Best Campgrounds near Watertown, WI

Watertown, Wisconsin serves as a gateway to several noteworthy camping destinations, including the Kettle Moraine State Forest with its distinctive Ottawa Lake Campground and Pike Lake Unit. The area features a mix of established campgrounds and private RV resorts like River Bend RV Resort located directly in Watertown. Most facilities accommodate both tent and RV camping, with several offering cabin options for those seeking more shelter. Kettle Moraine State Forest's various units provide access to glacial terrain with hiking trails throughout the region, while county parks like Harnischfeger and Astico offer more accessible camping experiences within 30 minutes of Watertown.

Camping season runs primarily April through October, though some locations like Harnischfeger County Park maintain year-round accessibility. Reservations are strongly recommended, particularly for weekend stays during summer months when lakeside sites fill quickly. "The sites are nice and level, and they include an aluminum picnic table and a fire ring," noted one visitor to a nearby county park, though they cautioned about pricing during peak season. Facilities vary significantly, with state forest campgrounds typically offering more rustic accommodations while private resorts provide full hookups including water, electric, and sewer connections. Most campgrounds feature a mix of wooded and open sites, with varying degrees of privacy between neighbors.

Many campers appreciate the Kettle Moraine area for its scenic hiking opportunities. Several visitors mentioned the Ice Age Trail access as a significant draw, with one noting that Pinewoods Campground is "close to the Ice Age trail and the Scuppernong trail, and a short drive from Ottawa Lake." The region's glacial landscape creates distinct camping environments from pine forests to open meadows. Family-friendly amenities are common at established campgrounds, with most offering basic restrooms and many featuring shower facilities. Sites typically include fire rings and picnic tables, with electric hookups available at most locations. Water access varies, with certain campgrounds offering swimming beaches, fishing piers, or boat launches while others maintain a more forest-focused experience.

Best Camping Sites Near Watertown, Wisconsin (106)

    1. Ottawa Lake Campground — Kettle Moraine State Forest-Southern Unit

    39 Reviews
    North Prairie, WI
    22 miles
    Website
    +1 (262) 594-6200

    "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."

    "Made my first visit to Ottawa Lake on a mid-March weekend. The facilities were still under their winter setup (only vault toilet, no shower available, pay in an envelope)."

    2. River Bend RV Resort

    6 Reviews
    Lake Mills, WI
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (920) 261-7505

    "Don’t forget the lake and floating obstacle course. Dog park, baseball field, the list goes on. The dump station lanes need some attention, more than gravel would be great."

    3. Pinewoods Campground — Kettle Moraine State Forest-Southern Unit

    22 Reviews
    North Prairie, WI
    21 miles
    +1 (262) 626-2116

    $18 - $30 / night

    "It is close to the Ice Age trail and the Scuppernong trail, and a short drive from Ottawa LakeNearby 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."

    4. Harnischfeger County Park

    3 Reviews
    Ixonia, WI
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (920) 386-3700

    "Has trails, disc golf, and rock river for kayaking."

    "Their is also a great hiking trail if you like that."

    5. Astico County Park

    8 Reviews
    Beaver Dam, WI
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (920) 623-5274

    $20 - $25 / night

    "Site had extra space around it, and we could canoe right from our site or use the boat launch by site 13."

    "My family and I enjoy the rural setting but its close proximity to several communities. With smaller children having resources available was nice."

    6. Ledge County Park

    15 Reviews
    Horicon, WI
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (920) 387-5450

    "It is right next to the toilets/showers. The bathrooms were clean, the attendants were really nice, they borrowed us an extension cord so we could set up a bit further back."

    "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 (?!))"

    7. Pike Lake Campground — Kettle Moraine State Forest-Pike Lake Unit

    18 Reviews
    Slinger, WI
    23 miles
    Website
    +1 (262) 670-3400

    "North Kettle Moraine, Pike Lake Unit was an easy choice given it's proximity to the city- about 40 minutes."

    "A last minute decision to camp for a night led my son and I to the often visited Pike Lake unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest. Its a beautiful park and within 30 minutes of our home."

    8. Naga-Waukee Park by Waukesha County Parks

    9 Reviews
    Delafield, WI
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (262) 548-7801

    $25 - $80 / night

    "Nestled in the heart of lake country (Waukesha County) and accessible from the Lake Country Trail and Ice Age Trail, this county park is perfect for those just passing through or families looking for a"

    "Very windy weekend but I imagine during the summer it’s a great spot to camp near their big beach and lake access."

    9. Kettle Moraine Southern Unit — Kettle Moraine State Forest-Southern Unit

    10 Reviews
    North Prairie, WI
    22 miles
    Website

    $28 / night

    "You can walk over to an area that has hiking trails right out of the campsite. State park mountain biking trails are also close by, but you would need to drive to them."

    "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."

    10. The Playful Goose Campground

    5 Reviews
    Horicon, WI
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (920) 485-4744

    "I really enjoyed the large lot we were on that backed up to a creek which you cannot hear or see but it is all forest behind you."

    "Nice trails within different areas of campground."

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Recent Reviews near Watertown, WI

644 Reviews of 106 Watertown Campgrounds


  • Kay K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 12, 2025

    Derge County Park

    Beautiful mature oaks

    The campground is near Beaver Dam lake and you get a pass to the boat landing with the camping fee. The sites are clearly marked and level. Some have more shade than others, the descriptions at reservation are accurate. Site 4 has nice grass and plenty of trees along the back. The site sizes are adequate but there isn’t much room between sites. Overall the campground was quiet, except for a few RVs running things all night. It was not dark, the RVs keep their lights on all night and there isn’t enough foliage to block it. We are the only pop up here, there are no tents. The space certainly allows grass for tents, I think the culture is just a little different. The shower house is clean, but showers only have a curtain and a central drain in the building means the toilet stall floors get wet too. There is a small playground and a GaGa ball pit. Overall, this is a well kept campground and perfect for spending a night on the way to somewhere. There isn’t much draw for a longer stay.

  • P
    Oct. 11, 2025

    Sleepy Dragon Campground

    Camping

    In 2024 just before Memorial Day, I needed to leave the campground I was in and started calling around for openings at private campgrounds. I was getting worried that it was not possible for me to find a site. I remembered ( light bulb moment) that Sleepy Dragon Campground may have openings. I called and was shocked to hear they still had openings for that weekend. Drove to the campground and set my sights on a pull through site. I enjoyed it so much decided to stay permanently. My original site was 120, then moved to 114, it’s a corner site. Has shade and sun at different times of the day. Large to medium camp sites, grassy, concreted if that’s what you like, plus electric and water at each site. Sewer at selected sites. Personally I came here as a child, back in the later 60’s to early 70’s. Changed owners a couple of times, now it is veteran owned, upgrades are being completed as time allows.

  • Tim H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 9, 2025

    Naga-Waukee Park by Waukesha County Parks

    Nagawaukee County Park

    Site was clean and flat enough for my two person tent. Restrooms were porta-johns, but very clean. Plenty of free wood available for the fire.

  • MarkDaShark99
    Oct. 5, 2025

    Long Lake Campground — Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit-Iansr

    Beach test positive for ecoli 2x this year.

    If you stay here do not swim.  They have 2 beaches, they test one for ecoli and close it but leave the other one open because they don't have to test both. It's 50 feet away.  If you don't test, it can't be bad.  How stupid.  They rake goose dumplings into the sand.  Who is managing this place? Camping is fine.  Stay off the beach it's not safe.

  • Jessica T.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 1, 2025

    Pilgrims Campground

    Nice enough grounds, poorly maintained electric panels

    To be honest I thought this stay was going to be easy and the first couple days were. They didn’t have full hook up sites and we have a 50 amp rig… we used a dogbone to connect to the 30 amp site. It was fine for a bit but then we started to get surges. Our EMS protected the rig but ultimately we couldn’t use the power. Even with only running the fridge it continued to trip. We tried the one next to us and it gave us the reverse polarity code so we decided it would be best to just leave the following day. The grounds are well maintained and the owners are friendly… they mentioned some of their 30 amp sites will get converted to 50 next year so hopefully that helps but definitely frustrating to need to book another site and forfeit money on this one.

  • Mark D.
    Sep. 15, 2025

    Ottawa Lake Campground — Kettle Moraine State Forest-Southern Unit

    We had such an enjoyable time at Ottawa Lake Campground.

    Escape the everyday and immerse yourself in nature at Ottawa Lake Campground. Nestled in the heart of the Kettle Moraine State Forest, this welcoming retreat offers lakeside fun, scenic hiking trails, the quiet beauty of a true Northwoods experience, all without a long drive.

    We have visited the Campground 5 times this year already, we love hiking all the trails in the Kettle Moraine Southern Unit.

    https://youtu.be/xl4uAtNWclM

  • Kay K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 15, 2025

    Fon du Lac County Waupun Park

    Oak/hickory forest

    The campground is in a beautiful oak/hickory forest with many birds, chipmunks and skeeters(pack protection). We stayed on site 22 which was a nine minute walk from the toilet and had a street light. There are water spigots throughout. Site 21 or 23 would be better. The sites are large and the ones on the outside of the loop are very private. The campground was quiet, especially after dark! There is a train horn occasionally, but it’s distant. The showers were hot and clean. The playground was fun. There is a pickle ball court, so bring paddles. There is also a walking trail.

  • Maria Mercedes M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 14, 2025

    Pettits Lakeview Campground & Bar

    Family Friendly Lakeside Campground

    Pettit’s Lakeview Campground & Bar is the kind of place where family camping meets lakeside fun with a lively twist, sitting right on Lake Koshkonong with beautiful sunset views and easy boat access. My kids loved the playground while the adults enjoyed Friday fish fries, live music and the laid-back bar that doubles as a social hub, creating a strong community vibe with theme weekends and plenty of laughter. That said, it’s definitely more “festival” than “quiet forest” with sites being closing together, weekends can get noisy with karaoke and bar traffic, and shade is limited, so if you’re looking for peace and birdwatching, this isn’t it, but for families who don’t mind a little bustle, it’s a fun and memorable spot.

  • Maria Mercedes M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 14, 2025

    Pilgrims Campground

    Simple Campground

    With a small family to mind, while out enjoying a short weekend of camping, I appreciated Pilgrim’s Campground in Wisconsin for its quiet, family-oriented atmosphere that made our stay both relaxing and memorable. The sites were clean, level and easy to settle into, with plenty of shade and enough space for the kids to play safely nearby. While the campground doesn’t have the flashy resort-style amenities of some bigger parks, it makes up for it with well-kept facilities, a friendly, welcoming staff, and a slower pace that let us truly enjoy time together outdoors. My kids loved riding their bikes around the loops, roasting marshmallows at night and spotting wildlife along the nature trails, while I valued the sense of safety and the community feel among fellow campers. Conveniently located near local attractions yet peaceful enough to feel tucked away, Pilgrim’s offered the perfect balance of simplicity, comfort, and wholesome family camping.


Guide to Watertown

Camping opportunities near Watertown, Wisconsin range from rustic backpacking sites to full-service family campgrounds across the glacial terrain of southeastern Wisconsin. The area sits at elevations between 800-1,000 feet above sea level, with summer temperatures averaging 75-85°F during peak camping season. Winter camping is available at select locations like Harnischfeger County Park, where campers can experience the unique solitude of snow-covered sites in the off-season.

What to do

Hiking the Ice Age Trail: Access segments of Wisconsin's famous 1,000-mile trail system from Pinewoods Campground. "There is a central shower building with vault toilets in the camping loops. 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," reports one visitor.

Winter camping adventures: Experience the unique quiet of off-season camping at Ottawa Lake Campground. "No showers in winter but awesome," notes one winter camper. The campground maintains winter accessibility with reduced services but offers solitude not found during busy summer months.

Mini golf and river recreation: Several campgrounds provide family-friendly activities beyond hiking. "They have a 9 hole mini golf course that cost $1 a person. Has trails, disc golf, and Rock River for kayaking," notes a visitor to Harnischfeger County Park, highlighting affordable on-site activities.

What campers like

Natural springs access: The Kettle Moraine area features unique geological formations including natural springs. "Scuppernong Springs was also a treat for the kiddos although I highly recommended planning for a solid 2 mile hike if you're with kids," mentions one camper who enjoyed Ottawa Lake Campground's proximity to this natural feature.

Dark skies for stargazing: Despite proximity to urban areas, some campgrounds offer surprisingly good night sky viewing. A visitor to Astico County Park notes: "It was dark enough to see the Milky Way. The sites are a decent size and well maintained." This park provides astronomical viewing opportunities not typically expected so close to population centers.

Wooded seclusion: Many campgrounds feature heavily forested sites that create natural privacy barriers. "The site was actually really lovely and I appreciated the thick brush creating some real seclusion," reports a camper at Pinewoods Campground, describing the natural screening between sites in the "quiet loop."

What you should know

Site selection strategy: Campgrounds with multiple loops offer varying experiences. At Pinewoods: "Don't reserve a spot in loop 1 if you have a dog. It was easy enough to change but now we know to aim for loop 2 or 3." This campground designates specific areas for different camping styles, including a quiet loop.

Water quality considerations: Lake swimming is available at multiple locations, but conditions vary seasonally. A visitor to Pike Lake Campground advises: "The lake is great for swimming, though they do have e coli warnings frequently in the heat of summer."

Campground busyness patterns: Weekends typically see full occupancy during summer. "The lake is very clean and the site are a good size. Gets very busy on the weekends!" notes a visitor to Ottawa Lake Campground, suggesting weekday visits for those seeking quieter experiences.

Tips for camping with families

Facilities for children: Multiple campgrounds feature dedicated play areas. "There is a big playground at the top of the hill. On other trips we've enjoyed the swings nearer the river and the artesian wells," says an Astico County Park visitor, noting the variety of options for different age groups.

Swimming options: Several locations offer beach access with varying amenities. At River Bend RV Resort, families appreciate the "nice swim pond, great pool, fishing…you name it, it's probably here. If you want to have fun, this is the place."

Educational opportunities: The geological and historical features provide learning experiences. "There is a small cemetery at the top of the hill to explore and learn more about the people in the area," notes an Astico County Park visitor, highlighting history exploration opportunities beyond natural features.

Tips from RVers

Site dimensions: Many campgrounds accommodate larger RVs but have specific limitations. At Pike Lake Campground, experienced campers advise: "Each of the 32 sites is unique in their own way. Some are large and flat perfect for a class A (#2 #4, #29 #31 is okay, but smaller)... There is a TIGHT turn in the campground loop near site #17 to be aware of with longer trailers."

Electric hookup details: Most campgrounds offer limited electric options. At Ledge County Park, RVers note: "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."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular campground near Watertown, WI?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Watertown, WI is Ottawa Lake Campground — Kettle Moraine State Forest-Southern Unit with a 4.3-star rating from 39 reviews.