Best Tent Camping near Ontario, WI

Walk-in tent sites and primitive camping options surround Ontario, Wisconsin, with several established campgrounds along the Elroy-Sparta State Trail. Sparta Campground offers tent-only sites approximately 600 yards from the parking area, making it ideal for cyclists and hikers seeking lightweight camping experiences. The campground sits directly on the trail, providing convenient access for bikers exploring the region. Elroy Campground, another tent-focused option along the same trail system, offers similar walk-in accommodations. For those seeking more remote tent camping experiences, Black River State Forest provides primitive tent sites accessible by canoe, offering a true backcountry camping experience within driving distance of Ontario.

Most tent campsites in the area feature basic amenities including fire rings, picnic tables, and access to pit toilets. Sparta Campground provides drinking water, trash disposal, and clean bathroom facilities, though no shower access is available on-site. According to reviews, the walk-in trails to tent sites can become muddy during rain, requiring appropriate footwear and gear protection. Non-Wisconsin residents should note differential pricing at state-managed campgrounds, with some sites charging nearly double for out-of-state visitors. Alternative options include free tent camping at nearby town parks in Norwalk and Hillsboro. Sites typically accommodate multiple tents, with campers reporting space for 3-4 tents at standard Sparta Campground sites.

Tent campers frequently mention highway noise as a consideration at Sparta Campground, particularly on weeknights when truck traffic increases. One visitor noted, "Traffic noise was considerable less" on weekends compared to weekday stays. The campground's proximity to town (approximately a 10-minute bike ride) makes it convenient for accessing additional services, including shower facilities at the Sparta Aquatic Center for a small fee. Sites are described as "straightforward" with "few amenities" but spacious enough for family camping. For those seeking more isolation, primitive tent camping in Black River State Forest offers "very quiet and peaceful" experiences with "no road noise," though these sites require more effort to access and offer minimal facilities beyond fire rings and occasional picnic tables.

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Best Tent Sites Near Ontario, Wisconsin (12)

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Tent Camping Reviews near Ontario, WI

738 Reviews of 12 Ontario Campgrounds


  • 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!

  • ERolf P.
    Aug. 29, 2016

    Perrot State Park Campground

    Group Camping, Hiking, and Water Sports

    Wonderful time in Perrot State Park. Camped in the group campground, site A. Plenty of room for many tents, and nice level ground to pitch tents on. Huge fire ring for large group fires, and both a large grill on the fire ring, and freestanding charcoal grill. Lots of options for hiking and walking in the park with more than 13 miles of trails. We did a 5 mile hike up and over two of the more popular bluffs. We also did a two-three hour canoe/kayak trip and had a blast.

    There is not a swimming beach at the park, so if you're into that, you'll have to leave the park, but there is more than enough to do at Perrot State Park.

  • Alex S.
    Jun. 20, 2019

    Red Oak Campgrounds

    Great for car camping!

    This is our favorite campground for when we want to take trips to Devil’s Lake State Park! The campgrounds all vary in size, and many have a good amount of tree cover so you have some privacy from your neighbors. Every campsite has at least one picnic table and fire-pit. You can pull your car right up to the campsite. There is a store where you check in and you can buy fire wood and little odds and ends like bug spray or tent stakes. There is a pool that is really clean along with bathrooms and showers.

  • Erin Z.
    Jul. 21, 2024

    Mill Bluff State Park Campground

    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.

  • GoWhereYouAreDraw N.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 14, 2018

    Houston Nature Center

    Great location!

    The Nature Center campsite is located at the trail head for the Root River State Bike Trail. Trail Head Park is a nice tent only campground with walk-in sites. A majority of the sites have picnic tables and fire pits. The Nature Center has clean bathrooms and free showers. They recommend donations for the use of the showers.

    $20 per night camping fee. You can pay inside the Nature Center or at the slot between the restroom mirrors. The sites are first come, first serve. Local firewood is available near the restrooms as well; take what you need and leave the center a donation.

    Trail Head Park has a 1 acre natural playground near the campsite. When I visited during the week, I only saw a small group of people using the playground. The playground has a zip line, tree house, small rock wall, and more. Inside the Nature Center, they have interactive and interesting displays. The highlight of this campground is the Root River State Bike Trail and the Owl Center in the town of Houston.

    I'd give the campsite 4/5 review. The location, the bluffs, the bike trail, and center get 5/5 review.

  • Josh F.
    Sep. 7, 2021

    Wildcat Mountain State Park Campground

    I love this small but mighty state park

    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. 

    s 103 and 104 are also a very easy walk to some of the cleanest vault toilets you'll ever find, or just a little farther to the very nice shower and running water toilet building. I think 103 and 104 are my two favorite walk-in sites. 105 is on the same side of the road as 103, and is also nestled into a grove of pine trees. It is a bit smaller than 103 and if you have a large tent or a couple of small tents you might want 103 instead. If you're looking for wide open big sky prairie overlooks, sites 106 and 107 are just for you. They are probably some of the furthest walk-in sites from the parking lot, but afford a lot of privacy and lots of sunlight. 
    Car Camping Sites

    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.

  • Janet B.
    Jun. 3, 2023

    Buckhorn State Park Campground

    Pretty good one for the weekend

    Snagged a spot (#102) right before the Memorial Day weekend. Spacious site, somewhat private because of the surrounding trees. If you want to be surrounded by hammock-able trees, i suggest sites 94-99. Our site was both close to vaulted toilets/water and shower building, which was a plus. Shower head pressure was lovely and hot water was great! One downside was that people were loud and playing music till midnight but oh wells.

    Was worried about bugs but I think it was okay. Maybe we were there before it began. i did find some ticks on my camping chair though so beware.

    Though we didnt explore much of the Buckhorn SP, we chose this site because it was under an hour drive from Mirror Lake SP and Devils Lake SP. Making a day trip to those parks and Wisconsin Dells was a breeze.

  • J
    Jun. 23, 2019

    Sparta Campground — Elroy-Sparta State Trail

    Good for light/bike camping

    This is a walk-in campground intended for very light camping, particularly for those biking the Elroy-Sparta or Lacrosse Trails, as it is right on the Elroy-Sparta trail and only a 10 minute bike ride into the town of Sparta. We are a family of 4 that camped from Friday through Sunday while we attended a swim meet in Sparta. We had site 3 (103 on the DNR campground map), which was about a 600 yard hike in from the parking lot, down a trail that can get quite muddy, especially during rain (which it did while we were breaking camp). Some of the sites are even further down the trail. The site was small, but we did manage to fit a 4-person tent, two 2-person tents, a screen-house, and 5 bikes. I was advised by our camp neighbor that their site was equally small. Water, trash, and bathroom access was great and clean. No noise from other campers, and there was even a boy scout troop on site while we were there. The most disappointing factor for me was the highway noise. I had read about that from another reviewer, and it was indeed bad, all weekend long. I had to wear noise-cancelling headphones to drown out the noise in order to sleep. So, it is a great site for someone biking in and/or carrying a very light load into the campsite and, I would say (only because of the highway noise), if there are no other camping options. I should mention that although there are no showers here, I saw that the Sparta Aquatic Center (10 minute bike ride) allows shower access for $3 (at time of this review). Also, the Sparta Family Restaurant is a great place to eat, having good food, service, and prices.

  • Ashley F.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 2, 2023

    Castle Mound Campground — Black River State Forest

    Solid campground

    Camp sites were good. Plenty of room for multiple tents & some hammocks. Came with picnic table and fire pit. Fire wood was only $5 on site for a decent sized bundle. Campground was quiet and well kept. Vault toilets in most of the campground (smelly and not the cleanest but this is expected with vault toilets) there was a main shower/restroom area at the entrance to the campground which was very clean. Drinking water available by the showers. Added bonus - the hiking trail was within the campground and was very scenic. Cool rock formations and a decently easy hike.


Guide to Ontario

Tent campsites near Ontario, Wisconsin range from basic walk-in sites to remote river access points in state forests. Located at an elevation of 886 feet in Vernon County, this area experiences warm summers with high humidity and cold winters with moderate snowfall. Trail-based camping options connect to over 100 miles of regional biking and hiking routes throughout the Driftless Area.

What to do

Biking the Root River Trail: The eastern terminus of this regional trail system sits at the Houston Nature Center, about 45 minutes from Ontario. "The Root River Bike Trail is so awesome and by far the best in the tri-state area! The Nature Center also has a bike servicing station, showers, and bathrooms," notes a cyclist.

Scuba diving and swimming: Wazee Lake offers unique water recreation opportunities about 30 miles north of Ontario at Wazee Lake Recreation Area. "The lake is the clearest and deepest inland lake in Wisconsin. It is non-motorized to promote quiet and clean conditions. Lake Wazee is a popular scuba diving, swimming, and fishing spot," explains one visitor.

Winter activities: For those camping during colder months, seasonal options expand beyond summer hiking. "In winter they have sledding hills. The llamas are fun to feed," reports a visitor to Justin Trails Resort, describing year-round amenities not limited to warm weather camping.

What campers like

Peaceful waterside camping: Canoe-accessible sites in Black River State Forest offer seclusion that car camping can't match. "Only two sites, one is much nicer than the other. Canoe/kayak in only with a steep bank up to the sites. No water, no facilities. Just two fire rings and two picnic tables about 100 ft apart. But the grass is mowed and well kept," reports one paddler.

Group accommodations: Family gatherings find suitable spaces at Devils Lake State Park Group Campground, which offers dedicated areas for larger parties. "Reserved the group camp for three families, cost was $40 a night for a secluded, spacious, clean group site. The birds near the group camp are cool, but can also sound like a large pack of dinosaurs squawking at each other...very loud."

Budget-friendly options: Several campgrounds offer economical camping near Ontario. "Spacious, level, well kept, quiet. $10/night, which is great. Spotless showers and bathrooms, access to drinking water," reports a visitor to Houston Nature Center about their affordable sites.

What you should know

Seasonal mosquito conditions: Bug populations can significantly impact camping experiences in this region. "The sites are simple, well separated with a very short walk, easy to take multiple trips. Going when we did we were met with swarms of mosquitoes," reports one camper at Sparta Campground.

Non-resident fees: Wisconsin state lands often charge differential pricing based on residency status. "Sites are basic with water, pit toilets, tables and fire rings. I originally planned to stay here but came across the non-resident charges. I made reservations at the Village of Norwalk and the town of Hillsboro instead. Both have City parks with free tent camping."

Limited facilities: Many tent camping options near Ontario provide minimal amenities. "No water, no facilities. Just two fire rings and two picnic tables about 100 ft apart," notes a visitor to the canoe sites in Black River State Forest, highlighting the primitive nature of some local camping options.

Tips for camping with families

Natural playgrounds: Several campgrounds feature dedicated play areas for children. "Trail Head Park has a 1 acre natural playground near the campsite. When I visited during the week, I only saw a small group of people using the playground. The playground has a zip line, tree house, small rock wall, and more," reports a visitor to Houston Nature Center.

Site selection for multiple tents: Family groups should consider specific campgrounds that accommodate larger setups. "We are a family of 4 that camped from Friday through Sunday while we attended a swim meet in Sparta. We had site 3 (103 on the DNR campground map), which was about a 600 yard hike in from the parking lot, down a trail that can get quite muddy, especially during rain."

Educational opportunities: Some campgrounds offer learning experiences alongside camping. "Inside the Nature Center, they have interactive and interesting displays. The highlight of this campground is the Root River State Bike Trail and the Owl Center in the town of Houston."

Tips for RVers

Limited RV camping options: The Ontario area focuses primarily on tent camping with few developed RV sites. At Shady Rest Acres, visitors find cabin alternatives when RV access is limited: "In the middle of the country, in a tiny town called Brownsville, you'll find a little slice of awesome in the form of a hobby farm with campsites, a cabin, and oh ya...the remnants of an old brewery!"

Weekend popularity: Popular camping areas see significant differences in usage patterns between weekdays and weekends. "Weekends are pack with campers. The beaches have hard pebbles and rocks," notes a visitor to Devils Lake State Park, highlighting the need to plan ahead for busy periods.

Alternative accommodations: When RV hookups aren't available, cabins provide comfort without sacrificing the camping experience. "Beautiful place, tent camping is available. Great breakfast and romantic setting for our anniversary. They sell wine and food in the store. Host is amazing and friendly."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Ontario, WI?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Ontario, WI is Sparta Campground — Elroy-Sparta State Trail with a 3.8-star rating from 5 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Ontario, WI?

TheDyrt.com has all 12 tent camping locations near Ontario, WI, with real photos and reviews from campers.