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Kettle Moraine State Forest-Southern Unit campgrounds welcome pets throughout their multiple camping areas, including Ottawa Lake, Pinewoods, and several other sites near Mukwonago. All established campsites permit leashed pets with standard restrictions requiring owners to maintain control and clean up after their animals. Sites are well-spaced with ample room for pets to settle comfortably at camp, particularly in the Pinewoods area where sites have generous space between neighbors and long driveways. Mukwonago Park by Waukesha County Parks offers 37 spacious, pet-friendly sites with electric hookups and fires allowed. Large sites provide good separation from neighboring campers, creating a quiet environment for pets who may be uncomfortable with crowds. The campgrounds maintain clean conditions with rangers regularly monitoring the grounds.
The surrounding Kettle Moraine area offers numerous dog-friendly hiking trails directly accessible from several campgrounds. Sites near Ottawa Lake provide swimming opportunities where some pet owners allow their dogs to cool off, though official pet swimming policies vary by location. For quieter camping experiences with pets, Pinewoods Campground's 24-hour quiet zone may be preferable, though pet owners should note that certain loop sections prohibit pets entirely. The Ice Age Trail connects to many of these campgrounds, providing miles of pet-friendly hiking through diverse terrain including woods, prairie, and elevated viewpoints. Most campgrounds feature pit toilets near campsites with flush toilets and showers available in central locations. During winter camping at Ottawa Lake, fewer visitors means more solitude for campers with pets, though owners should prepare for cold weather with appropriate pet gear.
"Huge beach area, dog park, fishing as well. Shop to buy items you may need and absolutely wonderful place. Open all year round"
"Some have a beautiful view of lake. Some water fountains did not work, however sinks were always working. So many little trails all throughout the campsite."
from $23 - $38 / night
Check Availability"No radios or pets allowed. I'm not sure about children!"
"I've stayed here twice, both times in August (of different years), both times in Loop 1 which is the quiet loop (no pets, no radios or other noise, 24 hours a day)."
from $23 - $90 / night
Check Availability"I would recommend this for anyone for starting to step out of the comfort zone for the outdoors. very simple, many paths to walk, jog, or ride a bike. a small lake is near the further parking lot. dogs"
"Pros: great hiking trails, nice lake to kayak on, family friendly beach and picnic areas Cons: Not great fishing, no dog friendly swim area, the beach/fishing pier/boat launch are all pretty far from"
from $20 - $38 / night
Check Availability"Trails that took you through woods and then prairie and then up a decent elevation for an amazing view of the surrounding area."
"I did not stay at this park, but did drive and walk through it to get a feel for it. There are a number of sites I'd love to tent camp in. This park is bounded by a lake with a nice beach."
from $25 - $80 / night
Check Availability"The rangers drive through regularly and will deliver wood to your site if requested."
"Swim or fish in the lake, archery or huge picnic sites."
from $25 - $80 / night
Check Availability"Rocket launch (bring your own,) atv (no rentals-bring your own), water fowl hunting (during season), fishing, wildlife watching, swimming at the beach, playground for kids, and my favorite- nice trails"
"Plenty of space & foliage between sites and a nice network of trails surrounding the campground. Close to some small towns and the interstate as well, but not close enough to hear traffic."
from $20 - $110 / night
Check Availability"We love private campsites, far enough away from other campers, yet close enough to amenities. We chose a walk in site #16 which was nice but I wish we chose one a bit further in."
"Nice large sites. gravel spot for arc/trailer. fire pit and picnic table. trails for hiking are nice, but the overall camping area isn’t very big. 100 sites only. 30 with electric. this was the first time"
from $18 - $36 / night
Check Availability"Nestled in the heart of lake country (Waukesha County) and accessible from the Lake Country Trail and Ice Age Trail, this county park is perfect for those just passing through or families looking for a"
"Very windy weekend but I imagine during the summer it’s a great spot to camp near their big beach and lake access."
from $25 - $80 / night
Check Availability"Reservable backpacking sites about 45-60min away from nearest parking. Fire pit, shelter, and picnic table at site.
Really enjoyed the hike through forest to get to this site."
"It’s along the ice age trail and offers stunning views for easy hikes."
from $23 / night
Check Availability"Decent walk and terrain to get to the site. There is an open shelter to put your tent if you prefer to outside. There is a fire pit, but we found our own wood around the site. (Bring a small axe)."
GuideWe love private campsites, far enough away from other campers, yet close enough to amenities. We chose a walk in site #16 which was nice but I wish we chose one a bit further in. Bathrooms where very clean. Trails are great. Pet friendly - we brought our small, quiet dogs. Dog friendly restaurant right next to the camp site.
TravelerJust became KOA met local campers that love this park! Good sites, trash pickup at side! They even have a snack bar and deliver to your campsite! No enclosed dog park but plenty of area to walk your dog!
GuideAbsolutely beautiful, reasonable prices, electric available. Tons of restrooms, showers, laundry, and wonderful camp hosts. Huge beach area, dog park, fishing as well. Shop to buy items you may need and absolutely wonderful place. Open all year round
TravelerGreat park with swimming beach, trails, dog park, and archery range. Campsites were ok, not much separation or privacy at all. Pit toilets and metros desperately need to be cleaned more often. We had very noisy neighbors that did not respect the quiet hours rule and park staff did nothing to intervene. Very convenient that they drive through the Campground to sell/deliver firewood tho. I'd stay here again because the park overall is great, but I would try to choose a better site. #9 looked alright, and in the 20#s looked a bit more tree lined and bigger.
LegendMy first impression when I first arrived here was the overwhelming scent of a newly minted campground, what with the freshly laid gravel, the mint condition security gates, finely manicured and recently raked greenery (as it was October when we visited, it might be better described as brownery) surrounded by a fairly decent gated enclosure lined with perfectly pruned tall towering oaks. Upon arrival, you’ll find what looks to be a brand-spanking new log cabin office on the right after passing a seemingly freshly-minted activities center / community lodge complete with in-ground heated swimming pool and jacuzzi on the left.
Amenities? As you could guess, this pet-friendly 60-acre RV resort has all the attractions in spades from pickleball, playgrounds, volleyball, log pergola patio, full hook-ups (30 / 50 amp electric, water & sewage), picnic tables, fire pits, BBQ grills, wagon rides, river access, picnic areas, bathhouses w/ showers & restrooms, cable TV WiFi (pretty poor connection though), gaga ball, game room, community room, billiards table, playground, wet bar, tabletop shuffleboard, community living room with large screen TV, DVD player w/ DVD library, clubhouse, dog park, horseshoes, hot tub, covered pavilions with picnic tables, catch & release ponds, inflatable water toys, jumping pillow, laundr-O-mat, propane refueling station and dump station.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a handful: (1) This place isn’t EZ to find – for some reason, if you plug the campground into your GPS, you’ll literally be on the wrong side of the tracks, where you will arrive at a dead end with a sign that says you are in the wrong place and that you’ll need to double-back, cross the train tracks heading north and turn right just before arriving to High Road School of Belvidere (so if you see a school, you’ve gone too far); (2) You will want to take note that yes, you actually cross train tracks to get to this campground, so if you’re sharp, you’re going to want to ensure you haven’t booked a site right next to where trains will shoot through every few hours, this specifically means avoiding sites #E1-#E5 and #FS23-#FS36 as well as #FE1-#FE20; (3) If you’re a tent camper, you can certainly stay here, but you will want to note that this is very much an RV outpost; (4) The best sites IMHO are those on the northernmost perimeter, as far away from the train tracks as you can get and that also border the Kishwaukee River with sites #S9-#S20 being excellent, as well as #S25-#S81, which are equally amazing; (5) If you are planning on using that amazing pool that you saw as you came in, make sure you call management a good day or two before you come in to ensure that they turn on the heater – when we were there for 2 days, by the time we left, the pool was still too cold to go for a dip; and (6) When you grow weary of trying to conjure up a meal from the depths of your Cordova roto-molded cooler and want to venture out to try some local fare, just a short walk into the nearby town is Garden Prairie Café, which has a very simple menu offering no shortage of fried everything (fish, shrimp, chicken, etc.) and then there’s Pleasant Street Tavern, but that’s mostly cheap national beers and frozen pizza fare, so if you want something a bit more substantive, head west of here to Miles Bar N’ Grill that serves up typical Midwestern fare like cheese curds, pork tenderloin, Italian beef and a variety of fried fish like blue gill, cod and catfish.
Happy Camping!
RangerI was here for three months this time as i get to business completed. The park was still kept up very nicely and this time I was here long enough to be able to see how. The grass is mowed every week. There is patroling at all hours for security. The laundry machines are great the dryers ore good. The dog park is clean and secure. The lake is natural and kept free of litter and garbage. The park is much bigger than i thought it was last year. The store has many items you may need. The showers are cleaned and work great. The camp water is high in Iron. The pot roads need service as thay do have a lot of pot holes. Good thing for the 5mph speed limit.
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.
ScoutWe got a last minute reservation and stayed on the handicap site. It was half black topped but had a nice grassy area. It is right next to the toilets/showers. The bathrooms were clean, the attendants were really nice, they borrowed us an extension cord so we could set up a bit further back.
The only issues were more sunny than I like and some people walking through our site to the bathroom.
Site butts up to a bit of tree landscape and field behind it. The hiking is great, close to Horicon Marsh, pet friendly. We very much enjoyed our stay,
ScoutStaff was polite and helpful. They escort you to your spot. They hand out activity sheets for the weekend. Petting zoo, camp store, pool, lake/pond for swimming and fishing. Cell signal for ATT just one bar. No internet. Lots of full time residents. Lots of activities for kids. Pet friendly. They charge extra if you have visitors.
Mukwonago area campgrounds offer several alternatives for quieter, less crowded camping experiences during peak summer months. Located in southeast Wisconsin's glacial terrain, the area features forested moraines and kettle lakes created by retreating glaciers. Winter temperatures average 20°F while summer camping season temperatures range from 60-85°F with relatively high humidity from July through August.
Hiking the observation trails: The Pinewoods Campground connects to hiking trails directly from the camping area. "We asked the ranger about hiking and she gave us a map to a trail system that connects to this campground between the group sites and loop 3. We enjoyed a 4 mile hike from camp to the observation trail," notes Art S. about Pinewoods Campground.
Visiting natural springs: Within a short drive from many Kettle Moraine campsites, the springs offer a refreshing exploration opportunity. "Beautiful campground (Ottawa Lake campsites) Great Lake, hiking to see the natural springs which is the coolest!! Drank fresh spring water!" says Autumn S. from her stay at Ottawa Lake Campground.
Winter recreation options: For off-season campers, the trails remain accessible with fewer crowds. "No showers in winter but awesome," reports David H. who enjoyed winter camping at Ottawa Lake Campground. Winter camping requires more preparation but offers greater solitude.
Private, wooded sites: Campers frequently mention the spacing and seclusion at certain campgrounds. "The site was actually really lovely and I appreciated the thick brush creating some real seclusion," states Kendal R. about their stay at Pinewoods Campground, particularly noting the benefits of the quiet loop.
Wildlife viewing opportunities: The naturalistic settings provide chances to observe local fauna. "Sites are large and well spaced out... Great landscape and wildlife. We were lucky enough to have a couple of Sandhill Cranes walk through our camp early one morning," shares Abbe W. about Mukwonago Park.
Spring-fed swimming areas: Several campgrounds offer clean, natural swimming options. "The lake is very clean and the site are a good size. Gets very busy on the weekends!" explains Neysha R. who visited Ottawa Lake. The spring-fed waters maintain cooler temperatures even during hot summer days.
Mosquito preparation: Due to the wetland nature of some campgrounds, insect repellent is essential. "It's a wetland, mosquitoes are happening, but the trade off is just about worth it... I have seldom been around so many all at once," warns Tim H. about Sunset Campground at Richard Bong Recreation Area.
Reservation systems: Most campgrounds require advance booking, especially for summer weekends. "Making reservations at the group site was easy and ensured no other campers were near us," reports Juliya R. who stayed at Kettle Moraine South Camping. Group sites often book 11 months in advance while individual sites fill 3-6 months ahead.
Noise considerations: Some camping areas have designated quiet zones while others experience more activity. "The quiet Loop was a wonderful idea however, the campsite next to us was blasting music and at 11:30 pm someone randomly started playing a flute," shares Kendal R. about their experience at Pinewoods Campground.
Playground access: For families with children, several campgrounds offer play equipment within walking distance. "The swimming pond was spring fed and very pleasant for swimming with a nice sandy beach. There was an archery range, volley ball courts, covered picnic areas, and a nice playground with a lot of equipment!" notes Raak V. about Muskego Park.
Educational programming: Check park schedules for ranger-led activities. "The Weekend we were here they had a free Kids fishing weekend and John the naturalist was amazing!! There is a ton to do at this park the nature center has activities all weekend long," explains Jill G. from her visit to Sunrise Campground.
Biking opportunities: Paved and unpaved trails accommodate younger riders. "Nice, clean, well-run campground with some electric sites and several bathroom/shower buildings if needed. Nice little lake to swim or paddle on. 20 minute drive to the awesome Kettle Moraine biking trails," recommends Heather H.
Site selection for larger vehicles: Not all campgrounds accommodate bigger rigs comfortably. "We stayed in loop 3 site 273 as we were camping in the early season and loops 1-2 were closed. The site was well wooded and very spacious! It had a decent clearing for some sun and the driveway was longer setting it back from the loop road," recommends Jack D. about Naga-Waukee Park.
Electric site availability: Limited electrical hookups means booking well ahead. "We were able to grab a nonelectric site and transfer to an electric site when one cancelled last minute. The site was spacious and clean, complete with the basics (fire ring, flushing toilets, showers, drinking water)," explains Linda N. from Ottawa Lake.
Year-round camping considerations: Several dog-friendly campgrounds near Mukwonago offer winter camping for properly equipped RVs. "You can camp year around in this campground. Most recent 2 times were winter camping. No host so buying wood is an issue, but pick a site on the edge and there is more than enough free. Bring a saw," advises Tim H.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Mukwonago, WI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Mukwonago, WI is Ottawa Lake Campground — Kettle Moraine State Forest - Southern Unit with a 4.3-star rating from 52 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Mukwonago, WI?
TheDyrt.com has all 85 dog-friendly camping locations near Mukwonago, WI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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