I
Irene M.
Traveler
TravelerVel Terra
Not too far off the main highway, but you do have to travel down a dirt road.
A nice Little campground close to Elizabeth Illinois. The bathrooms are well capped, but the showers require quarters!
Camping near Dodgeville, WI
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SUMMARY PRESENTED BY
Campgrounds near Dodgeville, Wisconsin include established sites in Governor Dodge State Park, where both Cox Hollow and Twin Valley campgrounds offer tent, RV, and walk-in camping options. The area features several park-managed properties within a 20-mile radius, including Blue Mound State Park Campground and Yellowstone Lake State Park Campground, providing a mix of electric and non-electric sites. Private options like Tom's Campground and Wisconsin Riverside Resort complement the public facilities with additional amenities including cabin rentals and glamping accommodations, creating a diverse range of camping experiences in this scenic region of southwestern Wisconsin. With over 140 campgrounds to choose from, Dodgeville offers campers exceptional access to southwestern Wisconsin's natural beauty.
Many campgrounds in the area operate seasonally, with most state park facilities available from April through October or November, though some locations offer year-round access. "The park is beautiful, the campsites are very nice. There's lots to do including swimming and kayaking on the lake," noted one visitor about Governor Dodge State Park. The terrain consists primarily of wooded bluffs and lakeshores with varying levels of accessibility—some sites offer drive-up convenience while others require short walks to more secluded locations. Reservations are strongly recommended during summer weekends and holidays, when sites frequently reach capacity. Weather conditions can change rapidly in spring and fall, with occasional heavy rainfall affecting trail conditions and campsite drainage in low-lying areas.
Campers frequently highlight the hiking opportunities as a standout feature of the Dodgeville area, particularly at Governor Dodge State Park. The park's extensive trail network connects to waterfalls, bluffs, and two recreational lakes with swimming beaches and boat rentals. Walk-in sites receive especially positive reviews for their privacy and natural setting. One experienced camper shared that "sites 262, 263, and 264 are 40-75 steps from parking, right on the edge of the valley with personal bluff access." Wildlife encounters are common, with raccoons frequently mentioned in reviews as bold visitors to campgrounds. Families appreciate the mix of amenities like playgrounds, fishing opportunities, and clean bathroom facilities, though some reviewers note that popular campgrounds can be quite noisy during peak summer weekends, especially at developed sites with electrical hookups.
Best Campgrounds near Dodgeville (121)
1. Cox Hollow Campground — Governor Dodge State Park
"Two good lakes for kayaking/canoeing/fishing/swimming. Lots of good hiking trails and they are working on a big improvement to the equestrian campground."
"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."
from $25 - $40 / night
Check Availability2. Twin Valley Campground — Governor Dodge State Park
"The flush toilets and showers were conveniently located a few sites down the road. We would choose this site again, and also found a handful of others for our “nice sites” list!"
"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."
from $25 - $40 / night
Check Availability3. Yellowstone Lake State Park Campground
"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."
"The hiking is amazing , particularly the Oakgrove trail, plenty to see with beautiful views. There is boating, canoeing, etc."
from $18 - $110 / night
Check Availability4. Blue Mound State Park Campground
"Overall, the park has well-maintained hiking and MTB biking trails, extraordinarily clean and well-kept vault toilets, and ample access to drinking water."
"This is another Wisconsin gym sitting in Southern West Wisconsin."
from $18 - $50 / night
Check Availability5. Governor Dodge State Park Backpack Campsites — Governor Dodge State Park
"Lots of access to pit toilets and water fountains from primary camping sites!"
"Great hike threw out the state park. 2 main lakes with great fishing is a plus. Lots to do for the whole family"
from $25 / night
Check Availability6. Blackhawk Lake Recreational Area
"The campground was higher up on the hill, it took a 5 minutes to hike down to the lake with lots of steep steps. Nice beach area. I spent two nights here with an RV. I had electric hookup."
7. Toms Campground
"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."
8. Brigham Park
"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."
"The dense tree cover and near-constant slight breeze help to both keep this campground cool and the mosquitos at bay.
- Well-kept vault toilets.
- Close to a many points of interest."
9. Wisconsin Riverside Resort
"There is also a man-made lake with a beach for swimming and bigger kids to enjoy the large inflatable slides and swim platforms."
"I’m a tent camper so tucked in the back was great. It’s a bit of a normal RV easy camping almost glamping with the amenities around."
from $32 - $170 / night
Check Availability10. Hickory Ridge Group Camp — Governor Dodge State Park
from $50 - $90 / night
Check Availability
Drive Time
- 43 min from Madison, WI
- 50 min from Dubuque, IA
- 1 hr 10 min from Janesville, WI
- 1 hr 41 min from Rockford, IL
Recent Camping Photos near Dodgeville, WI
327 Photos of 121 Dodgeville Campgrounds
Jen L.
Cox Hollow Campground — Governor Dodge State Park
Nick C.
Governor Dodge State Park Backpack Campsites — Governor Dodge State Park
Mary M.
Twin Valley Campground — Governor Dodge State Park
Kim L.
Wisconsin Riverside Resort
Danielle A.
Blue Mound State Park Campground
Kay K.
Yellowstone Lake State Park Campground
Kelly M.
Fireside Campground
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White Mound County Campground
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New Glarus State Park Campground
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Lower Wisconsin Riverway
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Alana Springs Lodge and Campground
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Mendota County Park
Recent Reviews near Dodgeville, WI
850 Reviews of 121 Dodgeville Campgrounds
Andrew R.
ScoutFireside Campground
Family, Pet, Motorcycle Friendly!
This is a fantastic Campground, especially for RVs and families. Large playground and outdoor games, small indoor rec area. During busy weekends with lots of kids and holidays, they have foam parties for the kids where they fill the basketball court with foam 3 ft High. Most sites are permanent sites, but have probably around 20 other 30 amp sites that can accommodate large RVs. There are only a few tent sites, but if tent is your only option and you still want to stay they will rent you an RV site for the tent. New owners are very friendly, and have adopted the same overwhelmingly hospitable nature as the previous owners. Fantastic people and very helpful. It will accommodate special needs or requests as long as it doesn't bother anybody or go against any insurance policies. I've had a permanent site here in the past, and recently started camping again and came to visit old friends. The new owners were still happy to accommodate semi truck parking for my job. I haul milk locally so I work more than I'm off, but the family can still camp and I can come when I'm done work. It is near the Wisconsin River, so it's fairly sand base although the Grass Grows plenty so you're not tracking sand everywhere. The benefits of this is when it rains heavily the sand absorbs the water rapidly. The only negative is the mosquitoes. Be prepared for mosquitoes with lots of bug spray. This is no fault of the campground, all low wetlands in Wisconsin are the same. The bathrooms are some of the best in any Campground I've seen. They are always clean, modernized, and Air condition. There are showers and bathroom stalls near the park. They try to keep families close to the park if possible for the bathrooms and the park access itself. They are really extremely accommodating for requests if it's in their power at all. The owners live at the campground and are always accessible by a simple phone call if after hours. There's a community vibe, with a community fire pit up front and often people are just hanging out outside of the main office. It embodies our Wisconsin way of life and you will find strangers waving at you every time you pass by. It's just our nature, don't be weirded out by the friendliness. The regular permanent campers are all so friendly and always willing to help a newbie or even someone struggling to figure out a problem or even carry things.
- KKevinScout
Rustic Barn Campground RV Park
Great stop
Just stopped for one night. Very friendly and helpful camp staff. Nice trees, electrical and sewer.
- IIrene M.Traveler
Fireside Campground
Cute campground with great hosts.
Found this campground by chance after the campground I had planned to stay at was a complete disaster. Luckily, they were able to get me a campsite for two nights where I could regroup do a little laundry and chill out also took a bike ride on the bike path.
Rob R.
RangerBlanding Landing
Pretty but very uneven
The campground is very nice but most of the sites are not level. I’m not talking about just put down the leveling blocks, they’re like backing into a ditch. Thankfully I’m staying when it’s not busy but I had to circle the campground three times to find a site I could make work and call reservation.gov to change my reservation. It’s a shame because it is a very scenic location and the camp hosts have been superb.
- ccurtis B.
GuideBlackhawk Memorial Park
Hidden gem!
Best kept secret in the area. Very low rates (5 dollars a night Sunday through Thursday .
Kelly S.GuideNature's Touch Campground
Maybe an off day?
First, the staff was very accommodating, and we appreciated it. We made a last minute booking over the phone and requested a late check-in, and they were wonderful about making it happen for us.
Once we arrived, everything seemed to go wrong. It appears there’s been a recent change in ownership. The campground was marked with a different name and we weren’t sure we were in the right place. Then, the sites and the hookup numbers don’t match, so again we weren’t sure we were in the right place. Once we found our spot, the site next to us had spread into our space, so we had to wait to pull in until they moved their stuff out of the way. Even so, the lots were very tight. The women’s bathroom was unkept - hair and bugs in the sink, and no toilet paper. A half-drunk bottle of Fireball was in the men’s room.
We also woke to a cracked windshield. Not necessarily the campground’s fault, but just added to the experience.
It worked for a one night stop-over, but wouldn’t have chosen it for a lengthy stay.
- DDarwin A.Scout
Twin Valley Campground — Governor Dodge State Park
Beautiful campgrounds everything else not so much.
First of all I have never paid so much for a state campground. By the time they were done tacking on fees it $72 a night, $15 extra for being out of state. There is only one dump station for over 320 sites. There was no water available in the campground, they were all torn up. Fortunately, the weather was fairly cool so we didn't need to run our air. Every time we tried to run more than 2 things at a time it tripped the 30 amp breaker. Very dissapointed for the price paid.
Jay W.
LegendBlue Mound State Park Campground
Beautiful Blue
Welcome 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!
Guide to Dodgeville
Dodgeville, Wisconsin harbors a mixture of state park campgrounds and private camping areas across the driftless region landscape. Governor Dodge State Park stands as the centerpiece with its Twin Valley and Cox Hollow Campgrounds, featuring tent sites, RV spaces, and walk-in camping options. Nearby, visitors will find Blackhawk Lake Recreational Area and Blue Mound State Park Campground which also accommodate tent and RV campers. Private operations like Tom's Campground and Wisconsin Riverside Resort expand lodging options with cabin rentals and glamping facilities alongside traditional campsites. Most developed campgrounds in the area offer electric hookups, drinking water, fire rings, and picnic tables while maintaining wooded settings.
The camping season in the Dodgeville area generally runs from April through October, with some facilities extending into November. Reservations are strongly recommended, particularly for summer weekends and holidays when sites fill quickly. One camper noted, "October and November have less people, no bugs, and beautiful fall foliage, plus a fire feels good that time of year." Most campgrounds provide showers and flush toilets, though facilities vary by location. Campgrounds with lake access such as Governor Dodge State Park offer swimming beaches, boat rentals, and fishing opportunities. Cell service is generally available throughout the region, though signal strength may vary in more remote areas or deep valleys characteristic of the driftless region's topography.
Many visitors praise Governor Dodge State Park for its extensive trail network and scenic features. A review mentioned, "There are so many hiking trails that all have different views—cliffs, bluffs, caves, waterfalls, old architecture that displays the great history of the area." Several campgrounds offer waterfront options, with sites near Cox Hollow Lake being particularly sought after. Campers frequently mention wildlife encounters, particularly with raccoons that have grown accustomed to campers. Family groups appreciate the playground facilities and swimming areas, while those seeking more solitude gravitate toward walk-in sites which offer greater privacy. The park's two lakes provide no-wake boating options suitable for kayaking, canoeing, and fishing, with rental equipment available during peak season.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best campgrounds near Governor Dodge State Park?
What are the best campgrounds near Governor Dodge State Park?
Governor Dodge State Park itself offers excellent camping options. Twin Valley Campground — Governor Dodge State Park is highly rated by visitors who appreciate its spacious sites and natural setting. It can be challenging to back into some sites, but the campground provides a peaceful atmosphere. For group camping experiences, Hickory Ridge Group Camp — Governor Dodge State Park offers facilities for larger gatherings. Outside the park, Blackhawk Lake Recreational Area near Highland provides an alternative with lakeside camping opportunities. These campgrounds serve as excellent baselines for exploring the beautiful terrain and recreational opportunities throughout the Dodgeville region.
Are there year-round camping options available in Dodgeville, WI?
Are there year-round camping options available in Dodgeville, WI?
Most campgrounds in the Dodgeville area operate seasonally, typically from April/May through October. Cox Hollow Campground — Governor Dodge State Park closes during winter months but offers extended season camping in early spring and late fall, weather permitting. For winter camping options, consider Toms Campground near Dodgeville, which provides year-round accommodation for those equipped for cold-weather camping. Before planning a winter camping trip, check with the specific campground for current availability, as facilities may be limited and water systems winterized. Some privately owned campgrounds in the region may offer cabins or heated accommodations for winter visitors.
What amenities do campgrounds in the Dodgeville area offer?
What amenities do campgrounds in the Dodgeville area offer?
Campgrounds around Dodgeville provide a range of amenities to enhance your outdoor experience. New Glarus State Park Campground offers drive-in sites with nice amenities, while their walk-in sites provide more solitude. For water recreation enthusiasts, Wyalusing State Park Campground features boat access to rivers, hiking trails connected to campgrounds, showers, and flush toilets. Many area campgrounds include swimming beaches, fishing opportunities, and hiking trails. Private campgrounds like Fox Hill RV Park & Campground offer additional amenities such as swimming pools, ponds, and services like firewood and ice delivery. Most public campgrounds provide basic facilities including water access, toilets, and reservable sites, with varying levels of electrical hookups depending on the specific campground.
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