Maiden voyage at this location was quite the surprise. In the middle of rolling luscious green…read morehills. It felt pretty safe with the warden and Ranger making frequent passes. The host was very friendly and helpful with the 411. The sites are close enough together that it doesn't feel very remote though. Unfortunately, it was very extremely high temperatures so I didn't get to explore the hiking trails. But the beach and amphitheater were definitely worth checking out. Educational programs and food truck Saturdays. Wi-Fi is a little spotty so they recommend cash. The grounds are very clean as well as the restrooms and showers. Definitely feels like you're someplace else even if you're from the state of Wisconsin.

What a hidden gem of a state park. They have a beautiful beach with yellow sand. The lake was huge…read moreand looked perfect for skiing and fishing. There are tons of picnic tables and plenty of people had parties meeting up at the beach. The bathrooms by the beach were pits, but were well maintained. The pit toilets did have a good amount of coop flies. The campground had very nice bathrooms, and has showers for after your swim. Many of the campsites were further from the road which made it a bit more secluded and gave us a sense of privacy. Will definitely be back!

Bartel's Beach is a small park along Lake Mills that offers families plenty. There's a playground…read morewith your typical slides and swings. There are benches under shaded trees and some BBQ grills if you want to have a little cookout. But the big draw of Bartel's Beach is the actual beach part. Yes there is sand at Bartel's Beach but more importantly, it offers a safe spot to swim away from all the water sports found on Lake Mills. There's an area probably 100 feet out and 400 feet wide that's bouyed off just for families to enjoy swimming. Now, there aren't any lifeguards on duty so if you come here with the kids you know what to do. I'm not sure how deep the water goes but my kid isn't the most daring either lol. Oh, and there's also a public restroom so go there and not in the lake! And that's really it for Bartel's Beach. Whether you're looking for some sun where the cool breeze coming off the lake feels great or you're on the hunt for a little swim spot for the kiddos (or yourself), you can do way worse. It can get a bit crowded so come early and get yourself a cherry spot!

We have passed by this park a number of times but had never stopped. It doesn't have the Wow…read morefactor of many of the other great state parks in Wisconsin. But we finally went here to meet friends on a warm late May Sunday for a hike. We did the big loop around the perimeter of the park about 5 miles - boy there are a lot of hills. Very deceptive. The trails are well marked and in good shape. We did see the walk-in camping spots which looked interesting and somewhat private but pretty close to highway 69. There was a small picnic area where we ate our lunch afterward - it was nice enough. Overall not a bad park but it just doesn't have the big draw of nearby parks like Blue Mounds, Gov Dodge, Mirror Lake, etc.

This is definitely a five star state park one of the best and it is nice and quiet perfect camping…read moreand three minutes from A Culvers some of the best scenic camping and backpacking I've seen in a long time right off the roads that sounds nice and loud like a waterfall it's tops

We had a very nice trip to Blackhawk campground. The pool was outstanding! Very clean and had the…read moreperfect temperature. Our cabin was very clean, spacious, cool, and well stocked. The campground was quiet at night and the seasonal campers were super friendly. The bathroom/shower house was very clean and had plenty of hot water. The staff worked very hard In spite of being so short staffed. The manager Lori was kind and helpful. We rented a golf cart and it was fun and ran well. The park was clean and well maintained. The only thing not perfect was the bed inside our cabin #4. It had a large dip in the middle making sleeping kind of difficult. However floating in that awesome not overly populated pool made it all ok. I highly recommend bringing your family camping there. Whether you have a tent, camper, or choose to rent a cabin. You will have a blast!

I have been going to Blackhawk since I was a little girl. No - I take that back I have probably…read morebeen going to Blackhawk since I was in the womb! Needless to say, for many, many, many years my family made Blackhawk our home-away-from home 3 times a summer. My memories of Blackhawk are all good. There's stories, memories, thoughts and experiences that I would never, ever be able to duplicate anywhere else that I had here. We're talking my first time skinny dipping, hiding in the dryer so my parents wouldn't find me after dark, and seeking cover in the pavilion from tornadoes as we watched the wind and rain rip away and blow around the tents and bits around us. Ahhh, Blackhawk. But this isn't a memoir, so I will stick to the things I know now. "Back in my day" the general store was off the beach, but floods and old age weathered the store and they tore it down. Now the beach looks messy, overused and completely neglected. Campers rarely swim in the lake anymore. This might be because there is now two in-ground pools near the entrance of Indian Village, but I still think the dirty lake is the bee's knees. "Back in my day" the majority of the camp sites were all for transient campers. Now the majority of the campground is permanent sites. There's pros and cons to this. One is that I knew a few people with permanent sites and if you're lucky enough to be in the "in" crowd, you know that having a permanent site and friends all around is like one big family that parties together every single (weekend) night (and the occasional weekday, depending). There is something very special about knowing the right people who have permanent sites here. We're talking late night karting in the woods, drunken bon fires, crazy stories to retell when you're sober in the morning... (Back in my day, they even had a live bear in a cage!) But if you're an unlucky one to not have a permanent site, I can see that Blackhawk would be a pretty boring place if you're in for just the night or two. There's cabins all around now to rent, in Indian Village and near the beach. I've never been inside one and haven't had the pleasure of staying overnight in one, but they look well cared for and large enough for a small family or a group of friends. I love that they put on fun events in the summer, from music to bingo to prom, etc.. It's a fun place if you know where to look, how to get around, and who to hang with. Blackhawk is not nearly as special, clean, or "cool" as it once was when I was younger, but I give it 5-stars because it holds a very special place in my heart. It used to be family run and it was clear they all cared for the grounds well; the point is, they cared. You can tell it's changed hands a few times and even the restaurant is owned by someone separate from the person who owns the grounds. Things seem much more disjointed now then they ever were. My suggestion: stay in Indian Village, on a water site, bring flip-flops for the showers by the beach, bring a comfy chair to people watch, bring a cooler full of beer, ignore the dirty water and dive in to the lake. This place is it!

So I'm writing this review from the perspective of a dog mom, and I think this park was a total let…read moredown for bringing your pup. We came here to visit due to its proximity to Madison and the fact that they had a dog beach. Sounds great. We parked somewhat near the beach and it's a short walk to the (very small) dog beach. Madison lakes in general are pretty gross, but today this one had a large amount of still water and algae, so wasn't really looking to stay here very long based on that. Figured we'd move on to a hike once my dog got his dunk in the water (which does kinda require a bath as soon as you get home). The trail by the dog beach then continues in different directions from the dog beach, but there are signs saying no dogs allowed. So you're kind of trapped in this small area. It was a warm summer day when we came here, so walking in the open blazing sun was not sounding great. We drove around the park to different trails trying to find something shaded and more than a quarter mile, but wasn't having much luck. The only wooded trail that was about 1.2 miles was the White Oak Trail, which looked amazing, but that trail doesn't allow dogs. Overall, I'd argue that this is not a very dog-friendly outdoor area and not worth the trip. Again, this review is solely for those visiting with their dogs, but who wants to go on an awesome outdoor adventure hike without man's best friend?

We are visiting family near by via RV. Needed a place to dump the grey/black tanks. Called the…read morepark and Marcer answered with the information on how to access the park's dump station. All went well and it's a beautiful well kept park. Cost for non campers to dump tanks was $10. Flush and potable water is available.

Located about 2.5 hrs from Chicago, Lake Carroll has it all. I don't think there's a better place…read moreto own lakefront property. The amenities are endless. The gorgeous private lake, golf course, indoor pool, snow tubing hill with a tow rope to drag you and your tube up the hill, the lodge, and equestrian center. It's year around fun no matter what your interests are. It's very small town for Chicagoans, but the friendliness and sense of community almost feels movie-like. I really love this place.

Lake Carroll recently added weed killer to the lake due to excessive weeds. For well over a week…read morenow I have been asking for a status as members of the family were planning on swimming at the beach this weekend. I have emailed them multiple times and received no response. Multiple members of the board are on the emails and all do not feel it necessary to extend the common courtesy of an answer... STAY AWAY!!! NEGATIVE STARS FOR LAKE CARROLL MANAGEMENT IF POSSIBLE!!!

This is a lovely little park on Decatur Lake, at the Dam. There are some really impressive bluffs…read moreand cliffs. Be careful, they're easy to fall down! It's a nice place for a picnic lunch if you are in the area. Hint: On the other side of the dam, to the east, is the mill race park. This is a beautiful long mill race that used to deliver water to the old mill and hydro plant down river in the city of Brodhead. It's a great place for a walk, dog friendly, and very nice kayaking! Just lovely

Great fishing and very nice cabins! Very welcoming staff and very nice residents. Also has some…read morebanger pizza!!

Hickory Hills is quickly becoming our family's favorite spot to go to post school being out. This…read moreyear we stayed at PM2 and it was amazing!!! The staff was extremely kind and accommodating to us. We were able to bring our pup with us and our kids LOVED their space. Also the plants inside were a perfect addition! I LOVED all the plants and it made me feel like I was home! Our whole family loved our time there with all our friends and additional family!

First time wakeboarder here. I've skied many times but never got up on a wakeboard. After failing…read moreseveral times I'm happy to report, with the help of the talented and patient staff, I got up and rode for my first time! Came here with my family and we had an absolute blast. Very cool park set up with a cable system. It's tough to initially get the feel of taking off from a dead stop on the dock, but I do like the fact you're level with the water. Once you get a feel for it, the turns are also difficult (for a newbie) but not impossible. For the advanced riders, they have tons of features to ride on (or jump off of). As mentioned, the staff are friendly and helpful. They are all VERY good wakeboarders so they know their stuff. You can bring your own gear or rent from them. They have slow speed sessions or normal sessions, so if you're a beginner, go for the slow. A few small criticisms I had that would be easy to fix: -We came for a slow speed session and I was bummed they bumped up the speed halfway through the session right when I started getting the hang of it and I started falling again. I wish they wouldn't advertise a speed and then change it midway. They did bump it back down at the end of the session, which was good. -I think they need a little more padding on the shore by the first turn. If you fall there, to get onto the shore, you need to walk over rocks and they're painful on bare feet. -Our two younger nephews got a small burn on their shoulder from the life jacket rubbing against them? the adults were fine so not sure what that was about. All in all, a very positive experience for us and Rockford is very lucky to have a place like this! Can't wait to come back!

West Rock is a prime example for how EVERY cable park (and business) should be run. The staff are…read moreall-time, the park layout is incredible, the locals are very friendly, and the vibes simply can't be beat. This family owned & operated business does wonders with the community and is beyond passionate about the wakeboard industry. We travel from CA every season because we LOVE this place so much. I wish it was closer to the west coast, but the location is what makes this place beyond special. If you're looking into trying wakeboarding for the first time, West Rock is BY FAR the most affordable and provides the best experience for any ability level. Ask about their never ever (first timer) classes if you've never ridden before. A private coach will go above and beyond to get you riding and loving the sport as much as we do! Thanks for always delivering a 6 star experience for every day we ride your park!