1 campground with availability next weekend
Governor Dodge State Park Equestrian Campground provides direct access to over 22 miles of bridle trails through Wisconsin's scenic Driftless Area. Located near Elroy, this campground features electrical hookups, water access, and sanitary dump stations specifically for visitors with horses. The equestrian sites are designed to accommodate both tents and RVs with ample parking for horse trailers. Drinking water, picnic tables, and fire rings come standard at each site. Showers and well-maintained toilet facilities serve all campers in this section of the park. Sites are reservable and pet-friendly, with fires permitted at designated rings. The campground earns excellent reviews for its spacious layout and trail connectivity to the broader park system.
The bridle trails at Governor Dodge connect riders to diverse terrain including wooded ridges, open prairies, and scenic valley views. Horseback riders appreciate the well-maintained trails that loop through various sections of the 5,000+ acre park. Trail maps are available at the park office, with routes clearly marked for different experience levels. Water access points for horses are located at strategic locations throughout the trail system. Campsite reservations are recommended, especially during summer weekends and fall color season when the park reaches capacity. The park maintains a strict policy requiring proof of negative Coggins test for all horses. Governor Dodge's equestrian campground serves as an ideal base camp for exploring the natural beauty of Wisconsin's Driftless region on horseback.
"NOTE; Google maps makes it look like the campground and landing are near each other. They are not."
"Proximity to potable water, vault or modern toilets and designated parking are all within 400 yards of all sites. "
Available next weekend
from $19 - $110 / night
"Most of the time, the pay envelopes are outside and you have to duck into your car, fill it out, and dart back into the dark to the drop box."
"The campsites are tucked away and private. There are bathrooms and a small playground. The lake is gorgeous and clean. The only downfall is the lake is spring-fed so it’s a bit cold for swimming."
"It’s located right by Devils lake. Firewood for sale, great wifi, clean bathhouses/rooms"
"Lake full of all kinds of floats the kids can climb and jump on. Clean pool to cool off in. Sand volleyball, ga ga ball, huge park. Has so many different accomadtions to choose from!"
from $35 / night
"Behind the office was a large pond with a sand beach, lots of blow up pool toys, a bar, and volleyball, plus there are trikes and bikes available after you play mini-golf."
"For anyone planning a visit, I recommend checking out the driving directions—they’re super helpful to avoid any hiccups on your way there. Happy camping!"
from $50 - $65 / night
TravelerVery nice grounds with gorgeous tree covered sites, electric hookup on most of them. They have toilet facilities on each end of the grounds. They have shower facilities with potable water fill station next to the showers and water fountains in several locations. For those with kids they have a very nice playground area.
TravelerNot a place for camping. We booked 2 nights site red 12. Streets were very narrow getting to site. The site was literally a dirt island. We had to drive over a curb. The site was so small. There were campers everywhere. We ended up leaving right away and booked a different campground
RangerTraveling along the road from Ontario to Wildcat gave a little Appalachia feel. The park is situated above the Kickapoo River valley and is a great base for trout fishing.
If you are in the driftless region looking for camping, this is the spot.
ScoutI love Smokey Hollow Campground! The scenery is stunning, and the friendly staff really make a difference. For anyone planning a visit, I recommend checking out the driving directions—they’re super helpful to avoid any hiccups on your way there. Happy camping!
LegendWe hiked a short distance into our site. We had to pass a grassy area that was always full of bunnies! The site was of good size, dark and quiet. The shower house was close and clean.
RangerIt was very pretty with and without snow. Lots of wood to burn. Nice and quite.
TravelerVery cool secluded walk in sites, pet friendly, awesome trails.
GuideThis is a smaller campground but makes up for it with all the access around it. Ice Cave trail was a neat, quick walk. The trails around have gorgeous views of the driftless area and Kickapoo river. I stayed at site 1. While it is right next to the campground road and a trail, trees block the views from people looking in and there was not that much traffic. It is a tent only site and can fit one tent. Was a good site for just me and would stay at this site again as most of the other sites are very explored.
LegendNice campground, quiet would come back! It was our first time to WI so the scenery to the park was just beautiful.
Our campsite was nice. Spaced out enough from neighbors that we were comfortable. Do not like the nickel and diming of WI state parks. Charge the site fee which is reasonable enough but then a $8 reservation fee that gets you to $40 and then another $11 to NR's for the vehicle pass. You can get an annual pass for $38 but when you are just passing through it's not worth it. Brought us to $51 for the stay and it was worth it since we needed a place to camp, but I've stayed in better places for less. This park was much better than Rocky Arbor.
Bathrooms were super clean for a campground. Good shower with directions on wall, which was a nice touch. The cement in shower is stained so it looks dirty but it's really pretty clean. Enjoyed my hot shower here.
Hiked the Old Settlers Trail. It was nice, some elevation changes that get you attention. It was muggy and hot as I hiked right after the rain, so temperature was miserable at times, but it is July! The entire trail was about 3 miles round trip from the campground. Definitely check out observation point! Beautiful view!!!
Wildcat Mountain State Park Campground provides direct access to the scenic Kickapoo River in Wisconsin's Driftless Region. Located 30 miles northwest of Elroy, the park sits atop limestone bluffs carved by ancient glacial waters. Winter camping remains available with select sites accessible year-round, though amenities become limited during colder months. The campground serves as a practical base for equestrian enthusiasts seeking trail riding opportunities in the area.
Kickapoo River kayaking: Access the Kickapoo River directly from Wildcat Mountain State Park Campground for paddling adventures. "Great location for kayaking and hiking. The facilities are well maintained and clean. Camping sites are spacious and the stars at night is amazing. Bring or rent kayaks to float the Kickapoo River. Ontario to bridge 5 was 2.5 hours," notes John B.
Trail riding: Explore over 20 miles of equestrian trails at Governor Dodge State Park Equestrian Campground, which offers spacious sites designed for horses and trailers. "It was very pretty with and without snow. Lots of wood to burn. Nice and quite," says Jill K., who visited during winter.
Ice Cave exploration: Visit the unique geological formations at Wildcat Mountain during colder months. "We were hoping for some more rock faces and challenging/longer distance hiking. We'd love to come back and see the ice cave when it's cold enough for ice," shares Kristina K., highlighting seasonal attractions.
Privacy between sites: Campers appreciate the spacious layout at equestrian campgrounds near Elroy. "The sites were spaced apart far enough so you weren't on top of the other campers. Very beautiful scenery, especially from the lookout. All the fire rings come with grill racks for cooking," reports David F. about Wildcat Mountain.
Night sky viewing: The dark skies in this rural region create ideal conditions for stargazing. "The stars at night is amazing," mentions John B., who stayed at Wildcat Mountain State Park Campground while kayaking the Kickapoo.
Clean facilities: White Mound County Campground earns praise for maintenance. "Very pretty...very quiet...very clean...incredibly nice campground," says Amy G., who adds "There were bathrooms scattered around with very clean pit-type toilets, and there were multiple toilets in 'mens' and 'women's' rooms."
Self-registration procedures: Many parks in the region have specific check-in protocols. At White Mound, "We got there late in the evening, but the check in/self pay process was very simple and straight forward. Fees were incredibly reasonable for such a nice campground," explains Amy G.
Wildlife precautions: Take proper food storage measures at Merry Mac's Campground. One visitor at Wildcat Mountain warns, "It was recommended that we keep all food in our car, but we were drinking and too lazy/drunk to take back all our food to the car... so we woke up in the middle of the night to find some smart raccoon had enjoyed our breakfast."
Access considerations: Some campgrounds require navigating steep terrain. "We drove a truck so getting up/down the mountain wasn't a problem, but if you have a low car, the front end is going to get scraped at the bottom of the mountain," cautions Joyce B. regarding Wildcat Mountain.
Playground access: Lakeside Fire Campground & Waterpark offers entertainment options for children. "Ice cream Shop in hot Dog," notes Chi M., highlighting food options kids enjoy at the campground.
Activity planning: Schedule structured recreation for younger campers. Merry Mac's Campground offers "Lots of planned activities on weekends. We stayed during water wars and the kids had a blast!" according to Tracy C.
Campground selection: Choose equestrian campgrounds that accommodate families. "Great places to camp and very clean. Plenty of things to do here to keep the kids engaged and busy," recommends David H. about Merry Mac's, adding that "swimming Pond was clean and plenty of fun things to climb on and slide down."
Site selection: Consider the proximity to facilities when choosing equestrian sites. "We chose a pull thru site. The staff is great, the pool is brand new! They have a huge pond with inflatables. It's located right by Devils lake. Firewood for sale, great wifi, clean bathhouses/rooms," shares Michael D. about Merry Mac's Campground.
Utility access: Verify hookup options before arrival. At White Mound County Campground, "Electric sites (designated with an 'E' beside the number) were scattered with non electric sites. Electrics were more plentiful, though," explains Amy G.
Campsite layout: Assess the parking configuration for horse trailers. Glenn T. notes about Lakeside Fire Campground, "Not our typical type of campground but absolutely no complaints. Very friendly atmosphere and more comfortable sized sites than we expected considering what we typically look for."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Elroy, WI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Elroy, WI is Wildcat Mountain State Park Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 21 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Elroy, WI?
TheDyrt.com has all 7 equestrian camping locations near Elroy, WI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
