Whether you're a tent camper, an RVer, or just passing through, Burlington, WI has a lot to offer. Camping, hiking, biking: however you want to spend your days near Burlington, you'll find great campgrounds with The Dyrt. Find the best campgrounds near Burlington, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.
"We stayed at site 98- just barely big enough to fit our travel trailer in and right next to the showers and bathrooms. Not a great location, but fine."
"This is one of the most popular State Parks in Wisconsin because it's on Lake Geneva. In fact, it's the only state park within town's limits."
"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."
"Trails were geared more towards horses and bikes, but there are plenty of walking paths, and we were able to find some hidden trails along the lake (read: unofficial)."
"There is a lot to do at this park from hiking to water sports to horse back riding. We did a nice short hike in area. We had a great time at this campground and would visit again."
"It feels like you are in the middle of nowhere, but it is close to everything. "
$18 - $30 / night
"It is close to the Ice Age trail and the Scuppernong trail, and a short drive from Ottawa Lake. Nearby is some excellent mountain biking in hilly terrain at the Emma Carlin and John Muir trails. "
"Pinewoods Campground is part of the southern Kettle Morraine State Forest in Wisconsin. The campground is secluded and most sites are private and shaded."
"Red Trail, Paradise Trail,Rice Lake are all great hikes. Great views of Lake Ottawa.
The close by town of Oconomowoc has a nice place to eat, Burkes Lakeside."
"Whether you're in a tent or in a camper you can find just as much comfort as you're looking for. there's a lake with a swimming area if that's what you're looking for, not to mention a dock with great"
"Within walking distance to downtown Elkhorn, EAHS, and the horse areana. You might even be able to catch a show or two on site at the fair grounds, depending on the time of year."
"Easy access to electric and/or water. If unsure, contact office. Site, restrooms, and showers were clean. There are a lot of sites but still felt like there was ample space."
$28 / night
"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."
"Reservable backpacking sites about 45-60min away from nearest parking.
Fire pit, shelter, and picnic table at site.
Really enjoyed the hike through forest to get to this site."
$12 - $50 / night
"Site along the edge of the campground had ample shade. There is a central bathhouse with flush toilets and 3 showers. There is also a pit toilet. "
"It has a large lake with almost 40 miles of hiking trails, including equestrian trails and an equestrian campground. There is boating and fishing as well as swimming in the lake."
$43 - $73 / night
"Very Friendly Staff I received warm welcome from nice staff at the entrance gate. Tent Campground is nicely tucked inside by the lake. Quit place night time I can hear fish jumping from the water."
"We biked around the campground during the days and took advantage of the adult only hot tub hours at night. It was a nice getaway from Chicago."
"Driving on country roads to this campground, I drove past many many horse ranches. So it's no surprise that there is a dedicated campground for horseback riding in this state park. "
LegendWe stayed in the Turner lake south loop, which has nice and private sites. This is in contrast to Honeysuckle hollow which is open and row after row of RV sites. Fox den and Prairie view loops are nice as well with mostly primitive sites. Be aware that the map on www.ExloreMoreIL,com(where you make your reservations) doesn't show where the restrooms are. 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. Facilities are clean and well lit. Fire pits are slightly raised steel troughs with a heavy adjustable grill. This is a BIG park, the campgrounds are two miles from the front gate, and it's a drive to the main boat launch at Maple Grove, where you have access to the Fox River and Grass lake. This location has a huge parking lot for boat trailers, a very well stocked general store with fishing supplies, a cafe, boat rentals and good firewood. To get away from the crowd if you're a canoeist or kayaker it's nicer to leave the park and go back in at Oak Point picnic area and boat launch at the northern border. This will put you on the Fox river with developments to the north(including a bar& grill) or to the south which is all nature. I think the distance by boat between the two launches is 4-5 miles, but I'm not sure, Halfway there you'll meet up with the Goldfinch trail which is the shortest loop and the most diverse in term of flora. There are horse/ snowmobile trails, but no equestrian campground. Chain o' Lakes is one of the busiest waterways in Illinois, with motorboats everywhere in the height of the summer season. We canoe, and both times we stayed there it was October, so I can't tell you how crowded, but the vast number of picnic areas must be there for a reason. An odd thing is that you can hear a Steam Train whistle quite often, this is from Richardson's Adventure Farm in Spring Grove. We don't have kids so we went to Stade's Farm& Orchard(which is also large and kid friendly) because they have an orchard and vegetable market. One last thing, the gates close at 10:PM and there are tire shredders, you can leave but you can't get back in… unless you want to walk 2+ miles in the dark:)
LegendDriving on country roads to this campground, I drove past many many horse ranches. So it's no surprise that there is a dedicated campground for horseback riding in this state park.
Built for Large Gatherings
There are a number of COVID-era regulations that as of this writing are in place, see photos of the signs posted. This campground is clearly built for large groups to hang out together. There is a large shelter with picnic tables and very convenient roll-up sides that can be used to protect people during inclement weather. There is also a large grill that would be great for serving many, and a very nice fire pit with fixed seating for a large group.
Ammenities
There are also nice touches, such as a small stair-step for beginners or young people to mount their horse. And the campground has a little free library. There are electric and non-electric campsites, all seem to have a picnic table and fireplace. There are ample places to bridle horses and shared corrals every four or five campsites. There are also animal waste collection areas throughout the campground. There are several pit toilets throughout the campground, and one building with flush toilets and showers. It's a very nice and fairly new building.
Group Campsite
The group campsite has six sites and they are not pull through for trailers. There is a fire pit with fixed seating around it centrally-located in the group campsite. The group campsite does not have electric units.
And no surprise, there is easy access to horse trails throughout the state forest.
My Top Picks
There are several sites along one side of the park that are a little more secluded and in a pine forest. They have picnic tables and fire pits like the others, they include 409, 410, 411, 412, 413. There's also a series of pull-through sites that would make it easier for those who don't care to back trailers in or out of the site. These include electric sites 405, 404, 403, 402, and 401.
There's a nice couple of campsites at the end of one of the loops that affords a little bit of privacy, the only problem is they abut the main road and are a little noisy with car traffic. However, they are sweet sites. They include 427 and 428. Unfortunately, they camping here you would hear all of the car traffic while all the other campsites are much further away from the road.
RangerRock Cut St. Park is in the middle of an urban area, but you would not know it. The park is very large and has multiple campgrounds. I stayed in the Plum Grove campground. Trees were not really leafed out and some sites would have shade later in the year. Site along the edge of the campground had ample shade. There is a central bathhouse with flush toilets and 3 showers. There is also a pit toilet. Sites have an electrical hookup, but water is from a hydrant. There is a dump station and water supply near the park entrance. There are bike trails, hiking, and equestrian trails. I also believe that you can swim and boat here.
RangerI've camped here four different occasions this 2020 covid-19 year. The staff are super nice and the campground has great social distancing rules in place for the check-in shack and bathrooms. It is a super clean campground with multiple hosts and forest preserve staff. There are a large number of RV pads overlooking the prairie and a few along a grove of trees. I was lucky once to see the equestrian area full of campers with their horses. There are 9 walk-in tent sites about 10-20 yards from parking (the two at the end p7 and p9 are connected for groups that know each other). There are multiple ada sites and two "walk-in/ie roll-in" site in the tent-only area. It's a good mix of young people, retired people, and families. I've seen weekends with mainly RVs and one weekend with a quarter of the drive-in sites being tents. The most shaded sites are p1,3,5,7 and 9. Many of the sites in the middle are wide open with little shade but nice summer breezes. Prices are a great deal if you live in Kane county but still worth the trip if you live in another county. Firewood is $7 for about .75 cu ft (what you can fit in a milk crate.) There are a few trails and I've seen lots of butterflies, gold finches, hawks, deer, flocks of giant sandhill cranes, rabbits, ground squirrels, and of course actual squirrels. Lots of people (including me) bring their leashed dogs. The other campers have been polite and friendly. I wish there was more distance between sites in the water/electrical loops for more privacy, but I'd go every weekend if I lived in Kane county because it would be worth the resident price even tho there are so many RVs. Because there is electrical it is a peaceful campground with no generator noise.
RangerI love everything about this park except the beach, so it didn’t get a 5 star. We stayed at site 98- just barely big enough to fit our travel trailer in and right next to the showers and bathrooms. Not a great location, but fine. Took a walk around and found plenty of other large, private shaded electric sites. If we came here again I would go for a site away from the bathroom. The tent sites looks fantastic- large and private. Plenty of hiking trails here, a decent playground, and tons of large fields to picnic in. Park has a Facebook page where they post activities. Friday night we saw a presentation on the cranes of Wisconsin, and Saturday morning we did a parkwide scavenger hunt. All fun for the family. We would definitely camp here again. The beach is across the very busy road, and has about 10 ft of sand before the road. Fine for a dip, but not relaxing. Very crowded. Other beaches are nearby but not free. Town of Lake Geneva is very cute in an upscale tourist way. Our kid found the museum a lot of fun.
LegendOf all of the campgrounds that I have visited in Illinois, I would say that Rock Cut State Park is the best that I have seen. It boasts as being the largest State Park in Northern Illinois. It has a large lake with almost 40 miles of hiking trails, including equestrian trails and an equestrian campground. There is boating and fishing as well as swimming in the lake.
The campground staff is very helpful and do a good job at keeping it clean and well maintained even with the large number of visitors. Don't miss my interview with Marsha, one of the friendly staff members at Rock Cut State Park.
ScoutFull hook ups and electric sites plus some restricted Equestrian and walk in sites
Not for #vanlife. I tried to pay for a tent site and was told “you’re not supposed to sleep in your car” “this campground is for RV’s only”
TravelerA good campground for tents and trailers in a pine forest. It is close to the Ice Age trail and the Scuppernong trail, and a short drive from Ottawa Lake. Nearby is some excellent mountain biking in hilly terrain at the Emma Carlin and John Muir trails. You can almost feel like you're away from it all, but there is a small highway in the distance.
TravelerSuch a great little place to escape to or visit if you're just passing through. Nothing crazy fancy but hook-ups and fire pits available if needed. Within walking distance to downtown Elkhorn, EAHS, and the horse areana. You might even be able to catch a show or two on site at the fair grounds, depending on the time of year.
Wisconsin offers a fantastic experience for horse camping enthusiasts, with several campgrounds providing excellent amenities and access to scenic trails.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Burlington, WI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Burlington, WI is Big Foot Beach State Park Campground with a 3.6-star rating from 24 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 14 equestrian camping locations near Burlington, WI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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