Lake Kegonsa State Park sits at 869 feet above sea level, surrounded by terminal moraine deposits from the last glacial retreat. Campers near Waunakee, Wisconsin can access sites year-round, though winter camping requires proper cold-weather gear as temperatures can drop below 0°F. Most glamping options close to Waunakee stay open through fall with select luxury accommodations operating during colder months.
What to do
Kayaking on Mirror Lake: Rent equipment at Sandstone Ridge Campground — Mirror Lake State Park where steep sandstone cliffs create calm waters ideal for paddling. "The lake is great for kayaking. Lots of sandstone cliffs. We only did 2 hiking trails but they were well maintained," notes Julia B.
Fishing in multiple locations: Cast your line at Indian Trails Campground where stocked ponds offer consistent catches. "They have an outdoor and indoor pool along with a man made swimming hole. A fishing lake. They do kayaking or canoeing down the fox river. They will drop you off and pick you up," explains Mikala D.
Hiking trail networks: Follow the interconnected trails at Lake Kegonsa State Park that range from quick half-mile loops to longer routes. A reviewer mentions, "Clean facilities, friendly staff, and great trails. No bugs!" according to Brendan E.
What campers like
Private wooded sites: Duck Creek Campground offers secluded camping areas with natural buffers between sites. "We stayed here the last weekend open in 2020. Felt very welcome from check-in to check-out. Owners obviously care about maintenance and upgrades and it shows," notes Scott D.
Swimming options beyond pools: Many glamping accommodations near Waunakee feature water recreation. "Silver Springs houses a beach and fishing pond with inflatable structures for swimmers of all ages," as Barbara P. describes, "Very nice state park. Only stayed in group campsite but was conveniently located with lots of room, picnic tables, fire pit."
Clean facilities: Bathroom cleanliness ranks high in camper reviews across all properties. At Silver Springs Campsites Inc, "Showers are 25cents for 4mins. Pretty clean and updated bathroom facilities," according to Amanda K.
What you should know
Noise considerations: Highway proximity affects some campgrounds. At Mirror Lake, "The highway noise is loud and some military jets kept flying overhead," reports Julia B. Similarly, Lake Kegonsa has occasional train noise: "The first train only blew its horn a few short times. The second train acted like someone was laying on the tracks and was a little excessive for 3 am!"
Seasonal restrictions: Winter camping limitations exist at most locations. Merry Mac's Campground operates from "Apr 15 - Oct 15" while others maintain year-round access with reduced services.
Wildlife encounters: Proper food storage prevents unwanted visitors. "The raccoons were brutal. They broke into our crates twice. Smart enough to figure out the clip mechanism," warns Julia B. about Mirror Lake.
Tips for camping with families
Playground proximity: Select sites near play areas for convenience. At Duck Creek, Sarah C. notes, "we are actually having an awesome time at this Campground campsites are located right next to the playground so we can watch the kids from the campsite."
Water features for different ages: Smokey Hollow Campground offers multiple water recreation options. "Awesome place to bring the kids for a day, or the whole week! Man-made pond with inflatable structures, a jumpy blob for the kids to jump on & lots of other activities!" shares Sarah S.
Weekend activities schedule: Many campgrounds host planned events for children. Indian Trails stands out as "A home run, and I promise you'll want to go back again and again!" according to Megan S., who adds, "nearly every weekend is themed and will often include activities for kids and adults."
Tips from RVers
Height restrictions awareness: Watch for low clearances at Lake Kegonsa where a reviewer cautions, "Major CAUTION for RVs: there is an oak tree near entry with low branches and it took the AC off our friend's fifth wheel. There is also a low hanging overpass and it took the roofs off TWO fifth wheels while we were staying there."
Site accessibility varies: Some campgrounds have challenging access points. Ted W. noted about Lake Kegonsa, "The sites we were in were a little narrow to back in a 30ft camper. The pictures of the site did not show this."
Utility hookup locations: Placement of water and electric connections affects setup. Smoke Hollow provides full hookups with conveniently located connections, while other campgrounds may require longer hoses or cords.
