101 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Camping near Palmyra, Wisconsin centers around the glacial landscapes of Kettle Moraine State Forest-Southern Unit, which provides a mix of wooded campsites, lakeside recreation, and extensive trail systems. The area features several established campgrounds including Ottawa Lake Campground, Pinewoods Campground, and the Southern Unit Horseriders Campground, which caters specifically to equestrian campers. Tent camping, RV sites with hookups, and some cabins are available throughout the region. The Ice Age Trail passes through the forest, offering hikers direct access from several campgrounds. According to reviews, "The campsites are large with lots of foliage for privacy" at Kettle Moraine, making it particularly appealing for those seeking more secluded sites.
The camping season in the Kettle Moraine area varies by campground, with Ottawa Lake open year-round while Pinewoods operates from May through October. Winter camping is available at select sites, though facilities may be limited to vault toilets during colder months. Fall is particularly popular for its colorful foliage and moderate temperatures. Campers report that "cool nights range from lower 30s to upper 40s" in October, with daytime temperatures often reaching the 60s. Most campgrounds require reservations, especially during summer weekends and holidays. Wisconsin State Park vehicle permits are required for entry, and can be purchased online or at entrance stations.
The camping experience varies between the different units within Kettle Moraine. Pinewoods Campground offers a quieter atmosphere with sites 1-36 designated as 24-hour quiet sites where no music is allowed. Ottawa Lake provides more family-oriented camping with access to swimming and boating. The Horseriders Campground accommodates both horses and RVs with appropriate facilities. Most campgrounds provide clean restrooms, showers, and drinking water. Visitors note that "the proximity to the Ice Age Trail is a bonus" for hiking enthusiasts. The nearby town of Oconomowoc offers dining options and supplies, while Lake Geneva is within driving distance for additional recreation opportunities.
"Site was spacious but very close to your neighbors. Lots to do in the area. Bathrooms and showers were clean. The beach was not clean and very hard to walk on, very rocky."
"Red Trail, Paradise Trail,Rice Lake are all great hikes. Great views of Lake Ottawa. The close by town of Oconomowoc has a nice place to eat, Burkes Lakeside."
from $26 - $41 / night
Check Availability"It is close to the Ice Age trail and the Scuppernong trail, and a short drive from Ottawa Lake. Nearby is some excellent mountain biking in hilly terrain at the Emma Carlin and John Muir trails. "
"Pinewoods Campground is part of the southern Kettle Morraine State Forest in Wisconsin. The campground is secluded and most sites are private and shaded."
from $26 - $90 / night
Check Availability"I did not stay here, but I spend some time walking through to get a feel for the place."
"Wanted someplace close to home. Familiar with the Delavan area so was excited to find Snug Harbor. Set up went well, didn’t blow anything up! Yea! Staff was great, helped me back in."
from $15 - $45 / night
Check Availability"You are in walking distance of the lake with boat ramp, kayaking and water inflatables. I loved it! Also, there is a store with full kitchen."
"The rangers drive through regularly and will deliver wood to your site if requested."
"Swim or fish in the lake, archery or huge picnic sites."
from $25 - $80 / night
Check Availability"Easy access to Ice Age Trail from the campground. Nice hike to Rice Lake."
"Making reservations at the group site was easy and ensured no other campers were near us. Beach access and a great tree canopy allowed for comfortable tent camping."
from $26 - $90 / night
Check Availability"Reservable backpacking sites about 45-60min away from nearest parking. Fire pit, shelter, and picnic table at site.
Really enjoyed the hike through forest to get to this site."
"It’s along the ice age trail and offers stunning views for easy hikes."
from $26 / night
Check Availability"We stayed at site 98- just barely big enough to fit our travel trailer in and right next to the showers and bathrooms. Not a great location, but fine."
"This is one of the most popular State Parks in Wisconsin because it's on Lake Geneva. In fact, it's the only state park within town's limits."
from $24 - $39 / night
Check Availability"No enclosed dog park but plenty of area to walk your dog!"
"Driving around, I really don't think there's a bad spot here. The staff is fantastic, friendly, and accommodating- as are the seasonal campers.
We'll be back again...and again... and again!"
TravelerThis park has always been a go to for me. As a full time RVer, I come here a lot. The scenery is beautiful, beach right next door, fishing holes not far from here. The people who come are all very friendly and the park rangers are very welcoming and always have firewood for the visitors. Highly recommend this spot for everyone.
TravelerFirst time RV’ing with my wife and we were able to navigate pretty easily in our rented 30’. Arrived on a Monday, and as posted, there was no one so we checked in online(they sent an email to check in). Simple camp site with tons of space(almost double our RV), a long wood picnic table and a fire pit. Everything was great until we left. Dumping was straight forward, but the person in front of me was taking a little while to dump. They had came up to my RV and let me know the dump tank was backing up, which I had also experienced when I tried dumping. I called to ask for assistance on Thursday and they said they would send a ranger out. 45 minutes of waiting and a couple other RV’s after us and we ended up giving up and going to another site closer to home to dump. Great experience otherwise.
TravelerI love staying here from time to time. As a full time RVer, I book here frequently. Not only do they have all types of hookups stays, but they full men and women’s locker rooms with showers, and restrooms, including a laundry facility on site, shop is inside the office and ice available. The customer service is by far the best! They work with you every step of the way and show you around the area if you wanted! Plus they have a dump station and water fill up station even if you’re not staying here or book here. I recommend this site to anyone and everyone!
LegendIf your family's perfect camping trip includes saddling up and exploring miles of wooded trails together, the Equestrian Campground at Rock Cut State Park offers a wonderfully peaceful place to spend a few days. Tucked away from the park's busier camping loops, this rustic first-come, first-served campground provides spacious sites designed for campers traveling with horses, along with nearby potable water, restrooms and direct access to more than 14 miles of designated equestrian trails. While amenities are intentionally simple (erring on non-existent), the extra room to accommodate horse trailers and the quiet natural surroundings create exactly the kind of setting many riders are looking for. One of my favorite moments was watching families quietly prepare their horses in the early morning light before disappearing beneath the trees for a day on the trails, returning later with tired horses, dusty boots and smiles that needed no explanation. Arriving early is the best way to secure a site since camping is first-come, first-served and availability is limited. This campground is ideal for equestrian families given its spacious layout, direct trail access and peaceful atmosphere that allows both riders and horses to truly unwind.
GuideWe stayed here one night and had a great experience! The restroom/bathhouse is super clean, conveniently located, and NEW. A refreshing thing after roughing it. We took a trail down to the trussle bridge that goes across the river. Nice nature view. Fishing was good too, near the bridge at the entrance to the park. My son was there maybe 5 min and hooked a decent sized pike. We brought our two dogs and they enjoyed the quiet of the park and the trails. Only complaint I had was that someone previously had left dog poop at our site, but sometimes people don't clean up after their pets. Our site had electric, only 30 amp hookup but we had a 50 amp adapter and it worked well. We would definitely stay again.
TravelerThis is my second time camping here (June / July). This campground is the best of both worlds. By that, I mean there’s is peace and solitude, while also family fun activities for kids and adults. You can rent kayaks and canoes, for the lake. Fishing pier, nice size beach with the inflatable obstacle course. On the weekend they have activity’s on the beach such as sand castle building competitions, obstacle races and then they have beach bubbles. It’s is fun to watch all the little kids running around like little marshmallows.
The golf carts are all newer with long lasting batteries. The campsites have lots of tree shade. On our arrival, our site appears to be cleaned. Even our fire ring was cleaned out. Golf cart was there waiting for us fully charged. They bring firewood out to you when you buy it from the store. The store has a nice array of items such as food, ice cream, clothing, little toys an such. The mini golf course is new and some obstacles are made from an artist with recycled tires that are painted.
There is lots or grass at our campsite (mud too if you’re here when it rains). The roads are a VERY hard packed gravel that electrical scooters can ride on. So yes, electric scooters appear to be permitted here. Be careful tho as there are quite a few pot holes and dips.
There is a heated pool that goes to 9ft. A balloon launching area, jumping pillow and I’m sure others that I’m missing. By the store, they have picnic tables in shade with activities on each one with little blocks. Karaoke on the weekends. And if you like to socialize, you might run into the “booze cruise”. This is a group of seasonal people that ride their golf carts around playing music trying to get more people to join the ride. They’re entertaining to watch as they stop and start dancing like they’re 12yrs lol.
Great place to camp. Quiet when you want it, fun when you need it, great free WiFi, activities, shade, well maintained campground with staff that will literally help anyway they can if it’s within their power. Hope all this helps someone make their next camping trip as well as ours have been!
ScoutWas a good overnight stop on way to Sun Prairie. Hosts/rangers were very nice and helpful. Campground was clean, bathrooms and showers were as well.
ScoutFriendly camp hosts. Nice large sites with even and level grass. There are padded FHU sites available. Immaculate bathrooms and showers. Fresh, clean water at hookups. Very quiet despite being on major roadway. Good value. Would stop again.
LegendThere’s something instantly calming about rolling into a campground wrapped in tall pines and soft breezes, and Pine Country had that peaceful, easy feeling that made all of us exhale before we even found our site. This campground is expansive and welcoming, with full-hookup spots laid out across wide loops, plenty of shade, clean bathrooms and a friendly mix of families settling in for weekends or longer stays. Our boys loved wandering between the fishing pond and the small recreation areas and we ended the evening sharing freshly baked chocolate chip cookies that we made over an open fire on a Camp Chef black skillet munching them down at the picnic table while listening to the trees rustle above us. For families looking for a convenient home base near Rockford with lots of room to spread out, EZ access to town for supplies and a campground that really does feel safe and relaxed, Pine Country is an EZ pick. Highly recommended for young families seeking space, shade and a low-key, gentle setting to recharge.
Camping options near Palmyra, Wisconsin center on the unique glacial topography of the Kettle Moraine region, which was formed by the retreat of ice sheets approximately 10,000 years ago. The landscape features distinctive kettle depressions, kames, drumlins, and eskers that provide varied camping terrain across the region. At elevations ranging from 800-1,100 feet, campsites throughout the area experience cool nights even in summer with temperatures often dropping into the 50s after sunset.
Hike to the observation tower: The Southern Unit has hiking trails directly accessible from Pinewoods Campground that lead to scenic overlooks. "We asked the ranger about hiking and she gave us a map to a trail system that connects to this campground between the group sites and loop 3. We enjoyed a 4 mile hike from camp to the observation trail," notes one visitor who appreciated the trail access.
Visit natural springs: The spring-fed waterways near Ottawa Lake Campground offer refreshing exploration options. "Great hiking right across the street with views of little springs. Kids lived it," explains a camper who enjoyed the natural water features with their family. Another camper notes the "hiking to see the natural springs which is the coolest!! Drank fresh spring water!"
Swimming and water activities: Summer visitors can enjoy the clean beaches and swimming areas. "The lake is very clean and the site are a good size. Gets very busy on the weekends!" reports a camper at Ottawa Lake. For those seeking alternatives, Mukwonago Park has "a spring fed and very pleasant swimming pond with a nice sandy beach" according to one review.
Quiet camping sections: For those seeking peace, Kettle Moraine Southern Unit offers specialized camping loops. "We liked this site because it was on the 'quiet loop.' No radios or pets allowed... it was a beautiful site and wonderfully quiet for the long weekend over the 4th of July," explains a visitor who appreciated the designated quiet zones. At Pinewoods Campground, "Loop 1 is a quiet zone, which actually was very quiet. Everyone was respectful of the rules."
Winter camping options: Unlike many Wisconsin campgrounds, some sites remain open year-round. "No showers in winter but awesome," reports a winter visitor to Ottawa Lake Campground. Another camper notes, "You can camp year around in this campground. Most recent 2 times were winter camping. Nice place for solitude. No rowdies in winter."
Varied site privacy levels: The amount of seclusion between sites varies significantly. At Mukwonago Park by Waukesha County Parks, "The sites are large, spaced out, and the campground is generally quiet." A visitor observed that "Sites are large and well spaced out. The campground is clean and well kept."
Seasonal differences in facilities: Services change significantly between seasons. "No showers in winter but awesome," notes a winter visitor to Ottawa Lake, while other campers mention that some bathroom facilities may be limited to vault toilets during colder months.
Weather fluctuations: The area experiences significant temperature swings, especially in fall. One camper at Kettle Moraine State Forest noted their October camping trip: "We blew through 4 bundles of firewood each day!" due to cold temperatures.
Campsite terrain: The glacial geography creates varied site conditions. At Scenic Ridge Campground, one camper mentioned: "Our site was downhill so that presented quite the challenge to level out." Another review notes, "When it rained the first night, most of the site was mud" due to minimal grass coverage in some areas.
Activity books for kids: Some parks offer special educational materials. "Pick Up the activity book for kids it is a great adventure lots to do at the lake!!!" recommends a visitor to the Kettle Moraine area.
Playground access: Multiple campgrounds offer play areas for children. At Snug Harbor Inn Campground, "There is a playground too but the diverse hiking and woodsy sites make this one to return to," according to a camper with children.
Water features for kids: The swimming areas are particularly appealing for families with children. "Spent the weekend and was impressed... Great hiking right across the street with views of little springs. Kids lived it," notes a visitor to Ottawa Lake Campground.
Site selection for larger vehicles: Not all sites accommodate larger RVs equally well. The Southern Unit Horseriders Campground offers "several sites along one side of the park that are a little more secluded and in a pine forest" and "a series of pull-through sites that would make it easier for those who don't care to back trailers in or out of the site."
Electric site availability: Electric hookups are limited at some campgrounds. "There's only 2 electric sites within Pinewoods," notes one camper, while others mention that Ottawa Lake has more electric options for those requiring power.
Dump station access: RVers should plan ahead for sanitation needs. At Scenic Ridge Campground, "The sump station is in a rather inconvenient spot at the top of the hill," which caused some issues for departing campers with "about 40 minutes" wait time reported during busy periods.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular campground near Palmyra, WI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Palmyra, WI is Ottawa Lake Campground — Kettle Moraine State Forest - Southern Unit with a 4.3-star rating from 52 reviews.
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