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Happy Acres Kampground offers pet-friendly sites with water and electric hookups, accommodating tents, RVs, and cabins. Located in Bristol, Wisconsin, the campground features a dedicated dog park where pets can exercise off-leash. Richard Bong State Recreation Area provides additional pet-friendly camping options with both Sunrise and Sunset Campgrounds welcoming dogs and other pets on leashes. The facilities vary between campgrounds, with Sunset Campground providing flush toilets and showers while Sunrise has mostly pit toilets. Most sites at Richard Bong have good tree coverage offering privacy and shade for pets during summer months.
Hiking trails throughout Richard Bong State Recreation Area accommodate leashed pets, with the blue trail offering a moderate 4.8-mile route with several steep hills and the shorter green trail better suited for families with dogs. The recreation area spans substantial acreage with diverse terrain including prairie and forested sections ideal for pet exercise. Campground quiet hours are strictly enforced, creating a peaceful environment for pets sensitive to noise. While swimming is permitted in the recreation area's lake, pet owners should note the water quality is murky with limited visibility. Happy Acres includes additional pet-friendly amenities including a swimming pool, fishing pond, and multiple playgrounds, though several reviewers mention facilities need updating.
"They are busy but spots are large and neighbors are not close by. Lots of kids. Great for families and pet friendly."
"Driving into rural northern IL felt like leaving the craziness behind. I brought my dog to an animal-friendly area of the beach, which was small and secluded."
from $25 / night
Check Availability"I would recommend this for anyone for starting to step out of the comfort zone for the outdoors. very simple, many paths to walk, jog, or ride a bike. a small lake is near the further parking lot. dogs"
"Pros: great hiking trails, nice lake to kayak on, family friendly beach and picnic areas Cons: Not great fishing, no dog friendly swim area, the beach/fishing pier/boat launch are all pretty far from"
from $20 - $38 / night
Check Availability"Rocket launch (bring your own,) atv (no rentals-bring your own), water fowl hunting (during season), fishing, wildlife watching, swimming at the beach, playground for kids, and my favorite- nice trails"
"Plenty of space & foliage between sites and a nice network of trails surrounding the campground. Close to some small towns and the interstate as well, but not close enough to hear traffic."
from $20 - $110 / night
Check Availability"*** reviewing as a baby/toddler camp family on the go :-) we chose the loop 11 was on because it was close to the path to the playgrounds and lakes plus bathrooms… avoid the first 2 sites from either end"
"Campsite is nice, we're pretty close to our neighbors but not as bad as other places I've been. Walking distance to a fishing dock!"
"Petting zoo, camp store, pool, lake/pond for swimming and fishing. Cell signal for ATT just one bar. No internet. Lots of full time residents. Lots of activities for kids. Pet friendly."
"we’ve been RV camping here for 2 months now and love it. the bathrooms are older but still nice and cleaned daily. the pool is fantastic, lots of fun playgrounds around, and there’s a neat walking trail"
"In the Turner loop, the pit toilets are next to the path to the fishing pier, while the showers and full restrooms are between Turner and Fox den, there is a short path between sites 60& 61."
"You can hear whatever highway is nearby pretty clearly and constantly. But if you’re not looking for something super remote then it’s fine!"
"It feels like you are in the middle of nowhere, but it is close to everything. "
"However there is plenty of space around to find a spot on your own. The campsites are a nice size and have electric hookups. Water was at central locations and a dump is on the way out."
"Prairie View campground is in the Chain O Lakes State Park series. This is the no services campground. We could walk to fill up with water but no electric on site. Checking in was interesting."
"It was me, my wife, our 8 month old daughter, and our dog."
"This State Park isn't too far off the beaten path which is nice. Fairly close to gas stations, convenience stores, etc. The park is clean, and has the bathrooms and utilities that would be needed."
"There are numerous sites that are on a small lake with great sunset views. Sites are decent size but not much privacy in between sites. Lots of wooded trails within the campground."
from $12 / night
Check Availability"We love private campsites, far enough away from other campers, yet close enough to amenities. We chose a walk in site #16 which was nice but I wish we chose one a bit further in."
"Nice large sites. gravel spot for arc/trailer. fire pit and picnic table. trails for hiking are nice, but the overall camping area isn’t very big. 100 sites only. 30 with electric. this was the first time"
from $18 - $36 / night
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GuideWe love private campsites, far enough away from other campers, yet close enough to amenities. We chose a walk in site #16 which was nice but I wish we chose one a bit further in. Bathrooms where very clean. Trails are great. Pet friendly - we brought our small, quiet dogs. Dog friendly restaurant right next to the camp site.
GuideAbsolutely beautiful, reasonable prices, electric available. Tons of restrooms, showers, laundry, and wonderful camp hosts. Huge beach area, dog park, fishing as well. Shop to buy items you may need and absolutely wonderful place. Open all year round
TravelerGreat park with swimming beach, trails, dog park, and archery range. Campsites were ok, not much separation or privacy at all. Pit toilets and metros desperately need to be cleaned more often. We had very noisy neighbors that did not respect the quiet hours rule and park staff did nothing to intervene. Very convenient that they drive through the Campground to sell/deliver firewood tho. I'd stay here again because the park overall is great, but I would try to choose a better site. #9 looked alright, and in the 20#s looked a bit more tree lined and bigger.
LegendMy first impression when I first arrived here was the overwhelming scent of a newly minted campground, what with the freshly laid gravel, the mint condition security gates, finely manicured and recently raked greenery (as it was October when we visited, it might be better described as brownery) surrounded by a fairly decent gated enclosure lined with perfectly pruned tall towering oaks. Upon arrival, you’ll find what looks to be a brand-spanking new log cabin office on the right after passing a seemingly freshly-minted activities center / community lodge complete with in-ground heated swimming pool and jacuzzi on the left.
Amenities? As you could guess, this pet-friendly 60-acre RV resort has all the attractions in spades from pickleball, playgrounds, volleyball, log pergola patio, full hook-ups (30 / 50 amp electric, water & sewage), picnic tables, fire pits, BBQ grills, wagon rides, river access, picnic areas, bathhouses w/ showers & restrooms, cable TV WiFi (pretty poor connection though), gaga ball, game room, community room, billiards table, playground, wet bar, tabletop shuffleboard, community living room with large screen TV, DVD player w/ DVD library, clubhouse, dog park, horseshoes, hot tub, covered pavilions with picnic tables, catch & release ponds, inflatable water toys, jumping pillow, laundr-O-mat, propane refueling station and dump station.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a handful: (1) This place isn’t EZ to find – for some reason, if you plug the campground into your GPS, you’ll literally be on the wrong side of the tracks, where you will arrive at a dead end with a sign that says you are in the wrong place and that you’ll need to double-back, cross the train tracks heading north and turn right just before arriving to High Road School of Belvidere (so if you see a school, you’ve gone too far); (2) You will want to take note that yes, you actually cross train tracks to get to this campground, so if you’re sharp, you’re going to want to ensure you haven’t booked a site right next to where trains will shoot through every few hours, this specifically means avoiding sites #E1-#E5 and #FS23-#FS36 as well as #FE1-#FE20; (3) If you’re a tent camper, you can certainly stay here, but you will want to note that this is very much an RV outpost; (4) The best sites IMHO are those on the northernmost perimeter, as far away from the train tracks as you can get and that also border the Kishwaukee River with sites #S9-#S20 being excellent, as well as #S25-#S81, which are equally amazing; (5) If you are planning on using that amazing pool that you saw as you came in, make sure you call management a good day or two before you come in to ensure that they turn on the heater – when we were there for 2 days, by the time we left, the pool was still too cold to go for a dip; and (6) When you grow weary of trying to conjure up a meal from the depths of your Cordova roto-molded cooler and want to venture out to try some local fare, just a short walk into the nearby town is Garden Prairie Café, which has a very simple menu offering no shortage of fried everything (fish, shrimp, chicken, etc.) and then there’s Pleasant Street Tavern, but that’s mostly cheap national beers and frozen pizza fare, so if you want something a bit more substantive, head west of here to Miles Bar N’ Grill that serves up typical Midwestern fare like cheese curds, pork tenderloin, Italian beef and a variety of fried fish like blue gill, cod and catfish.
Happy Camping!
RangerI was here for three months this time as i get to business completed. The park was still kept up very nicely and this time I was here long enough to be able to see how. The grass is mowed every week. There is patroling at all hours for security. The laundry machines are great the dryers ore good. The dog park is clean and secure. The lake is natural and kept free of litter and garbage. The park is much bigger than i thought it was last year. The store has many items you may need. The showers are cleaned and work great. The camp water is high in Iron. The pot roads need service as thay do have a lot of pot holes. Good thing for the 5mph speed limit.
ScoutStaff was polite and helpful. They escort you to your spot. They hand out activity sheets for the weekend. Petting zoo, camp store, pool, lake/pond for swimming and fishing. Cell signal for ATT just one bar. No internet. Lots of full time residents. Lots of activities for kids. Pet friendly. They charge extra if you have visitors.
ScoutWe love camping here. It truly feels rural. Small shower house but water pressure is amazing. It’s always quiet and the view is beautiful. Bugs were awful this stay. They are busy but spots are large and neighbors are not close by. Lots of kids. Great for families and pet friendly.
TravelerWe 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!
GuideCampsites are kept up and quite clean. Some have a beautiful view of lake. Some water fountains did not work, however sinks were always working. So many little trails all throughout the campsite. Family friendly (parks, beach, pet friendly)
Campgrounds near Bristol, Wisconsin offer a mix of electric and non-electric sites across several state parks and private facilities. Most camping areas in this region sit within relatively flat terrain at elevations of 700-800 feet, with seasonal temperature variations that make late spring through early fall the most popular camping periods. The Chain O' Lakes region provides access to waterways, while Richard Bong State Recreation Area features more upland habitat with prairie restoration areas.
Kayaking and canoeing in Chain O' Lakes: The interconnected waterway system provides multiple launch points for paddlers. At Turner Lake South — Chain O' Lakes State Park, visitors appreciate the quiet paddling opportunities. "I love to kayak through here because I don't need to paddle through the river unless I'm feeling competitive. I enjoy this route for the wildlife and nature scenery. I've seen beavers, minks, ferrets, and sand cranes on my two trips so far," notes Cora M.
Horse riding trails: Several campgrounds in the region offer equestrian facilities with maintained trails. "There are horse rentals and a trail designated as horse friendly," reports Art S. about the trails near Prairie View Campground. Chain O' Lakes State Park maintains several miles of dedicated horse trails that connect various camping loops.
Fishing opportunities: Multiple stocked ponds and lake access points provide fishing across skill levels. At Honeysuckle Hollow — Chain O' Lakes State Park, "There is a water way fee per kayak or canoe per year but it is well worth it," according to Scott B., who visits annually specifically for the kayak fishing opportunities.
Secluded sites: At Sunrise Campground — Richard Bong State Recreation Area, campers appreciate the separation between sites. "We stayed at site 114 and were very pleased with the size and layout. Overall flat and private. Showers and bathrooms were clean," reports Phillip J. This privacy level differs significantly between camping loops and parks.
Wildlife viewing: The natural areas around Bristol support diverse wildlife populations. Tim H. at Sunset Campground — Richard Bong State Recreation Area reports, "I have seldom seen as many rabbits as we saw. There were relatively few campers during the week and just about every other campsite had at least a bunny or two." Birdwatching opportunities are particularly strong during migration seasons.
Well-maintained shower facilities: Many campgrounds offer updated shower buildings. At Sunrise Campground, one camper noted that while the bathroom facilities were basic, they were "very functional" for family camping. Jeanne M. mentions that the area is "our go to place for the first outing of the year to check out our gear" because of the reliable facilities.
Reservation requirements: Most campgrounds fill quickly during peak season. "We originally booked 96 but could not extend our slide because of large trees on either side of the pad and then the electric was about 50 feet away. Moved to 50 one of the nicest spots," reports Debra M. about Fox Den Campground — Chain O' Lakes State Park, highlighting the importance of site-specific research.
Insect considerations: Mosquitoes and ticks are abundant, especially in wet areas. "Very very nice service" mentions Victor M. about Prairie View Camping Area, but many reviewers note heavy mosquito presence, particularly in summer months. One camper at Sunset Campground observed, "It's a wetland, mosquitoes are happening, but the trade off is just about worth it."
After-hours access restrictions: Security gates at several parks close at specific times. "A note that the park gates close early as well - we returned one evening at 10:30pm and couldn't get back in with a vehicle. Had to go back in on foot. Good to plan ahead!" warns Grace H. about the Chain O' Lakes State Park entrances.
Multiple playground options: Several camping areas feature playground equipment for different age groups. "The campground was just about as far away into the park as you could go without going to the youth/group camp," notes Art S., mentioning that families often prefer sites closer to recreation areas.
Junior ranger programs: Seasonal naturalist programs operate at several parks. At Big Foot Beach State Park Campground, "The weekend we were here they had a free Kids fishing weekend and John the naturalist was amazing!! There is a ton to do at this park the nature center has activities all weekend long," shares Jill G.
Camp store amenities: For last-minute supplies or treats, many parks operate small stores. "The concessions (or camp store) was large and well stocked. Plenty of firewood and was inside a garage so it was all dry and ready to use," reports Dakota about Chain O' Lakes State Park facilities.
Electric hookup locations: Site selection matters for power access. "These sites share an electric box. Some spaces the box is further than 30 feet from the pad. A lot of the spaces are also crowded together. Recommend sites 23 to 46 for spacing and electric distance," advises Debra M. about Honeysuckle Hollow at Chain O' Lakes.
Dump station timing: Plan for potential waits during busy checkout periods. "It was also very busy and we had to wait when filling up and again when dumping," notes Tina about Big Foot Beach State Park facilities. Most campgrounds have single dump stations that can create bottlenecks during peak times.
Site length variations: Some campgrounds have inconsistent site sizes. "Spaces are not consistent, some very large and shaded and some smaller and crowded," cautions Debra M. about the sites at Big Foot Beach State Park, making advance research important for larger RVs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Bristol, WI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Bristol, WI is Adeline Jay-Geo Karis Illinois Beach State Park with a 4.1-star rating from 67 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Bristol, WI?
TheDyrt.com has all 50 dog-friendly camping locations near Bristol, WI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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