Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Portage, WI

A central playground and pool are the biggest draws for families with kids. There's also a prospecting 'sluice' that you can buy for the kids to look for 'fossils' and interesting rocks.

The campground is located just north of the main attractions of Wisconsin Dells.

Campsites are not overly generous in size -- typical KOA, where some are 'stacked like cordwood'. Don't go there if you want any privacy from your neighbors.

Cabins are available for those wanting to 'camp' without a camper.

Very small dog park area.

Friendly check in staff. However, we were given a map with our campsite noted and told to wait for a person driving a golf cart to escort us and help us get situated. We waited...and waited...and waited...golf carts came and went, but passed us by. We finally gave up waiting and found out site by ourselves.

Nice, clean, well maintained campground with something for everyone. Swimming pond is huge with toys for everyone. You can bring your own pool toys. Sites are decently spacious and decently level with some gravel and some grass. Bathhouse is nice & clean. Office/store has some logo goodies as well as any necessities you may need. They had a beer tasting going on, live music at the pavilion- both on a Saturday during our stay. A couple trails around for walks with dogs & a dog park. Lively campground during the day but nice & quiet at night with quiet hours being 11pm-8am.

We enjoyed this park so much we have already been here twice and have a third trip planned for this coming September.   There are very wide bike/hiking paths that are paved or stone. 

The huge lake has boating opportunities and you can rent a boat in McFarland that is a short drive or bike ride.  We rented a boat to fish and then drove across the lake to eat at a restaurant with boat parking.

The nature center is across the street from the campground and has a small snack bar/restaurant.  There are cranes walking all around and the park is so big it has different types of plants to explore.  There is an observation tower and in the picnic area a playground.  The best part is the boardwalk that extents over the lake and you are walking/riding on water.

About a half a mile away is a very nice dog park that you receive admission to if you have a campsite.

Dane County has many parks in their system and we have stayed at several and all are great.

We stayed in our 42 ft motor home with jeep tow. We drove to the park in our jeep at nine am on a Sunday to check availability. If you haven’t reserved a site, there are several sites for walk-ins but you have to be present to sign/obtain them. Check out time is three pm but weekend people often leave earlier in the day and that is what occurred for us. Several sites have 50 amp plus there are thirty amp And non electric/tent sites available. The campground has showers and bathrooms but this is a county park so understand these are not hotel facilities. They are adequate for campIng. There are biking and hiking trails in and through the park and trail users also share the restrooms. The park is close to Madison. There is WiFi but the signal is variable. The ranger and campground hosts were friendly and helpful. Four legged campers on leash can walk with you on the trails and there is s nearby dog park.

The staff here was extremely friendly.  We did not spend a lot of time at the campground since we were there for the Dells on a long trip from Atlanta, GA to Duluth, MN.  The kids did have a blast in the pond and there is a really nice dog park that our pup enjoyed.  There is also a restaurant on site and a small bar down by the pond that were both closed while we were there (we came in after 4th of July weekend and they were taking some time off after the holiday) but seem like they would be great amenities.  We would definatley stay again if going to the Dells (about 30 min away).  Also, do yourself a favor and stock up at the Lodi Meat Market!

We were in Site# B1. We had Full hook- up with a gravel pull-thru. We travel towing a 14 foot trailer and were able to fit both in our pull through site. My jeep though did not fit. The site was easy to level.

Our site was shaded with lots of trees. This was a larger sized lot with our neighbors not too close (but we did choose a premium site with a patio and paid extra to be on the end).

This specific lot comes with a concrete patio The lot comes with a picnic table and fire hole in the ground.

They have a community Outdoor kitchen-y area with picnic tables.
They do not provide garbage service at your site so you must walk to garbage dumpster.

You are allowed to ride personal golf carts. There is really not a need to have a Golf cart because it is a smaller campground.

They do have a Swimming pool.
There is a Playground. They also offer horseshoes and a volleyball court.

They have a great general store.

The streets are gravel so not great for riding bikes but there are great places to ride bikes outside of campground, especially around Middleton and Madison.

They have cabins for rent and tent areas.

They have one shower house. The shower house has the typical stalls. These are kept mostly clean.

There is a laundry facility. It is a cash only facility, but they have a change machine.

They have a fenced in dog park and many grassy areas to walk dogs.

There were no trails to hike in the campground.

Some fun things to do outside of the campground are the Saturday Farmer’s Market in Madison and multitude of bike trails.

This park gives the option of both tent and camper sites. Many of the sites are separated from others by some space and numerous trees, tucked back away in the pine forest. The secluded nature gives it the feel of a National Park with beautiful stretches of pine and rocky ledges. Most sites are quiet, with only the slightest hum of the interstate in the background (although a couple may be loud, so beware which site you book). Staff is friendly and helpful, firewood is available at the park. Many pit toilets are available, as well as running water/showers. Playgrounds are also in the park, a pet area, water fill up station, some trails (nothing much for hiking). Very very close to the Dells as well! Mosquitoes are terrible during the summer, but that’s to be expected anywhere in Wisconsin.