We spent Memorial weekend 2026 camping at Lake Kegonsa State Park. It was a bit of a mixed bag for us. The good: +The Campground is wooded, which is our favorite type of campground +They have showers +The bathroom with the showers was kept impeccably clean +You are in pretty close proximity to shopping (15 minutes or so) so if you find you forgot something, you don't have far to go The less than ideal: +Our fire ring was in rough shape with a big hole in the grate over the fire which made it difficult when making pudgie pies +The women's pit bathroom near our campsite had a burnt out light which I discovered after dark when I needed to go. It was the last time I used that bathroom and instead walked or drove up to the flushing bathrooms near the entrance +The lake itself was full of algae and kinda stinky in spots. Not a great place to swim or really enjoy the water in any way. +Due in part (I'm sure) to the stagnant water nearby, the mosquitos were plentiful All in all, I wouldn't likely camp here again but enjoyed sleeping in the woods none-the-less! read more

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So I'm writing this review from the perspective of a dog mom, and I think this park was a total let down 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? read more

We are visiting family near by via RV. Needed a place to dump the grey/black tanks. Called the park 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. read more

Lake Kegonsa State Park - Receipt for rv dump station access. - Parks Near Me - Stoughton, Wisconsin

Very micromanaged and you don't make your guests aware of the parking fee until the night before their stay.

We have now been here a couple of times in the last year to cross country ski and to hike. It is a very nice park and close to Madison though smaller than some of the other nearby state parks. They do a nice job of tracking the trails for cross country skiing though there are limited miles of trails but it is nice for a quick couple of hours of skiing. We haven't been here in summer to enjoy the beach and the lake itself but will do so in the future. They also have a nice campground that looks to have some wooded camp spots - better than some areas that are a glorified parking lot. Overall a great resource. read more

I was very disappointed in this state park. To preface our experience, we paid $11 to get in. I specifically asked the attendant about pet activity in the park. She told me about how pets need to be in a designated swimming area, but of course neglected to tell me that the area is closed! After finding out the pet area was closed, I ventured to the people area to find water and restrooms, which were also all out of order. So what exactly did I pay for? I did use their restroom and fill up on water at the entrance as we were heading out of the park. That building was actually well kept and it made up for 1 star for the entire park. Hopefully what I paid will help them make the park better. read more

We brought the kids here, hoping for a fun day of picnicking, swimming and hiking. We love our Wisconsin State Parks and visit several each summer. Even though we live within 30 minutes of Lake Kegonsa State Park, we'd never visited before. Unfortunately, the day didn't turn out as planned. The water quality was awful, and even though there were no water quality advisories posted, we were hesitant to let the kids get in the water. The main swimming beach is small, and was thick with algae. We walked further down the trail to find a dog beach, which was a bit cleaner, but still yuck. The kids and I even went out in our kayaks, hoping to find some cleaner water, but didn't have any luck. In the end, the kids enjoyed the playground, but the water quality needs serious improvement. I can't imagine we'll be back anytime soon. read more

Lake Kegonsa State Park - Parks Near Me - Stoughton, Wisconsin

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There are 3 things that make a good campground: 1. Clean bathrooms 2. Wooded spacing between camp sites 3. Awesome beach The bathrooms were really clean. The showers were in good condition & clean. There are flush toilets near the ranger station & by the beach. The campsites were nice & spacious. Lake Kegonsa has a pet beach! The regular beach is nice with plenty of picnic tables but a little rocky. You need to go about 30ft from the shore to get to the sandy ground. The whole swimming area doesn't get deeper than 4ft. read more

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Lake Kegonsa State Park is a great getaway from the hustle and bustle of Madison. The park offers lots of trails and plenty of parking. I only saw one beach and I'm not sure if there's more than one? I think it's proximity to Madison and the fact that has Lake Kegonsa makes it a great destination. I visited on a Wednesday evening in late Spring and foot and vehicle traffic was minimal. This allowed it to be that much more peaceful. I think overall this is a great day park. I don't know that it's enough a family entertained like Peninsula State Park or Devils Lake State Park, but it's still a gem. read more

Lake Kegonsa State Park - Parks Near Me - Stoughton, Wisconsin

For a state park, it is one of the few that is not over crowded. It is nice on a summer evening to drive out, look at the wildlife and look over the lake as the sun goes down. Lots of trails for hiking and a boat launch area. They even have a dog swimming area. read more

Nice because it is convenient, but the lake is in pretty gross condition and the trails are not very picturesque. We did attend a commitment ceremony and stayed at a group campsite here once. The areas were nice and well kept. Every time I come the beach is closed due to Ecoli or some other bacteria warning. read more

This is a great park offering top notch campsites. Very family orientated, the front check in booth looks great and well kept. The prices are very high, I would hope they reconsider raising them to encourage more people to get into camping. read more

My boyfriend and I went to Lake Kegonsa a few weeks ago, and the park itself was nice, but the lake was disgusting! The water was green and nasty looking. Nobody was in swimming , and people were leaving. We saw a lady in the dog swimming area who said she wouldn't let her dog go in the water. We have been coming to Lake Kegonsa for several years and it used to be a nice lake.I don't know what happened.You'd think a state park would monitor the lake better.It pissed us off, because we came all the way from Illinois to swim in Lake Kegonsa, and we had to turn around and go back home. A waste of our time and money! read more