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Best Tent Camping near Marshall, WI

824 Reviews

State parks and public lands surrounding Marshall, Wisconsin provide several tent camping options within a 30-mile radius. Sandhill Station State Campground in the Lake Mills Wildlife Area offers walk-in tent sites in an oak savanna setting, with sites located 100-500 yards from the parking area. KMSF Shelter 1 Backpack Site provides a more secluded backcountry tent camping experience with a shelter structure where campers can place tents if desired. New Glarus State Park Campground, though farther south, features both drive-in and walk-in tent sites with varying levels of privacy and woodland cover.

Most tent-only campgrounds in the region feature basic amenities suited for primitive camping experiences. Vault toilets are standard at most locations, though their condition varies by season and maintenance schedules. Fire rings and picnic tables are provided at most sites, with firewood available for purchase at some locations or from nearby gas stations and local vendors. Walk-in tent sites typically require campers to carry gear from parking areas, with distances ranging from 40 to 1,000 feet depending on the specific site. Summer camping brings higher insect activity, particularly at Sandhill Station where one camper noted they were "massacred by mosquitoes" near stagnant water areas during hot weather.

The tent camping experience varies significantly across seasons and specific sites. At Sandhill Station, campers report spacious, private sites with mixed shade from oak trees, making it "a nice choice for a private, quiet getaway into the oak savanna" according to one visitor, who recommended fall visits over summer to avoid excessive heat and insects. Walk-in tent sites at New Glarus Woods are described as "spaced out well and heavily wooded," though highway noise can be an issue at certain sites. The KMSF Shelter 1 Backpack Site offers what one camper called "a great backpack camp site" with "decent walk and terrain" leading to a secluded area with a fire pit, picnic table, and outhouse, providing true backcountry tent camping for those seeking privacy.

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Best Tent Sites Near Marshall, Wisconsin (10)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Marshall, WI

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Tent Camping Reviews near Marshall, WI

824 Reviews of 10 Marshall Campgrounds

  • Cristina S.
    Aug. 31, 2018

    Blue Mound State Park Campground

    Clean and Modern

    Campsites, trails and facilities were immaculate. Staff was friendly. drive in and hike in sites available. great for families; trails have info markers to educate hikers on geology and flora of area. Drive in campsites had fire rings and picnic tables, vault toilets available.

  • Josh F.
    Sep. 21, 2020

    Blue Mound State Park Campground

    Close to Madison, near Military Ridge Trail, Some sites are Far, Far Away

    I spent two nights in the campground at Blue Mound State Park. Overall, the park has well-maintained hiking and MTB biking trails, extraordinarily clean and well-kept vault toilets, and ample access to drinking water. Both tent and RV/camper sites are on a typical one-way road pattern with a couple of loops there are plenty of sites with and without electricity. At the time I was there, the camp host sold high-quality hard wood for $5/bundle from a trailer on the honor system, so if you run out in the middle of the night, wood was easy to replenish. One of the park's highlights are lookout towers with views above the treetops, Unfortunately in 2020 both were closed, presumably because it would be difficult to keep a safe distance from others when on the stairs or while at the top. Pity, it'll be a reason to return. Still, there are several observation areas that are maintained well enough to keep the undergrowth from blocking the view of the Wisconsin River Valley nearly 15 miles to the north. This is where the "Blue Mound" name must come from, the hills at that distance did have a bluish cast to them.

    If you've read any of my other reviews you know what's next, my list of the best campsites. While I've visited several parks now that have "walk in" sites, with cars parked a minute or two from the campsite, about a dozen sites in Blue Mound State Park take "walk in" to a new level. Cars can drive to a barrier across the road, and the sites are a 10-15 minute walk downhill, The park provides ONE medium-sized cart (250 lb weight limit, 20-minute use limit) that I guess would be in high demand during load in and load out. (NOTE TO SELF, camp Thursday through Monday if going here, or arrive EARLY to get a cart). Most of these sites are quite sunny; 105 is nice and shady and private, 106 slightly shaded 109 and 110 are shaded, very close to one another and would be good for a group camp setup 111 is quite shady. There's water and toilets in the walk-in camp ground. You'd want to sip wood for campfires and cooking, the nearest source is a 15-minute walk uphill and back, and then if using the cart, you have to return it for another round trip.

    Back in the family campground where mortals and RVs park, I think the following are the nicest in terms of shade, level, size and privacy.

    42, 45, 47, 51, 64, 66, 69, 71, 73

  • Josh F.
    Dec. 29, 2020

    New Glarus State Park Campground

    Small, close to 2 busy roads - there are nicer options in Southern Wis.

    Throughout the summer of 2020, I camped at a number of Wisconsin state parks in the southern part of the state but hadn't gotten to camp at this one yet. While driving through the area I visited the park in December- photos won't show its summertime beauty but my walk through the park identified some ideal spots for camping. 

    The state park is open year-round, camping open May - October. The first thing I visited were the walk-in campsites. There is a loading zone parking lot with limited time parking. Access to the 14 walk-in sites is via a single trail with campsites on either side of the trail. There is a decrepit but functional pit toilet. All the walk-in sites have a picnic table and each is tucked off the trail into the woods.

    The downside to the walk-in sites is their proximity to a major highway. While walking through the campground I could easily hear the road noise. If I were looking to get away from civilization, or at least pretend to be far away from it all, that road noise would be a constant reminder that I wasn't. The further down the walk-in site trail I got, the closer I got to the highway and in fact, car headlights showed right up the trail as I was approaching the last set of campsites.

    When looking at a map and choosing a site, the walk-in campsites on the same side of the trail as the toilet are a little more private and secluded, and back up to expansive woods. The sites on the other side of the trail are nice but they are a little closer to the freeway and don't have as much forest coverage behind the campsites. The furthest walk-in site is at least a 4-minute (slightly downhill) walk from the parking lot. The centrally-located restroom is no more than 2 minutes from any of the walk-in campsites. Sites are between 40 and 1,000 feet from the walk-in loading zone.

    If walking to your campsite isn't your thing there is also a family campground with 17 drive-in (not drive through) sites located along a typical one-way paved road system. Unfortunately, this side of the state park is bordered by a different and only slightly less traveled road than the walk-in sites. Some campsites are sandwiched between the loop road and the main road, are lit by nighttime traffic headlights lights. As the campground road continues toward the group campground it veers away from the main road and offers a bit more privacy. These are the sites I'd select if I were to camp here.

    Of the group campsites, 55 and 56 are in a nicely wooded area with shade. 52 53 and 54 are in an open area with no shade. The family campground is serviced by two pit toilets centrally located to the campsites.

    Due to the very small size of this state park, lack of much to do except one hiking trail through it, and proximity to two main roads, I would not recommend the state park. There are many others in southern Wisconsin that have far more to offer. 

    Seriously, if you're looking for a Wisconsin state park in this neck of the woods, check out Yellowstone Lake or Blue Mound State Park instead. See my review of the latter for specific spots that would be awesome for tent camping.

  • Alex S.
    Jun. 20, 2019

    Red Oak Campgrounds

    Great for car camping!

    This is our favorite campground for when we want to take trips to Devil’s Lake State Park! The campgrounds all vary in size, and many have a good amount of tree cover so you have some privacy from your neighbors. Every campsite has at least one picnic table and fire-pit. You can pull your car right up to the campsite. There is a store where you check in and you can buy fire wood and little odds and ends like bug spray or tent stakes. There is a pool that is really clean along with bathrooms and showers.

  • Sarah W.
    Nov. 26, 2018

    New Glarus State Park Campground

    Nice weekend in the woods near Madison

    Note - this review is for the walk-up sites only This is our go-to campground when we decide we want to go camping with short notice. The park itself is neither very popular nor very interesting, so there are usually still sites available for reservation only a few days before your intended camping trip. The park itself isn't that interesting, but it is worth noting that it is located across the road from New Glarus Brewery. The brewery is an easy walk or bike ride from the walk-in campsites.

    We have camped at several of the walk-in sites. The sites are all located along the bike trail, and carts are available for transporting your gear which means you can bring more gear than you would bring backpacking. The walk-in sites have a good amount of space between each site, however the sites on the east side of the bike trail get less level the further you get from the parking lot. All sites are shaded and have fire pits and picnic tables. The sites on the west side of the trail are more level but closer to the trail, so you have less privacy from passers-by. Our personal favorite site is #19. It is the closest site to the parking lot on the east side of the trail, but you have to take a short foot-path off the main trail to get to the site and the site itself can't actually be seen from the trail or the parking lot. This makes it very quiet and private, but still not too far from your car. The campgrounds do have a lot of raccoons so it is nice to be within an easy walk of your vehicle if you would prefer to secure your food. Site 19 is also very level and spacious, with plenty of room for at least two good sized tents. You can hear some road noise in all of the walk-in sites due to the highway being near by, but it's buffered a bit by the woods so it is more of a white noise.

    The walk-ins have a vault toilet centrally located along the trail, and it has always been clean whenever we've camped there. A water spigot is also located centrally among the walk-in sites. You can take a short hike to the park's ampitheater from the walk-in sites, but they do not have programs very often.

  • Christopher R.
    Feb. 26, 2025

    Sugar River Forest Preserve

    Beautiful Place to Camp

    We had a great time in this hidden gem.  It is run by the county and was much more than we expected from a county run facility.  We had a very nice cam site that allowed us to pull through with our pop up.  There are very tall trees around the entire campground giving you some respite from the sun and the heat.  The bath house is easily within walking distance from anywhere in the campground.  Many people that we met have been coming back for years (this was our first time there).  They have fire rings and picnic tables and firewood for sale at the entrance.  They allow dogs and the ranger is frequently visible throughout the day.  You are a short distance from the river and the surroundings are wonderful.  You are 20 minutes away from stores and restaurants if you happen to need them and also a short drive to Wisconsin.

  • Griffin K.
    Oct. 4, 2020

    Blue Mound State Park Campground

    A+ camping experience

    Tl;dr: shower house is great. Nice campers, rangers and camping vibes. Go to Blue Mounds Grocery on the way in. easy access to hiking, mountain biking, and running trails - including Military Ridge Trail.

    Camped here with 2 friends during a cross country road trip. We had site 5 and were tent camping. When we showed up it was raining and it was unseasonably cold, but other campers in adjacent sites looked like they were having a great time - lots of family groups. This kept our spirits high as we set up camp, made a fire, and made dinner. The site was standard with a big picnic table, tent platform, fire pit, and room for our car. The bathroom and shower house was a really great amenity and there were spots for cars to drive over there if their spots were far. A very nice camp ranger came by to say hi and let us know that campers are expected to quiet down at 9ish and not be cognizant of that. Campers were being respectful of socially distancing and wearing masks for the most part. Seems like there is a great bike/hiking trail network all around. A couple of us are runners also a friend from Madison met us and we ran on the military ridge trail in the morning. There is very easy access to that. Also, insider note, on the way in, go to blue mounds grocery for anything you need (esp firewood). The cash register gave us some great camping advice.

  • N
    Jul. 11, 2025

    Rocky Arbor State Park Campground

    Good place, horrible site

    This state park is very nice, decent trails clearly marked and the walking paths around the sites are pretty clear. Overall the noise from other sites was minimal and I liked the layout of the campground.

    The bad- the sites labeled for highway noise should be closed. It was an absolutely awful experience. I was walking through all of the campground when we first got in and as we approached our site the noise was so distracting and completely ruined the peaceful experience that most state parks offer. It was a serious bummer when night construction started on the highway on Sunday night as well. Our neighbors stayed well beyond the checkout time and the camp host did nothing to get them to leave, why even be present if you’re not gunna do anything? It wouldn’t have been a big deal if they weren’t randomly shooting a bow and arrow into the trees behind their site and then proceeded to record TikTok’s with endless repetition of those songs. Not the parks fault other than the host should at least clear the sites with the new checkout times.

    If you’re going to this park avoid the highway spots at all costs!

  • Renee R.
    Jul. 29, 2024

    Brigham Park

    Nice spot for summer camping.

    I've visited this campground twice and it's been a hit both times.

    Pros:

    - Scenic overlook is gorgeous.

    - 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.

    Cons:

    - Some of the sites are strangely graded and situated.  One site near ours had the fire pit at the very edge, making sitting around it virtually impossible.  14 was a pretty site but had a large tree in the middle of it.

    - Using the County website to reserve the site was clunky and time consuming.

Guide to Marshall

Tent campsites near Marshall, Wisconsin offer varied terrain with both open oak savanna and wooded settings. The area sits at elevations between 750 and 900 feet above sea level with typical summer temperatures ranging from 65-85°F. Camping options include primitive backpack sites, walk-in tent areas, and group camping areas within a 30-mile radius.

What to do

Hiking on established trails: At KMSF Shelter 1 Backpack Site, campers can enjoy a secluded hiking experience. According to one visitor, there's a "decent walk and terrain to get to the site" which provides a true backpacking feel while still being accessible for beginners.

Mountain biking access: Near New Glarus State Park Campground, you can connect to dedicated bike trails. A camper notes the park offers "hiking and mountain bike trails available. With direct access to the Sugar River Trail and the town of New Glarus, it is a great location as an overnight stop or home base to explore."

Water activities: The lakes near Marshall provide fishing and paddling opportunities. At Little Turtle Lake, the five tent sites give campers direct lake access for morning fishing or evening paddling with minimal crowds.

What campers like

Private, spacious sites: Campers appreciate the sense of seclusion at many Marshall-area campgrounds. At Snug Harbor Inn Campground, visitors enjoy the "three tiered camping spot" with "great views" overlooking Turtle Lake, providing a sense of privacy despite being at an established campground.

Access to local attractions: The convenience of reaching nearby towns and attractions ranks high with campers. One visitor to New Glarus Woods mentioned it's "a small State Park tucked away in the Southern Wisconsin countryside" where "the brewery is an easy walk or bike ride from the walk-in campsites."

Wildlife viewing opportunities: Several campgrounds feature good wildlife watching, especially birds. At Devils Lake State Park Group Campground, a camper noted "the birds near the group camp are cool, but can also sound like a large pack of dinosaurs squawking at each other...very loud."

What you should know

Site accessibility varies widely: Some tent sites require significant walking with gear. At Sandhill Station State Campground, "all 15 standard sites are carry-in only. The parking lot is anywhere from 100-500 yards from the campsite, depending on which one you choose."

Water and bathroom facilities: Many tent-focused campgrounds have basic facilities. A visitor at New Glarus Woods mentioned "this is a small, rustic campground with water and vault toilets" and noted "the outhouses are in need of some TLC or just a once through with a leaf blower."

Seasonal considerations: Weather impacts camping quality significantly. One camper warned about Sandhill Station: "I wouldn't go in the middle of summer, due to the limited shade, but it was very nice in early fall."

Tips for camping with families

Playground access: When camping with children, look for sites near recreational facilities. At Wild Goose City Park, "there's a playground and public bathroom, drinking fountain. Plenty of space to spread out for a picnic when you're biking through."

Choose sites with natural features: Children often enjoy exploring unique site elements. One camper at New Glarus mentioned, "There was a spring on our site! We hiked in a bit to a wooded quiet site. The toilets were clean. The playground was great."

Group camping options: For family reunions or multi-family trips, consider dedicated group sites. At Devils Lake State Park Group Campground, "the group sites are well spaced out from each other and offer pit toilets and full bathroom facilities with sinks, toilets and showers within walking distance from all sites."

Tips from RVers

Site selection for tent campers: When camping at hybrid RV/tent campgrounds near Marshall, tent campers should look for specific tent-friendly areas. At Snug Harbor, one visitor recommended: "The Galapagos tent campsite is elevated and a short distance from the loop road, and has a nice view of the lake" while noting "the tent sites are above it all with decent views of the lake below (and the RVs)."

Electrical access: Some tent sites offer electrical hookups for those wanting basic power. At Purplehaze Acres, the nine tent sites include options with electrical access for charging devices or running small fans during summer camping.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Marshall, WI?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Marshall, WI is Sandhill Station State Campground — Lake Mills Wildlife Area with a 3.5-star rating from 2 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Marshall, WI?

TheDyrt.com has all 10 tent camping locations near Marshall, WI, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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