Best Tent Camping near Montello, WI

Montello, Wisconsin offers tent campers a range of established campgrounds within reasonable driving distance, including Devils Lake State Park Group Campground and Camp Wilderness. Devils Lake State Park provides group tent sites nestled in wooded terrain approximately 45 miles southwest of Montello, while Camp Wilderness offers a more primitive tent camping experience about 35 miles northeast. Both locations feature dedicated tent sites with varying levels of amenities and natural settings.

Tent sites at Devils Lake State Park Group Campground have dirt surfaces covered with leaves due to the heavily wooded setting. The campground provides pit toilets and full bathroom facilities with showers within walking distance of all sites. Water is available from pumps near the bathrooms but must be hauled back to individual sites. Fire rings are present at most tent areas, and the campground maintains picnic tables at each site. Camp Wilderness offers more basic primitive tent setups with drive-in, hike-in, and walk-in access options, vault toilets, and drinking water access, but lacks shower facilities.

The backcountry tent camping experience varies significantly between locations. Devils Lake provides access to numerous hiking trails with scenic views and climbing opportunities, making it a popular base for outdoor enthusiasts. The group sites offer good spacing and privacy from neighboring campers. However, the popularity of the park means weekends can become crowded, particularly during summer months. One camper noted that "sites are well spaced out from each other" with natural tree cover providing protection from rain. Camp Wilderness tends to be quieter and more secluded, primarily catering to tent campers rather than RVs. A visitor commented that it's "a great place to be" for those seeking adventure, with trails, a lake, and natural features nearby that create an immersive outdoor experience.

Best Tent Sites Near Montello, Wisconsin (6)

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Tent Camping Reviews near Montello, WI

708 Reviews of 6 Montello Campgrounds


  • 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.

  • Erin Z.
    Jul. 21, 2024

    Mill Bluff State Park Campground

    Secluded, but noisy.

    We were at site #9, great spot for tent. There were only trees behind us and our neighbors were far enough way we had privacy. There was no electricity, but we charged our phones and my son’s iPad at the ranger station. There was no running water so bring sanitizer. The swimming pond was great and not rocky. The hikes were good but lots of mosquitoes which made it hard to enjoy. Wish there was more to do in the area. No showers and no electricity in the bathroom near our site.

  • Janet B.
    Jun. 3, 2023

    Buckhorn State Park Campground

    Pretty good one for the weekend

    Snagged a spot (#102) right before the Memorial Day weekend. Spacious site, somewhat private because of the surrounding trees. If you want to be surrounded by hammock-able trees, i suggest sites 94-99. Our site was both close to vaulted toilets/water and shower building, which was a plus. Shower head pressure was lovely and hot water was great! One downside was that people were loud and playing music till midnight but oh wells.

    Was worried about bugs but I think it was okay. Maybe we were there before it began. i did find some ticks on my camping chair though so beware.

    Though we didnt explore much of the Buckhorn SP, we chose this site because it was under an hour drive from Mirror Lake SP and Devils Lake SP. Making a day trip to those parks and Wisconsin Dells was a breeze.

  • 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.
    May. 9, 2025

    Ledge County Park

    Great park, decent camping

    The park is very pretty.  Walking along the trails, you can see where it gets its name!  Lots of cool ledges and rock outcrops.  We saw a moderate amount of birds and heard a bunch of critters (owls, a fox (?!)) one night.

    We camped at non-electric site J.  It was nice and big.  We originally were to be at site G but it was way too small to fit our cars, tents, etc.

    Pros:

    - Quiet and decently spaced sites.

    - Clean vault toilets.  Did not use the shower house/other facilities.  

    - The firepits are flush with the ground and have cooking grates.

    - Easy access to trails.

    Cons:

    - I'm not a trailer camper, but if I were I would not appreciate the vibes of the electric sites.  The sites are very close together and walking through it felt like going through a festival or circus more than a campground.

    - The firewood was a bit pricey compared to other parks.

  • Stephen T.
    Jun. 28, 2016

    Buckhorn State Park Campground

    Amazing camping on Castle Rock Lake

    I have camped here several times. I have hiked in, backed in, and camped lakefront. All are gorgeous. The trails are beautiful with some wooded areas and some prairie. The hike in is just shy of a mile. The lakefront is a simple walk in, but you can launch your kayak or canoe from your site, which I did. The fishing is fantastic with Striped, Largemouth, and Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Musky, and all kinds of panfish. Many natural sites are within driving distance. Necedah National Wildlife Refuge, as well as the International Crane Foundation, many other fishing opportunities. Very minimal noise. Modern showers, fishing pier. Great for the family.

  • Amy G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 7, 2018

    White Mound County Campground

    Very pretty...very quiet...very clean...incredibly nice campground

    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, and it was very quiet, even though there were lots of people enjoying this campground. Lovely atmosphere!

    We arrived late, so we had to self pay. But all that paperwork and payment took place inside a little heated shelter house of sorts. Bonus! 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. There was even a campground map showing which spaces were taken and available (at the time the attendant went home for the day). This was nice, but the space we thought was open had been taken by someone moments before. So not fool proof, but a decent guide for those arriving after dark. We still found another space and made it our home for the night. Not to mention, they had one of the best maps I've ever seen!

    Fees:

    $5 per adult

    $5 per car or vehicle

    $5 if you didn't have a park sticker

    $5 if you made the reservation online or by phone.

    $5 for electric

    Soooo...if you had 2 adults, one car and needed electric, then it would be $20. And so forth...

    This place is so quiet! The campground was very full that night, but we heard almost nothing from people at all. Just a little chatter from a couple guys nearby, but at a very respectful level. We actually got to enjoy the night sounds of pitter patter rain and the occasional owl in the distance. No road noise.

    The sites are spread out enough to make this peaceful and private, but close enough to make the campground functional and cozy. Electric sites (designated with an "E" beside the number) were scattered with non electric sites. Electrics were more plentiful, though. Tent sites were also available, if you like. They were grouped together in a different area. Our closest neighbors site was within view of the fire ring, but no one was there this night. The sites were deep, so you could pull in and nestle in the trees, even if you had a neighbor, and it was more private. There was a nice picnic table near the fire ring, which was quite nice for a fire, but no grate for cooking on. The pad we pulled into was fairly level and covered in pea gravel. We were using our teardrop trailer this night instead of a tent.

    There were bathrooms scattered around with very clean pit-type toilets, and there were multiple toilets in "mens" and "women's" rooms. There was also a shower house with pay showers, but prices were very reasonable. I think it was 25 cents for 5 minutes, and the more quarters you put in, the more time you got. There was also a row of sinks and mirrors under a sheltered roof as well as a pay washer and dryer, something I've never seen before at a campground.

    Beyond the other lovely amenities, they had picnic tables everywhere, drinking water spigots, fire pits at every site and a playground for the kids.

    Overall, definitely one of the more perfect places to camp. And if you had extra time, there was a lake at the other end of the park. And equestrian trails and an equestrian camp, but it was closed because of mud.

    Located in gorgeous Amish country, the drive back to the interstate to head north again was incredibly enjoyable and a great way to end a great camping adventure.

  • Jessica H.
    May. 9, 2018

    Ice Age Campground — Devils Lake State Park

    Devil's Lake State Park

    Campsites in the Ice Age Campground were decent sized with individual fire pits and picnic tables. The sites had plenty of trees for shade, but were close together. Our site was right across the road from the restrooms on one side, and the water pump on the other side, which meant lots of foot traffic in our area. There are other sites that are a bit more secluded, and offer less noisy conditions.

    Note: if you plan to camp here in the summer, reservations are a must. This is a busy park as it has lots to offer in the way of outdoor activities. We tent camped for two nights and three days. We fished on the lake and hiked a portion of the Ice Age Trail, specifically to the Devil's Doorway and Balanced Rock. Highly recommend the hike; it's worth the view at the top. We also utilized the boardwalk along the lake as a spot to stop and bank fish.

    The park offers two visitors centers; one on the north shore and one on the south shore. The south shore center was well-maintained and had lots of merchandise and touristy items for sale, along with a small dining area. All in all, it was a scenic park to camp and hike in.

  • Liz M.
    Sep. 2, 2018

    Buckhorn State Park Campground

    First Camping Adventure for the nieces

    My husband and I picked this park because of it's friendliness towards kids. We took our 2 9 year old nieces on their first tent camping adventure. We chose site 28 because it was a walk in site and on the water. When we arrived and checked in we grabbed one of their pre-loaded GPS units for Geocaching; It's something the park offers for free. They give you a bag, GPS and information book on all the Geocaching sites. We drove to the site and started loading up the cart to walk in. We walked past a very open campsite that was right next to ours, could be bad if you have loud neighbors but ours were great. There are 2 other sites in this location but far enough away and they don't walk past your site to get to them. The site was spacious and has a great fire pit for cooking. There is a small trail leading to the water with an extremely small beach front but it was enough to keep the girls entertained. Set up camp and started our geocaching fun. We hiked to the kids fishing pond & the tower. Trails are easy and well groomed. Following hiking we made our way to the beach; unfortunately, the algae was in bloom so the water was caked green! However, it doesn't do any harm so we made our way out into the more clear portion of the water and had a blast! The beach area has showers and a great area to have a picnic. The evening presented itself with an amazing sunset from our beach and lots of crickets chirping. It made for a peaceful night. In the morning we took the girls fishing off the dock and then over to the kids pond; the park also offers free poles and tackle. We ventured into the campground area for fresh water. From what we saw the sites were spacious and fairly private. The shower area was well maintained and is also accessible for anyone with disabilities. We will be coming back to this park; it was great! We didn't run into any issues with mosquitoes or other bugs while there.


Guide to Montello

Tent campsites near Montello, Wisconsin offer diverse terrain options beyond the established campgrounds. The area sits within the Central Sand Plains ecological landscape with elevations ranging from 750 to 875 feet above sea level. Summer temperatures typically average 70-85°F during camping season, with cooler nights that can drop to the mid-50s even in July.

What to do

Hiking adventures: At Devils Lake State Park Group Campground, extensive trail networks provide challenging terrain for all skill levels. As one camper notes, "Spent about 5 hours hiking the East Bluff, it was challenging for some of our younger hikers... Everyone was impressed by Devils Doorway. Would love to go back and hike the Western Bluff."

Water recreation: Many tent sites provide easy lake access for swimming and paddling during summer months. A visitor to Camp Shin-Go-Beek shared, "Being able to swim and float in the lake is an added bonus."

Outdoor skills practice: Several campgrounds function as learning centers for outdoor skills. Local campsites feature obstacle courses and structured activity areas where visitors can practice wilderness skills in controlled environments.

Bike trail access: Several camping areas connect to regional bike trails. One camper at Wild Goose City Park mentioned, "Wild Goose bike trail leads to this park in Juneau. It's a good place to stop and have a break... Plenty of space to spread out for a picnic when you're biking through."

What campers like

Bird watching opportunities: The diverse ecosystem attracts numerous bird species. One Devils Lake camper observed, "The birds near the group camp are cool, but can also sound like a large pack of dinosaurs squawking at each other...very loud."

Group camping setup: Spacious group sites accommodate multiple families with sufficient privacy. A Devils Lake reviewer shared, "Reserved the group camp for three families, cost was $40 a night for a secluded, spacious, clean group site."

Peaceful atmosphere: Some less-visited sites offer exceptional quiet for those seeking solitude. A Camp Wilderness visitor explained, "There's primarily tent sites with trails, a lake, an obstacle course and more right nearby."

Natural weather protection: The wooded settings of many sites provide natural shelter. Camp Shin-Go-Beek campers appreciated the "Incredibly peaceful with a ton of beautiful birds singing throughout the day, relatively private (even with fellow campers in the area), and a short walk to the private beach at the lake."

What you should know

Weather preparation: Sudden storms can develop quickly in the area. A Camp Shin-Go-Beek visitor noted, "Ian was a great host and even checked on us to offer shelter in the admin building before a storm rolled through."

Facility variations: Bathroom and shower facilities vary significantly between campgrounds. While some offer full facilities, others provide only primitive options. As one camper mentioned, "It's a semi-primitive with pit toilets and a potable water spigot."

Weekend crowds: Popular sites fill quickly during peak season. A Devils Lake camper observed, "Weekends are pack with campers. The beaches have hard pebbles and rocks."

Site surfaces: Ground conditions can affect tent setup. One Devils Lake camper noted, "Adequate size site with a tent pad, shade and privacy. Trees for a hammock."

Tips for camping with families

Kid-friendly adventure sites: Several campgrounds specifically cater to children with planned activities. At Camp Shin-Go-Beek, families enjoy "Incredibly peaceful with a ton of beautiful birds singing throughout the day, relatively private (even with fellow campers in the area), and a short walk to the private beach at the lake."

Group camping economics: Sharing group sites reduces individual costs. One Devils Lake camper explained, "Reserved the group camp for three families, cost was $40 a night for a secluded, spacious, clean group site."

Midweek timing: School-age families benefit from less crowded weekday camping. A Devils Lake visitor shared, "We went during the week and it kept the crowds to a minimum."

Camp cooking options: Some sites accommodate advanced cooking methods. A Devils Lake camper described, "Camp life was awesome, we ate very well since we brought two Dutch ovens. We are Cowboy Casserole, Mountain Man breakfast, peach cobbler, 7 can soup, hobo dinner and apple sausage casserole."

Tips from RVers

Limited RV options: Most campgrounds near Montello primarily support tent camping with few RV-specific amenities. Many lack sewer hookups, dump stations, or dedicated RV pads.

Access considerations: Several campgrounds feature narrow access roads that prove challenging for larger vehicles. Walk-in and hike-in sites dominate at many locations.

Winter availability: Only select campgrounds remain open year-round near Montello. RV camping during winter months requires advanced planning for water and power needs as most campgrounds winterize facilities.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Montello, WI is Devils Lake State Park Group Campground — Devils Lake State Park with a 4.3-star rating from 7 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 6 tent camping locations near Montello, WI, with real photos and reviews from campers.