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Equestrian Camping near North Freedom, WI

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    Governor Dodge State Park Equestrian Campground provides dedicated camping opportunities for those traveling with horses near North Freedom, Wisconsin. The equestrian campground features electric hookups, drinking water, fire rings, picnic tables, and toilet facilities while accommodating both tent and RV camping. The campground maintains excellent maintenance standards with clean facilities throughout the seasons. Winter camping remains available at the equestrian sites, offering peaceful, snow-covered landscapes with abundant firewood for campfires. The park prioritizes horse-friendly amenities including trailer parking areas and proximity to riding trails.

    The extensive trail system connecting to the equestrian campground allows riders to explore the natural beauty of Governor Dodge State Park's 5,000+ acres. Trails wind through wooded bluffs, valleys, and past scenic features including waterfalls and two lakes. Riders appreciate the well-maintained paths that accommodate varying skill levels. Reservations are required for overnight stays, with sites filling quickly during peak summer months and fall color seasons. The campground's location provides convenient access to nearby attractions including House on the Rock and Taliesin. The park's bridle trails remain accessible year-round, though seasonal conditions may affect certain sections after heavy rainfall or during spring thaw periods.

    Best Equestrian Campgrounds near North Freedom (12)

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      1. Merry Mac's Campground

      4.8(6)10mi from North FreedomRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "It’s located right by Devils lake. Firewood for sale, great wifi, clean bathhouses/rooms"

      "Lake full of all kinds of floats the kids can climb and jump on. Clean pool to cool off in. Sand volleyball, ga ga ball, huge park. Has so many different accomadtions to choose from!"

      from $35 / night

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      2. White Mound County Campground

      4.3(3)14mi from North FreedomRVs, Tents

      "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."

      "The campsites are tucked away and private. There are bathrooms and a small playground. The lake is gorgeous and clean. The only downfall is the lake is spring-fed so it’s a bit cold for swimming."

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      3. Smokey Hollow Campground

      3.7(7)19mi from North FreedomRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "Behind the office was a large pond with a sand beach, lots of blow up pool toys, a bar, and volleyball, plus there are trikes and bikes available after you play mini-golf."

      "For anyone planning a visit, I recommend checking out the driving directions—they’re super helpful to avoid any hiccups on your way there. Happy camping!"

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      4. Cox Hollow Campground — Governor Dodge State Park

      4.2(27)33mi from North Freedom116 sitesRVs, Tents, Glamping

      "Two good lakes for kayaking/canoeing/fishing/swimming. Lots of good hiking trails and they are working on a big improvement to the equestrian campground."

      "The sites on the "inside" of the loop are rather close to one another. 21 has a nice view of the lake, and you can walk back to the fence to look over the bluff 24 is quite private and very large 26,"

      from $25 - $40 / night

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      5. Twin Valley Campground — Governor Dodge State Park

      4.4(22)33mi from North Freedom160 sitesRVs, Tents

      "Lakes, trails, kayaking, boating, paddle boarding, fishing. Hidden gem of Wisconsin. The campsites are pretty private, nestled in trees. Some shaded, some have sun and shade."

      "Great park in the middle of nowhere Wisconsin. Not far from the house on the rock and Taliesin. Great open hiking trail. Well laid out sites with lots of space."

      from $25 - $40 / night

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      6. Wildcat Mountain State Park Campground

      4.6(21)39mi from North Freedom75 sitesRVs, Tents, Glamping

      "NOTE; Google maps makes it look like the campground and landing are near each other. They are not."

      "Proximity to potable water, vault or modern toilets and designated parking are all within 400 yards of all sites. "

      from $18 - $110 / night

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      7. Yellowstone Lake State Park Campground

      4.1(36)48mi from North Freedom134 sitesRVs, Tents

      "Tons of forest with cross country, equestrian, and hiking trails. One of the best lakes in Wisconsin for fishing along with a nice beach, and pet area. There is a free gun range."

      "It has a large lake with three boat launches, a main one with a motor ramp, a canoe launch near the marshy end, and a fishing pier."

      from $18 - $110 / night

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      8. Sleepy Dragon Campground

      3.3(3)28mi from North FreedomRVs, Tents, Cabins

      "As this place didn’t have much for reviews I wasn’t sure what to think but it’s a great location with good service."

      "In 2024 just before Memorial Day, I needed to leave the campground I was in and started calling around for openings at private campgrounds."

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      9. Lake Kegonsa State Park Campground

      4.0(22)46mi from North Freedom102 sitesRVs, Tents, Glamping

      "Good hiking around the lake and mostly dog friendly. Nice play ground with horse she pits."

      "Just a quick 2 hour drive from our home in Chicago, with large wooded sites for privacy. Clean bathrooms."

      from $18 - $50 / night

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      10. Governor Dodge State Park Equestrian Campground — Governor Dodge State Park

      5.0(1)32mi from North FreedomRVs, Tents
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    Recent Equestrian Camping Photos near North Freedom, WI

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    Equestrian Camping Reviews near North Freedom, WI

    148 Reviews of 12 North Freedom Campgrounds

    • Meg S.
      Aug. 1, 2015

      Twin Valley Campground — Governor Dodge State Park

      Great Campground in Wisconsin

      Great state park for a family camping vacation, tons of stuff to do. Lakes, trails, kayaking, boating, paddle boarding, fishing. Hidden gem of Wisconsin. The campsites are pretty private, nestled in trees. Some shaded, some have sun and shade. They even have horse sites, so you can bring your horse, and stroll through the park horseback riding. Vault toilets, and regular toilets with ok showers. Water faucets scattered around for easy water access. Twin Valley has tent sites and RV/electric sites.

    • Ted W.
      Aug. 21, 2019

      Yellowstone Lake State Park Campground

      One of our favorites

      We spend quite a bit of time here. We hunt here and camp here year round. Tons of forest with cross country, equestrian, and hiking trails. One of the best lakes in Wisconsin for fishing along with a nice beach, and pet area. There is a free gun range. Hunt anything from pheasent to deer. There is also a nice bar and grill just down the street. Along with dairy bar as part of the park. Showers and bathrooms are always clean.

    • Art S.The Dyrt PRO User
      Aug. 23, 2022

      Cox Hollow Campground — Governor Dodge State Park

      Loud, party vibe

      The campsites here are deep with lots of greenery. However we chose this site thinking that it was on the end. The loops curl around so there were campers around us. On the other side was a playground that had children enjoying it all day. While this is great for some, our reactive dog was quite distracted.

      Upon arriving at the check in, there is still a couple miles to wind around until the campground, longer to get to twin lakes campground. The road is hilly too. It’s not a problem in our vehicle but it would be tiring on a bicycle. There are showers in the center of our loop. It could be expanded a bit - we had short lines for the restrooms. Water , garbage and recycling are available as well as a dump station.

      It was raining when we arrived but we drove around to see the park. We hiked the short distance to Stephen’s Falls and was not impressed. Maybe they need more rain this year but all we saw was a splatter.

      We saw folks who kept their kayaks and canoes locked up by the lake. The beach looked nice too. The other end of the park has an equestrian campground. We did see some horses riding the trail around the park.

      The vibe here wasn’t for us. Various sites had music playing loud enough for us to hear. Trails from camp would be great. We ended up walking along the narrow road.

    • P
      Jun. 7, 2018

      Cox Hollow Campground — Governor Dodge State Park

      Great campground for everything but big 5th wheelers and motorhomes

      Two good lakes for kayaking/canoeing/fishing/swimming. Lots of good hiking trails and they are working on a big improvement to the equestrian campground. Lots of activities in the area and close to shopping in the town of Dodgeville.

    • Brian O.The Dyrt PRO User
      Jan. 13, 2023

      Wildcat Mountain State Park Campground

      the best river for canoeing / kayaking in Wisconsin

      This was our second visit to this park. On both occasions we wanted to canoe the scenic Kickapoo river. Our first trip was five years ago and we got portage service for our canoe from Titanic Rentals in Ontario. We went from there (bridge 1) to bridge 12 Which took nearly all day, but we were able to have lunch at the park's Wildcat landing, the only real and equipped picnic site along the river. NOTE; Google maps makes it look like the campground and landing are near each other. They are not. It's three miles of very steep roads, so don't think you're going to fetch anything you left behind.
       The campground is on top of the ridge, which means in the morning you will look out over a fog shrouded valley through the trees. The views from the overlooks, which are a short hike, are worth checking out. Campsite 15 is the only one with a clear view.
      There are walk in sites and the paths are wide and clear. The park provides large carts for your stuff so you can really pack stuff in and get away from it all. But the family tent and RV sites generally well spaced, check the map as some are more private than others.
       Our second trip was in August, 2023 and we canoed from bridge 12 to LaFarge (bridge 21). It was later in the season than our previous trip, and in the slightly less scenic stretch of the river. As a result, we didn't see any other boaters.
      Campsites have basic fire ring, and there are pit toilets as well as one Full facility with running water and hot showers. Firewood is available at the Ranger station.
      There's also Equestrian camping elsewhere in the park and lots of trails for both hikers and horses.
       The town of Ontario has a good general store and a couple bars, but this is pretty much wilderness and small farms. Two unique places however are Wild Things Furrier near bridge twelve. Want a coonskin cap or some smoked trout? This is the place.
       More unique than that if you want to treat yourselves, go 34 miles south to the St. Frances Hermitage restaurant. It's run by a small order of French Monks and Nuns who raise their own animals and grow the vegetables they serve. Their bakery is also delicious. This is not fast food, this is a gastronomic experience.

    • Josh F.
      Sep. 11, 2020

      Cox Hollow Campground — Governor Dodge State Park

      Two lakes, two campgrounds and some nice walk-in sites!

      I stayed at this campground when I was a kid and only recently revisited it. The state park has two very large lakes with nice pan fishing and modest but well-groomed (daily?) swimming beaches. The lakes are a definite drive from the campgrounds, however, which makes it hard for "the kids" to simply amble down for a swim. This is important, in Sept. 2020 (COVID-19 times) 1/3 of the parking lot was closed off. Not sure why, but I speculate this is to regulate the number of beach dwellers and swimmers. Regardless, it's a very large and lovely park. Here's my review of the campsites.

      I am a car camper with no interest in (E) electric sites, so I did not pay attention nor note good ones. I prefer the silence and relative darkness that non-E sites provide.

      Campsite - Cox Hollow

      45/47 would be a nice couple of sites for a family/friends (wouldn't want this if you only needed one of them!)

      The sites on the "inside" of the loop are rather close to one another.

      21 has a nice view of the lake, and you can walk back to the fence to look over the bluff 24 is quite private and very large 26, 27 and 29 are all large, near the bluff

      34 is interesting, it's divided into three "terraces" Kind of fun, like a campsite divided into rooms

      44 right next to the water, BIG site, right near the bathroom and playground. This would be great if you have kids.

      The second campground is Twin Valley - though it is NO WHERE NEAR the Twin Valley lake. Lots of driving to get to the lake from here.

      221 is large with nice surrounding trees

      285 is really big

      This campground has walk in sites - these are sites with car parking on the road and you have to walk a minute or two to get to the site. Downside? Carrying all your gear and firewood. Upside? You can genuinely pretend that you've got the place to yourself, can't see a tent or an RV from any of these sites.

      262 is 40 steps in, right on the edge of the valley with it's own personal bluff.

      263 is a longer walk of 75 steps, a little less shaded than others, but PRIVATE

      264 is about 45 steps off the parking lot, right against the bluff edge.

      269 is 50 steps in, but it's just off the path, not as nice as others

      270 is a long 120 steps walking past 269, this is the site for you if you're looking for seclusion

      271 is 110 steps in, flat, really secluded

    • Kim The Dyrt PRO User
      Sep. 3, 2020

      Wildcat Mountain State Park Campground

      Wonderful cart in sites

      The cart in sites are fantastic at Wildcat Mountain! Each site is spacious with most heavily treed for shade. Each site has a nice large flat pad for a tent or two, fire ring, bench and picnic table. Proximity to potable water, vault or modern toilets and designated parking are all within 400 yards of all sites. 

      The park is located in the Kickapoo valley area where the driftless area is amazing to hike. You can kayak or tube down the river that is flanked by high limestone bluffs. The hiking trails are well maintained. There is also extensive horse trails, a beautiful outdoor ampitheater for viewing sunsets and access to the river right in the park. 

      The campers were respectful and quiet. Our campsite was fairly clean when we arrived. Contactless registration due to covid 19. That made getting set up quick and easy!  The cart provided was fairly big for less trips. I would happily camp here again!

    • c
      Nov. 28, 2021

      Cox Hollow Campground — Governor Dodge State Park

      Big Beautiful park has it all!

      We love camping at Governor Dodge state park. The campsites are big and fairly private some areas are better for groups of families camping together with play grounds and nice clean bathrooms with showers. If you camp at Twin Valley You will have to drive to the beach. We like the Cox Hollow beach the best ..so if you want to walk to beach camp there. There are lots of beautiful hiking trails including one that passes an old farm homestead complete with the old spring house and a waterfall. You can also rent horses and rid them in the park…the rental place is just outside the park. They have groomed cross country trails and mountain biking trails as well. You won’t be disappointed if you visit this park!

      V

    • Brian O.The Dyrt PRO User
      Jun. 30, 2023

      Yellowstone Lake State Park Campground

      Nice alternative to Gov. Dodge or Devil's Lake (No rocks or vews though)

       This is a very large state park located halfway between Mineral Point and New Glarus, both nice visiting destinations in their own right.
      It has a large lake with three boat launches, a main one with a motor ramp, a canoe launch near the marshy end, and a fishing pier. There's also a boat rental place run by the nearby Cork Down Saloon. There are no boat-in or lake accessible campsites however.
       The campground is up a long 30 degree hill across from the main launch and Beach/ main picnic area. The sites are more secluded from each other than you'll find at most parks , which is very nice. Beware that some sites are so secluded that they are bi-level. That is, parking pad and then step(s) down to the site. Be sure to check the photos provided when reserving.  There are very nice walk-in sites, but no carts are provided.
      the facilities are clean, but there's only one building with running water and showers. Water throughout has a mild iron taste.
      There's no playground in the camp area, it's located in a picnic area near the canoe launch that you pass as you com in. Not walking distance, remember the big hill.
       There's an Ice Cream/concession at the east end of the lake with limited hours. Beyond that is the Cork Down Saloon, just outside the secondary entrance to the park. It's your closest option to eat out. Also there is the private Chalet campground (see others for a review) Neither has a view of the lake as they are below the Dam.
      A fun place to visit in the area is the Toy Train Barn Museum in Argyle, indoors if you have a rainy day.

    Guide to North Freedom

    Governor Dodge State Park Equestrian Campground serves as a hub for horseback riding enthusiasts in southwest Wisconsin, located approximately 30 miles west of North Freedom. The campground sits within the driftless area, a region characterized by deep valleys, limestone bluffs, and hardwood forests untouched by glaciers during the last ice age. Winter temperatures typically range from 10-30°F with summer highs reaching 75-85°F, making both seasonal camping options viable for visitors.

    What to do

    Hiking through diverse terrain: At Cox Hollow Campground, visitors can explore extensive trail systems with varying difficulties. "The Stevens Falls and Canyon Trails were the highlight of the trip- even in the rain! First you can explore the old spring house and read the informational signs about the family that used to farm there and other early settlers in the area," notes Siobhan R.

    Kayaking on peaceful lakes: Several campgrounds offer water-based recreation options within 30 miles of North Freedom. "Two good lakes for kayaking/canoeing/fishing/swimming. Lots of good hiking trails," explains Paul C. about Governor Dodge State Park.

    Winter activities: For cold-weather camping experiences, White Mound County Campground provides winter access with proper preparation. "I also noticed that once the snow flies, they appear to keep those trails groomed for cross country skiing," explains Melissa K. while reviewing a nearby state park.

    What campers like

    Private, spacious sites: Twin Valley Campground earns praise for its well-designed layout. "The sites are wooded, far enough apart, well maintained, and bathrooms were clean," mentions Holly W. from a nearby park. Campers appreciate the separation between sites.

    Clean facilities: Maintenance standards remain high across several parks in the region. "The sites were spaced apart far enough so you weren't on top of the other campers. Very beautiful scenery, especially from the lookout. All the fire rings come with grill racks for cooking. Showers were very nice as well," reports David F. from Wildcat Mountain.

    Natural features: The driftless region's unique topography creates memorable experiences. "There are lots of wildlife to enjoy and Yellowstone. A beautiful park and tons of hiking and nice lake," writes Mallory M. about Yellowstone Lake State Park Campground, located about 25 miles south of North Freedom.

    What you should know

    Weather considerations: Seasonal changes affect trail conditions across all horse campgrounds near North Freedom. "The ice Cave trail was a neat, quick walk. The trails around have gorgeous views of the driftless area and Kickapoo river," reports Steph about Wildcat Mountain State Park.

    Reservation requirements: Most equestrian sites require advance booking, particularly during peak seasons. "Peak season reservations are a definite (weeks to months in advance for weekends)," advises Jen L. about camping in the area.

    Wildlife awareness: Local wildlife may interact with campsites if food storage protocols aren't followed. "Beware of raccoons at this campground they are BOLD!" warns Jen L. This applies to most campgrounds in the region, including equestrian sites.

    Tips for camping with families

    Kid-friendly amenities: Merry Mac's Campground offers extensive recreation options. "Super fun campground with so much to do! Lots of games for all up by lodge. DJ dance party on the deck at night. Lake full of all kinds of floats the kids can climb and jump on," shares Tracy C.

    Educational opportunities: Historical sites near camping areas provide learning experiences. "You can explore the old spring house and read the informational signs about the family that used to farm there and other early settlers in the area," notes Siobhan R. about nearby trails.

    Safety considerations: Families should plan for potential challenges. "The driveway leading to the campground is a bit daunting (especially if pulling a camper), but its well worth it!" advises Holly W. about accessing certain sites with children.

    Tips from RVers

    Site selection strategy: When booking equestrian sites with RVs, evaluate the terrain. "Not all 'driveways' are level which, unfortunately, we discovered in site 33. We slept with our heads lower than our feet in our camper van," shares Lee D. about Governor Dodge State Park.

    Setup requirements: RV campers should arrive prepared with leveling equipment. "Check to make sure you will get a campsite that is level enough for your vehicle. Lots of the campsites are uneven and larger vehicles may have issues getting level," advises Jeanne M. from Lake Kegonsa State Park.

    Winter camping access: Some RV sites remain accessible during winter months. "It was very pretty with and without snow. Lots of wood to burn. Nice and quite," reports Jill K. about winter camping at Governor Dodge State Park Equestrian Campground.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near North Freedom, WI?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near North Freedom, WI is Merry Mac's Campground with a 4.8-star rating from 6 reviews.

    What is the best site to find equestrian camping near North Freedom, WI?

    TheDyrt.com has all 12 equestrian camping locations near North Freedom, WI, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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