Best Glamping near Ontario, WI

Great location for kayaking and hiking. The facilities are well maintained and clean. Camping sites are spacious and the stars at night is amazing. Bring or rent kayaks to float the Kickapoo River. Ontario to bridge 5 was 2.5 hours.

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.

This is a small state park in terms of overall number of campsites, but its network of hiking and horseback riding trails is extensive. What makes this state park particularly interesting from a camping perspective are the walk-in(or cart in) sites. There are 12 sites you can't drive to, and the park provides very nice carts for each site(unlike other state parks where there is one or two carts for all of the sites or none at all(Blue Mounds and Gov. Dodge State Parks respectively). 

Walk-In Sites

If you are looking for privacy, cart-in site 119 is quite a ways off the trail and far from the parking lot, but it's a bit small. It has some nice midday sun but is otherwise obscured by a lot of foliage which gives it a nice amount of privacy. Number 103 is in a heavily-wooded area and doesn't get a lot of sun but is nicely situated off the main path providing it quite a bit of privacy, but not too far from the parking area. On the other hand, number 104 directly across the gravel path from 103 is situated with a east-facing view of a very nice prairie, providing ample morning sunshine. However, a grove of trees on its western side provides very nice afternoon shade. 

Now for the "car camping" sites. All of the electric sites are in a wide open in a large grassy area, and do not provide any privacy between sites or from the road. On the other hand, the non-electric sites afford a bit more privacy on their loop. The sites on the right hand side of the one-way street have far more privacy than the ones on the other side of the road. I would not like sites 1 through 5 because they are located between the main road and the campsite loop road, which would mean lots of car traffic and headlights in your tent all night long. On the left hand side of the road site 6, 9 and 11 are decent. 

I would like to add a special note about sites 13 through 16. Three of these are on the outside of a small cul-de-sac loop, and are nicely situated in the woods, though they are close to the main road and would experience a fair amount of traffic noise. However, if you have a choice I would highly recommend avoiding site 16, it's in the middle of the loop has no privacy and isn't very pleasant except that it is completely shaded. 

About the Park Itself

This state park has an extensive system of horseback riding and hiking trails. The nice thing is that the horseback trails are shared by hikers. This state park also has one of the most beautiful and well-maintained overlooks, peering down into and across the Kickapoo River Valley. 

I highly recommend visiting this overlook in the morning, at sunset, and even in pure darkness. We saw a wide array of stars and the Milky Way thanks to low light pollution. I'm not saying there is no light pollution, but it's pretty darn dark. I fell in love with this state park. It has fewer than 50 campsites, well maintained shower and vault toilet blocks, and a beautiful selection of walking trails. It also has a very accurate map of the walking trails, so you can hike confidently. 

The park office sells firewood for$5 a bundle, which is about the same kind and quantity as they sell for$7.50 at the gas station 7 miles down the road in Ontario, Wisconsin. If you need a groceries or gasoline, the Cenex gas station has a small but sufficient grocery supply if you you need something. We forgot to bring eggs and pancake mix and they had both.

Kayaking the Kickapoo

This is a great place to start your Kickapoo River kayaking adventure. We booked two kayaks with one of the Ontario-based outfitters and spend a glorious September day paddling and floating the absolutely beautiful river. I HIGHLY recommend taking a day to explore the beautiful scenery from the silence of a river kayak.

Best campground in the Wisconsin Dells by far.

Yukon Trails Campground offers a charming woodland escape with cozy sites nestled among tall pines. The family-friendly atmosphere includes activities like mini golf, a playground, and seasonal events, making it ideal for campers with kids. The sites are well-maintained, though some may find them a bit tight for larger rigs. With friendly staff and proximity to the Wisconsin Dells, it’s a convenient spot for both relaxation and adventure.

Check out the local state parks while you’re here and consider doing a cruise down the Wisconsin River.

The main camp area of the 3 parts of Sidie Hollow Parks. There are around 20/30 or so site. You can put a tent or small camper on any and be pleased. Nothing to do but connect with nature or take long country drives. The winding roads that lead to this special little park show some of Wisconsin’s prettiest views. Definitely even worth a day trip.

Loved staying at this campground. I was in the area to run the driftless marathon and needed a place to stay for one night. I loved it so much that I’ve already planned another trip! My site was hike in but the distance was pretty short. There were wagons available for transporting things to sites but I just carried my pack. No pit toilets but the bathroom facilities were close enough. Really beautiful spot in my favorite region of Wisconsin!

Mirror lake is quickly becoming one of our favorite campgrounds in Wisconsin. The sites are decent size and spaced for privacy. Some loops have group sites where you book 2 sites that are connected. Great for 2 families that want to share common space for kids

Hiking is great. Lake has boat rentals. And Ishnala Supper Club is a short walk away.

Highly recommend!

Chill and relaxing camp ground in Roche A’ Cri Wisconsin State park. Sites surrounded by old growth pines and adjacent to park’s name sake, Roche A’ Cri mound.

Camp sites are spacious and if you arrive during the right time of year, you can find wild black raspberries (forage responsibly please)

State park and campground are on the smaller side but the natural beauty makes the park standout.

A beautiful location in the Driftless Area of Wisconsin. Near hiking, biking, fishing attractions.  The campground is well groomed with lots of camping spots available. First come First serve with all sites being group sites.  A membership is required and covers all the amenities, well worth the cost. The club raises trout and does conservation work locally helping the environment.  Onsite showers and flush toilets. For rent on site is a cabin, 2 Native lodges and a clubhouse for large groups, events, and meetings.  Reservable from the website.  A very laid back and enjoyable campground with friendly people.

An excellent place for hiking and camping. We didn’t camp but spent the day hiking, identifying mushrooms and prairie native plants and had a picnic. There is a tall tower to climb to a splendid overview of Friendship-Adams, many playgrounds, a paved path, hiking trails through the woods, streams, and fascinating hieroglyphs which put Roch-a-Cri in Wisconsins Region of Historical places. Very cool! Great place for families, couples and singles adventuring alike.

This campground is perfect for the family who is looking for a little bit of everything. It is located right on the Wisconsin River so you can fish or rent a boat. It also has a nice pool and play areas for the kids. 

I would give it 5 stars but the only issue is it is located next to the public boat launch so there is a lot of traffic in the boat launch. Campground traffic is still fine though.

Tons of activities at this campground! They have inflatable rafts, a game room, a pool, boat dock, permanent and non sites, sand pit for kids, pounce pad, basketball court and playground; it has more than enough to keep everyone busy!

This place is priced around the same as other places you might camp around Wisconsin and I believe is privately owned. The facilities are kept clean...there are always staff running around picking up or cleaning. WiFi was not free.

Many years ago I went to Wildcat Mountain State Park with my future son's dad. It was the first time I farted in front of him. We were on our way from northern Wisconsin to Gurnee, Illinois and Great America theme park, circa 1977. Years later, circa July 6th, 1984, we again spent the night there with our then 1 year old son, setting up the tent in the glow of the headlights from our 1977 Honda Civic. At that time we were on our way to The House on The Rock, where we weren't allowed to use our stroller, so had to carry that just barely walking 1 year old baby boy. Good times, and fond memories both times.

We camped here in early fall and the full shade sites in mature forest were great. There are a lot of raccoons and the sites even come equipped with a pole for hanging your garbage out of reach of the coons.

The lake, when we went in late August/Early September had a lot of algae on it and wasn't really good to swim, but they do have boat rentals and fishing. It is generally a beautiful lake.

There is a good amount of hiking in the area and it is in close proximity to the Wisconsin Dells, so there is plenty to do.

Overall my family LOVED this campground. There is a decent sized pool that is clean and well-maintained with a smaller kiddie pool with a slide. There is also a man-made lake with a beach for swimming and bigger kids to enjoy the large inflatable slides and swim platforms. The campground is right on the river, and provides rentals for canoes, kayaks, and tubes. They will shuttle you as far up the river as you'd like to go, and you float or paddle back while enjoying all the sand bars along the way.

As an RV campground, the sites were level and grassy with at least one tree per lot. In the sites closer to the pool and lagoon (swim lake), they offer little privacy but are great for multi-family groups. We got a site with some woods in the back, so it was more quiet and private. The electrical and water hook ups were conveniently located, and the site was easy to get into. There were a lot of big Class A motorhomes, so the sites are plenty big. The tent sites are further away from the action, but have easy access to another bathroom and shower. They're also close to the river, and back up to a large corn field. There's a row of pine trees for easy hammock set up, and open grassy areas to let your group sprawl. The bathrooms were clean and nice, but they do have a $1 min for a shower. There is a change machine in the laundry facility.

The Resort also has an extensive camp shop and a huge restaurant with outdoor riverside seating. With live music and a full bar, this made for a really relaxing atmosphere if you're not up to campfire cooking. 

We enjoyed this campground and it's friendly staff and campers. Even through there are a lot of people there so you're not isolated in the woods, it wasn't loud or obnoxious with partiers. It's Wisconsin, so everybody was drinking beers and having fun but it wasn't loud and rowdy. The best part is the location on the Wisconsin River- you can get your fill of quiet solitude on the water, or float in a tube with a case of beer if you like. We enjoyed ourselves and can't wait to go back! It’s a great spot to use as home base for river trips, and don’t forget the Spring Green Desert conservancy nearby. Who knew there were cactuses in Wisconsin? Total hike is about 3.2 miles round trip, with a gorgeous view of the valley.

A great campground with out of this world lake views. Most sites come with amazing lake views. Great for watching the sun rise up over the lake. Great swimming, fishing and playing. Facilities are some of the best anywhere. Plus paddle and boat on Wisconsin's second largest lake. Lots to do in the area too. Take a Auto Tour at nearby Sandhill State Wildlife Area. Get out and explore nearby Necedah National Wildlife Refuge and its world class visitor center. Perhaps catch a glimpse of the rare and endangered whooping crane. Into rock climbing, nearby Petenwell Rock provides some of the best climbing in the state.

Love this place!! We camped here once when I was growing up and i can honestly say it was one of my most memorable family camping trips. I remember checking out the petroglyphs and climbing what seemed like a million stairs to the top of the rock formation. But I specifically remember all of the turkey vultures when you were climbing all of those stairs! Wisconsin state parks has a really great junior ranger type program for kids my parents checked us out an interpretive backpack loaded with fun park activities that kept us all busy the whole weekend. Would love to make it back there someday. This park has an incredibly interesting history.

Sherwood Forest Campground is a long time family run campground in an excellent location for enjoying all that the Wisconsin Dells has to offer. Our site had 50 amp electric, water and sewer connections. We were situated on the upper ridge of the campground, furthest from the office/camp store and swimming pool. Our showers were very disappointing. The shower stall had a single stackable plastic lawn chair and a curtain. No mirror, no towel bar or hook, no shelf or caddy in the shower for toiletries. To operate the shower, one must push in the valve, hope the water is a suitable temperature, and repeat after about 20 seconds, or keep pushing while performing your ablutions one handed. The swimming pool, while advertised as heated to 80 degrees, was not heated at all. There is a fairly complete camp store, a splash pad for kids, a game room and laundry available. Some seasonal sites are also available.

Loved this campground. Not very large so its quiet and the sites are well spaced and wooded. We stayed in site #11 which had a nice buffer of woods between the sites (9&11 together would make a good combination for 4 people with max privacy). Toilets are pit which is a downside but they were maintained pretty well. Wish there were showers to clean up after hiking but hey....you're in the woods! Loved how the trails were located right off the campground loop. The 303 stairs to the top lookout is a workout and worth the trip for the view. We hiked almost 5.5 miles through this beautiful state park. Proximity to the Dells and other parks make this an ideal home base to explore what Central Wisconsin has to offer. Only downside would be the noise from the highway but that is only during the day. Its very quiet at night!

We stayed in site #4 it was nice sized and quiet. We had full hook up, a picnic table & fire pit, our friends camped next to us in #5. The store had supplies, and firewood they deliver it to your site. There are outside showers & regular showers but always love a good outside shower. It was pretty quiet in the campground. 

Close by is the Wisconsin Dells, we did the 2 hour boat tour it was fun. Went to The Village Cafe in Baraboo it's owned by friends of ours who have a place in Florida where we live. Good food & great desserts. We went to the crane foundation that was nice, beautiful birds they are. We went to Devils lake for a day & hiked around the grotto it was beautiful. There is a spot Big Blue herons nest in the tall pines they make a lot of noise. They had babies in their nests. 

Nice campground it was a good find.

My site (82) was not level and the ground was so soft that my leveling blocks just sank into the dirt. Also the site was far too expensive for the value received. The site cost was $35, but the Wisconsin DNR adds a “parking fee” of $11 (out of state) when I only have one vehicle (truck camper) parked in the site I already paid for. In addition the reservation fee was $7.95 (too high) so I ended up paying $53.95 for a one-night stay with only an electric hookup. 

They do not use Reserve America, opting instead for their own reservation system. Their website sucks– poorly designed. 

The site spacing and privacy were great, and I would give the bathrooms a B+ rating. However, the bathrooms were not well situated and they had two within 150 yards of each other - odd.  The forest canopy did not allow for Starlink use, but I was able to get online using Verizon.

Despite my complaints, it was a nice respite from six nights at family campgrounds in Indiana which were crazy busy and noisy.