110 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Campgrounds near Lake Mills, Wisconsin range from state parks to private RV resorts, with over 157 camping options within a 20-mile radius. Sandhill Station State Campground in the Lake Mills Wildlife Area provides a semi-rustic experience with 15 walk-in sites in an oak savanna setting. Other nearby options include River Bend RV Resort in Watertown and Hickory Hills Campground in Edgerton, both offering tent sites, RV hookups, and cabin accommodations. The region includes a mix of county parks, state forests, and privately-operated campgrounds with varying levels of amenities and natural settings.
Camping in the Lake Mills area typically runs from April through October, with most private campgrounds closing for winter while some state facilities remain open year-round. Reservations are strongly recommended during summer weekends and holidays when facilities often reach capacity. Many campgrounds feature electrical hookups, shower facilities, and drinking water, though amenities vary significantly between locations. The terrain around Lake Mills consists primarily of glacial features, lakes, and oak woodlands typical of southern Wisconsin. A visitor to Sandhill Station noted, "The campsite we were on was spacious, private, and beautiful. We had two large oak trees on either side of our site, giving us a good amount of mixed shade."
Water access represents a significant draw for campers in the Lake Mills region, with several campgrounds situated near lakes or rivers. Ottawa Lake Campground in the Kettle Moraine State Forest-Southern Unit receives consistently positive reviews for its combination of wooded sites and lake access. Campers frequently mention the area's hiking opportunities, particularly along the Ice Age Trail which passes through several nearby parks. The proximity to Madison (approximately 30 miles) makes these campgrounds popular weekend destinations for city residents seeking outdoor recreation. While some campgrounds like Sandhill Station offer a quieter, more natural experience, others provide more amenities and organized activities. According to feedback on The Dyrt, "Sandill Station is right outside Lake Mills, WI, right off the Glacial Drumlin bike trail. What makes this campground a bit different is that all 15 standard sites are carry-in only."
"Site was spacious but very close to your neighbors. Lots to do in the area. Bathrooms and showers were clean. The beach was not clean and very hard to walk on, very rocky."
"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."
from $23 - $38 / night
Check Availability"Just a quick 2 hour drive from our home in Chicago, with large wooded sites for privacy. Clean bathrooms."
"We didn’t have much time to explore the campground but we did have a nice walk around the outer loop of sites. This is near the main highway and a nice place to camp."
from $18 - $50 / night
Check Availability"Don’t forget the lake and floating obstacle course. Dog park, baseball field, the list goes on. The dump station lanes need some attention, more than gravel would be great."
"Our site was nicely wooded and a decent size, but everyone was pretty close to each other. When we were there, the women's shower was freezing and the men's was almost uncomfortably hot."
"Hidden from site, the entire grounds are completely surrounded by a very thick wall of tall trees that barricades this place from most of civilization."
from $42 / night
Check Availability"No enclosed dog park but plenty of area to walk your dog!"
"Driving around, I really don't think there's a bad spot here. The staff is fantastic, friendly, and accommodating- as are the seasonal campers.
We'll be back again...and again... and again!"
"We were located on the end of the row and had lots of grass to enjoy. Owner was very friendly and helpful"
"Sandill Station is right outside Lake Mills, WI, right off the Glacial Drumlin bike trail. It features 15 campsites and 1 group campsite in an oak savanna, with varying degrees of shade."
from $18 - $70 / night
Check Availability"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."
from $23 - $90 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $65 - $85 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $18 - $95 / night
Check Availability
ScoutNothing special but a nice spot if you need somewhere to park your camper and stay. Electric and water hookups, decent showers and bathrooms. Septic on site. We stayed here for an event at the fairgrounds but there were also several others staying here while they were in town for work.
GuideOur friends have a permanent camper here so we joined them for the weekend. I’ve never experienced a place like this. It’s not what I would consider camping. It’s basically people’s second trailer park home. The frog pond that was turned into a swimming hole with ridiculous inflatables completely ruined the peaceful atmosphere in that area of the park. If you enjoy being surrounded by people, noise, and teens cruising in golf carts, you’ll love this place. We do have fun when we are with our friends here, but it is definitely not a typical peaceful camp.
TravelerThis park has always been a go to for me. As a full time RVer, I come here a lot. The scenery is beautiful, beach right next door, fishing holes not far from here. The people who come are all very friendly and the park rangers are very welcoming and always have firewood for the visitors. Highly recommend this spot for everyone.
TravelerFirst time RV’ing with my wife and we were able to navigate pretty easily in our rented 30’. Arrived on a Monday, and as posted, there was no one so we checked in online(they sent an email to check in). Simple camp site with tons of space(almost double our RV), a long wood picnic table and a fire pit. Everything was great until we left. Dumping was straight forward, but the person in front of me was taking a little while to dump. They had came up to my RV and let me know the dump tank was backing up, which I had also experienced when I tried dumping. I called to ask for assistance on Thursday and they said they would send a ranger out. 45 minutes of waiting and a couple other RV’s after us and we ended up giving up and going to another site closer to home to dump. Great experience otherwise.
TravelerI love staying here from time to time. As a full time RVer, I book here frequently. Not only do they have all types of hookups stays, but they full men and women’s locker rooms with showers, and restrooms, including a laundry facility on site, shop is inside the office and ice available. The customer service is by far the best! They work with you every step of the way and show you around the area if you wanted! Plus they have a dump station and water fill up station even if you’re not staying here or book here. I recommend this site to anyone and everyone!
GuideWe stayed here one night and had a great experience! The restroom/bathhouse is super clean, conveniently located, and NEW. A refreshing thing after roughing it. We took a trail down to the trussle bridge that goes across the river. Nice nature view. Fishing was good too, near the bridge at the entrance to the park. My son was there maybe 5 min and hooked a decent sized pike. We brought our two dogs and they enjoyed the quiet of the park and the trails. Only complaint I had was that someone previously had left dog poop at our site, but sometimes people don't clean up after their pets. Our site had electric, only 30 amp hookup but we had a 50 amp adapter and it worked well. We would definitely stay again.
GuideThis is a wonderful campground with many amenities for the whole family. The sites are a good size, plenty of shade. Indoor and outdoor pool, Kiddie pool, mini golf, playgrounds, pond with inflatables, pond to fish(catch and release) paddle boats, row boats, kayaking. gaga pit, shuffleboard. Wonderful store stocked with everything you need and then some. They have a grill if you want to order food. Game room and arcade. Clean bathrooms and showers. Storm shelter under the bathrooms and showers. I can't say enough what a wonderful campground this is!!
LegendWelcome 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!
TravelerThis is my second time camping here (June / July). This campground is the best of both worlds. By that, I mean there’s is peace and solitude, while also family fun activities for kids and adults. You can rent kayaks and canoes, for the lake. Fishing pier, nice size beach with the inflatable obstacle course. On the weekend they have activity’s on the beach such as sand castle building competitions, obstacle races and then they have beach bubbles. It’s is fun to watch all the little kids running around like little marshmallows.
The golf carts are all newer with long lasting batteries. The campsites have lots of tree shade. On our arrival, our site appears to be cleaned. Even our fire ring was cleaned out. Golf cart was there waiting for us fully charged. They bring firewood out to you when you buy it from the store. The store has a nice array of items such as food, ice cream, clothing, little toys an such. The mini golf course is new and some obstacles are made from an artist with recycled tires that are painted.
There is lots or grass at our campsite (mud too if you’re here when it rains). The roads are a VERY hard packed gravel that electrical scooters can ride on. So yes, electric scooters appear to be permitted here. Be careful tho as there are quite a few pot holes and dips.
There is a heated pool that goes to 9ft. A balloon launching area, jumping pillow and I’m sure others that I’m missing. By the store, they have picnic tables in shade with activities on each one with little blocks. Karaoke on the weekends. And if you like to socialize, you might run into the “booze cruise”. This is a group of seasonal people that ride their golf carts around playing music trying to get more people to join the ride. They’re entertaining to watch as they stop and start dancing like they’re 12yrs lol.
Great place to camp. Quiet when you want it, fun when you need it, great free WiFi, activities, shade, well maintained campground with staff that will literally help anyway they can if it’s within their power. Hope all this helps someone make their next camping trip as well as ours have been!
Camping spots near Lake Mills, Wisconsin offer contrasting experiences from rustic tent sites to campgrounds with resort-style amenities. The area features glacial terrain with rolling hills and kettles formed during the last ice age approximately 10,000 years ago. Water access remains central to the region's appeal, with most campgrounds located within 5-10 miles of a lake, river, or spring.
Swimming in clean lakes: At Ottawa Lake Campground, the beach and lake are "incredibly clean" according to campers who noted "they had a triathlon there the weekend we stayed." The small but well-maintained swimming area provides relief during hot summer days.
Water activities on floating obstacle courses: River Bend RV Resort features a pond with "blow up floating slides and climbing activities" plus canoes for paddling. One camper noted it's "a young kids heaven" with "tons of activities all included with admission."
Fishing for multiple species: Several campgrounds maintain fishing ponds or lake access. At Hickory Hills Campground, anglers have "direct access to Rice Lake, where you'll catch no shortage of blue gills, small and large mouthed bass, bullheads and crappie."
Spring water exploration: Near Ottawa Lake Campground, "Scuppernong Springs was a treat for the kiddos" with one visitor recommending "planning for a solid 2 mile hike if you're with kids." Visitors can see natural springs and even sample fresh spring water.
Privacy between sites: Many campers appreciate the layout of Lake Kegonsa State Park Campground, noting "large private sites with good space between them in a lovely wooded setting." Another visitor mentioned "sites are nice and neat with bathrooms close by."
Clean facilities: Visitors consistently mention the condition of bathrooms and shower facilities across campgrounds. One camper at Milton-Madison SE KOA reported "bathrooms are fantastic and recently upgraded" while another noted the "nice pool area with hot tub" that is "well maintained with a waterfall feature."
Weekend activities and entertainment: Many campgrounds schedule regular events. Hickory Hills Campground "usually have some activities and music on the weekends" while River Bend RV Resort features "live music some weekends" along with organized crafts and sports.
Oak savanna landscape: The natural setting at Sandhill Station State Campground provides "a nice, quiet semi-rustic camping experience" with sites spread through an oak savanna offering "varying degrees of shade." Campers appreciate that the sites are "spacious, private, and beautiful."
Walk-in camping limitations: Some campgrounds require gear to be carried in from parking areas. At Sandhill Station, "all 15 standard sites are carry-in only. The parking lot is anywhere from 100-500 yards from the campsite." No carts are provided, so campers should "pack light."
Seasonal considerations: Ottawa Lake Campground offers "no showers in winter" according to one winter camper, though they still rated it "awesome" for cold-weather camping. Most campgrounds operate from April through October, with some facilities reduced during shoulder seasons.
Road and rail noise: Some campgrounds experience noise from nearby transportation. Kegonsa State Park has "some traffic noise but relatively quiet by night time" though campers report freight trains that "came through around midnight and then again at 2 am" with horns that could disturb light sleepers.
Insect preparation: Mosquitoes can be problematic, especially in early summer. One camper at Sandhill Station noted they "were massacred the second we walked into the site" during a June heat wave, recommending fall or spring visits instead.
Pool and water feature availability: Families appreciate water amenities during hot weather. Badgerland Campground offers "a swim pond with a huge bouncy float" while River Bend features "a great pool with water slides" and a swimming pond.
Dedicated kid zones: Many campgrounds maintain playgrounds and activity centers. Milton KOA offers "two playgrounds, a nice pool, games and activities for the kids over weekends" with one family noting "we had a great time bringing our three boys."
Campsite selection for families: Consider proximity to facilities. At Lake Kegonsa, sites near "camp hosts, and very near showers" provide convenience for families. One camper recommended viewing online maps carefully, noting "they do allow you to pick your site if you're willing to pay $10 extra" at Milton KOA.
Weekday vs. weekend stays: For quieter family experiences, consider timing. One visitor to Lake Kegonsa described "beautiful sites super quiet" during weekday camping, while weekends see higher occupancy and more activities.
Height restrictions: RVers should be aware of low clearances. One Lake Kegonsa visitor warned of "an oak tree near entry with low branches" that "took the AC off our friend's fifth wheel" and a "low hanging overpass" that damaged two other RVs during their stay.
Full hookup availability: Hookup options vary significantly. Badgerland Campground has "no sewer hookups" but offers "a dump site" and a pump-out service for a fee (approximately $15). Meanwhile, Milton KOA provides "full hook up" sites with water, electric, and sewer connections.
Site leveling considerations: Most campgrounds have reasonably level sites. At Milton KOA, one RVer found their "pull through space was level and allowed staying hooked up to truck" which was "nice for the last stop before parking til next trip."
Frequently Asked Questions
What campgrounds are available near Lake Mills, Wisconsin?
The Lake Mills area offers several camping options. Sandhill Station State Campground is located right outside Lake Mills in the Wildlife Area. This unique campground features 15 carry-in only campsites and one group campsite set in a beautiful oak savanna with varying degrees of shade. The campground is conveniently situated right off the Glacial Drumlin bike trail. Other options within driving distance include New Glarus State Park Campground, a small state park tucked in the Southern Wisconsin countryside with both drive-in sites and walk-in sites for those seeking more solitude.
What amenities are offered at Lake Mills campgrounds?
Campgrounds in the Lake Mills area offer varying amenities. Mendota County Park features a bath house within a short walking distance of the camping area, though the campground itself is primarily a mowed field with mature trees around it. The park provides lake access for recreation. At William G. Lunney Lake Farm Campground, you'll find 50 sites, many with electric hookups at reasonable prices. The sites are generously sized, making it comfortable for various camping setups. Other area campgrounds typically offer basic amenities like fire rings, picnic tables, toilets, and water access, with specific features varying by location.
Are there RV-friendly camping options in Lake Mills?
While Sandhill Station State Campground in Lake Mills itself is primarily carry-in tent camping, several RV-friendly options exist nearby. River Bend RV Resort near Watertown offers drive-in sites suitable for RVs with amenities including water and toilets. It's also big-rig-friendly. Whistlestop Campground near Marshall is another good option for RV camping with reservable sites, water, toilets, and accommodation for larger RVs. Both locations are within a reasonable drive from Lake Mills and provide comfortable options for RV campers.
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