Cedar Hills Campground

Ready for a road trip? If you have been thinking about traveling away from the midwest this summer you are thinking about the price at the pump. Why not look in your back yard?

A short drive from Milwaukee, Chicago, or the Twin Cities will bring you to a road less traveled, the road that leads to the top of Wisconsin Heights, between Sauk City and Mazomanie off Wisconsin Hy78. Turn on Dunlap Hollow Road and pull into Carl's place. Carl's place is Cedar Hills Campground. Keep the plastic in your pocket. Carl will laugh at you if you think you can pay that way. He is still holding at $16 a night and about $84 per week. Seasonal campsites are $700 and you can leave the camper there all winter.

Carl's got a website now. I don't think he knows about it or even cares! You can't email him but he does have a phone (which he rarely answers). Carl's been around since about 1927. About all he cares about is feeding his beef cattle, filling the ruts in his road with his Bobcat, and making sure his campers are having a good time. Priorities depend on what the clock says, and whether it has just rained. Sometimes he feeds the campers too. Be there in late July or the beginning of August. Carl will give you some sweet bi-color corn that was probably picked that morning. Sorry. I'm almost drooling over the keyboard as I type this.

Oh yes. The website is here.

Cedar Hills shares that hill know as Wisconsin Heights with the Wisconsin DNR Blackhawk Natural Area. It adjoins the campground and has hiking trails, Native American Mounds, and is great for horseback riding. The most famous battle of the infamous Blackhawk War occurred here on July 21, 1832. The view from virtually every campsite is nothing short of an epiphany.

On Monday holidays Carl charges a three day minumum. The campground has some sites with electric and water. It is basic with NO camp store. Carl has ice and firewood at the office which is about two miles from the campsites and you can't count on the office being open. Be prepared. Carl's girlfriend Betty is around on the weekends to help. They are wonderful people. Once you meet them you realize that you are not a customer. You are a friend that comes back again and again.

Much of his business is river rats Hell bent on getting an all-over tan at the nearby Mazo Beach but then again people stay there to visit Wis. Dells, American Players Theater, House on the Rock, and the multitude of wonderful places nearby. Did I mention Susie the Duck Days over in Lodi, Wisconsin?

Peace.