Remember when summers were about campfires, catching frogs, and staying up late under the stars? At Winding River Campground, we bring back those timeless family moments with 25 acres of peaceful nature, towering trees, and the quiet charm of the Little Yellow River.
A perfect campground for families, nature lovers, and those of all ages looking for a peaceful escape. Nestled between New Lisbon and Necedah, Winding River Campground offers easy access to Castle Rock Lake, the Wisconsin River, and miles of hiking and rock climbing trails. Leave behind the noise and rush of urban life and trade it for crackling campfires, towering trees, and the quiet beauty of a spring-fed pond. Reconnect with family and friends through the simple joys of nature—swimming, playing games, and unwinding under the stars.
Ways to Stay
We had two sites: one camper and one tent. The sites were very roomy with fire pits and picnic tables and a good combination of sun and shade. We had a nice view of the small pond and used the campground's kayaks for a quick paddle. We enjoyed activities out and about during the days and relaxing, quiet mornings and evenings at the campground.
The bathrooms were really clean. It seemed like the women's bathroom had just been cleaned every time I went in there. And such darling pictures on the walls!
Activities:
- Pickleball at Lions Park in Mauston
- hauled our bikes to Hustler and biked to the tunnel - very cool!
- geocaching all around including right at the campground entrance
- Buckhorn State Park: hiked, picnic, beach and biked. Google showed bike trails in Buckhorn SP but the paths are very sandy, so we don't recommend biking in this state park!
the couple that owns the campsite are over the top when it comes to caring for their guests. i was given two free bottles of water, was lent an extension cord, and they even offered me coffee in the morning and their office to take my zoom calls in. the couple live onsite in a house and showed me where their door was and insisted that i do not hesitate to knock in the middle of the night should i need anything or feel unsafe. of course none of that was needed and my stay was perfectly safe and comfortable - but it just showed me how much they really care !
most of the people staying at the campground were families with lots of activities/toys for kids to play with. the showers were free, bathrooms were clean, and there is a little shop on site that sells snacks, bug spray, etc.
they also have free wifi throughout the campground ! it was not strong enough to use for my zoom call but it worked perfectly for everything else (even streaming netflix and youtube videos).
it’s nothing fancy - but it is certainly a lovely, safe, clean, and inviting place that i would feel confident suggesting other solo female travelers to stay.
I booked this spot because it was close to the highway and I needed a "stop and go" type of campsite -where I wouldn't be too far from cell service and could get back to driving quick and easily. (T Mobile wasn't the best when I wasn't on the highway) Luckily, they have a good wi-fi setup installed that allowed me to continue my work while I was there -which made me spend most of the day there instead!
I would 100% stay here again!
Both Lila and Randy ( and Elsie, of course) are such great people and created such a wonderful environment with all their RVers. We had only a tent and were worried about a loud campground after the children were in bed. But the grounds were quiet and my husband and I had a chance to sit outside , alone together and look at the stars.
Lila created a produce stand for everyone to share items on. It was fun to add to it (even if our items weren't homegrown).
Thank heavens for the small camp store. It had all the items I had forgotten and then some things the children wanted. We found the bathrooms so clean and tidy. From some of the reviews, we weren't sure what it would be like. But the grounds and facilities are ALL topnotch and extremely clean. (Don't always trust bad reviews!) Obviously, the NEW owners are topnotch and work hard!
It's a lovely, lovely place and the owners are just wonderful people. We will be back AGAIN!