Cabin camping near Nashotah is a great way to escape into nature, yet still have all the comforts of home. It's easy to find cabins in Nashotah with The Dyrt. Search nearby cabins or find top-rated spots from other campers.
Ottawa Lake’s campground is located in the southern unit of Kettle Moraine State Forest, situated within half an hour’s drive from Milwaukee. Wisconsin campers of all ages love these grounds thanks to lakefront sites, modern facilities, and access to trails for hikers of every experience level. South Kettle Moraine is also home to over 160 miles of trails, including 87 miles open to horse use. Connect to the Ice Age Scenic Trail and various others within the John Muir and Emma Carlin trail systems.
Don’t forget to bring your rods when camping at Ottawa Lake! You’ll want to take full advantage of the boat dock and fishing pier where you can catch panfish, walleye, muskie, trout, bass, and northern pike – then you can grill them up at your campsite. Keep in mind, motorboats are not permitted on this small lake, which allows for peaceful wading and quieter camping all around.
Though Ottawa Lake is open year-round, it is recommended to check the weather in Dousman and Whitewater before planning trips in the colder months, as freezing temperatures and snow are common. Cold-weather campers who are willing to brave the Wisconsin winter will enjoy snowmobile trails, ice fishing, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. No matter when you visit, Ottawa Lake will leave you satisfied.
$28 / night
There are two family (modern) campgrounds with a total of 217 campsites, 54 with electric hookups. Six group campsites can accommodate 225 campers. There is also a cabin designed specifically for people with disabilities.
The sunset campground offers electric and non-electric campsites as well as some sites accessible for people with disabilities. Campground amenities include a shower building, flush and vault toilets, dump station and a playground area.
Harrington Beach State Park has more than a mile of beach along Lake Michigan. This 715-acre park also features a white cedar and hardwood swamp, old field grasslands with restored wetland ponds and a scenic limestone quarry lake. Camp, sunbathe, picnic, hike, bird watch, fish or practice astronomy at one of the observatory's monthly public viewings.
Harrington Beach State Park has a family campground, with five walk-in sites, a group campsite, an accessible cabin for people with disabilities and a kayak site.
The park has a 69-unit family campground, including 31 sites with electrical hookups. Each campsite has a campfire ring and a picnic table.
$42 / night
Traveler
Very clean and friendly staff, the pool is meh as the hot tub was cold but the grounds were real nice. Big fire pits, they pick up your garbage. Lots of stuff for kids to do
Scout
This is by far my family’s favorite campground. We feared the worst when they were bought out by KOA recently (within the last 4 years), but the quality of this place has remained awesome. Bathrooms/Amenities are some of the cleanest and nicest I’ve seen, pool and hot tub area are great, and the camp store has pretty much everything you might need while you’re camping... not to mention the delicious food and ice cream. Very, very highly recommend this place to anyone who is looking for a weekend fling to someone looking for seasonal camping or an extended stay.
LegendThis was our first time staying at the Milton KOA. I have had my eye on this location the last couple of years since it is under 2 hours from our house and appeared to have good amenities. The sites were of decent size, some smaller than others and some very generous sites. I would recommend viewing their map and comparing to google maps. They do allow you to pick your site if your willing to pay $10 extra. Bathrooms are fantastic and recently upgraded. Very nice playground, and pool area with hot tub. The pool area is well maintained with a waterfall feature. We were here during the spring and the grass was very well maintained and cut with large recreational fields to play sports/games. We were here during Covid-19 and many of the amenities were shut down, but during a normal stay they have hay rides, laser tag, pools, Gaga ball, and daily activities which were mostly shut down. This location is now going to be a place we visit annually as the kids enjoyed it and so did we. I’m not 100% sure, but it looks like all the sites are full hook up. We had a back in site which was easy to navigate into and was mostly level. A lot of the roads were paved and some were gravel but very well maintained.
Ranger
I decided to give this campsite a try to get some of my family members ate not up for tent camping. With real beds, running water and AC I figured that this would do the trick.
The cabin itself was roomy enough for five with a bunk bed, queen bed and sofa bed. Any more than that would get a little tight.
Amenities: Camp store, mini golf, three swimming pools, trails, basketball court, volleyball court, snack bar, and saloon. My kids had a blast so I would really recommend for a family who wanted to some form of cabin camping. Oh, there were goats as well!
I love campfire cooking which I was able to since there was a fire pit out back.
Also, this place has activities for family members, even a movie night. I saw groups of kids playing basketball or just hanging out and having fun. Oh, and there’s an arcade. At the saloon there was a karaoke night.
If you are more of a traditionalist then you may not like this type of camping. But, if you want to get out for the weekend with you family for a family oriented atypical getaway then this is for you!
We’ll be back.
Legend
Unless you knew of Hickory Hills Campground, you wouldn’t happen across this site by luck or accident. While technically within the small itty bitty town of Edgerton, Hickory Hills is located far enough north and east for one to scratch their head in a bit of abject confusion. Located due east of the major highway of 39/90, as you are barreling north or south in the south-central area of Wisconsin, you would have to exit off State Highway 73, where you see signs for the small hamlet of Albion, from which you’ll head north a smidge, until you catch State Highway 106 east until you run into an intersection with Hillside Road, where you’ll head north for about a few miles until you come across Hickory Hills Campground on your right.
Directions aside, this campground will immediately feel to you as though it is certainly dated as you’ll discover that the buildings and overall infrastructure are a bit dilapidated and definitely in needed of repair. That said, the thickly wooded forest that encircles this campground creates a sense of peace and serenity that are unmatched. Plus, you are so far away from the major highway you likely just got off of, in addition to being so far away from any signs of civilization, you’ll feel completely burrowed away from all the noise, traffic and distractions you were eagerly trying to leave in the first place.
As for the campground itself, this is an update from my previous post, where I wanted to share an update as well as some additional photos. For the most part, despite 2+ years passing since writing my initial review, not much has changed here apart from brand new management, where you’ll still enjoy a smattering of overnight accommodations, whether that’s a cottage, bunk hose, smartly outfitted cabins, substantial number of back-in and pull-through RV slots (complete with the standard electric, water and sewage hook-ups) as well as primitive tent camping spots. Other amenities include: campground store, 172 acre spring-fed lake with its own beachhead, oversized inflatables, mini-golf, shuffleboard, fully-stocked snack bar, swimming pool, rowboat & canoe rentals, athletic field, basketball courts, sand volleyball court, dedicated fishing spots, shower & restroom facilities, horseshoe pits, Gaga pit, playgrounds, space ball, water wars and a massive jumping pillow.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you’re looking to get your fishing on, what’s great about Hickory Hills Campground is that they provide you direct access to Rice Lake, where you’ll catch no shortage of blue gills, small and large mouthed bass, bullheads and crappie; (2) Once you grow tired of conjuring up that next meal from your roto-molded Cordova cooler or onboard RV mini-fridge, I’ll be honest, you might be challenged as you are clear out in the middle of nowhere, but that said, if you don’t mind a short drive, head east where you’ll find Outpost, which sits right on Lake Koshkonong and offers up a stunning log cabin wooden bar offering a sublime selection of local, domestic and import beers on tap, a well-stocked liquor bar and a typical Wisconsin food-shilling restaurant offering up bites like duck bacon wontons, ultimate grilled cheese, where you’ll want to splurge and get it with bacon and tomato, as well as some decently smoked brisket; (3) If you’d like a nice slice of old school Americana while you are in these parts, head on over to Little Amerricka Amusement Park that will keep your kiddos entertained and off the smart phones for at least 2-3 hours as they will enjoy this retro-1950s amusement theme park; and (4) Should you elect to learn a bit of local history, head on over to either Milton House Museum or Stoughton Historical Museum, both of which will make you more educated on the place you happen to be in than most of the folks here.
Happy Camping!
Legend
This was our first time camping in Wisconsin and we got to say we absolutely love this park. Most of the sites are pretty secluded so if you enjoy your privacy I will love this place. Everything was clean and updated including the bathrooms. The campsites are about a mile or two from Lake Michigan but it is an easy drive or hike as there are many trails that go through the park. When we went to the lake level was up so high due to flooding that we weren’t really able to enjoy the beach but normally there is plenty of coastline for enjoying some beach time.
Guide
My husband and I plus our 3 kids stayed in a rustic cabin. The cabin was exactly how it was described and thankfully so! Since it had air-conditioning we all slept great. The grounds itself was very clean, the portable toilets were cleaned twice a day. There were many activities for all ages both for a small fee and free. Our kids used the pools quite a lot and were a bit disappointed with the skatepark. They enjoyed all the airfilled bouncy activities.
Ranger
We go at least once a year to see the Christmas lights. A great little after work trip on a Friday to cure the kiddos cabin fever a bit.
Traveler
There is nowhere to swim here, they have multiple camp sites, a couple of group sites and a few cabins to rent. There is a concession area, however it is a moderate hike to get to from the campground area. This campground would be best for those who want to spend their time fishing, kayaking, or paddle boarding as it is connected to the fox river.
GuideThese campsites are as low as $12/night!! One of my favorite spots to test new gear. Family friendly. There’s some small trails around as well that are beginner. There was electricity, however those sites are $25/night. Bathrooms could’ve been cleaner but we were grateful for the facility which doubled as a storm shelter. There’s indoor showers and bathrooms. There are also cabins at this campsite, not sure on pricing tho
Guide
We came here with a group of four families. It was excellent to have tent, cabin and rv spots available as each family felt comfortable staying there. Very spacious campsites. Clean and well manicured. They have a fully stocked store, pool, kangaroo pad and lake with inflatable slides etc. Their playground is awesome and kept all 12 kids ages 1-12 busy for the whole day. We would stay there again. Showers are 25cents for 4mins. Pretty clean and updated bathroom facilities.
ScoutIf you are looking for a place to camp with an RV or rent a cabin, this is your place! Three pools, mini golf, and a great atmosphere! However, we were tent camping and our site was gravel and right on the main road. It was very small and our tent was too close to the road for my comfort. Hiking trails weren’t very well kept, but was still a beautiful hike! If you have kids and camper I would absolutely recommend this place! Also very dog friendly!
Traveler
Very friendly place to camp! Majority are seasonal sites but have a lot of room for open camping. There is water & electric hookups. You have the option for them to pump you 2 times a week for an extra $5. Family owned & operated. Animal friendly. Weekends usually have a “theme” so more people, during the week it’s open & quiet. There is a pool, store, rec center with games, & a cabin for rent. Great place to fish especially down a trail in the back part of the grounds.
Ranger
The campsite itself was nice and peaceful. There is a lot of nature and the recreation area itself is massive. Definitely a nice getaway. The only issue was that generators aren't allowed, so we were kind of suffering in the oppressive heat with no reprieve of the AC in our camper. There aren't many electrical hookups so it's hard to get one of those spots. Apparently no state park in Wisconsin allows generators at any time unless you have a medical need. Kind of a bummer.
ScoutYogi Bear campground is a nice, clean campground. Rental options and the big pool are wonderful. I can’t afford to go there often though because it is pricey.
Scout
Nice quiet place to get away to. Sights are large. Good size lake for fishing or Kayaking. Large beach area for kids. Graded shallow so they can go a good distance into the water. Scuppernong trail is less than 5 minutes down hwyZZ.
Legend
Not just that it was 25 minutes from our daughter in Madison this was a very nice KOA.
Typical KOA but it did have better than normal WiFi or at least where we stayed it did. Still not good enough to do a lot of streaming.
Had a great pool and playground. Had a place to have a group events. Had a few cabins not many.
Had separate tenting area that was really nice.
The folks that worked there were super and every Friday then Made homemade cookies. NOTE to Self always check in on Friday.
The restrooms were very clean and I did use the shower a few times. They were very nice.
It has a great dog park with an agility course which was fun to watch some dogs use.
It had restaurants and gas stations close. The Big thing it did have a cheese store not about 1/2 a block you can walk to. Try all the great cheese and sausage it is super. Will have to tell you I loved the Cranberry Cheese and the smoked Cheeses. I also always got a jar of homemade pickles when we stopped.
The last time we stopped the had a corn and veggie stand right next door and great corn.
It is close enough to Madison if you need to visit there.
We have been there 3 times this year. Really like it.
Ranger
Family have a spot here they leave their RV over summer. First the good. This place is a young kids heaven. Tons of activities! All included with admission etc... four wheel bikes to take out, jumping balloon, pool with multiple water slides, pond with blow up floating slides and climbing activities, canoes, a bar and restaurant, mini golf, frisbee golf, live music some weekends, a kids barn with crafts, volleyball, shuffle board, etc... Now the negatives... in my opinion. This place is a kids heaven! Hahaha. Not exactly the place to go and enjoy peace and solitude. There’s little to no seclusion and most here like it that way. Friends, drinking, kids running around everywhere etc... at night all the kids drive around in golf carts with crazy light effects blaring rap music. And some adults as well. Overall it’s a very friendly family environment but for me a bit busy. I prefer my camping on the quiet side and focused more on enjoying nature. Is a great get away to let the kids go nuts. I suppose it’s great get away for adults wanting to go nuts too. See you at the bar!!!?
Ranger
We were in Site# B1. We had Full hook- up with a gravel pull-thru. We travel towing a 14 foot trailer and were able to fit both in our pull through site. My jeep though did not fit. The site was easy to level.
Our site was shaded with lots of trees. This was a larger sized lot with our neighbors not too close (but we did choose a premium site with a patio and paid extra to be on the end).
This specific lot comes with a concrete patio The lot comes with a picnic table and fire hole in the ground.
They have a community Outdoor kitchen-y area with picnic tables.
They do not provide garbage service at your site so you must walk to garbage dumpster.
You are allowed to ride personal golf carts. There is really not a need to have a Golf cart because it is a smaller campground.
They do have a Swimming pool.
There is a Playground. They also offer horseshoes and a volleyball court.
They have a great general store.
The streets are gravel so not great for riding bikes but there are great places to ride bikes outside of campground, especially around Middleton and Madison.
They have cabins for rent and tent areas.
They have one shower house. The shower house has the typical stalls. These are kept mostly clean.
There is a laundry facility. It is a cash only facility, but they have a change machine.
They have a fenced in dog park and many grassy areas to walk dogs.
There were no trails to hike in the campground.
Some fun things to do outside of the campground are the Saturday Farmer’s Market in Madison and multitude of bike trails.
LegendWe stayed in the Turner lake south loop, which has nice and private sites. This is in contrast to Honeysuckle hollow which is open and row after row of RV sites. Fox den and Prairie view loops are nice as well with mostly primitive sites. Be aware that the map on www.ExloreMoreIL,com(where you make your reservations) doesn't show where the restrooms are. In the Turner loop, the pit toilets are next to the path to the fishing pier, while the showers and full restrooms are between Turner and Fox den, there is a short path between sites 60& 61. Facilities are clean and well lit. Fire pits are slightly raised steel troughs with a heavy adjustable grill. This is a BIG park, the campgrounds are two miles from the front gate, and it's a drive to the main boat launch at Maple Grove, where you have access to the Fox River and Grass lake. This location has a huge parking lot for boat trailers, a very well stocked general store with fishing supplies, a cafe, boat rentals and good firewood. To get away from the crowd if you're a canoeist or kayaker it's nicer to leave the park and go back in at Oak Point picnic area and boat launch at the northern border. This will put you on the Fox river with developments to the north(including a bar& grill) or to the south which is all nature. I think the distance by boat between the two launches is 4-5 miles, but I'm not sure, Halfway there you'll meet up with the Goldfinch trail which is the shortest loop and the most diverse in term of flora. There are horse/ snowmobile trails, but no equestrian campground. Chain o' Lakes is one of the busiest waterways in Illinois, with motorboats everywhere in the height of the summer season. We canoe, and both times we stayed there it was October, so I can't tell you how crowded, but the vast number of picnic areas must be there for a reason. An odd thing is that you can hear a Steam Train whistle quite often, this is from Richardson's Adventure Farm in Spring Grove. We don't have kids so we went to Stade's Farm& Orchard(which is also large and kid friendly) because they have an orchard and vegetable market. One last thing, the gates close at 10:PM and there are tire shredders, you can leave but you can't get back in… unless you want to walk 2+ miles in the dark:)
Guide
This campground is a great family oriented campground. There were many seasonal sites that were located in the main portion of the campground. There is a playground and a beach area. You are also able to rent paddle boats to use on the lake. You are also able to check out horse shoes to play and a bar for the adults to enjoy themselves at.
There are three sections to this campground. The main section houses the seasonal sites and cabins that you can rent. There are also some open sites that you can rent by the night. We noticed that this section was much louder than the other two. With the number of people that come up each weekend and the bar there was a decent amount of partying that was happening. We walked back to the back section of the campground, which is past a marshy area, and found this to be quieter. There were also not as many people staying here the weekend we were there. We stayed in the front section of the campground, which has smaller camping spaces for rent. This was the quietest area of the campground, especially not many others were camping the weekend that we went. After walking around the rest of the campground, we decided to stay near our site since it was so quiet there.
The main section of this campground is very open with few trees. There were trees along the walk to the back section, but again it was open once you arrived there. The front section had the most trees, but was still fairly open. Water was located next to the bathroom and the bathrooms were clean.
I would try this campground again if we had children, because there would be things for them to do. However, if we would be going by ourselves and we were planning on staying somewhere for hiking and for peace and quiet, I would choose another place to stay.
Traveler
This is our go-to state park when I need to get out of Chicago for the afternoon. We camped here once as a starter trip with our two kids, since it was easy enough to go home if it all went south.
Non-electric sites in the loop on the small fishing pond were relatively quiet, well shaded, with decent screening between sites. Easy walk to bath house adjacent the electric sites, which were jammed with RVs.
Nice easy hiking/biking trails. Boat rentals. Stocked concesion building.
Our kids, 4&8, really like it here. Nothing too hard or scary for my little city kiddos.
ScoutThe state park is larger than expected with decent amenities (boat rentals, concessions, relatively clean pit toilets) and areas designated for trailer camping and tent camping.
We stayed in the Turner South Loop, one of the older tent camping loops, and the age definitely showed. Most of the sites on this loop are pretty worn, with not much privacy. We stayed in T10, but would consider T9 if we returned to this loop for a different reserved site. The prairie loop looked a bit newer with bigger, less worn sites. Both loops had grill pits that were well-maintained for fires and campfire cooking.
Trails were geared more towards horses and bikes, but there are plenty of walking paths, and we were able to find some hidden trails along the lake (read: unofficial). Overall, a place for relaxing and leisurely strolls and not hiking.
Guide
The southern unit of this park is the perfect place to go for a weekend getaway, or an extended trip! Whether you're in a tent or in a camper you can find just as much comfort as you're looking for. there's a lake with a swimming area if that's what you're looking for, not to mention a dock with great fishing. We saw a guy with a catfish the size of my forearm. There's swimming, access to almost all of the hiking trails available in kettle Moraine, and all within walking distance of where you park your tent or vehicle. There are showers, although we did not use them. And bathrooms available if that's a dealbreaker for you. We hiked and swim and sat on the dock. It's the perfect place to bring friends for a weekend or week away, or for a romantic trip, just the two of you, looking to spend some quality time in nature.
LegendThis large campground was filled up with an upcoming triathlon. Even with all these campers there is still plenty of greenery between sites to give us privacy. We didn’t feel as if we were part of such a large place - such a great experience to have a small vibe amongst many campers.
The campground is a series of loops with a mix of electric and non electric spots. There is also a variety of shade versus sun. We saw a few people on bikes but enjoyed the lack of visual stimulation for our dog.
The road out into the forest area of the campground was closed off to cars for the triathlon. Not to worry, a couple miles away is a great hiking trail system. It’s for skiing during the winter. They keep it one way for the skiers but summer hiking gave us freedom to do an out and back hike. We loved the solitude on the trail. It’s wide enough for our dog to walk next to us and has plenty of rolling climbs.
This is a nice place that would be a great weekend getaway from Chicago.
ScoutIf your in Wisconsin this is a must stay! Beautiful campground (Ottawa Lake campsites) Great Lake, hiking to see the natural springs which is the coolest!! Drank fresh spring water!
GuidePerfect for a couple days in the woods. Like most of Wisconsins' parks and forests, Ottawa lake is no different. Offers clean and quiet settings and facilities,. Close enough to metropolitan areas but not too close. All have feeling of being in the north woods with out the travel. Busiest days are after memorial day weekend and to labor day weekend.
Cabin camping near Nashotah, Wisconsin offers a perfect blend of nature and comfort, making it an ideal getaway for families and outdoor enthusiasts alike.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Nashotah, WI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Nashotah, WI is Ottawa Lake Campground — Kettle Moraine State Forest-Southern Unit with a 4.3-star rating from 35 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 28 cabin camping locations near Nashotah, WI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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