Mill Bluff State Park Wisconsin Review

Mill Bluff State Park located in Wisconsin is a very small campground, pond, and nature area that was a good weekend camping spot. I’d recommend this place for a fun family weekend or just a quick stop to sleep if you’re traveling across the country. There’s enough to fill a full day with some hiking, swimming, and camping, but there isn’t much besides that. Here’s my review of this small Wisconsin state park!

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Pros

Small and quaint
Swimming pond
Family friendly

Cons

No showers
Close to interstate/some road noise
Few options for multi-day trips

Things to Do at Mills Bluff State Park

Mill Bluff State Park is located in southwestern Wisconsin and unfortunately, this is a small state park too. The park has 21 RV spots and that’s it. There’s a small nature area that encompasses the buttes that are in the area with 2 main trails to walk, the Mill Bluff Trail and the Carmel Bluff Trail.

steep stone stairs on the mill bluff trail with green forest surrounding them — The stairs along the Mill Bluff Trail in Wisconsin.

The swimming pond is a real highlight of the park and it is a big highlight of the park. The park is quaint and honestly very family-friendly with lots of different people staying the night in the park. It was quiet and very accessible. I was able to wake up and take a lazy day of walks, hikes, and relaxing.

This is Mill Bluff, one of many isolated and rocky castle-like hills which rise abruptly from the surrounding plain. This formation is properly called a mesa (Spanish for "table") if large and butte if small. Mesas and buttes in this driftless area escaped glacial activity and have a capping on top hard enough to resist weathering. Erosion by wind and water eventually wears away the soft sides until the weight of the overhanging cap causes it to fall. The mounds decrease in size until the capping is all removed. Then the mound becomes a conical hill, gradually blending with the plain. Mill Bluff received its name from a sawmill operated here in the early days of settlement. — The sign at the Mill Bluff Trailhead.

Around the Area

This area of Wisconsin has lots of outdoor activities. There are tons of fishing, ATV, and river outfitters in the area if you’re looking to explore the area’s forests and rivers. There are several lakes, rivers, fishing areas, and forests all in this area of Wisconsin.

Area Hospital

The Tomah Health Hospital is one of the closest hospitals to the state park and is located here. Its services are listed here. Know your specific situation and make sure this hospital is a good fit for you.

Area Veterinarian

One 24 hour on-call option for veterinarians is Tomah Veterinary Clinic located here. Here are the available services. Always know your pet’s specific health issues before traveling so you can find the right place for you.

Rankings

Bathrooms

There are pretty average pit toilets in the park. The park ranger is available during the day and cleans the pit toilets regularly. No showers are available so plan accordingly.

Campsites

a red truck and green grass at a forested campsite at mill bluff state park — The campsite I stayed in at Mill Bluff State Park.

The RV sites are clean and there’s plenty of space at many of the spots. Electricity is available at most spots for RV power.

Activities

There isn’t much in the immediate vicinity other than a few hiking and swimming options.

Location

The greater area has lots to do and there are several state forests and parks in this region but you’ll have to drive to all of them.

Visible Cell Service by Verizon

I only had one bar during my stay but was able to do some calling and texting but very little internet.

Conclusion

Mill Bluff State Park in Wisconsin is a wonderful small park for families and short trips. Several things prevent longer stays, mainly the lack of showers and few outdoor activities. The swimming pond is really a wonderful highlight and well worth a weekend summer stay. The trails are nice and well maintained but there are only 2 main hikes. I still recommend the park and you should explore Wisconsin!

How are the bluffs created?

Mesas and buttes in this driftless area escaped glacial activity and have a capping on top hard enough to resist weathering. Erosion by wind and water eventually wears away the soft sides until the weight of the overhanging cap causes it to fall. The mounds decrease in size until the capping is all removed. Then the mound becomes a conical hill, gradually blending with the plain.