Campgrounds and RV parks near Albany, WI

The Sugar River State Trail is the main draw for cyclists. The 24-mile compressed limestone path connects New Glarus to Brodhead and accommodates hiking, biking, and snowmobiling. Bike rentals are available in the village of New Glarus, and the Swiss-themed town itself is worth a stop for food and shops. Water activity centers on Lake Kegonsa, a 3,200-acre lake known for fishing, boating, sailing, and swimming. A designated swimming beach, picnic areas with reservable shelters, and a boat launch sit within the state park, less than a mile from the campground. At New Glarus Woods, wooded hiking trails and direct access to the Sugar River State Trail give campers a lot to do on foot or by bike. Madison's museums, capitol, and restaurants are about an hour from Albany for a rainy-day option.

The prime RV season in south-central Wisconsin runs from late spring through early fall. Wisconsin state parks apply a longer minimum stay in peak months: a two-night minimum reservation is required from May 15 through October 31, with three nights required on holiday weekends. Weekends in June, July, and August book out well ahead at both New Glarus Woods and Lake Kegonsa. Shoulder seasons work well for cyclists and hikers. May and September bring cooler nights, fewer bugs, and easier reservations, though services can be limited. Lake Kegonsa's family and group campgrounds are open from May 1 through October 31, and the concessionaire selling firewood operates on weekends during the camping season and daily between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Winter access is possible for day use. Lake Kegonsa State Park is open year-round from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and sledding replace boating and swimming once snow settles in, and private campgrounds in the area generally close for the cold months.

Expect a mix of rustic state-park sites and more equipped private campgrounds. New Glarus Woods is primitive: the campground has no RV dump or fill station, and only site 52 and the ADA-accessible site 53 permit two-wheeled campers such as pop-ups or small trailers, so larger rigs should look elsewhere. Lake Kegonsa is friendlier to RVs. The family campground has 96 sites, 29 with electrical hookups; sites 1-9 and 87-93 are partially wooded, and the rest are heavily wooded. A sanitary dump station sits between the family and group camping areas, and drinking water is available at several locations throughout the campground rather than at individual sites. RV drivers should confirm rig length and clearance before booking a state-park site, since these campgrounds are wooded and not built around big-rig loops. Measure carefully.