Campgrounds surrounding Bristol, Wisconsin offer diverse experiences for outdoor enthusiasts within approximately 30 miles of the Wisconsin-Illinois border. This region features a mix of county, state, and private facilities with varying levels of amenities and natural settings. Summer temperatures typically range from 70-85°F with higher humidity, while spring and fall camping seasons bring cooler temperatures and fewer crowds.
What to do
Fishing opportunities: Chain O' Lakes State Park provides multiple water bodies for anglers. "There are tons of trails, a small fishing pond and ok bathrooms. The staff is very friendly. There is horse riding here as well. The views are breathtaking," notes a visitor to Mud Lake East.
Horse riding adventures: Several parks offer equestrian facilities with guided rides available. "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. Perfect if you have a boat and want access to the Chain of Lakes. Horse stables and guided rides for horse lovers," explains a camper at Mud Lake East.
Hiking trail systems: The region contains extensive trail networks varying from paved paths to natural terrain. "This is a great place to experience nature near the cities. With the convenience of its location in mind, the entire grounds is surrounded by roads, highways and the constant hum of traffic, sometimes louder than others," states a visitor to Naga-Waukee Park.
What campers like
Clean facilities: Many campgrounds maintain well-kept bathroom buildings. "Site was clean and flat enough for my two person tent. Restrooms were porta-johns, but very clean. Plenty of free wood available for the fire," reports a camper at Naga-Waukee Park.
Spacious sites: Several parks offer generous camping areas. "The sites are spacious with electric and water at each site. Well taken care of grounds. Nice bathrooms with clean showers," notes a visitor to Cliffside Park Campground.
Lake access: Waterfront locations provide swimming and boating options. "This is a huge parking lot for the State Fair. Very nice staff. Nice facilities were average and clean. We didn't know it, but our site was 15 amp. On the same pole were two 30 amps. So we just use that because no one was there. 1.7 miles on bike path to Brewer Baseball field," explains a camper at Wisconsin State Fair RV Park.
What you should know
Site accessibility: Terrain varies significantly between campgrounds. "All sites are spacious with their own power and water. Sites 1-41 are available for first come if not previously reserved. The fee is $30/night plus $12 if you choose to reserve a site. I didn't do much exploring because I was caught by a pretty big storm. It's nice that all sites are grass, although there are many sites with little shade," explains a visitor to Cliffside Park Campground.
Seasonal timing: Fall offers reduced crowds while summer requires advance planning. "It was a small plot of camp. It was noisy from kids. But it was a good time and easy to get to from Chicago," notes a camper at Naga-Waukee Park.
Urban proximity: Some campgrounds provide convenient access to cities. "Perfect campground for what it is! Big paved parking lot with full hookups. Very close to downtown, right off of interstate. Clean facilities. We were visiting family downtown and it was very convenient," explains a visitor at Wisconsin State Fair RV Park.
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Multiple campgrounds feature play areas for children. "This is a great place for families. With the convenience of its location in mind, the entire grounds is surrounded by roads, highways and the constant hum of traffic, sometimes louder than others. We also were mislead on our hike and ended up leaving the parking and following the Ice Age Trail for about a half mile, which was all paved and followed huge power lines which buzzed above our heads. This would be nice for wheelchairs," reports a visitor at Naga-Waukee Park.
Swimming options: Several parks offer designated swimming areas. "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. A few different lakes for fishing, swimming, boating, etc. The fox river runs through the park as well," notes a camper at Mud Lake East.
Nature programs: Some sites provide educational activities. "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," explains a visitor at Sunrise Campground.
Tips from RVers
Hookup availability: Power options vary between parks. "We stayed 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," reports an RVer at Lehmans Lakeside RV Resort.
Site levelness: Grading differences require preparation at some campgrounds. "Flat sites, some shade in the center sections. Outer sites backed to woods for most sites. The campground takes reservations 7 days out or drive up. We saw a lot of bigger rigs but so much space between sites it didn't feel like we were crowded," notes a visitor at Cliffside Park Campground.
Water quality considerations: Some locations have mineral-heavy water supplies. "You can tell they're trying to remodel some of the sites. There is lots of grass so all the rain this weekend and we weren't muddy was awesome! Big park with tons of spots. The pull throughs were really long," explains an RV camper at Lehmans Lakeside RV Resort.
