Best Tent Camping near Pardeeville, WI

Tent campsites in the Pardeeville, Wisconsin region include several secluded state park locations within a short driving distance. Devils Lake State Park Group Campground offers tent sites in a heavily wooded setting, while Wild Goose City Park provides access from the Wild Goose bike trail. Sandhill Station State Campground features walk-in tent sites in an oak savanna setting, requiring campers to carry gear between 100-500 yards from the parking area.

Most tent campgrounds provide basic amenities with varying levels of accessibility. Devils Lake offers pit toilets and full bathroom facilities with showers within walking distance of group sites, plus water pumps for collection. Sites at Sandhill Station are more primitive with only pit toilets available onsite and no immediate access to drinking water or showers. Campers should note that several areas, particularly Sandhill Station, are located near stagnant water, creating significant mosquito activity during summer months. Fire rings are common at established sites, though firewood availability varies, with several locations requiring campers to bring their own or purchase from local vendors.

The tent camping experience varies considerably with seasonal timing. Devils Lake group sites are well-spaced from each other, creating privacy despite popularity. Sites typically feature dirt surfaces with abundant leaf cover due to the heavily wooded setting. Sandhill Station provides a quieter, semi-rustic camping experience in oak savanna terrain, though with limited shade during peak summer. One camper noted: "Sandhill Station would be lovely sites in the fall or Spring, though mid-summer visitors may face intense mosquito activity even with strong bug spray." Another visitor reported that Devils Lake sites are "spacious, private, and beautiful" with ample hiking trails featuring impressive views, making it an excellent backcountry tent camping base.

Best Tent Sites Near Pardeeville, Wisconsin (9)

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Tent Camping Reviews near Pardeeville, WI

701 Reviews of 9 Pardeeville Campgrounds


  • Cristina S.
    Aug. 31, 2018

    Blue Mound State Park Campground

    Clean and Modern

    Campsites, trails and facilities were immaculate. Staff was friendly. drive in and hike in sites available. great for families; trails have info markers to educate hikers on geology and flora of area. Drive in campsites had fire rings and picnic tables, vault toilets available.

  • Josh F.
    Sep. 21, 2020

    Blue Mound State Park Campground

    Close to Madison, near Military Ridge Trail, Some sites are Far, Far Away

    I spent two nights in the campground at Blue Mound State Park. Overall, the park has well-maintained hiking and MTB biking trails, extraordinarily clean and well-kept vault toilets, and ample access to drinking water. Both tent and RV/camper sites are on a typical one-way road pattern with a couple of loops there are plenty of sites with and without electricity. At the time I was there, the camp host sold high-quality hard wood for $5/bundle from a trailer on the honor system, so if you run out in the middle of the night, wood was easy to replenish. One of the park's highlights are lookout towers with views above the treetops, Unfortunately in 2020 both were closed, presumably because it would be difficult to keep a safe distance from others when on the stairs or while at the top. Pity, it'll be a reason to return. Still, there are several observation areas that are maintained well enough to keep the undergrowth from blocking the view of the Wisconsin River Valley nearly 15 miles to the north. This is where the "Blue Mound" name must come from, the hills at that distance did have a bluish cast to them.

    If you've read any of my other reviews you know what's next, my list of the best campsites. While I've visited several parks now that have "walk in" sites, with cars parked a minute or two from the campsite, about a dozen sites in Blue Mound State Park take "walk in" to a new level. Cars can drive to a barrier across the road, and the sites are a 10-15 minute walk downhill, The park provides ONE medium-sized cart (250 lb weight limit, 20-minute use limit) that I guess would be in high demand during load in and load out. (NOTE TO SELF, camp Thursday through Monday if going here, or arrive EARLY to get a cart). Most of these sites are quite sunny; 105 is nice and shady and private, 106 slightly shaded 109 and 110 are shaded, very close to one another and would be good for a group camp setup 111 is quite shady. There's water and toilets in the walk-in camp ground. You'd want to sip wood for campfires and cooking, the nearest source is a 15-minute walk uphill and back, and then if using the cart, you have to return it for another round trip.

    Back in the family campground where mortals and RVs park, I think the following are the nicest in terms of shade, level, size and privacy.

    42, 45, 47, 51, 64, 66, 69, 71, 73

  • 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.

  • Griffin K.
    Oct. 4, 2020

    Blue Mound State Park Campground

    A+ camping experience

    Tl;dr: shower house is great. Nice campers, rangers and camping vibes. Go to Blue Mounds Grocery on the way in. easy access to hiking, mountain biking, and running trails - including Military Ridge Trail.

    Camped here with 2 friends during a cross country road trip. We had site 5 and were tent camping. When we showed up it was raining and it was unseasonably cold, but other campers in adjacent sites looked like they were having a great time - lots of family groups. This kept our spirits high as we set up camp, made a fire, and made dinner. The site was standard with a big picnic table, tent platform, fire pit, and room for our car. The bathroom and shower house was a really great amenity and there were spots for cars to drive over there if their spots were far. A very nice camp ranger came by to say hi and let us know that campers are expected to quiet down at 9ish and not be cognizant of that. Campers were being respectful of socially distancing and wearing masks for the most part. Seems like there is a great bike/hiking trail network all around. A couple of us are runners also a friend from Madison met us and we ran on the military ridge trail in the morning. There is very easy access to that. Also, insider note, on the way in, go to blue mounds grocery for anything you need (esp firewood). The cash register gave us some great camping advice.

  • 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.

  • N
    Jul. 11, 2025

    Rocky Arbor State Park Campground

    Good place, horrible site

    This state park is very nice, decent trails clearly marked and the walking paths around the sites are pretty clear. Overall the noise from other sites was minimal and I liked the layout of the campground.

    The bad- the sites labeled for highway noise should be closed. It was an absolutely awful experience. I was walking through all of the campground when we first got in and as we approached our site the noise was so distracting and completely ruined the peaceful experience that most state parks offer. It was a serious bummer when night construction started on the highway on Sunday night as well. Our neighbors stayed well beyond the checkout time and the camp host did nothing to get them to leave, why even be present if you’re not gunna do anything? It wouldn’t have been a big deal if they weren’t randomly shooting a bow and arrow into the trees behind their site and then proceeded to record TikTok’s with endless repetition of those songs. Not the parks fault other than the host should at least clear the sites with the new checkout times.

    If you’re going to this park avoid the highway spots at all costs!

  • Renee R.
    Jul. 29, 2024

    Brigham Park

    Nice spot for summer camping.

    I've visited this campground twice and it's been a hit both times.

    Pros:

    - Scenic overlook is gorgeous.

    - The dense tree cover and near-constant slight breeze help to both keep this campground cool and the mosquitos at bay.

    - Well-kept vault toilets.

    - Close to a many points of interest.

    Cons:

    - Some of the sites are strangely graded and situated.  One site near ours had the fire pit at the very edge, making sitting around it virtually impossible.  14 was a pretty site but had a large tree in the middle of it.

    - Using the County website to reserve the site was clunky and time consuming.

  • Renee R.
    May. 9, 2025

    Ledge County Park

    Great park, decent camping

    The park is very pretty.  Walking along the trails, you can see where it gets its name!  Lots of cool ledges and rock outcrops.  We saw a moderate amount of birds and heard a bunch of critters (owls, a fox (?!)) one night.

    We camped at non-electric site J.  It was nice and big.  We originally were to be at site G but it was way too small to fit our cars, tents, etc.

    Pros:

    - Quiet and decently spaced sites.

    - Clean vault toilets.  Did not use the shower house/other facilities.  

    - The firepits are flush with the ground and have cooking grates.

    - Easy access to trails.

    Cons:

    - I'm not a trailer camper, but if I were I would not appreciate the vibes of the electric sites.  The sites are very close together and walking through it felt like going through a festival or circus more than a campground.

    - The firewood was a bit pricey compared to other parks.

  • N
    Sep. 29, 2021

    Blue Mound State Park Campground

    Good RV sites, great site isolation

    The sites are very well isolated and shaded, and have a well maintained gravel and packed earth surface. Not great for staking a tent, but doable. Excellent for RVs but some sites are non-electric. There are no other hookups, but there is a dump station. Every site has a fire pit and a picnic table. Many sites have a slight slope. Trail access to both the state park trails and to the Military Ridge Trail which runs nearby.

    I stayed two nights in a tent and really struggled to find an ok spot on my site to pitch it, between the slope and the occasional roots and rocks. I managed to get stakes in but only at great effort. It looked like some other sites may have been better suited.

    There is a raccoon problem here. They were definitely snooping through my things on the first night. Heard coyotes during the night in the distance.

    Overall I'm pretty happy with my stay due to the location in the park, and most of the issues I had would be moot with an RV.


Guide to Pardeeville

The Pardeeville region offers tent camping options across southern Wisconsin, with sites generally located within 30-45 minutes of town. Most camping areas are situated near lakes or recreational trails in oak savanna and woodland terrain typical of the region. Campgrounds range from basic walk-in sites to more developed facilities with varying amenities depending on location and management type.

What to do

Hiking and rock climbing: Devils Lake State Park provides extensive trail networks with varying difficulty levels. "We spent about 5 hours hiking the East Bluff, it was challenging for some of our younger hikers," notes Charles M., who visited with a Scout group in November when temperatures were in the 30s at night but reached high 40s during daytime.

Water recreation: Several campgrounds offer lake access for swimming and paddling. At Camp Shin-Go-Beek, visitors appreciate the private beach. Operation_Fun reports: "Being able to swim and float in the lake is an added bonus" and mentions the campsite was "incredibly peaceful with a ton of beautiful birds singing throughout the day."

Biking: The Glacial Drumlin bike trail connects to Sandhill Station State Campground, making it ideal for cyclists. The Wild Goose bike trail leads to parks with rest facilities. Kim L. notes about Wild Goose City Park: "It's a good place to stop and have a break. There's a playground and public bathroom, drinking fountain. Plenty of space to spread out for a picnic when you're biking through."

What campers like

Spacious group sites: The group camping areas at Devils Lake State Park Group Campground receive positive feedback for their layout. Jon D. writes: "Reserved the group camp for three families, cost was $40 a night for a secluded, spacious, clean group site." AC S. adds: "Went with an outdoor adventure class, views were beautiful, climbing was great! Campgrounds were clean and had easy access to water."

Natural surroundings: Campers appreciate the native oak savanna landscapes found throughout the region. Charles M. states: "I've been to Devils Lake before but forgot just how beautiful this place is. Everyone was impressed by Devils Doorway."

Bathroom facilities: The availability of toilets varies by location. Kay K. mentions "Clean shower house" at Devils Lake, while smaller campgrounds typically provide pit toilets. Many campers note the convenience of bathroom access as a significant factor in their camping experience.

What you should know

Insects and seasonal timing: Mosquitoes can be problematic in summer months near wetland areas. Jimmy P. advises about Sandhill Station: "I wouldn't go in the middle of summer, due to the limited shade, but it was very nice in early fall."

Gear logistics: Walk-in sites require planning for equipment transport. At Sandhill Station State Campground, Jimmy P. explains: "What makes this campground a bit different is that all 15 standard sites are carry-in only. The parking lot is anywhere from 100-500 yards from the campsite, depending on which one you choose."

Weather preparedness: Weather conditions can change quickly. At Camp Shin-Go-Beek, Operation_Fun recalls: "Ian was a great host and even checked on us to offer shelter in the admin building before a storm rolled through."

Tips for camping with families

Budget-friendly options: Devils Lake offers affordable group sites perfect for multiple families. Jon D. reports: "Reserved the group camp for three families, cost was $40 a night for a secluded, spacious, clean group site. We had a great time and will definitely return."

Wildlife viewing: Many campsites provide wildlife observation opportunities. Jon D. observes about Devils Lake: "The birds near the group camp are cool, but can also sound like a large pack of dinosaurs squawking at each other...very loud."

Cooking opportunities: Group sites accommodate communal meals. Charles M. shares: "Camp life was awesome, we ate very well since we brought two Dutch ovens. We ate Cowboy Casserole, Mountain Man breakfast, peach cobbler, 7 can soup, hobo dinner and apple sausage casserole."

Tips from RVers

Site selection: For the best tent camping near Pardeeville, Wisconsin, choose sites based on your equipment needs. Kay K. from Devils Lake State Park Group Campground notes: "Adequate size site with a tent pad, shade and privacy. Trees for a hammock."

Weekend planning: Popular sites fill quickly during peak season. Dawn D. warns: "Weekends are pack with campers" at Devils Lake, suggesting mid-week visits for a quieter experience.

Noise considerations: Busier campgrounds may have ambient noise. Kay K. describes Devils Lake as a "Busy and rather noisy campground" despite the individual sites offering shade and privacy.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Pardeeville, WI is Devils Lake State Park Group Campground — Devils Lake State Park with a 4.3-star rating from 7 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 9 tent camping locations near Pardeeville, WI, with real photos and reviews from campers.