Rocky Arbor State Park

I don't like leaving bad reviews and I hardly ever do....but I'm primary doing it for the cost to camp here for the amenities that are here. The site comes to just under $40 with the reservation fee online ($8 really?) THEN they hit you with another $11 for a NR to have a vehicle there. Should also consider a military discount after all of these fees....This is NOT a $51 park compared to state parks in other states and we have been to MANY. There is highway noise and the park and spot we stayed was just fine (less hwy noise than some of the other spots) but this is a $25 a night park not a $50. Would have given it four stars if it wasn't for the cost....we only stayed here because we were passing through and everything else was booked. It did it's job but would not stay here again(NC parks are NICER and they get by, by charging $25 with a small military discount) On the plus side, there were berries lining our camp site and road which I thought was neat and the shower was warm and I liked the push shower so it limits water usage because it gives you a reasonable amount of time between having to push the button again for water....I had one campground that had the same feature but you had to constantly push button to keep water working....bathroom was clean enough but like most campgrounds not overly clean...

We stayed in site #59 for memorial day weekend. 

The campground is pretty close to the freeway, but you can avoid the noise if you stay on the opposite side. The freeway travels along the outer ring of campsites in the #70's.  I included a google maps picture of where the freeway is in relation to the campground. We tent camped at campsite 59 and it was just a bit loud, if it was louder I would maybe not have enjoyed our stay. After a couple minutes, it just became background noise and we didn't really notice it. If you are looking for the absolute farthest sites from the freeway, they would probably be anything in or near the sites in the 20's. 

Our campsite was very nice and spacious. It was well shaded near the firepit and mostly hidden from next-door neighbors. The site is just across the road on a diagonal from some vault toilets. The toilets were surprisingly very nice, always clean and no smells. However there were a lot of mosquitos in this park. So many that we drove to Walmart and picked up some 2 Thermacell Patio Shield Mosquito Repeller, they actually worked great. 

All in all, I was a bit nervous that camping in the dells was going to be undesirable, but it ended up being a great weekend. We really enjoyed that you can drive anywhere in downtown dells in less than 10 minutes. I was shocked that the strip was so close to the campground because after getting off the freeway and to get to the park, you felt like you were almost in the middle of no where.

Nice quiet campground, close to many parks in Wisconsin Dells but far enough away from all the traffic and noise. Stayed one overnight driving through.

A very nice park, beautiful landscape and trails. A bit too close to the highway for my comfort though.

Nice smaller campground in WI Dells. Sites with wooded privacy. Some rustic and some electric sites. Older bathrooms but adequate. Picnic and playground. Potable water and dump station. A few hiking trails.

Sorry but we paid for a reservation and ended up staying for about 10 minutes. The website to reserve states the site is max 70ft long. No way!! First of all be aware there is a steep curving narrow road to get to sites. We have 33ft trailer. site 70 is short, not level and the highway noise was so loud we had to shout. It would have been a challenge to back into the site and the noise was not worth the effort. We left and headed to Cabelas. Believe it or not less noise! This is for tents, short RVs and deaf people.

There is not a lot of frill with this campground, but the sites are nice and secluded from one another with great foliage and tree cover. We came during a downpour but were able to move our camper into the trees to keep us a bit drier. It is a smaller campground that is a little bit further away from the craziness of the dells. 

The closer you get to the interstate the louder it gets and one of the loops backs right up to the interstate. So be aware if you are booking the loop it will be a constant hum. 

The shower building and pit toilets were kept clean and clearly marked when they would be cleaned during the day. I was surprised that they were being cleaned at 530 am as well as another time in the afternoon. 

Most of the campground is ideal for tent campground and smaller RVs.

On the positive side of things, the sites are (for the most part) secluded from one another with lots of trees. My wife and I stayed in site 10 which is right next to both pit toilets, and a full service shower building. Both are somewhat hidden by the surrounding trees, and there wasn’t any real distracting noise from people using the facilities. The site has a nice flat sandy spot for a 6 person tent; anything larger and you might be hard pressed to make it fit.

On the downside there is constant noise from the nearby interstate, and a fairly active railroad. There are small play sets for kids, and one trail to walk, but not much to see. The draw of this place is obviously the Wis. Dells attractions.

In summary, if you are planning to “do the dells” and just need an inexpensive place to crash for the nice, this place will do.

A basic state park, mostly for tent camping. Clean bathrooms with showers. Pretty quiet and lots of trees. The first time we stayed they had a terrible gypsy moth infestation that had denuded all the deciduous trees. There was a carpet of caterpillars on the ground as well as caterpillar poop falling from above. Not as bad as it sounds. Ok, it was.... It proximity to The Wisconsin Dells is one of the attractions to this campground as it is about 5 miles north of town. An inexpensive way to stay near an expensive destination.

This park gives the option of both tent and camper sites. Many of the sites are separated from others by some space and numerous trees, tucked back away in the pine forest. The secluded nature gives it the feel of a National Park with beautiful stretches of pine and rocky ledges. Most sites are quiet, with only the slightest hum of the interstate in the background (although a couple may be loud, so beware which site you book). Staff is friendly and helpful, firewood is available at the park. Many pit toilets are available, as well as running water/showers. Playgrounds are also in the park, a pet area, water fill up station, some trails (nothing much for hiking). Very very close to the Dells as well! Mosquitoes are terrible during the summer, but that’s to be expected anywhere in Wisconsin.

This state park in general is very small with minimal hiking but if you’re in the dells and want to camp - it’s a perfect option because its not usually too crowded and it’s pretty quiet. Bugs weren’t great and found a tick on my tent on the first morning. Nice park for the convenience of being close to everything else. Good cell phone service.

When Devil’s Lake gets full, Rocky Arbor is always my back up. It’s not as crowded and the trails to get around the park are peaceful and quiet. The lake is so close by but bugs aren’t too much of an issue and the hiking trails are beautiful and make you feel like you’re in Jurassic Park.

camping is what you get at this state park a couple of trails it is close to the highway so some sites you get Highway noise. you are close to Mirror lake for swimming and kayaking. this park is a lot less busy than others we have been to in the area. Bathrooms are nice and clean

This campground is very near to the WI Dells attractions. There are nice, fairly private campsites throughout the park as well as a couple nice hiking trails. Road noise could be an issue depending on the site you are staying at. Less busy feeling than the chaos of the WI Dells but more chaotic than a 'wilderness based' campground.