Top Tent Camping near Onalaska, WI
Looking for tent camping near Onalaska? With The Dyrt, it's easy to find Onalaska campgrounds for you and your tent. Each tent campsite offers quick access to one or more of Onalaska's most popular destinations.
Best Tent Sites Near Onalaska, WI (21)
1. Houston Nature Center
4 Reviews•12 Photos•7 Saves- Fires
- Phone Service
- Tents
- Picnic Table
- Firewood Available
- Showers
2. Shady Rest Acres
2 Reviews•17 Photos•22 SavesCamp along a Mississippi tributary beside the Minnesota-Wisconsin line in this whimsical farm paradise. Run around the pasture, take a walk in the forest or dip your toes in the flowing creek at Shady Rest Acres. You are welcome to sit back, relax, and observe the farm animals. No guest are allowed inside the fenced off area of pasture without a host with them. We do have 4 well behaved dog's an 8 indoor outdoor cats, cows, goats, sheep, mini donkeys, ducks, chickens, turkeys and honey bee's. Tent Sites Pitch a tent in the field beside a fire pit and get a great view of the night sky or pitch a tent beneath the walnut trees beside the creek and relax in a hammock. Bee Relaxed Studio If you would rather stay indoors, kick back in the fully furnished studio with a wood burning stove and vinyl record player. Please no pets in the studio. No matter where you decide to stay at Shady Rest Acres you will be in close proximity to the Mississippi River, Beaver Creek Valley State Park, and Great River Bluffs State Park. This area is great for hiking, fishing, kayaking, and swimming. When making reservations please include in your total any person over the age of two.
- Fires
- Reservable
- Tents
- Cabins
- Trash
- Firewood Available
$40 - $120 / night
3. Sparta DNR Campground
4 Reviews•7 Photos•14 Saves- Fires
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- Tents
- Group
- Dispersed
$15 - $21 / night
4. Justin Trails Resort
1 Review•1 Photo•2 SavesIf your dream vacation is full of details like soft forest light, colorful leaves, and winding trails—that is, if you are thinking of disconnecting and disappearing into the countryside for a few days—then resort camping at Justin Trails Resort eight miles from town is just the ticket. Rejuvenate your spirit and refresh your body with a hike around our 200-acre property or try your hand at disc golf. We have the #1 Disc Golf Course in all of Wisconsin!
Songbirds chirp in the morning, wild turkey and deer cross the property, and an owl hoots as the sun sets over the ridge. Ready to make a booking at Justin Trails Resort? Review your options and make a booking with us online.
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- ADA Access
- Tents
5. Reno Horse Campground
1 Review•10 Photos•39 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Tents
- Equestrian
- Dispersed
9. Aefintyr
4 Reviews•43 Photos•54 SavesAefintyr campground is located in the scenic woods of the Whitewater River Valley in the Driftless Area of Southeastern Minnesota. We offer beautiful blufftop hike-in camping and glamping and cozy treehouse inspired camper cabins. The hike-in camp/glamp sites offer a backpacking like experience (1460 ft hike with a 230 ft elevation gain) and are great for people who like to get some exercise and want to immerse themselves in a woodland setting. Perfect relaxation destination or home base for your Whitewater Valley adventures. Aefintyr is a small operation that values peace, quiet and quality over quantity. Get away from crowds and get into the woods! Onsite, enjoy a campfire, stargazing, hiking and observing the amazing animals, plants and fungi.
Nearby recreation opportunities include:
Within 2 miles of Whitewater State Park, the Elba Fire Tower, Whitewater State Wildlife Management Area (hunting, trout fishing, hiking, wildlife viewing) and the Whitewater River State Water Trail (canoe/kayak/tube). There is a gas station (bait and fishing supplies, convenience store items), 2 bars and a restaurant within a mile in the town of Elba. Whitewater Wines Winery is also just a few miles up the road!
Shared amenities:
Bathhouse with individual rooms, with a hot shower, vanity and composting toilet
Outhouse with composting toilet on top of the bluff within 400 feet of each campsite
Community area (requires short hike) with tent shelters (2, each 10' x 20'), outdoor furniture, tables, chairs, propane grill w/ side burner, firepit w/ cooking grate/skillet.
Propane Gas Grill (at base of the hill by the bathhouse)
Stargazing area with reclining chairs
Cell service: AT&T typically works well, Verizon works intermittently, and T-mobile doesn't have a good signal.
Wi-fi: Available at the bathhouse and parking area, data speeds up to 25 Mbps.
**Parking: **On site, 2 vehicle limit, no vehicles larger than a full-size truck, no trailers.
**Host accessibility: **Available 24/7/365 via phone and email/messaging, frequently on site.
**Security: **Campground community areas are under video surveillance.
Setting: Aefintyr campground is located in the hilly, wooded, blufflands of the Whitewater River Valley just north of the tiny town of Elba, MN. Views are primarily of the woods and valleys. The campground is off of a 2 lane county highway so there is some intermittent road noise. It is otherwise very peaceful and filled with the sounds of nature, including lots of birds and other wildlife.
Aefintyr is a peaceful place with chill vibes and we like to keep it that way! It is not a place for parties or rowdy groups. We like to listen to nature, not loud music or rowdy people blabbering into the night. Please see our rules/polices to know what to expect.
20240824
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- Tents
- Cabins
$29 - $139 / night
10. Wazee Lake Rec Area
2 Reviews•5 Saves- Tents
- Drinking Water
Showing results 1-10 of 21 campgrounds
Recent Tent Reviews In Onalaska
433 Reviews of 21 Onalaska Campgrounds
- DDaniel R.
Guide
Beaver Creek Valley State Park
Cozy hideaway
A great place for a weekend camping trip. We had an excellent spot (35). One of the only sites with grass. Great hiking and trout fishing.
- AAbbie
Scout
Prairie Island City Campground
Not my type of camping
We went here as a last minute decision. We were placed in the middle of the seasonal crowd who were loud. Music was playing all day loud enough for half the campground to hear. When the music went up so did their conversations. I go for peace and quiet. If I wanted to be at a concert. I would have gone to a concert. Showers seemed ok but some areas to me seemed kinda junky.
Mike L.
Traveler
Sparta DNR Campground
Non-resident upcharge ($30 vs. $15 plus fees)
Sites are basic with water, pit toilets, tables and fire rings. I originally planned to stay here but came across the non-resident charges (my state does not do this). I made reservations at the Village of Norwalk and the town of Hillsboro instead. Both have City parks with free tent camping. Norwalk even has showers and RV spots. I've added both to The Dyrt library.
- Jason P.Traveler
McMullen County Park
Nice, peaceful county campground
Great place with plenty to do. Fishing, kayaking, beach, flush toilets, hot CLEAN showers!!
- Jason P.Traveler
Deer Run Campground
Friendly, Quiet Camping
Nice little campground. Friendly owners. The campground is clean and quiet.
- T
Tom
RangerBeaver Creek Valley State Park
Beautiful & peaceful
Very nice QUIET park! RV Campsites are gravel with fire ring and picnic table. The sites are fairly level. There is also a cabin to rent. Many electric sites.
Very nice hiking trails, make sure to check the map to plan easy hike up and steep hike downhill! Beautiful vistas on the Switchback trail.
The Mossy Seep trail has interesting plants and unique growth.
Big Spring Trail boarders the campground, easy walk to see the Spring. Tried to dip feet in the water but couldn’t leave them in the COLD water for long! Water is crystal clear and flowing fast.
Bathroom (men’s) if functional, has running water at the sinks and showers work well.
NO PHONE SERVICE which we appreciated.
The Restaurant “Good Times” is 4 miles away and has good food and service. Also a grocery store in town in case you need more supplies.
Leaves are just starting to change in September.
Tanner D.Scout
Sidie Hollow County Ridge Campground
Great place to get away
My wife and I went there for the weekend and it was great. Clean and spacious sites. The bathrooms were even clean. They also provided free showers. The wood was a reasonable price and easily available at any time of the day. It was also pet friendly. I do wish that they hadn't cleared away so many trees. A little more shade would have been nice since we were in a tent. But other than that was was perfect.
- Jarrett G.Traveler
Great River Bluffs State Park
One of my favorites!
Beautiful area with very nice trails. 20-30 mins to Winona, 20 mins to La Crosse. Not a huge site selection, but very nice sites. My wife and I try to go there as much as we can!
- Jarrett G.Traveler
Veterans Memorial Park & Campground
Very nice campground
Large campground with many amenities. Playground for kids and a very nice dog park. Right off the river. Will definitely be back!
Nanette M.Scout
Sleepy Hollow Campground
Horrible service
My husband made a reservation for our 25th wedding anniversary and he was rushed in the hospital for an emergency surgery. We notified you 3 days in advance and you refused to give us even a partial refund! We only had that money to celebrate. You didn't even offer another date for us! We are now not able to enjoy our 25th! That's terrible that you will do nothing in such an emergency situation. I will be making this public in every venue I can. Disgusting that you will probably get paid by another person to stay there. How disappointing that you would offer us nothing! Very bad business.
- wwayne O.Traveler
Hixton - Alma Center KOA
Nice clean place to stop
We were coming back from a koa in Minnesota and decided to stop for the night, nice clean campground and a beautiful heated pool. Definitely would go back again
- KKristina D.Scout
Perrot State Park
Private Sites Beautiful Park
We spent 2 nights at this park and enjoyed our stay. The sites are well spaced and well separated by trees. The potable water has high nitrate levels so we had to buy drinking water as filters don’t remove nitrates.
Erin Z.Traveler
Mill Bluff State Park
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.
- Jarrett G.Traveler
Wildcat Mountain State Park
Sweet place
Very cool secluded walk in sites, pet friendly, awesome trails.
- TTim M.Traveler
Whiskey Creek Family RV Park
Great family park!
This is a great destination RV park if you are looking for a family getaway or just a quiet trip for two. There is plenty to do at the park including a cool swimming pond with inflatables, live music most weekends, corn hole tournaments, Friday fish fry, and much more. My wife and I have a special needs adult son that they welcomed and fully accommodate. The park is clean and the staff are friendly and helpful. Sparta (Walmart plus other shops) is less than ten minutes away. The park is near an Amish community giving the region a great country feel.
Ken W.Scout
Pine View Campground - Fort McCoy
Beautiful campground
Lots of activities. Near-by La Crosse has baseball and softball teams from the Northwoods collegiate summer league.
Stacey N.RangerPerrot State Park
Lovely!
A newly paved road leads into the park with lots of gorgeous views along the way. Very friendly staff. Bathrooms buggy… to be expected… but clean. Shower has ample hot water. Some sites are close together but nicely wooded for privacy. Some sites have water views.
- NNoah V.Scout
Sidie Hollow County Ridge Campground
Decent Camp Ground
Book this campground last minute over the phone for a weekend of trout fishing in the driftless area. Fishing was great. The upper ridge campground did not have hardly any grass so it got muddy fast when it rained. The pit toilets were kind of dirty though toilet paper was always stocked so that’s a plus. I explored the other 3 campground at sidie hollow while I was there and this is my take. The main campground had nicer facilities and a play ground for kids. The boat landing campground is convenient if you have a boat. The upper ridge campground has the most shade out of all 3 campgrounds (cooler in the summer). The locals sell firewood for $5 a bundle which is awesome. I would stay at this campground again.
- Tori L.Scout
Big Paint Campground — Yellow River State Forest
Dream stay.
Came to learn more about Tenkara fly fishing. Had a ball. Visited the 3 lookouts including Iowa only Fire tower. Bird life is colorful. Lots of places to hike. Scenery is lush. I had no phone service. Campsites are well mown, have a picnic table and fire ring. Pit toilets. Easy access to water. Drink water and firewood are at the host A frame. There is no dump site. Everyone was very friendly. Helpful. Nights were quiet. Very relaxing.
Eugene O.Scout
Eagle Cliff Campground and Lodging
Good campground, rude and unprofessional management
If you want to experience very rude and unfair treatment where you will be mistreated and ripped off by the staff and ow era you must come to Eagle Cliff campground. Was double charged for the room without any options and negotiations and knees delivered to us after we already left the campground. Staff is very rude and unwilling to be reasonable, professional and understanding. Campground looks good but rules are ridiculous and staff and owners are very shady and make non sense decisions. Stay away if you want nice peaceful stay and don’t want to be ripped off.
- EEugene O.Scout
Eagle Cliff Campground and Lodging
Management is beyond horrible. Very unprofessional.
If you want to experience very rude and unfair treatment where you will be mistreated and ripped off by the staff and ow era you must come to Eagle Cliff campground. Was double charged for the room without any options and negotiations and knees delivered to us after we already left the campground. Staff is very rude and unwilling to be reasonable, professional and understanding. Campground looks good but rules are ridiculous and staff and owners are very shady and make non sense decisions. Stay away if you want nice peaceful stay and don’t want to be ripped off.
- DDylan W.Traveler
Great River Bluffs State Park
Nice Weekend Get Away
The cart in sites all have a fire pit with a grill, picnic table, and are a short walk from the primitive toilets. There is a water spigot in the parking area. They have 4-5 wheelbarrows to use as carts to get your stuff to the site. Each site could comfortably hold 3 to 4 tents. They are on a path for an out and back hike so expect some passers by. Cart in 1 and 2 are fairly close to the parking area and are less secluded from each other. 3 and 4 are more secluded. Site 3 offers more shade and 4 looks to have recently had some trees cut down and is fairly open air. Overall the trails are well maintained and accessible from the cart in area. They provide some nice views of the river and you can easily hike the area in a day. It’s by no means a secluded area if you’re looking to get away from road noise or other people. All in all it makes for a nice weekend getaway.
Jon M.ScoutBig Joes Little Campground
Never Again
It is not meant for weekenders. The campground is 97% concrete pad sites for people who want to park their camper and ent for the year. The two "weekender sites they do have are over 100 yards away and the water smells like sulphur. The owner will also personally take the time to drive out and chew you out if you inadvertently park on the grass. Bottom line, they care about getting their cash and trying to make it look like Augusta National golf course. I will never go back.
Leslie R.
Legend
Castle Mound Campground
Convenient stop from MN to Milwaukee
We hadn't picked a place to camp in advance, because we wanted to see how far we could get on the drive. We were able to reserve a spot online at 8:30pm same-day on a Wednesday in July. Nice hot showers available for free.
- SSteve S.Scout
Houston Nature Center
Great Campground for Cyclists
Spacious, level, well kept, quiet. $10/night, which is great. Spotless showers and bathrooms, access to drinking water. The International Owl Center was a welcome discovery. Best tent campground on the Root River Trail.
Brian M.Scout
Waukon City Park
Great campground
Free firewood, free wifi, water and electric at each campsite. Found a nice shady site for tent camping.
- Stacey N.Ranger
South Campground — Merrick State Park
Back again
Our second time camping here.. this time at the South campground. Definitely bring everything to repel the bugs… thermacells are a must. Waterview sites are amazing. Very little park staff presence that I could see. Showers and flush toilets at the north campground which is a quick drive or a very long walk. They were clean, but showers could use a refresh. Pro tip: there are wheelbarrows full of firewood for sale across from the entrance of the park. Only 5 dollars buys a generous amount that burns well.
Guide to Onalaska
Camping near Onalaska, Wisconsin, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventure-filled weekend, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.
What to do:
Hiking Trails: Explore the many trails in the area. At Whitewater State Park, one camper mentioned, "We hiked to Chimney Rock and Inspiration Point and found the trails more challenging than we expected." The park has trails for all skill levels, making it a great spot for everyone.
Fishing: Enjoy fishing in the nearby rivers and lakes. A visitor at Buckhorn State Park noted, "Good trout fishing here, some sites are primitive, some have electric and water." This park is known for its fishing opportunities.
Canoeing and Kayaking: The Kickapoo River is perfect for water activities. One reviewer at Wildcat Mountain State Park said, "This was our second visit to this park... We canoed from bridge 12 to LaFarge." The river offers scenic views and a fun experience.
What campers like:
- Privacy and Space: Campers appreciate the spacious sites at Perrot State Park. One visitor shared, "The sites are well spaced and well separated by trees." This makes for a more relaxing camping experience.
- Clean Facilities: Many campers rave about the cleanliness of the restrooms and showers. A reviewer at Beaver Creek Valley State Park mentioned, "The bathroom/shower building was strange - vault toilets on one side with the showers on the other. But they were clean!" Clean facilities can make a big difference during your stay.
- Wildlife Viewing: Campers enjoy the wildlife in the area. At Eagle Cliff Campground, one camper noted, "Our site was right along the river where we saw turtles, bald eagles and lots of other wildlife." This adds to the natural beauty of the camping experience.
What you should know:
- Cell Service: Be prepared for spotty cell service in some campgrounds. A visitor at Whitewater State Park mentioned, "Spotty cell service." It’s a good idea to let someone know your plans before heading out.
- Mosquitoes: Depending on the season, mosquitoes can be a nuisance. A camper at Buckhorn State Park warned, "It seemed like a good spot for kayaks and canoes given the lake access; it appeared shallow and sandy at this site. The only reason I gave this 4/5 stars is because the mosquitoes!!!" Bring bug spray to keep them at bay.
- Reservations: Some campgrounds can fill up quickly, especially on weekends. A visitor at Pikes Peak State Park noted, "Only stayed one night passing through, but the mosquitoes were so horrible, I don’t think I could have stayed longer." Make sure to book in advance.
Tips for camping with families:
- Choose Family-Friendly Campgrounds: Look for campgrounds with amenities for kids. At Wildcat Mountain State Park, one camper said, "Nice campground, quiet would come back!" This makes it a great spot for families looking for a peaceful getaway.
- Plan Activities: Keep the kids entertained with planned activities. A visitor at Pulpit Rock Campground mentioned, "Great camping for tent. Bike trails and good trout fishing." Having activities ready can help keep everyone happy.
- Pack Snacks: Bring plenty of snacks for the kids. A camper at Forestville Mystery Cave State Park noted, "The shower facilities were very clean." Clean facilities mean you can focus on enjoying your time together.
Tips from RVers:
- Check Site Size: Make sure your RV fits the site. A reviewer at Pikes Peak State Park mentioned, "Some sites have the fire ring very close to the parking area." Knowing the layout can help avoid surprises.
- Use Dump Stations: Familiarize yourself with dump station locations. A camper at Great River Bluffs State Park said, "Very Easy to use dump station." This can save time during your trip.
- Bring Extra Supplies: Stock up on essentials before you arrive. A visitor at Eagle Cliff Campground noted, "Facilities were clean and well-maintained." Having everything you need can make your stay more enjoyable.
Camping around Onalaska, WI, offers a variety of experiences for everyone. Whether you're in a tent, RV, or cabin, there's something for every outdoor enthusiast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Onalaska, WI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Onalaska, WI is Houston Nature Center with a 4.8-star rating from 4 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Onalaska, WI?
TheDyrt.com has all 21 tent camping locations near Onalaska, WI, with real photos and reviews from campers.