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Several tent camping options surround Richland Center, Wisconsin, with popular destinations like Governor Dodge State Park backpack campsites and Devils Lake State Park Group Campground offering dedicated tent areas. These established tent campgrounds range from walk-in sites to more developed areas, with most requiring reservations through the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Nearby Yellow River State Forest in neighboring Iowa provides additional primitive tent camping opportunities approximately 60 miles west of Richland Center.
Most tent campsites in the region include basic amenities such as fire rings and picnic tables, with drinking water available at main campground areas but not at individual sites. Backpack campsites at Governor Dodge State Park require a half-mile to one-mile hike from parking areas, while walk-in tent sites at Sparta Campground along the Elroy-Sparta State Trail involve carrying gear 600 yards or more from parking. Several primitive backcountry tent sites have no running water, making water collection and filtration necessary. According to a review, the backpack sites at Governor Dodge State Park offer "great views, plenty of privacy and an easy hike."
Tent campers enjoy varying degrees of seclusion and natural settings throughout the region. The backpacking sites at Yellow River State Forest provide excellent star viewing opportunities and well-spaced primitive campsites surrounded by dense forest. Highway noise affects some tent sites, particularly at Sparta Campground along the Elroy-Sparta State Trail where Interstate 90 proximity creates consistent traffic noise. A camper noted that "traffic noise is great, particularly during the week" with truck traffic being "loud all night" on weekdays. Many tent-only areas feature shaded sites under forest canopy, though the group sites at Devils Lake State Park are described as "heavily wooded which protects from rain but also means they are dirt with a ton of leaves."
from $32 - $79 / night
"Great backpack base camp! Great views, plenty of privacy and an easy hike. We stayed at 806."
"Back packing sites are 1/2- 1 mile hike from parking lot. Great hike threw out the state park. 2 main lakes with great fishing is a plus. Lots to do for the whole family"
"Great location! I was in the upper ice age campground at site 416 and really enjoyed it. The sites are fairly close together, but in May the foliage is dense enough to block out most of the noise."
"Adequate size site with a tent pad, shade and privacy. Trees for a hammock. Clean shower house. Lovely hiking. Decent cell reception."
"My friend and I were eager to test out some new backpacking gear for the first time in advance of a larger trip this summer."
"Yellow River has great backpacking sites. Park near ranger station and hike in or grab a map and find a smaller parking location near the trail you want to explore. Great scenery."
from $12 / night
Check Availability"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"
"After biking 47 miles was a welcome respite on our first day of biking the Elroy-Sparta State Bike Trail. We spent a second night on our out and back along the trail."
from $15 - $21 / night
Check Availability"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."
"Hiked into this Camp that includes 5 primitive sites: fire rings and benches. Lush dense forest with intermediate hiking including typical summer insects."
"Awesome campground, if you require electric bring a generator. Water is available but needs to be carried in. we loved the lack of cell phone reception!"
"We backpacked to the quarry and found a large open area, perfect for multiple tents. The sandstone bluffs were in the background."
LegendHiked into this Camp that includes 5 primitive sites: fire rings and benches. Lush dense forest with intermediate hiking including typical summer insects. Leave No Trace ethics include: minimizes fire impacts by gathering only dead, down, wood. Sounded by nature atop of hill hike near Fire tower ( only fire tower in Iowa), cell reception is found up here.
TravelerVery nice park. Well marked and maintained trails. A large lake with boat launch and beach area. Separate pet area.
We spent the weekend at site 101, which is a tent site. I wouldn't recommend this site. based on a quick walkaround, it seemed a bit smaller than other sites. That's not really a deal-breaker, but it didn't really have any flat spots to pitch the tent. We ended up pitching it up on the parking area, but it was still a bit slanted and we could feel the tire divot a little through the air mattresses. Aside from that, it was great. The site had a picnic table and fire ring that we used a lot. It was secluded from the surrounding sites.
We hiked the Windy Ridge trail and the Prairie Loop trail. both were well maintained and enjoyable trails. We also spent some time on the beach.
GuideCampsites, 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.
GuideI wanted so badly to love this campground experience, but just didn't. Site 19 was an easy walk-in that theoretically had nearby vault toilets, parking, and water.
Each site only had space for one car to park before walking in. Not a huge deal, but annoying as there were 2 of us who drove separate and we had to problem solve. When we got to the site I was shocked to see that what was labeled as a tent site had literally NO flat space to actually set up a tent. Spacious site, but fully sloped.
Also, what I would have loved to know, is that the vault toilets are closed because they are doing construction to build something new in that space. Construction that starts loudly each day at 7am. Honestly every site from about #35 down was affected by the noise because the construction is happening in the middle of the loop (and actually blocking some of the one-way road as well).
The park in general was okay. Per the usual, the pet areas were lacking. No beach at all, just grass covered in goose poop and one cut out on the raised shore between tall grasses and foliage where a dog could potentially jump in. Certainly nowhere for a human to enjoy the water with their pups unfortunately.
LegendThis review is for Yellow River State Forest's Big Paint Campground which consists of sites 35 through 61. Big Paint is a couple miles from Little Paint, a larger campground with 70+ sites. There are two equestrian campgrounds (Creekside and Little Frontier with sites numbered 1 through 34) as well as hike in campgrounds for backpackers. A photo of an area map is included.
Why did we choose Big Paint instead of Little Paint?
It's smaller and that's just our personal preference. There were only 4 sites occupied early Friday afternoon and a few more were reserved. We liked site 35, the first site on the left as you enter. This site is like being in a garden with trees and flowers surrounding the site. It had rained and more rain was coming, so the gravel parking pad on #35 was appealing. Most of the sites are completely on the grass.
Activities
Stocked trout streams are an attraction for fishermen; see photo of stocking calendar. We enjoyed hiking despite the mosquitoes and humidity in August and were able to make a 5+ mile loop leaving from the campground. You can also hike from Little Paint, and there are equestrian trails. This would also be a good area for X-country skiing and snowmobiling. A photo of the trail map is included. Caution: hunting is allowed in the non-campground area of the state forest.
Amenities
Each site has a picnic table and fire ring. Other than that, you can dispose of your trash and use a vault toilet. There's water at the information center (and a camp host site) outside the campground about 100 yards to the left.
Cost
You're not getting much (and that's not a bad thing) so the $9 fee seems fair. Pay up front at the entrance station, or make a reservation online at last 2 days ahead of time (and pay a reservation fee). There are 7 non-reservable sites at Big Paint. I doubt that Big Paint fills up; just check the reservation site to see if they get crowded.
https://iowastateparks.reserveamerica.com/camping/yellow-river-state-forest/r/campsiteSearch.do?search=site&page=siteresult&contractCode=IA&parkId=610130
LegendI 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
GuideThe 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!
TravelerThis 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.
TravelerWe 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.
Tent campsites near Richland Center, Wisconsin range from walk-in forest sites to established campgrounds with limited amenities. The surrounding driftless region features steep limestone bluffs, sandstone outcroppings, and rolling hills that weren't flattened by glacial activity. Summer temperatures typically range from 60-85°F with higher humidity levels, while spring camping often means dealing with seasonal rainfall and muddy trails.
Hiking scenic trails: Governor Dodge State Park Backpack Campsites offers extensive hiking opportunities beyond the campsite areas. A camper notes there are "great hiking trails throughout the state park" with the Lost Canyon Trail described as "stunning with bluffs, small water fall."
Fishing nearby waters: Tent campers at Camp John Schultz in Yellow River State Forest can access quality fishing. One visitor recommends to "Come a trout fish!" and mentions "awesome campground" conditions despite the need to carry in water.
Disc golf and winter activities: At Justin Trails Resort, disc golf attracts numerous visitors during warmer months. According to a reviewer, "Disc golf is busy here, in winter they have sledding hills." The property also features llamas that guests can feed.
Privacy between sites: Many tent campsites provide good separation from other campers. At Sparta Campground, sites are "large, so if traveling with a group would have room for 3-4 tents in one site," offering space for families or friend groups camping together.
Backpacking opportunities: Camp Glen Wendel Primitive Backcountry offers quality backpacking experiences. A camper reports it has "a few longer trails for backpacking" and notes they've "used these trails/this park to prepare for longer trips." Another visitor describes finding "wonderful spots to camp and the creeks are very clean and pretty."
Natural features: Unique geological formations enhance many camping locations. One backpacker at Reno Horse Campground found "a large open area, perfect for multiple tents" with "sandstone bluffs in the background" and mentions "hiking trails, including a trail that goes on top of the bluff with views of the forest and of Wisconsin and the Mississippi River."
Highway noise levels: Some campgrounds experience significant traffic noise. Sparta Campground has been described as "very near the interstate so not the quietest of places" with a reviewer noting "truck traffic was loud all night" on weekdays, though "traffic noise was considerable less" on weekends.
Non-resident fees: Wisconsin state parks charge different rates based on residency. One visitor to Devils Lake State Park Group Campground notes that non-residents face an "upcharge ($30 vs. $15 plus fees)" which led them to seek alternative camping at town parks.
Insect activity: Bugs can be problematic at certain times. One camper at Sparta Campground reports they "were met with swarms of mosquitoes" during their visit. Similarly, at Camp John Schultz, a visitor references "typical summer insects" as part of the experience.
Group camping options: Hickory Ridge Group Camp offers facilities suitable for family gatherings. A visitor describes it as a "nice family campground" with "a lot of amenities including shower" facilities that enhance comfort for groups with children.
Beach access: Devils Lake State Park provides swimming opportunities after a hike. A camper mentions there's "a beach and camp store/concession stand (south) a short drive or longer walk away" where families can "rent paddle boards, canoes, kayaks and paddle boats."
Wildlife encounters: Camping in this area often includes animal sightings. One group at Devils Lake "got a visit from some local raccoons at night," while another mentions hearing birds that "can sound like a large pack of dinosaurs squawking at each other...very loud," which might fascinate or frighten children.
Water access planning: For tent campers considering small RVs, water availability varies significantly. At Yellow River State Forest, "potable water is at HQ near registration kiosk" but needs to be carried to campsites. Another visitor notes that if you "require electric bring a generator" as hookups aren't available at many primitive sites.
Walk-in distances: Many tent sites require carrying gear from parking areas. At Sparta Campground, sites can be "about a 600 yard hike in from the parking lot, down a trail that can get quite muddy, especially during rain." Plan accordingly with appropriate gear transport solutions.
Cell service limitations: Connectivity varies throughout the region. Camp John Schultz visitors "loved the lack of cell phone reception," while at the nearby fire tower (the only one in Iowa), "cell reception is found up here." This information helps campers plan communication needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
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