Looking for the best options for tent camping near Whitewater? The Dyrt can help you find the best tent campsites for your next trip. From remote to easy-to-reach, these Whitewater campsites are perfect for tent campers.
Snug Harbor is the place to be for Campgrounds in Wisconsin. At Snug Harbor you’ll find excellent fishing, boating and swimming on a private, clean, sandy beach.
Our campgrounds offer three different options for today’s camping enthusiasts: Tent Sites, RV Sites, and Manufactured Housing. We have all the modern conveniences while allowing you to relax and enjoy majestic views from every site. Amenities include full hookup, laundromat, ice, firewood, bait, candy, and some fishing supplies. Rent one of our rowboats or canoes for a relaxing day on the lake, or join in a pick-up game of volleyball or horseshoes. Additionally, our RV sites have 30 and 50 AMP electric service and full sewer hookups.
Campsite rentals include sewer hookup. Reservations are recommended. Boat slips are available for a fee. We offer affordable rates for RVs and tent campers. We also have reasonable rates for pier rental, visitors, and our four-legged friends.
$15 - $45 / night
Designated backpack campsites are available by reservation at the following properties. These campsites may be several hundred yards to a few miles away from the nearest parking area and campers need to carry all gear in and out. Campsites typically feature a fire ring, seating, and a primitive privy or wilderness latrine, which may be shared with other campsites. There are also a limited number of opportunities for very primitive, remote camping on DNR lands.
$15 - $25 / night
$20 / night
$74 - $100 / night
Purplehaze Acres is a 60-acre organic rustic farm in Rubicon, WI and resides at the beginning of the approx. 650-mile Niagara Escarpment--known locally as "The Ledge". We are in close proximity to the Ice Age Trail, and the natural treasures of the great Horicon Marsh, Lake Sinnissipi/Rock River with canoeing/kayaking/fishing, Ledges County Park, and the world-renowned Holy Hill Shrine.
Nearby Hustisford ("Husti") offers unique shopping and dining experiences, such as the Mercantile and Mocha Vino. Need a few organic groceries? Make sure to visit Back To The Best Organic grocer only 3 miles away, featuring food raised on local organic farms including Purplehaze Acres.
Potable water, charcoal grills, firepit grates, eggs and available for purchase--firewood. COMING SOON: Did you forget something? If so, check out our Camp Cupboard Store. FYI: In addition to our private individual sites, our PEACE CAMP site is a group site perfect for the rustic camp wedding, small festivals, EAA, Harley celebrations and other fun casual events. Check out the Peace Camp listing for details.
Your approach via 1/2-mile dirt drive up the hills and through the woods . . . to not your grandmother's typical house you go. You'll find wonderful vistas, wildflowers, berries, trails up into the woods, a 900' grass runway for aviators on an overall great "peace" of earth. ☮
$40 - $160 / night
Primitive camping on private pond well maintained lawns. Clothing optional.
$50 - $80 / night
Legend
My first impression when I first arrived here was the overwhelming scent of a newly minted campground, what with the freshly laid gravel, the mint condition security gates, finely manicured and recently raked greenery (as it was October when we visited, it might be better described as brownery) surrounded by a fairly decent gated enclosure lined with perfectly pruned tall towering oaks. Upon arrival, you’ll find what looks to be a brand-spanking new log cabin office on the right after passing a seemingly freshly-minted activities center / community lodge complete with in-ground heated swimming pool and jacuzzi on the left.
Amenities? As you could guess, this pet-friendly 60-acre RV resort has all the attractions in spades from pickleball, playgrounds, volleyball, log pergola patio, full hook-ups (30 / 50 amp electric, water & sewage), picnic tables, fire pits, BBQ grills, wagon rides, river access, picnic areas, bathhouses w/ showers & restrooms, cable TV WiFi (pretty poor connection though), gaga ball, game room, community room, billiards table, playground, wet bar, tabletop shuffleboard, community living room with large screen TV, DVD player w/ DVD library, clubhouse, dog park, horseshoes, hot tub, covered pavilions with picnic tables, catch & release ponds, inflatable water toys, jumping pillow, laundr-O-mat, propane refueling station and dump station.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a handful: (1) This place isn’t EZ to find – for some reason, if you plug the campground into your GPS, you’ll literally be on the wrong side of the tracks, where you will arrive at a dead end with a sign that says you are in the wrong place and that you’ll need to double-back, cross the train tracks heading north and turn right just before arriving to High Road School of Belvidere (so if you see a school, you’ve gone too far); (2) You will want to take note that yes, you actually cross train tracks to get to this campground, so if you’re sharp, you’re going to want to ensure you haven’t booked a site right next to where trains will shoot through every few hours, this specifically means avoiding sites #E1-#E5 and #FS23-#FS36 as well as #FE1-#FE20; (3) If you’re a tent camper, you can certainly stay here, but you will want to note that this is very much an RV outpost; (4) The best sites IMHO are those on the northernmost perimeter, as far away from the train tracks as you can get and that also border the Kishwaukee River with sites #S9-#S20 being excellent, as well as #S25-#S81, which are equally amazing; (5) If you are planning on using that amazing pool that you saw as you came in, make sure you call management a good day or two before you come in to ensure that they turn on the heater – when we were there for 2 days, by the time we left, the pool was still too cold to go for a dip; and (6) When you grow weary of trying to conjure up a meal from the depths of your Cordova roto-molded cooler and want to venture out to try some local fare, just a short walk into the nearby town is Garden Prairie Café, which has a very simple menu offering no shortage of fried everything (fish, shrimp, chicken, etc.) and then there’s Pleasant Street Tavern, but that’s mostly cheap national beers and frozen pizza fare, so if you want something a bit more substantive, head west of here to Miles Bar N’ Grill that serves up typical Midwestern fare like cheese curds, pork tenderloin, Italian beef and a variety of fried fish like blue gill, cod and catfish.
Happy Camping!
Legend
Recently camped here while visiting some family in the Racine area. Was nice and close to them and was a nice place to stay!
Lost of campsites between the two campgrounds. Sunset offered electric or non-electric sites. Shower building, flush toilets, vault toilets, dump station, playground. Firewood sold at the visitor center via a vending machine, card only.
Guide
These campsites are as low as $12/night!! One of my favorite spots to test new gear. Family friendly. There’s some small trails around as well that are beginner. There was electricity, however those sites are $25/night. Bathrooms could’ve been cleaner but we were grateful for the facility which doubled as a storm shelter. There’s indoor showers and bathrooms. There are also cabins at this campsite, not sure on pricing tho
LegendWe stayed in the Turner lake south loop, which has nice and private sites. This is in contrast to Honeysuckle hollow which is open and row after row of RV sites. Fox den and Prairie view loops are nice as well with mostly primitive sites. Be aware that the map on www.ExloreMoreIL,com(where you make your reservations) doesn't show where the restrooms are. In the Turner loop, the pit toilets are next to the path to the fishing pier, while the showers and full restrooms are between Turner and Fox den, there is a short path between sites 60& 61. Facilities are clean and well lit. Fire pits are slightly raised steel troughs with a heavy adjustable grill. This is a BIG park, the campgrounds are two miles from the front gate, and it's a drive to the main boat launch at Maple Grove, where you have access to the Fox River and Grass lake. This location has a huge parking lot for boat trailers, a very well stocked general store with fishing supplies, a cafe, boat rentals and good firewood. To get away from the crowd if you're a canoeist or kayaker it's nicer to leave the park and go back in at Oak Point picnic area and boat launch at the northern border. This will put you on the Fox river with developments to the north(including a bar& grill) or to the south which is all nature. I think the distance by boat between the two launches is 4-5 miles, but I'm not sure, Halfway there you'll meet up with the Goldfinch trail which is the shortest loop and the most diverse in term of flora. There are horse/ snowmobile trails, but no equestrian campground. Chain o' Lakes is one of the busiest waterways in Illinois, with motorboats everywhere in the height of the summer season. We canoe, and both times we stayed there it was October, so I can't tell you how crowded, but the vast number of picnic areas must be there for a reason. An odd thing is that you can hear a Steam Train whistle quite often, this is from Richardson's Adventure Farm in Spring Grove. We don't have kids so we went to Stade's Farm& Orchard(which is also large and kid friendly) because they have an orchard and vegetable market. One last thing, the gates close at 10:PM and there are tire shredders, you can leave but you can't get back in… unless you want to walk 2+ miles in the dark:)
Traveler
I ended up here because I was going to a music festival in the area, and they turned me away because I have a service animal. I wasn't going to do all that work for nothing and just go home, so I decided to look up my nearest campground and it was KOA in Milton. they made me feel welcome. they understood my dilemma. it was a wonderful weekend. lots of amenities and I just absolutely can't wait to go back next year. I'm going to try to make it a couple times. so much fun, just me and my dog. And one last the thing, my fellow campers were more than hospitable and very nice and I appreciate that very much.
Traveler
I originally went to this campground a couple years ago for a music festival, but I discovered how much fun it was. the people were incredible. the staff was really awesome so I continue to make it back at least once a year
Scout
So this place is much less dog friendly than is advertised. Dogs aren’t allowed in large swaths of the park nor on the (tiny tiny, bordered by loud highway) beach. Lake Geneva is very pretty, but the area is obviously very wealthy and obviously geared toward retirees without dogs or with tiny dogs they leave at the RV (to bark, constantly, at their next site neighbors. Until the owners get back.)
Guide
Sites are large and well spaced out. The campground is clean and well kept. The rangers drive through regularly and will deliver wood to your site if requested. There are pit toilets in the camp area, but there are flush toilets, running water, and showers in the picnic area near the entrance. There are a couple of hiking trails as well. Great landscape and wildlife. We were lucky enough to have a couple of Sandhill Cranes walk through our camp early one morning.
Guide
The campground was clean and quiet. We were in the East Loop. The on-site host was super friendly and helpful with firewood and ice. Pit toilets, no showers. Easy access to Ice Age Trail from the campground. Nice hike to Rice Lake.
Guide
Passing through and needed an accesible camping spot for our 19 foot travel trailer. Creekview fit the bill. Right off i90, and next to fuel and food stops. Family run campground with 40 sites that have water and electric. They are cash or check only, with no online booking. Sites are snug. Decent cell service. Other than highway noise peaceful spot. Dogs welcome!
Traveler
We booked a weekend here for a soccer tournament we had in Verona, so we didn’t spend a lot of time on the property. The staff was amazing! Very friendly and helpful for us new to camping people. We booked online and they were also friendly when I messed up my reservation so thanks for that too. We booked in VIP 1, which is right next to the bath house. We wanted to be close to the showers (coin op). We figured since we’re at a sporting event that might be nice. Very quiet at night. We did have a little time to go fishing at the fishing pond. We didn’t catch anything but we had fun. The fishing pond is a ways from our camping area though. It would have been a long walk so we drove. WiFi is for a fee but it was fine. The fee wasn’t expensive (less than $5). No sewer hook up but there is a dump site so no big deal. Overall good stay.
Scout
Camped here on a whim. Amazing area. Super friendly hosts. The only thing I wish was a little more accessible is the website. I didn't know what kind of site I was getting, what it looked like, or if it was a hike in site or not. Turns out mine was, but it was not an issue for me on this trip. Site 30 for anyone interested.
Scout
Review: Holiday Acres Campground Our recent stay at Holiday Acres Campground was nothing short of a nightmare. From the moment we arrived, we felt unwelcome and targeted by both the staff and the locals. It's hard to say definitively if this place was racist, but the behavior we experienced certainly felt that way. Firstly, we were harassed and intimidated by the locals. They would drive around our campsite at night, yelling racial slurs and other offensive comments. This created a disturbing and unsettling atmosphere that made our stay extremely uncomfortable. The staff were equally unpleasant. We were falsely accused of peeing in the pool without any evidence, which seemed more like an excuse to target us than a genuine concern. Additionally, one staff member consistently displayed unprofessional and rude behavior. She berated one of us and treated him condescendingly, as if he were a boy rather than an adult. She exhibited this condescending behavior with the locals as well. Requests for assistance were met with eye rolls and obvious reluctance. Her dismissive and offensive attitude was consistent throughout our stay. The final straw came when we were kicked out for calling her a name after she persistently treated us with disrespect. While name-calling isn't appropriate, her behavior towards us was intolerable and unprovoked. The facilities were also abysmal. The bathrooms constantly smelled like fart, possibly due to the high sulfur content in the water, which only added to the overall negative experience. The showers were yellow with orange bits that could be scraped off, and the lack of cleanliness was appalling. The playgrounds looked so poorly maintained that you could get a splinter just from looking at them. To make matters worse, we were falsely accused of stealing by a local camper. Despite promises to review security footage, no evidence was provided, and no apology was offered for the false accusation. The pool area was another disappointment. The pool was cold, likely because it had just been filled. While the pool area itself was nice, it lacked lounging chairs, which would have enhanced comfort and relaxation. Overall, our experience at Holiday Acres Campground was horrific. The combination of harassment from locals, the hostile attitude of the staff, the filthy facilities, and the lack of amenities made for an extremely uncomfortable and distressing stay. I would strongly advise anyone considering this campground to stay far away, especially if you are looking for a welcoming and respectful environment.
Ranger
I was here for three months this time as i get to business completed. The park was still kept up very nicely and this time I was here long enough to be able to see how. The grass is mowed every week. There is patroling at all hours for security. The laundry machines are great the dryers ore good. The dog park is clean and secure. The lake is natural and kept free of litter and garbage. The park is much bigger than i thought it was last year. The store has many items you may need. The showers are cleaned and work great. The camp water is high in Iron. The pot roads need service as thay do have a lot of pot holes. Good thing for the 5mph speed limit.
TravelerGreat backpack camp site. Decent walk and terrain to get to the site. There is an open shelter to put your tent if you prefer to outside. There is a fire pit, but we found our own wood around the site. (Bring a small axe). There is an outhouse, but I wouldn’t recommend using it. There is a picnic table and a bench. It’s very secluded for privacy :) we will definitely be back.
Traveler
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. Electricity on site and water near by. Great trails close by.
TravelerThe campsites are kinda small but not on top of each other. Had some raccoons at night even after we locked up everything in the car. The lake was very nice. We were able to kayak but be careful getting the kayaks in. Stairs down to the pier and the bottom of the lake is very mushy. The water was very clear and you could see the fish swim by. This loop is best for tent camping. The other loops are basically all rvs. The boat launch to the fox river was nice too but it does get busy.
Guide
Stayed one night (Friday) and really enjoyed the location. We were in the quiet loop, Loop 1, which actually was very quiet. Everyone was respectful of the rules. We did walk over to the other loops where there was more of a party atmosphere at some sites with larger groups, music, and kids.
The sites in Loop 1 are varied as far as tree coverage, seclusion, and terrain. Our site (22) was relatively flat, felt secluded, had good tree coverage with some filtered sunlight. The pit toilets are about 3 sites away, a short walk. There is room for two tents.
There was a posting about black bear sightings in the area. We did not experience that, just chipmunks and birds.
Traveler
Handful of sites, not very level. Lots of bugs, had raccoons fighting outside my tent. Was right across from the New Glarus brewery.
Traveler
Nice quiet place no neighbors usually bothering you showers and toilets could be better but overall ok
Scout
Tried to stay here. Called several times. Left several messages. We were heading that way and decided to stop in and see if they had availability. Pulled in and there was a lady inside the office and it was locked. She gave me an evil look then ignored me. Called twice from the parking lot from inside my rig while staring at the woman. She ignored the call.
Ranger
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.
Scout
We have a 30 amp trailer. When we got there, the electricity wasn't working. It was 93° on a Saturday. We called the Rangers and asked them to look at our site breaker since it kept tripping. They came, told us the park was old and not updated but then ultimately told us it was our trailer. We had to rent a motel for the night because we couldn't even pull out the slide or anything. This was after spending about 6 hours pulling apart all the electrical in the trailer. Went to camping world the next day just for us to use their plugs and it was fine. We thought maybe it was our cord so we bought a new one and still nothing. We called the Rangers again who came to look at it. Told us that the park was just so old that it probably couldn't keep up and moved us to a 50 amp sight. The 30 amp plug there would work for about 2 mins and then would keep tripping again. So we ended up having to go back to camping world to get an adapter to use the 50 amp. Wasted about 30 hours of our trip over their electrical not being updated and they knew that. Tried to reach out to get the first night reimbursed since we literally couldn't even stay there or use our trailer. Was told we had to come back the next day to speak to the head ranger, came back and he wasn't there again. Was told he would call us two different times and never got a call. Will never stay here again.
TravelerWhile the location is great for fast travels into Madison, or getting to great hiking areas. My only complaint is that not every pull through is provided with a fire ring to burn wood (they almost seem random) and that the check in building is a bit bare. Otherwise, great location, great (partial) amenities, and good customer service.
ScoutThe sites are pretty big. The campground is not congested at all. The people are very nice. Everyone waves to everyone.
We came here because they showed a water obstacle course on their website. When we got here, we were informed that their beach hasn't passed health tests for the past few years. So no obstacle course or beach area.
The pool is very clean and the staff helped us pick a better site upon arrival. They also have a very pretty river to fish.
There is no store. The only thing available is firewood. If you need anything at all, there is a Walmart about ten minutes down the road.
The site is nice and grassy but there are a ton of bugs; mostly gnats.
All in all, it's a very clean place with great people. The pool is wonderful. The parks are great. But it's definitely a more lay back and relax kind of place. Not a ton of stuff to do for kids.
Guide
My husband and I spent 4 days here, midweek. Mostly RV’s, but we used a tent. The sites were clean, grass was trimmed, plenty of trees for shade. The bathhouse, there are 2, was spotless. Showers with hot water. And surprisingly, the toilet paper was not the typical one ply. It was soft and thick. The campground does not have a store, but sells fire wood. There is a sewage dump for RV’s. Racine is a short drive away for any last minute needs. The campground was quiet. Short 1 mile hike to Lake Michigan. We will visit again.
Scout
It was our first time visiting Ledge Park & we would absolutely go back! The sites are natural feeling and the park is very, very clean (including the bathrooms)… the views from “The Ledge” are hard to beat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Whitewater, WI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Whitewater, WI is Snug Harbor Inn Campground on Turtle Lake with a 4.8-star rating from 6 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 11 tent camping locations near Whitewater, WI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
