One of the best lakes in Wisconsin for fishing along with a nice beach, and pet area. There is a free gun range."
from $18 - $110 / night
Check Availability"New Glarus Woods is a small State Park tucked away in the Southern Wisconsin countryside. Drive-in sites come with nice amenities."
"The park itself isn't that interesting, but it is worth noting that it is located across the road from New Glarus Brewery. The brewery is an easy walk or bike ride from the walk-in campsites."
from $18 - $70 / night
Check Availability"Cedar hill Wisconsin is a clothing optional campground so I enjoy it very much. The entire campground is located at the top of a 1000 ft.high bluff."
"River right behind our campsite. Some sites were a bit small but we managed to reserve one big enough for a trailer and a tent. Somewhat closed in with a lot of vegetation. Kids loved the river!"
"The new warden situation is interesting. Things have gotten a lot more strict in some areas (ex."
"this park has everything. beaches, bluffs, campIng, hikes, and phenomenal views. there is no wake in the lake and dogs are technically supposed to be on a leash."
from $28 - $53 / night
Check Availability"We needed a place after visiting the House on the Rock and couldn't find anything with hookups nearby. We stumbled upon Tom's Campground hoping to find a site."
"Quiet, pet friendly spot with nice bathrooms and plenty of tree lined spots for some privacy. Great spot to spend a weekend."
"Much to do at Devil's Lake and surrounding area. features multiple campgrounds and multiple areas for swimming. A beach at the North and South of the lake."
from $28 - $53 / night
Check Availability
GuideFriendly staff and a nicely stocked store. Has a pool, petting zoo, kayaks, rocky beach, dog park, and a land pillow! The sites are spaced out well and there are more secluded sites so you have the feeling of privacy or big group sites for a big party.
LegendI spent two nights in the campground at Blue Mound State Park. Overall, the park has well-maintained hiking and MTB biking trails, extraordinarily clean and well-kept vault toilets, and ample access to drinking water. Both tent and RV/camper sites are on a typical one-way road pattern with a couple of loops there are plenty of sites with and without electricity. At the time I was there, the camp host sold high-quality hard wood for $5/bundle from a trailer on the honor system, so if you run out in the middle of the night, wood was easy to replenish. One of the park's highlights are lookout towers with views above the treetops, Unfortunately in 2020 both were closed, presumably because it would be difficult to keep a safe distance from others when on the stairs or while at the top. Pity, it'll be a reason to return. Still, there are several observation areas that are maintained well enough to keep the undergrowth from blocking the view of the Wisconsin River Valley nearly 15 miles to the north. This is where the "Blue Mound" name must come from, the hills at that distance did have a bluish cast to them.
If you've read any of my other reviews you know what's next, my list of the best campsites. While I've visited several parks now that have "walk in" sites, with cars parked a minute or two from the campsite, about a dozen sites in Blue Mound State Park take "walk in" to a new level. Cars can drive to a barrier across the road, and the sites are a 10-15 minute walk downhill, The park provides ONE medium-sized cart (250 lb weight limit, 20-minute use limit) that I guess would be in high demand during load in and load out. (NOTE TO SELF, camp Thursday through Monday if going here, or arrive EARLY to get a cart). Most of these sites are quite sunny; 105 is nice and shady and private, 106 slightly shaded 109 and 110 are shaded, very close to one another and would be good for a group camp setup 111 is quite shady. There's water and toilets in the walk-in camp ground. You'd want to sip wood for campfires and cooking, the nearest source is a 15-minute walk uphill and back, and then if using the cart, you have to return it for another round trip.
Back in the family campground where mortals and RVs park, I think the following are the nicest in terms of shade, level, size and privacy.
42, 45, 47, 51, 64, 66, 69, 71, 73
LegendIn 2021, this is one of two Dane County Campground that will allow tents. Token Creek will allow tents, all others (Babcock, Mendota and W. G. Lunney Lake Farm County Parks) will be RV only with self-contained restroom facilities and no tents allowed!
This 232-acre county park is located northeast of the Village of Blue Mounds. Blue Mounds State Park is just up the road and is home to a national landmark cave. If you can't camp at the Blue Mound State Park this would be a good alternative.
This campground has 23 rustic campsites, two shelters, a picnic area, play equipment, a nature trail, and hiking trails that connect to the Blue Mound State Park. There is a 1.3-mile paved shared-use trail where mountain bicycling is allowed. The campground is only served by pit toilets. This campground does not have a dump station. There are electric sites throughout. Permits and reservations are purchased at ReserveDane.com
I did not camp here but spent a while walking around the park and campground to get a good idea of what camping here might be like. The first group of campsites is between the main road and a farm field. They are directly across from the park shelters and picnic area. There is no privacy in front of or between campsites.
On the other side of the loop, however, campsites are much more secluded with under-story between sites. These also back up to the woods, which makes for a much nicer overall camp experience.
If you have your choice, I would recommend sites 12, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20.
ScoutTl;dr: shower house is great. Nice campers, rangers and camping vibes. Go to Blue Mounds Grocery on the way in. easy access to hiking, mountain biking, and running trails - including Military Ridge Trail.
Camped here with 2 friends during a cross country road trip. We had site 5 and were tent camping. When we showed up it was raining and it was unseasonably cold, but other campers in adjacent sites looked like they were having a great time - lots of family groups. This kept our spirits high as we set up camp, made a fire, and made dinner. The site was standard with a big picnic table, tent platform, fire pit, and room for our car. The bathroom and shower house was a really great amenity and there were spots for cars to drive over there if their spots were far. A very nice camp ranger came by to say hi and let us know that campers are expected to quiet down at 9ish and not be cognizant of that. Campers were being respectful of socially distancing and wearing masks for the most part. Seems like there is a great bike/hiking trail network all around. A couple of us are runners also a friend from Madison met us and we ran on the military ridge trail in the morning. There is very easy access to that. Also, insider note, on the way in, go to blue mounds grocery for anything you need (esp firewood). The cash register gave us some great camping advice.
GuideGorgeous state park with tons of hiking and biking trails. Views are outstanding ! Bathrooms even the vault ones very clean. Near the cute small town blue mounds and mount Horeb. Be sure to go to cave of the mounds!
LegendThroughout the summer of 2020, I camped at a number of Wisconsin state parks in the southern part of the state but hadn't gotten to camp at this one yet. While driving through the area I visited the park in December- photos won't show its summertime beauty but my walk through the park identified some ideal spots for camping.
The state park is open year-round, camping open May - October. The first thing I visited were the walk-in campsites. There is a loading zone parking lot with limited time parking. Access to the 14 walk-in sites is via a single trail with campsites on either side of the trail. There is a decrepit but functional pit toilet. All the walk-in sites have a picnic table and each is tucked off the trail into the woods.
The downside to the walk-in sites is their proximity to a major highway. While walking through the campground I could easily hear the road noise. If I were looking to get away from civilization, or at least pretend to be far away from it all, that road noise would be a constant reminder that I wasn't. The further down the walk-in site trail I got, the closer I got to the highway and in fact, car headlights showed right up the trail as I was approaching the last set of campsites.
When looking at a map and choosing a site, the walk-in campsites on the same side of the trail as the toilet are a little more private and secluded, and back up to expansive woods. The sites on the other side of the trail are nice but they are a little closer to the freeway and don't have as much forest coverage behind the campsites. The furthest walk-in site is at least a 4-minute (slightly downhill) walk from the parking lot. The centrally-located restroom is no more than 2 minutes from any of the walk-in campsites. Sites are between 40 and 1,000 feet from the walk-in loading zone.
If walking to your campsite isn't your thing there is also a family campground with 17 drive-in (not drive through) sites located along a typical one-way paved road system. Unfortunately, this side of the state park is bordered by a different and only slightly less traveled road than the walk-in sites. Some campsites are sandwiched between the loop road and the main road, are lit by nighttime traffic headlights lights. As the campground road continues toward the group campground it veers away from the main road and offers a bit more privacy. These are the sites I'd select if I were to camp here.
Of the group campsites, 55 and 56 are in a nicely wooded area with shade. 52 53 and 54 are in an open area with no shade. The family campground is serviced by two pit toilets centrally located to the campsites.
Due to the very small size of this state park, lack of much to do except one hiking trail through it, and proximity to two main roads, I would not recommend the state park. There are many others in southern Wisconsin that have far more to offer.
Seriously, if you're looking for a Wisconsin state park in this neck of the woods, check out Yellowstone Lake or Blue Mound State Park instead. See my review of the latter for specific spots that would be awesome for tent camping.
LegendWelcome to Blue Mound State Park! This is another Wisconsin gym sitting in Southern West Wisconsin. It isn't too far from the city of Madison, but the closest town of Barneveld and Town of Mount Horeb are closer and offer a place to pick up any necessities you may need.
The park offers excellent hiking trails and 112 campsites with approximately 31 of those being electric. The park offers modern flush toilets and shower buildings.
The park also offers a rustic accessible cabin for people with disabilities. Also with an accessible flush toilet and shower building about 200 ft from this campsite. You can have a maximum of six people to occupy this rustic cabin.
One of the greatest things is this park offers a pool and splash pad for kids and this is a relatively good size swimming area! And also near a couple to her destinations, the most famous being Cave of the Mounds! I recommend checking this out if you have the chance!
GuideThe campground in Blue Mound State Park has well-maintained bathrooms, water faucets nearby, car camping, plus a few hike/bike-in sites. There are good views from a fire tower which sits atop the mound, and a few miles of hiking trails in the parks. Campsites are all pretty large with seclusion from the neighbors.
ScoutGreat location close to many things yet far enough to feel quiet and peaceful. Great owners always have fun stuff going on for everyone and our dog loves the dog park!
Blue Mounds sits at an elevation of 1,716 feet, making it the highest point in southern Wisconsin. The campgrounds near Blue Mounds experience cooler temperatures than surrounding areas, with evening temperatures typically 5-10 degrees lower than nearby Madison during summer months. The area's unique driftless topography creates natural windbreaks at many campsites, making camping comfortable even during Wisconsin's humid summer periods.
Hiking with dogs on Military Ridge Trail: Access this pet-friendly trail directly from Brigham Park, which connects to nearby state park trails. "The hiking trails connect to the Blue Mound State Park. There is a 1.3-mile paved shared-use trail where mountain bicycling is allowed," notes Josh F., adding practical details about the interconnected trail system.
Mountain biking on dedicated trails: Blue Mound State Park Campground offers extensive mountain bike trails with varying difficulty levels. "Awesome mountain hiking options," mentions Kristina K., highlighting the terrain variation that appeals to cyclists of different skill levels.
Swimming at the state park pool: The swimming facilities at Blue Mound provide a welcome cool-down after hiking or biking. "The pool is very nice and very clean. There is a pool section and a splash section. There are chairs and lounges around both and shade awnings. The cost is $3 for an adult and $2 for child," notes Debra M., providing specific pricing information useful for planning.
Wide site selection for privacy: Campers appreciate the variety of site layouts around Blue Mounds. At Twin Valley Campground, "Sites are wooded & spacious. Each have fire pit/grill and picnic table. Some are electric and map shows them as numbered E sites," according to Fred S., detailing the amenities available at each site.
Natural cooling from elevation: The higher elevation creates pleasant camping conditions. At Brigham Park, "The cool breeze rolls up over the mound at night, keeps you cool in your tent," says Braelyn C., highlighting how the natural geography improves comfort during summer camping trips.
Fall color viewing opportunities: The area transforms with vibrant foliage in autumn. "Beautiful campground with amazing views for Fall. The hike to the caves is about 3 miles with gorgeous landscapes/colors in October," explains Kaylyn C., offering specific timing for seasonal visits.
Reservation requirements: During peak times, securing sites in advance is essential. At Governor Dodge State Park, "Peak season reservations are a definite (weeks to months in advance for weekends)," advises Jen L., emphasizing the importance of planning ahead.
Wildlife awareness: Local wildlife requires proper food management. "The raccoons are a bit gutsier than most, though," warns Mallory M. about Blue Mound State Park, suggesting campers need to secure food items properly at night.
Water access limitations: Some campgrounds have limited water facilities. "Bathrooms/showers were warm and clean, and the vault toilets were not bad although there were a few spiders," notes Siobhan R. about Governor Dodge facilities, providing perspective on what to expect.
Splash pad access: Families with children appreciate water play areas. "The pool is awesome, and the splash pad is absolutely incredible. This is a great place to camp with little kids," shares Mallory M. about Blue Mound State Park.
Nature programs: Educational opportunities enhance family trips. "Lots of hiking trails and nature programs for all ages," explains Jeanne M. about Yellowstone Lake State Park Campground, highlighting structured activities available for children.
Playground proximity: Consider sites near play equipment. "Nice hiking with some beautiful scenery," Sarah B. notes about Governor Dodge State Park, adding it's "Great place to camp with the dogs!" which combines recreation for both children and pets.
Electric site availability: RVers should target specific campgrounds with appropriate hookups. In Brigham Park, "A few sites have 30 amp power. No dump station," advises Bob M., providing critical infrastructure information for planning.
Site leveling challenges: Terrain varies significantly between campgrounds. At Governor Dodge, "not all 'driveways' are level which, unfortunately, we discovered in site 33. We slept with our heads lower than our feet in our camper van," shares Lee D., offering a specific site-number warning.
Seasonal access considerations: RV camping options change throughout the year. "Only Dane Co. Park open year round," debe K. notes about Brigham Park, which is crucial information for off-season camping plans with pets.
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