Southern wisconsin Camping with boating available too.

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starlaker

Member
everyone is always so helpful and knowledgeable on here so thought I would give this a shot, We are looking for a location in southern Wisconsin could be east west or central southern wisconsin that would have a nice campground where we could also bring the pontoon along for a weeks vacation sometime this summer. We usually go north for a week but it seems it's always so cold that it's not ideal for boating most days. Thought we would try heading south instead this time. We are familiar with the Rend lake area in northern IL but would like to stay in Wisconsin if possible, We are very low maintance, basically need a current bush for the camper and could even do without that as well. Don't have to keep the boat in the water once we dock either it's not a problem to load and reload as needed. Any info is appreciated. Thanks in advance.
 
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whitedust

Well-known member
Koshkonong is shallow and muddy, Green Lake is huge deep and cold. If you want to give Vilas another shot try Spectacle Lake camp grounds in Phelps. Sand beach with roped off swim area , launch right there but probably could pull toon up on beach camp on shore tent or trailer, fishing pier laid back campers National Camp Ground but run by state. In middle of Nicolet Forest so well protected from wind beach gets west sun exposure.
 
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fusionrider

Member
Scenic Ridge Campground on Whitewater Lake. Roped off beach area, boat launch. There are several piers but they may be seasonal and all rented. Launching in and out would not be a problem.
 
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wisco-mb

Active member
One nice spot is Adams County Castle Rock Park. On Castle Rock lake. Suprised shoot2kill didn't mention that one.
They have a boat launch right in the campground. Nice beach area also. Castle Rock has good variety. Lot of bars to stop, and can run the WI river on the north end and utilize the sand bars.
 
SHOOT2KILL

SHOOT2KILL

Active member
wisco-mb said:
One nice spot is Adams County Castle Rock Park. On Castle Rock lake. Suprised shoot2kill didn't mention that one.
They have a boat launch right in the campground. Nice beach area also. Castle Rock has good variety. Lot of bars to stop, and can run the WI river on the north end and utilize the sand bars.
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I assumed that since Starlaker is from Wi Rapids he was familiar with Castle Rock/Petenwell lake area...Although I will give a shameless plug for my longtime sleddin buds mansion on the west shore just north of the dam...They were renting it thru airbnb/vrbo for a few years, not sure if it's still available...Around 6000sf log home...$600.00ish per night...Lookup Camp-Augie
 
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starlaker

Member
SHOOT2KILL said:
I assumed that since Starlaker is from Wi Rapids he was familiar with Castle Rock/Petenwell lake area...Although I will give a shameless plug for my longtime sleddin buds mansion on the west shore just north of the dam...They were renting it thru airbnb/vrbo for a few years, not sure if it's still available...Around 6000sf log home...$600.00ish per night...Lookup Camp-Augie
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shoot2kill, yes you are right we are very familiar with this area of castle rock and petenwell and the county campgrounds on each lake, we spend most Sundays on the river, have a yearly pass for both boat landings.but we are looking to get a little farther away from home for vacation though and explore something different. Thanks for the feedback though. But anyone else following this thread Shoot2kill nailed exactly what we are looking for. As always, from this site, getting information that is very helpful. Thanks.
 
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wisco-mb

Active member
Sorry, I didn't realize you were from Rapids!
One lake to try is Lake Puckaway. Just west of Big Green lake. Just not a big recreational lake due to it being a little more shallow(part of Fox River), and getting overlooked by people going to Green Lake. There are numerous taverns to stop, and you can run the Fox River all the way to Montello to River's Bend Resort. They have a campground there. There are a couple campgrounds on Lake Puckaway. Arrowhead is the best(have known the owners since grade school). The boat launch is 1/4 mile east of there.
 
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starlaker

Member
wisco-mb said:
Sorry, I didn't realize you were from Rapids!
One lake to try is Lake Puckaway. Just west of Big Green lake. Just not a big recreational lake due to it being a little more shallow(part of Fox River), and getting overlooked by people going to Green Lake. There are numerous taverns to stop, and you can run the Fox River all the way to Montello to River's Bend Resort. They have a campground there. There are a couple campgrounds on Lake Puckaway. Arrowhead is the best(have known the owners since grade school). The boat launch is 1/4 mile east of there.
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snomoman

snomoman

Active member
I realize this is an old thread but I figured I’d throw this out there, when I used to have a boat a few years ago we would go up to the Madison Lakes, there’s a County Campground on Lake Mendota that we would camp at and there’s a little inlet there that you can actually rent a slip from also, from what I remember they had decent hot showers and bathrooms, then you can take lake Mendota and you go through a lock, then down the river to the next lake and even down to a 3rd lake, again it was a few years ago definitely pre-Covid so who knows what has changed since then, but we always enjoyed it
 
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maddogg

Member
snomoman said:
I realize this is an old thread but I figured I’d throw this out there, when I used to have a boat a few years ago we would go up to the Madison Lakes, there’s a County Campground on Lake Mendota that we would camp at and there’s a little inlet there that you can actually rent a slip from also, from what I remember they had decent hot showers and bathrooms, then you can take lake Mendota and you go through a lock, then down the river to the next lake and even down to a 3rd lake, again it was a few years ago definitely pre-Covid so who knows what has changed since then, but we always enjoyed it
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The campground is still there and you can still cruise the chain. Just be wary of the bridges and how high your pontoon is. Restaurants/bars on the water are limited though.
 
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wisco-mb

Active member
We would play pickup volleyball games after work there. Nice little spot.
We did a lot of boating in Madison around '07-13' when I lived there. Seems like the blue green algae has gotten worse over the years. We have not done a lot of trips lately.
It is nice chain you can run on. Mendota, to Monona, to Waubesa. We always like Nautigal on the north end, but that is getting ripped down for condos. The Edgewater bar has a good amount of spots to dock at now. Christie's on Waubesa is a very nice summer spot. Tiki bar and lot of parking. You can hit Gilligan's sand bar on the yahara.
 
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