Lake Kegonsa State Park offers a natural, peaceful setting beside a glacier-hewed lake. The lake offers swimming, fishing, water-skiing, sailing and motor boating. The lake covers 3,209 acres and is more than 30 feet deep. Park visitors enjoy the lake's excellent fishing. Prairie, forest and marsh habitats offer a variety of camping, hiking, picnicking and skiing opportunities.
Activities and recreation:
Hiking
The park has more than five miles of hiking trails along the lake and through varied habitat.
Camping
Family campground
The campground has 96 sites, 68 reservable and 29 that have electrical hookups. Sites 1-9 and 87-93 are partially wooded. The rest of the sites are heavily wooded. Campsites can accommodate tents, pop-ups, trailers and recreational vehicles (RVs). Only one wheeled camping unit is allowed per site. There are two electric campsites in the park for campers with disabilities.
Drinking water is available at several locations throughout the campground. Flush toilets and showers are at the entrance to the campground and may be closed in early May and late October, depending on weather conditions. Three vault toilets are located throughout the campground.
The sanitary dump station is available in the park for dumping waste and filling tanks with potable water. The dump station is open during the camping season and is between the family camp and the group camp on the main park road. The dump station may be closed in early May and late October depending on weather conditions.
Group camp
The group camp has six sites which can accommodate as many as 20 campers per site. Two vault toilets and two water fountains are in the camp. Group Site B has a picnic shelter on the site. A common area with a sand volleyball court and horseshoe pit as well as a ball field are nearby. Parking is limited to six cars at each site, but an overflow parking area is available near the beach. The group campsites are for tents only; no RVs, trailers or pop-ups are allowed.
Picnic areas and playgrounds
There are five picnic areas and two reservable picnic shelters in the park. Near each shelter are a sand volleyball court and horseshoe pit. Volleyballs and horseshoes can be checked out at the park office for a $5 refundable deposit.
Boating, canoeing and kayaking
The lake is shared by boats, kayaks, canoes, sailboats and other personal watercraft. There is a boat launch as the park.
Swimming
Lake Kegonsa has a designated swimming beach and a bathhouse nearby. No lifeguards are on duty. Signs are posted for any closures during summer. Pets are not allowed at the beach.
Pet areas
Pets are welcome at Lake Kegonsa State Park in certain areas on a leash 8 feet or shorter. Pets are allowed on all hiking trails except the White Oak Nature trail. Pets are allowed in the campground but not in the picnic or playground areas or in buildings. A pet swim area has been established and is a great way to swim with your pet. Pets are not allowed at the beach. Owners must control their pets so that they do not interfere with other visitors' enjoyment of the park. Please clean up after your pet. Violations of any pet rule may result in eviction from the park and a fine.
Fishing
Fishing in Lake Kegonsa is very popular year-round. A fishing license is required for all anglers.
Archery only hunting and trapping
Archery hunting and trapping are allowed in the open areas of the park during the Wisconsin state parks hunting and trapping time frame. Gun hunting is not allowed in the park. Trapping is not permitted in closed areas as noted on the park hunting map or within 100 yards of any designated use area, including trails. Certain trap types are restricted on state park properties.
Winter activities
Cross-country skiing is popular at the park. About five miles of trails, including the 1.2-mile White Oak nature trail, are groomed and tracked when weather and snow conditions permit. The trails are tracked for diagonal-stride skiers and groomed for skate skiers. When the trail is too narrow to skate, please ski in the set track.
Hiking, snowshoeing and pets are prohibited on all designated cross-country ski trails when they are groomed and skiable. There are 1.2 miles of designated snowshoe and hiking trails in the park. These trails travel along the lakeshore and through the woods, prairie and wetland areas.
Lake Kegonsa offers excellent ice fishing. Panfish provide most of the fishing action, but some northerns and walleyes are also caught. The park does not monitor ice conditions on the lake. Be extremely cautious of ice conditions at all times. Access to the lake from the park in the winter months is by foot only. There is no ATV or snowmobile access to Lake Kegonsa in the park.
A sledding hill is available at the park's beach area. When using the sledding hill, please be aware of the surface conditions. Icing will occur after moderate use. Steering is difficult under icy conditions.
