Camping near Waupaca, Wisconsin sits within the Central Sand Plains ecological landscape at approximately 850 feet of elevation. The region features kettles and moraines formed by glacial retreat, creating numerous spring-fed lakes and streams throughout the area. Overnight temperatures can drop below 50°F even in summer months, making extra layers essential for evening campfires.
What to do
Hiking the Ice Age Trail: Lake Emily Park offers access to segments of the renowned Ice Age Trail. "There are lots of hiking trails in the park, plus a lake with swimming, fishing, grills, and lots of campsites nearby," notes Danielle A., who stayed at Lake Emily Park.
Kayaking on the Chain O' Lakes: Hartman Creek State Park Campground provides water recreation on non-motorized lakes. "Small lake so we were able to explore—saw about 3 dozen turtles which was super fun for the kids," says Jen E. who appreciated the rental options at Hartman Creek State Park Campground.
Mountain biking on dedicated trails: The area offers both paved and off-road cycling opportunities. According to Ame G., Hartman Creek has "paved roads and great off road cycling access," while Sara K. adds, "love the single trail bike paths through the woods."
Fishing from piers: Early morning fishing yields good results at several lakeside campgrounds. "Allen Lake has a fishing pier that the kids loved fishing from. Good catches early in the morning!" reports a family who stayed at Hartman Creek State Park Campground.
What campers like
Spacious, wooded sites: Sites at Hartman Creek State Park Campground offer ample room and natural surroundings. "Our site was larger, almost fully shaded under a mix of coniferous and deciduous trees," notes Jimmy P. from Hartman Creek State Park Campground.
Clean facilities: Lake Emily Park maintains well-kept amenities despite being a county park. "Very clean showers and bathrooms. Only downfall is an active train going through at night," reports Donna W. about Lake Emily Park.
Nighttime quiet: Many campgrounds enforce quiet hours for peaceful evenings. "We loved the quietness at night. Not entirely sure, but I believe there is a quite policy after 10pm. Gorgeous to look up and see the amazing stars at night," shares Jen E. about her experience at Hartman Creek.
Lakefront access: Several campgrounds offer direct lake access with beaches and swimming areas. Wolf River Campgrounds provides river recreation options, and as Lauren F. states, "The tubing trips offer a shuttle bus to the launch sites and they come in nicely timed increments."
What you should know
Train noise concerns: Some campgrounds experience railway disruptions. Lake Emily campers note: "Sleeping at night, better hope you use to noise! Highway 10 and the train runs right near this park, so not quiet at night," warns Julie W.
Limited winter options: While Rustic Woods Campgrounds operates year-round, most facilities close seasonally. S'Mores Campground runs from "May 15th to October 6th," according to Annabelle G., who adds that S'Mores Campground has specific "check in for campsites and yurts are different. Campsites is at 2, cabin and hurts 3pm."
Varying site layouts: Campground configurations range widely in the area. Christopher S. notes at S'Mores Campground: "The campsites were ON TOP of each other... The site we had was along the lake and very flat, but we were too close to our neighbors."
Lake conditions vary: Not all lakes offer the same experience. Wolf River Campgrounds emphasizes river recreation, while S'Mores Campground received mixed reviews about their lake: "Water (lake) was disgusting," according to one camper, though others enjoyed the beach access.
Tips for camping with families
Kid-friendly activities: Waupaca S'more Fun Campground offers dedicated children's programming. Anne H. notes: "Park has several types of sites available, some rustic, some full service and some in-between. Park is very wooded, campsites are close together. We were there over Memorial Day weekend and despite the park being full, it was still very peaceful," at Waupaca S'more Fun Campground.
Swimming options: Several campgrounds feature dedicated swimming areas. Cassie W. highlights that S'Mores Campground is a "Small campground but it's nice and has a pool and playground plus a lake."
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Morning and evening hours offer prime animal sightings. Jen E. shared that while kayaking at Hartman Creek, they "saw about 3 dozen turtles which was super fun for the kids."
Group site configurations: For multi-family camping, specific areas work better. C N. advises about Lake Emily Park: "3 of them stayed in these three sites which were fairly wide open and kind of looked over the lake. They would be great sites to book as a group, but I wouldn't recommend them to book individually as you wouldn't have much privacy."
Tips for RVers
Site selection considerations: Different campgrounds accommodate various RV sizes. At Fremont RV Campground, Scott B. notes: "We stayed here for a night to visit Union Farm Cheese Factory. The campground was expensive at 80$ for water and electric only on a dirt pull through."
Hookup availability: Full-service sites can be limited and cost more. "Camp has full hookups, a laundry, shower house, bathrooms, a restaurant/bar, fire rings, and picnic tables. Sites are a responsible size," reports Jackie S. about Wolf River Campgrounds.
Operating seasons: Most campgrounds in the region have seasonal limitations. Waupaca S'more Fun Campground operates "mid Apr to mid Oct," while Rustic Woods Campgrounds remains open "All year," providing winter options for RV camping.
Weekend vs. weekday stays: Occupancy and atmosphere vary significantly between weekends and weekdays. Jason W. notes about Rustic Woods Campgrounds: "The bar & grill is only open Thursday-Saturday. This is also where you need to go to get items for mini golf and is attached to the ice cream shop, arcade, etc. With this being said it's extremely difficult to get anything for the kids if need be."
