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Best Tent Camping near Mount Pleasant, WI

464 Reviews

Tent campgrounds in the Mount Pleasant area of Wisconsin include several established options offering varying levels of amenities and seclusion. Snug Harbor Inn Campground on Turtle Lake in Delavan provides designated tent sites with lake views, while the more primitive KMSF Shelter 1 Backpack Site offers a secluded backcountry experience requiring a hike to access. These locations represent the contrast between developed and primitive tent camping opportunities within reasonable driving distance of Mount Pleasant.

Tent sites at KMSF Shelter 1 feature minimal amenities, with walk-in access requiring backpackers to hike to reach their camping spot. The site includes basic facilities such as an outhouse, picnic table, and fire pit, though campers should be prepared to collect their own firewood from the surrounding area. No drinking water is available on-site, making water filtration or carrying in supplies necessary. In contrast, Snug Harbor provides more developed tent camping with access to drinking water, showers, and toilet facilities, though these sites are positioned on terraced ground above the RV camping areas.

The backpacking experience at KMSF Shelter 1 offers significant privacy for tent campers seeking seclusion. The site features an open shelter where campers can set up tents if desired, though many choose to place tents directly on the surrounding terrain. The primitive nature of this location makes it ideal for those seeking a genuine backcountry experience without traveling far from urban areas. According to one visitor, "Great backpack camp site. Decent walk and terrain to get to the site... It's very secluded for privacy." At Snug Harbor, tent sites are positioned to provide lake views despite being separate from the primarily RV-focused camping areas. Some tent sites, particularly those designated as Galapagos, Box Turtle, and Snapper 4-7, offer more seclusion while maintaining access to the campground's amenities.

Best Tent Sites Near Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin (3)

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Tent Camping Reviews near Mount Pleasant, WI

464 Reviews of 3 Mount Pleasant Campgrounds

  • GoWhereYouAreDraw N.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 12, 2020

    Honeysuckle Hollow — Chain O' Lakes State Park

    Well maintained and clean

    Very impressed with this state park! It was huge, almost 3 miles just to our site! The showers were clean. The spots were large and wooded with nice fire ring set ups. The staff was very helpful answering any questions and giving recommendations. We stayed on a primitive/wilderness site for $12 with no electric. They will allow anyone on these sites-we even saw huge RV'S and 5th wheels on primitive sites.

    There are amazing trails through park for people to hike, bike, or ride horse on.

    Spring Grove is a tiny town nearby with a little corner bar called “The Grove”. They serve amazing food with great service. Very clean! I recommend checking it out if you’re looking for some good food.

  • Josh F.
    Dec. 3, 2020

    Hebron Campground

    Small, Tidy with Lots of Waterworks

    This is a relatively small, private campground mostly for RVs though there are some very nice sites that would be lovely for tents. There are a dozen tent sites that back up to a very charming river, each one has a picnic table and fire pit. The view of the river from these sites is lovely. Adding to the waterworks, there is a cute pond with a charming fountain in the center of the RV sites, and a nice horseshoes pit. There are a number of RV sites with full hookups. 

    I spoke with the owner and they did not have tent camping in 2020. They were worried about people in too close proximity in the restroom. In 2020 they only allowed RVs that had their own restroom facilities. The owner told me that maybe there will be tent camping in 2021.

  • Scott N.
    Jul. 14, 2020

    Thomas Woods Campground

    Great trails, loud neighbors, lots of bugs

    Thomas Woods campground has some great sites, particularly the tent sites. Many of them are set off a short distance from the parking area. I stayed at site 30 which was less than a tenth mile from the parking spot. There are no trash cans at the site, the dumpsite is near the entrance. Most of the roads are one way so after dropping the trash off you must drive all through the campground to get back to your site. The site itself had plenty of room and privacy. The woods are dense and block all views of the neighboring sites. Unfortunately, I think some people think if they can’t see you, you can’t hear them. Every site has a raised pad for a tent. This was very nice. I did track in some of the small gravel into the tent, though. It looks like kitty litter. Not a big deal. It was nice sleeping flat and not sliding off my sleep pad.

    Near Marengo Ridge is a bike trail called H.U.M. Trail. It is only 3.5 miles long. From what I understand is they lost funding for the project. The path is paved and offers a scenic forested view. The hiking trails of Marengo Ridge are the true stars of the area. I walked for almost two hours and still didn’t see them all. Some of the trails have wide paths of grass while others are single-track dirt. 

    As other reviewers have written, the mosquitoes are insane.  Bring plenty of bug spray!

    My website:  https://www.lost13.com/camping/2020/7/13/marengo-ridge

    My video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lh4TzLzf\_PY&t=1s

  • Meg
    Jun. 12, 2022

    Honeysuckle Hollow — Chain O' Lakes State Park

    Good For families, a few downsides

    *** reviewing as a baby/toddler camp family on the go :-) we chose the loop 11 was on because it was close to the path to the playgrounds and lakes plus bathrooms… avoid the first 2 sites from either end as the ones closest to the main loop aren’t very deep. Closer to the center of this row is best.

    Pros- easy pull in sites and lots of walk-in availability. Sites are almost all flat thankfully, so no weird slopes to sleep on and easy for babies/toddlers to stay safe. Also seemed pretty respectful in the evenings with people toning down the noise.

    Lots of electric sites, deep enough for 2 tents, 2 cars (although close to neighbors and no trees between sites), picnic table and fire pit.

    Bathroom shower houses were decent (we usually just have toddler use her travel potty, but this one was fine).

    Multiple playgrounds, access to launch sites for kayaks, little store to buy ice cream or snacks.

    Cons - SO many ticks. With a baby crawling that needed to be set free, we were constantly doing checks. Luckily our screen house pop up on a tarp that was sprayed ahead for tick repellent plus a blanket on top of that did the trick, but they literally fall out of the trees into people! Plan for toddlers and babies to have a contained covered screen house and have them wear hats or a wagon shade on walks so nothing lands in their hair.

    Also - the raccoons at night here are no joke. The second it’s dusky, they come scavenging for absolutely anything food has touched. So basically, eat dinner and do s’mores early, then everything must be packed into cars for the night and all surfaces wiped down.

  • Mel C.
    Jul. 9, 2019

    Pike Lake Campground — Kettle Moraine State Forest-Pike Lake Unit

    Great lake and hiking

    We had a great time swimming and hiking At Pike Lake State Park. There is a nice observation tower with beautiful views of Holy Hill. The beach is large and there is a designated area for dogs, which we loved. Our campsite was large and grassy and had good privacy. The only issue we had was that our site was in a divot and had lots of low spots and therefore flooded badly, like 3 inches in our tent bad. Overall great camping, just watch for low sites in the non-electric area.

  • R
    Jun. 29, 2022

    Honeysuckle Hollow — Chain O' Lakes State Park

    Nice little get away

    Large sites with plenty of room to spread out. Plenty of birds and other wildlife for the kids to see. No alcohol is allowed so it made for a great family weekend. Short walk to bathhouse. Pit toilet for emergencies.

  • Josh F.
    Sep. 25, 2020

    Snug Harbor Inn Campground on Turtle Lake

    RV campground with lake access

    I did not stay here, but I spend some time walking through to get a feel for the place.

    This is primarily an RV/mobile home campground, but there are some nicely tucked away tent camp sites that I'll recommend later in this review. Gravel roads connect the three loops and the landscaping is well kept and maintained. The campground sells ice, firewood and rents boats.

    There is a very clean bathroom and bathhouse, freshwater for campers, and some electric tent campsites. The property is basically terraced along a slope down to the lake, with the RV and mobile home sites closer to the lake. The tent sites are above it all with decent views of the lake below (and the RVs). 

    The Galapagos tent campsite is elevated and a short distance from the loop road, and has a nice view of the lake. The Box Turtle site is also a bit elevated above the main driveway as is Snapper 7, though I am not sure where you are supposed to put your tent in that site.

    Now, Snapper 4, 5,6 and 7 would be nice for group camping because they are all very close to one another and a bit more private, set away from the rest of the campsites. There are lots of electrical sites for campers and RVs, most of which look like they are quite permanently in place.

  • C
    Apr. 8, 2018

    Pike Lake Campground — Kettle Moraine State Forest-Pike Lake Unit

    Fall Camping at Pike Lake

    Mid to Late October is great Fall camping in Southern Wisconsin. Cool nights range from lower 30's to upper 40's. Day time temps can exceed 60.

    Pike Lake State Park is part of the northern Kettle Moraine glacial deposit. This park offers fantastic hiking for many skill levels.

    The Land:

    Overnight camping has standard primitive sites (all wooded sites) scattered around single paved campground loop. Sites at beginning of loop are on hillside with leved pads for your tent. Sites at bottom of loop (near bathrooms) are flatter. However sites at bottom are closer together, than at the top.

    Pike Lake also has 3 (relatively new) hike in sites. I believe at least 1 of the hike in sites is non-reservable. All 3 sites have trail access from a parking lot (about 3/4 mile north from standard camp ground).

    Camping:

    This campground is our go to during the school year. Practically walking distance to our house, this campground is generally nice. Wooded lots make you feel overall secluded. I tend to book sites close to the bathrooms (young kids). However sites on the top of the loop are nice too. When the kids stay home, the hike in sites are very nice.

    Biggest disadvantage is the campground proximity to the rest of the park. One of the biggest draws to the park is the lake / beach. The camping is on the opposite side of the park to the beach. Certainly not a deal breaker, but when you have little ones, you just have to plan accordingly.

  • Robert K.
    Mar. 21, 2018

    Ottawa Lake Campground — Kettle Moraine State Forest-Southern Unit

    Cold night, but a pleasant park

    Made my first visit to Ottawa Lake on a mid-March weekend. The facilities were still under their winter setup (only vault toilet, no shower available, pay in an envelope). It was a very nice campsite that I stayed at. The grounds were quiet, however there were only a handful of people staying there at the time. The sites look to have enough space between the to make you feel a little more spread out and not sitting on top of each other. It got cold (cloudless late winter nights in Wisconsin can do that), but nothing you can’t prepare for. The proximity to the Ice Age Trail is a bonus, because it made for an easy activity without much fuss. Will visit again when warmer.

Guide to Mount Pleasant

Tent camping near Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin provides access to both lakeside retreats and secluded forest sites within 40 miles of the city. The southeastern Wisconsin region features moderate elevation changes and mixed hardwood forests with camping options ranging from primitive backpacking sites to developed campgrounds. Summer temperatures typically range from 70-85°F with higher humidity, while spring and fall camping seasons offer milder conditions.

What to do

Boating access: Snug Harbor Inn Campground on Turtle Lake rents boats directly to campers for exploring the lake. "They also have tent sites. This season there will be new owners so I hope they keep some of the annual activities," notes Kevin C., highlighting the campground's seasonal programming.

Lake fishing: Turtle Lake at Snug Harbor Inn Campground offers fishing opportunities directly from the property. The campground is arranged on three tiers, with tent sites positioned on the upper level overlooking the water. According to Alix M., the campground has "great three tiered camping spot. Full hookup, and great views."

Firewood gathering: At KMSF Shelter 1, campers need to collect their own firewood from the surrounding forest. "There is a fire pit, but we found our own wood around the site. (Bring a small axe)," recommends Erin Z., who appreciated the self-sufficient nature of this backpacking site.

What campers like

Privacy between sites: The tent camping area at KMSF Shelter 1 Backpack Site requires a hike to access, ensuring significant separation from other campers. "Great backpack camp site. Decent walk and terrain to get to the site... It's very secluded for privacy," writes Erin Z., noting the isolation appeals to those seeking genuine wilderness camping.

Lake views: The tiered design at Snug Harbor Inn Campground ensures most sites can see Turtle Lake, even those positioned further from the water. James W. commented on his stay: "The view was nice overlooking Turtle lake. Like the design of 3 levels so everyone gets a view."

Quiet atmosphere: Despite being a popular destination, Snug Harbor maintains a peaceful environment even during busy periods. "Great campground. Full weekend but very quiet and relaxing. Staff very nice," reports Jeffery S. after a Labor Day weekend stay.

What you should know

Insect concerns: Some lakeside sites may have insect activity that requires staff intervention. Carole X. at Snug Harbor Inn Campground reported: "My husband got stung twice when we went to plug-in our electric. But the staff came out immediately to spray and remove the nest."

Outhouse conditions: The backcountry toilet facilities at KMSF Shelter 1 may not meet standards for all campers. "There is an outhouse, but I wouldn't recommend using it," cautions Erin Z., suggesting campers should prepare alternative sanitation plans.

On-site food options: Some campgrounds provide dining options, eliminating the need to leave for meals. Alix M. notes that Snug Harbor "has a pub/restaurant with good food," which can be convenient for campers not wanting to cook every meal.

Tips for camping with families

Proximity to supplies: For families forgetting essential items, Snug Harbor Inn Campground is "nice place in the country but close enough to town to grab all those things we forgot, Like coffee and cups," according to James W., who appreciated the convenience during his first camping trip.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Mount Pleasant, WI?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Mount Pleasant, WI is KMSF Shelter 1 Backpack Site with a 5-star rating from 1 review.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 3 tent camping locations near Mount Pleasant, WI, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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