The summer camp experience
Hosted by Ian · Waupaca, Wisconsin
3 sites · Tent · 75 acres
Best in Wisconsin: Finalist
Named one of the best Hipcamps to visit in 2024.
Ian is a Star Host
Star Hosts are highly rated, responsive, and committed to providing incredible experiences.
Off-leash friendly
Pets can be off-leash at this Hipcamp.
Private sites
97% of recent Hipcampers say the sites felt private.
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99% Recommend135 ratings · 65 reviews
This campsite offers a classic outdoor experience with ample space, privacy, and access to a beautiful lake. Guests appreciate the cleanliness and maintenance of the sites, as well as the friendly and responsive staff, particularly Ian. Many visitors enjoy the added amenities like swimming, kayaking, and fishing, along with the convenience of nearby facilities such as pit toilets and potable water. While some reviews mention minor issues with directions and maintenance, the overall sentiment is overwhelmingly positive, making it an attractive option for families and groups seeking a peaceful getaway.
Summary AI-generated from real reviews
We went tent camping it was realy clean spacious private had a lake we took dogs it was so fun will be back .
L
Lissa M.
1 month on Hipcamp
Recommends
· July 2025
Tent · With kids ·
Lower Bluff
I loved this old boy scout camp. My boys enjoyed the swimming area and kayaks and all the little fish there. Showers were ok...had hot water and flush toilets by them. Put toilets right in a the area we were camping on. Nice and private, barely saw another sole
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Hope M.
4 months on Hipcamp
It’s our 3rd year at this camp but our first at Sauk Campsite! Everything was as perfect as all previous years. We love the extra space Sauk Camp had to offer. The beach is a little further than at lower bluff but still a walking distance. Site was clean and had everything we needed! This is a great spot for family fun and for pets! Will definitely be booking for next year!
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Yaya I.
2 reviews
Recommends
· July 2025
Tent · With kids ·
Pioneer campsite
We had a lovely time camping at the Pioneer site! Super clean throughout the property, giant, flat campsite, and the beach was a blast. Thank you!
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Caitlin P.
2 reviews
If you enjoy self- contained, primitive camping this is the ticket. A serene environment with numerous walking trails. Add on swimming, the campfire and the stars for good measure.
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Rita F.
2 reviews
The property was lovely containing old growth forest and many native plant species. The little beach was perfect. We had a great time.
Deborah C.
1 year on Hipcamp
Great site a short walk from the lake. Very private site that fit our four tents with room to spare. Nice to having water and a pit toilet at the site as well. A little confusing driving to the site for unloading. Other than a whip-poor-will bird keeping us up half the night it was ideal. Would definitely go back!
Jonathan P.
7 months on Hipcamp
The Lower Bluff site was excellent! Clean out houses, water on site, and a clear, maintained trail down to the lake - coupled with a wide swath of abundant wildlife - made for a very memorable trip.
The camp director, Ian, was also very helpful and responsive to any inquiries.
I'd give the site and experience a 10/10.
M
Mike S.
3 reviews
Recommends
· May 2025
Tent · With pets ·
Lower Bluff
Very nice campsite. Plenty of room for the tents and access to fresh water. The lake is really close and the fishing was great. Will definitely come back again.
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Ruben H.
2 reviews
Recommends
· September 2024
Tent · With pets ·
Sauk Campsite
Loved this site! So private and relaxing. Very clean, well kept.
Emily P.
2 reviews
We had a blast closing out summer on Labor Day weekend! Our site (Sauk) was near the entrance but still plenty private and quiet. It had its own double outhouse, fire pit, picnic tables, and plenty of room to spread out. It even included a perfect spot for a hammock. The swim beach area was lovely, the water was great, and we were able to take out a canoe (life jackets were on hand). Our little dogs loved being out on the boat and chilling in front of the fire. What a fantastic bargain! Vintage, rustic, and beautiful. We fell asleep to the sounds of whippoorwill, loons, owls, and coyotes. Thank you Ian and everyone at Camp Shin-Go-Beek!
J
Jennifer G.
3 years on Hipcamp
Really nice roomy site with a short, wooded trail to the beach. Host was responsive and helpful and also let us do our own thing during our stay.
Skyler P.
2 reviews
Pioneer site was a lot bigger than I expected with an extra large fire pit. Kids loved it! Our group was able set up 7 tents with more than enough room to set up additional tents if needed. Lots of ant hills, the entire ground was covered in them. The ants didn’t bother us or the food the entire time we were there.
The roadway ran right next to Pioneer site so we did see a few cars drive by and helped a lost camper find their group’s site. There weren’t very visible signs within the campground to point you in the right direction.
I may have had my expectations set a little higher thinking this is a youth camp with staff. Staff could’ve ran a broom through the outhouse to remove all the cobwebs & wasp nest, so the kids won’t be screaming about all the spiders. A few members of our group did go use the showers and said showers looked about as nice as the outhouse.
Unfortunately, when I first inquired about booking the site for a group of 40, I waited a week and didn’t get a response. I had to reach out to Hipcamp support to see if the campground was still in operation. I don’t know if Hipcamp reached out to host or host decided to respond but eventually did get a response. And when I did have a question, it felt like I was pulling teeth every time I sent a message. Although campground is advertised as being able to accommodate groups as large as 50. Host seemed leery of having a group of 40, which I found odd. Our group ended up with 16 people. Didn’t meet host or staff.
V
Vong V.
3 reviews
LOVED our site, Lower Bluff. It was spacious and shady with quick access to the beach. Absolutely the best site!
We contacted Ian as soon as we arrived and he quickly provided the details needed to get to the site, as well as information about showers and bathrooms. He encouraged us to text if we had any other questions. The morning we left camp, we also had a visit from John, who is involved with the camp, to make sure everything was ok.
I think we stayed during the quiet season (late August) and maintenance staff wasn’t around 24/7. The showers and bathrooms in the Admin building were not left in good condition by previous campers, and our pit toilets were also left in need of a good cleaning.
We will absolutely stay again!
K
Kate K.
2 reviews
We had a great time camping at the Pioneer site. Our favorite aspect of this site is the private location, the large open space in the center, and the lake. At the lake, we were able to take advantage of the beach to ourselves.
G
Gao L.
1 year on Hipcamp
Recommends
· August 2024
Tent · Group trip ·
Lower Bluff
This was a wonderful campsite. You can tell the hosts maintain the area in a way that makes tent set up quick and easy! Bathrooms are right there which is wonderful. I also loved how easy access the lakefront was.
Annie M.
7 reviews
Recommends
· August 2024
Tent · Group trip ·
Lower Bluff
My friends and I loved the Lower Bluff site. The site was clean, well maintained, and had everything we could need during our stay. Ian was responsive with anything we may need. We will definitely be back again!
Helenna H.
2 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· August 2024
Tent · Group trip ·
Lower Bluff
My group really enjoyed camping here! The group site was very spacious and private. The short walk down the trail to the beach was super convenient as well. It was nice to have a restroom available at our site, although it was fairly dirty, that’s what I expect when camping!
We were pleasantly surprised to see almost zero mosquitoes our entire stay as well, despite the proximity to the lake.
M
Michaela R.
1 year on Hipcamp
I loved this camping spot. It was right by the lake and had some amazing fishing. Beautiful weather and clear skis.
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Philip M.
1 year on Hipcamp
Recommends
· July 2024
Tent · Group trip ·
Sauk Campsite
It was an awesome location plenty of room but yet remote from all the other campsites. Our group was thrilled with how everything was!!
W
Wesley W.
1 year on Hipcamp
A perfect location for camping in a quiet and tree-covered space with great privacy. It was convenient to have the potable water source so close on site, and two picnic tables and a large fire pit too. We had two couples camping there at Lower Bluff, and there was easily enough room for one or two more. Just a short walk down to the lake, or over to the admin office. Definitely a great experience.
K
Kelly M.
2 reviews
Recommends
· July 2024
Tent · Group trip ·
Sauk Campsite
Beautiful location with many nice campgrounds and a beach that was very nice to swim and canoe at. They allowed us to use the dining hall for our event, which was very spacious. Definitely will be coming again anytime we want to get out in nature and escape the bustle of the city.
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Pearl L.
1 year on Hipcamp
This camp site was great! Incredibly peaceful with a ton of beautiful birds singing throughout the day, relatively private (even with fellow camper in the area), and a short walk to the private beach at the lake.
It’s a semi-primitive with pit toilets and a potable water spigot.
Ian was a great host and even checked on us to offer shelter in the admin building before a storm rolled through.
E
Emily H.
6 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· June 2024
Tent ·
Sauk Campsite
Wasnt sure if i was in the rite area.....Ian was rite there with the answers.Large clean site to myself.Fresh water/ pit toilet.Easy access.Would go back!!
Curt K.
1 year on Hipcamp
Recommends
· June 2024
Tent · With pets ·
Lower Bluff
What a perfect campground for a large family outing with 5 kids!! Plenty of peaceful space and so close to our own beach!
J
Jon M.
1 year on Hipcamp
Recommends
· May 2024
Tent · With kids ·
Lower Bluff
Ian’s land is always well taken care of and this time we got the pleasure of meeting him and his family as well as other camp staff setting up for the season. They are so kind and accommodating. As always, the site at Lower Bluff was perfect and did not disappoint, even with the rain we had one day. 10/10 recommend!
K
Kelly M.
6 reviews
I’ll start with the pros: Ian was a good host. He let us arrive to the campsite a few hours early. He also gave us permission to use the firewood provided (huge benefit). And he said we could stay in the cabins if we wanted because of the rain, which was nice. The potable water was cold and the nearby outhouse was clean.
The cons: No signage for Hipcampers. More signs would be helpful for check-in. The site itself needs landscaped. Grass was overgrown and very buggy - lots of flies and ants. The fire pit was big, but had burned rail ties in it which also meant rusty nails and screws everywhere (not good when you have an unleashed dog roaming around). In general, the whole site including the waterfront and surrounding trails felt unkempt and needed a refresh. Perhaps we just came early in the season. We were looking forward to getting in the lake, but the trails were overgrown and when we finally made it, it wasn’t as clean or inviting as we had expected.
Overall, we still managed to have a good weekend here. I would recommend this site for a large group wanting a no-frills experience and some privacy.
C
Conley C.
4 reviews
Recommends
· September 2023
Tent · With pets ·
Pioneer campsite
We love tent camping the Pioneer site at The Summer Camp Experience! The site is huge and very private. It would be perfect for a large group of campers or for people with dogs that want a little privacy. It is just a short walk to a beautiful lake with swimming and some boating available. Just be aware that this is a true rustic experience! At the site, there is an outhouse type toilet and outdoor running water (with an indoor toilet and shower available at the lodge). Highly recommend this site and we will be back!
Gen S.
3 reviews
Recommends
· August 2023
Tent · With kids ·
Lower Bluff
It was absolutely perfect we plan to do it again next year.it was very quiet and the beach was only a short walk away
M
Matthew M.
2 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· August 2023
Tent · With kids ·
Lower Bluff
We always have a great time and this was no exception!
M
Mark B.
4 reviews
Location
Waupaca, Waushara, Wisconsin, United StatesTo respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking
Hosted by Ian H.
Joined in March 2021Things to do nearby
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