Discover the best waterside campgrounds in Wisconsin with a private bathroom

United States
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Wisconsin

96% (4079 reviews)

Popular camping styles for Wisconsin

Dog-friendly getaways

9 top waterside campgrounds in Wisconsin with a private bathroom

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Ice Age Retreat

3 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents5 acres · Palmyra, WI

Surrounded by the Kettle Moraine Forest, we purchased this property in October of 2022 to be closer to nature and to share this property with you. We look forward to hosting you. The forest provides many opportunities enjoy! Close to the Ice Age Hiking Trail, Blad Bluff Scenic Overlook within walking distance of our retreat. Hiking, Moutain Biking, Cross Country Skiing, Snow Shoe, Horse Back Riding and much more

Superior Beach Camp

2 sites · Tents10 acres · South Range, WI

Escape to Superior Beach Camp and immerse yourself in the beauty and privacy of a cleared camping area situated above 500' feet of sand and pebble beach on the world’s greatest lake. Agate campsite is very generously sized and is all yours. Surrounded by a mix of poplar and birch with a few white pine sprinkled in, the main camp area is set back from the lake atop a 70' bluff with peekaboo views of Lake Superior. A short walk down a private path from your campsite gives you access to a beautiful Lake Superior beach to swim, skip rocks, search for agates, or just enjoy the panoramic views of the lake and the town of Duluth on the opposite shore. Agate campsite previously featured a "look out point" that has been altered by the natural erosion of the red clay banks that comprise much of Lake Superior's south shore. While you can still access this area, doing so will require more effort and care, and we no longer allow camping on the point. Superior Beach Camp located is 2.5 hours north of the Twin Cities and perfectly positions you to discover all the wonders of the Twin Ports. Explore this amazing area or stay at camp, set up your chair in the sand and take in the many moods of Mother Superior. Watch the ships come and go to the sparkly backdrop of Duluth’s city lights. The crackle of a driftwood fire on the beach provides the perfect soundtrack as you watch for shooting stars and the aurora. Stock up on supplies and explore the charming industrial town of Superior, WI – 15 minutes from your campsite. Spend a day mountain biking the Duluth Traverse and touring the the wonderful local dining and tap room scenes of Duluth and Superior. Canal Park, downtown Duluth, is a 25 minute drive. If you’d like to venture further, you could meander up the North Shore. Or keep it local and check out Bayfield and the Apostle Islands – only 75 minutes East. Stop through the charming lakeside village of Cornucopia on your way. Or perhaps you’d like to experience world class trout fishing on the Brule River a half hour from Superior Beach Camp. Maybe Parks are your thing: Amnicon Falls, one of Wisconsin’s most beautiful State Parks, is reachable in 10 minutes by car. Drive a half hour further to Pattison State Park and take in Wisconsin’s tallest waterfall. On the Minnesota side, the magic of Jay Cooke State Park is 30 minutes west (and puts you on the doorstep of legit white water rafting). Whether you're looking for solace and relaxation in a blissful [great] lakeside setting or simply seeking a convenient place to rest your head while exploring the many adventures a stone’s throw from your campsite, there is something for everyone who camps here. Superior Beach Camp is a clean, quiet, peaceful, primitive setting. We appreciate that our campers help us keep it this way; remember to pack in any supplies or provisions you need, and leave no trace when you depart so our next guests can enjoy a clean campsite.

Northern Glamping Camp

2 sites · Lodging3 acres · Crivitz, WI

We are a small bar and grill 12 miles west of Crivitz WI. Conveniently located right on the ATV and Snowmobile trails. There are plenty of lakes and steams for the avid fisherman. We are located just a few miles east of the Nicolet National Forest. We have great food and always a friendly atmosphere. So come on up and join us for a relaxing week or just a weekend.Camp in our nicely furnished tent cabins, Site #1 ( Bri's Hideaway) is furnished with a queen bed, love seat and refrigerator. Site #2 ( Adam's Getaway ) is furnished with a full bed, 1 cot style bunk beds and a refrigerator. We recommend bringing sleeping bags for both sites during the cool weather camping, we furnish some blankets but may not be adequate for the chilly nights in the later season. We are right on the ATV trails, with many lakes, rivers and trout streams close by. There is whitewater rafting nearby for the trill seekers. Or if you enjoy hiking, the Nichole National Forest is minutes away. You can relax on the front deck of your tent cabin or sit by the campfire. We are a small country bar & grill. We have a great Friday night fish fry, or try our famous chicken dinner, or one of our homemade pizzas, we have wraps, sandwiches and more. We are located 1 hour north of Green Bay, WI. The tent cabins will be open May 1st through October 31st with a shower room available. There is limited heating available in the units. Please plan accordingly. Due to the somewhat limited internet access at the camp sites, we may be unable to respond in a timely fashion to your email.

Amnicon Adventures & Retreats

8 sites · Lodging, Tents600 acres · South Range, WI

At Amnicon you'll find the perfect blend of far-enough-away and easy-enough-to-get-to. We're located at the end of a 5-mile-long dirt road, just 30 minutes outside of Duluth, MN. Our site features 600 acres of protected forests along the Amnicon River on the South Shore of Lake Superior. The wildlife is abundant, and we even have an eagle's nest on site. You'll enjoy falling asleep to the sound of the waves on Lake Superior, and waking up to 118+ species of birdsongs. We have an enormous sandy beach on Lake Superior that's a great place to watch the sunset and have a SMALL campfire. You're going to love it here.

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Circle M Farm Stay Camp n Glamp

6 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents20 acres · Blanchardville, WI

Camp in style on a beautiful Driftless Farmstead! This tiny valley farm once had stanchions to milk 8 cows in the barn. That was in 1890. Now we are home to dozens of sheep, steers, goats, hogs, cats, dogs, chickens and geese and myriad wild critters and pollinators and migrators. We are a conservation farm and on a mission to heal our wetland, improve our trout stream and bring people out to the land. We are in Driftless Southwest Wisconsin - gorgeous hills and quilted cropland bisected by oak woods and switchback rivers. Pitch your tent, park a small camper/rv, or stay in our vintage camper as close as the backyard or further away by the sheep pasture or frog pond. You will share an indoor bathroom, or our open-to-the-sky hot outdoor shower, and an outdoor sink with other campers. We have a Cedar Sauna you can reserve. This is easy camping with a view of the stars, nestled in a farm-to-table farm community with lots of goods to buy. We LOVE our Driftless neighborhood in SW Wisconsin and can recommend many amazing activities for everyone from fisherman to families! We live on a 20 acre farm bisected by a small river and a great trout stream, adjacent to 150 acres of restored prairie. We're close to shopping, antiquing, Amishing and good eating. We're within a half hour of 3 great rail trails, two state parks and one amazing ATV rental. Go to an old-fashioned drive in movie, a local farmers market, dirt-track stock care races, tractor pulls, a u-pick apple farm or a Toy Train Museum. Go tubing, kayaking, boating or biking - you can rent what you need. Or sit on one of the porches to watch the chickens peck and the pigs dig. We can't wait to introduce you to all the livestock, cats, our Great Pyrrannees pups, Waylon and Willie, and our Border Heeler, Dolly! We are a five minute walk from our cute downtown with a playground, library and several great places to eat. Ten minutes from New Glarus Brewery and Argyle (Pec Time Tubing). A half hour from Mineral Point (Fall Art Tour), Mount Horeb (Troll Way), Dodgeville (House on the Rock) and Monroe (Cheese Days). Fifteen minutes from hiking, fishing and boating at Yellowstone Lake State Park. Campfire with s'mores every night, coffee and scones in the morning. Wifi is reliable on some spots on the property, and a sure thing on the front breakfast porch. We do require a two-night minimum to stay in the campers. Tent camping we have no minimum. Please reach out to us on the app to see what is available.

Bear Hill

2 sites · Lodging3 acres · Lyndon Station, WI

Welcome to Bear Hill There is the Love Shack 15ft by 32ft park model camper Site #2 Just add LULU 5th wheel one slide out on site#2 (the Jayco is gone) Bear Hill is a pet friendly fenced in three acre get away, minutes away from Wisconsin Dells and the Upper Wisconsin River. There is a park model camper at $125 night sleeps 2-4 adults/ 2-3 kids. kids 14 and under free! Tents are available for $20/ night extra with the rental your kids of any age can tent it But PLEASE bring your own sleeping things and relaxing. Let us help you explore the river from a boat or we have 2 kayaks and (1) 2/3 person canoe. Rent or bring your own and we will guide you to where you want to go. Enjoy campfires and grilling and games with family and friends. Feel free to enjoy the local night life as I offer a designated driver to get you home safe and worry free. This is where the road ends and the country begins. Dells River Cruise. we do accept credit cards. Three acres of an enclosed Pet friendly Private Property camping. We offer wood for your campfire charcoal and propane grilling. FOR A LITTLE EXTRA FEE you may be interested in asking Kevin about a couple Kayak's or the canoe we have. We can drop you off and pick you up at our favorite Swimming Hole. WE also have a boat Kevin can take you out on for an upper Completely Private owned Fenced in property Camp Ground.

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A Vegetable & Flower Farm

1 site · Tent8 acres · Fredonia, WI

Our little chunk of paradise is about 8 acres. It is a diverse piece of land allowing for micro environments. A hilltop with an orchard a few terraced garden beds, about an acre or so of wooded area with a waterway down below, and another 1.5 acre of garden, intermixed with pasture, out buildings and our home. The land is surrounded by 120 acres of adjacent farmland. Across our street is wetlands and woods. Adjacent to the 120 acres of farmland is another 80 acres of public hunting land. We are blessed to live so close to nature without a view of a neighbors house. Stars, crickets, frogs, woodcocks in spring, hummingbirds and sandhill cranes in summer, and more all in abundance at our Willoway Farm. We bought our home in 2006. Before then it was in the same family that settled there in 1840s-1850s. At one time there was a log cabin, then they built our cream city brick farmhouse in 1893. The farm in the 1980s and before was a dairy farm. When we bought it half of where you see the garden was either grass or part of the conventional farm adjacent to our property. Our farm logo is taken from the builder of the barn-many pioneer barn builders often signed their barn work with a symbol. We liked the symbol and kept it to use as our own yet honor the builder of our barn. We have great appreciation for those that built with such beautiful large trees and all by hand. The Produce Wash Building is a timber frame built by Dan our farm owner and farm doer. The timber frame was made from reclaimed timbers and reclaimed barn siding, the shingles were made from scratch by Dan also. Learn more about this land: Willoway Farm is a small scale organic vegetable &and flower farm established in 2007, located 35 minutes north of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It's situated upon a glacial hill over looking a Milwaukee river flowage to the south and the kettle moraine state forest to the northwest. Our 8 acre land with cut flower & heirloom vegetable garden is surrounded by over 200 acres of uninhabited land, ( Farmland & state wild land). We are just 5 minutes from hiking trails into the state forest, which is beautiful all times of the year! A 55 acre secluded lake with public access is only 1.5 miles from Willoway - we hear the fishing is good. New now is across the street is a 283 acre land trust- Biehl Nature Preserve on Lake Twelve. The roads near the farm traverse through mixed forest and farm land with only slight traffic offering exceptional bicycling! The camp space is primitive and private yet offers gentle vistas upon the surrounding landscape with often both amazing sunrises and sunsets - situated upon the high point of the farm nestled in a young apple orchard. We have a spacious outhouse on site. We feel so fortunate live and farm where we do & love offering the natural beauty it offers to others. Our garden is lush with flowers, herbs and vegetables great for observing our plethora of pollinators. There are so many places to visit within 10 miles of our Campsite. A favorite is Riveredge Nature Center only 9.6 miles offering 3 miles of trails including 1 mile along Milwaukee River. Riveredge Nature Center has vast landscapes with so many lovely native wild flowers.

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Lakewoods Resort

1 site · Lodging1 acre · Cable, WI

4th generation family-run resort started over 115 years ago in 1907. Learn more about this land: You'll be staying in our Island Log Cabin with all the modern conveniences on your own private 1-1/2 acre island. The best part is that you will have full access to all the amenities of a full-service resort. This 2 bedroom with a sleeping loft cabin sleeps 6 and offers panoramic views of Lake Namakagon. The log cabin features a full kitchen, a three-season porch, and a full bath with a shower/tub. While the cozy cabin has electric heat, your wood stove keeps things nostalgic any time of the year and the private island includes your own fishing or pontoon boat for exploring the fun on 3,200-acre Lake Namakagon. Most importantly, the outdoor fire ring is just steps from your front door and a hop, skip, and a jump from the lake and your own sandy swimming beach with a private boat dock. A short 1/4 mile boat ride brings you to Lakewoods Resort, your base station, where you have full access to all their amenities including an 18-hole golf course, full-service marina, sandy beach, tennis courts, and indoor and outdoor pools with hot tub and sauna. Their restaurant is awesome and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner when you don't want to cook. They even have weekly entertainment in Buck's Bar & Grill all overlooking the lake and a recreation program for children and adults alike. Don't miss this fantastic opportunity for a secluded getaway with as much access to "the real world" as you like.

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Copper Falls Cottage on Loon Lake

2 sites · Lodging1 acre · New Post, WI

Learn more about this land:Whether you are an adventure-seeker or simply in need of relaxation by the lake, we believe you will find your ideal getaway at Copper Falls Cottage. Enjoy the quaint beauty and scenic adventure that Copper Falls State Park has to offer giving you a wide variety of hiking, fishing, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, hunting, down hill skiing, snowmobiling and adventure seeking at your fingertips. You can enjoy all of this while overlooking picturesque Loon Lake from the comfort of Copper Falls Cottage. The 1800 square foot 3 bedroom 2 bathroom cottage which includes two row boats and 3 kayaks is located on the pristine Loon Lake sleeping eight guests comfortably in beds with the ability to accommodate up to 12. Step 40 feet out the back door onto your own private dock where you will enjoy 400 feet of quiet no wake lake frontage, great fishing, snorkeling, non-motorized water sports, loons and beautiful trumpeter swans who will pay you homage. No matter the season Copper Falls Cottage provides an ideal setting nestled in the Northwoods only 30 minutes from Ashland, 45 minutes from Hayward 25 minutes from Whitecap Mountain Ski Resort you have endless opportunities for year round outdoor recreation including just a five minute driving distance to local ATV and snowmobile trails. Copper Falls Cottage is located inside the gates of Copper Falls State Park in Mellen, WI but is privately owned and managed. With your stay at the cottage you get to enjoy anything that you can walk to in the park for free. You are a 2 minute hike from the nearest trailhead offering year round adventure with groomed hiking, skiing, off road biking and snowshoe trails. The cabin is also only a three minute walk from the public beach where you have the option to rent additional canoes and kayaks.There is no smoking on the premises of this cabin. Pets are allowed at $75/stay. Owners must clean and remove all droppings. Four additional guests up to a total of 14 are allowed over the 10 person stay at the cost of $10/guest/night.

Star Hosts in Wisconsin

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Superior Beach Camp

2 sites · Tents10 acres · South Range, WI

Escape to Superior Beach Camp and immerse yourself in the beauty and privacy of a cleared camping area situated above 500' feet of sand and pebble beach on the world’s greatest lake. Agate campsite is very generously sized and is all yours. Surrounded by a mix of poplar and birch with a few white pine sprinkled in, the main camp area is set back from the lake atop a 70' bluff with peekaboo views of Lake Superior. A short walk down a private path from your campsite gives you access to a beautiful Lake Superior beach to swim, skip rocks, search for agates, or just enjoy the panoramic views of the lake and the town of Duluth on the opposite shore. Agate campsite previously featured a "look out point" that has been altered by the natural erosion of the red clay banks that comprise much of Lake Superior's south shore. While you can still access this area, doing so will require more effort and care, and we no longer allow camping on the point. Superior Beach Camp located is 2.5 hours north of the Twin Cities and perfectly positions you to discover all the wonders of the Twin Ports. Explore this amazing area or stay at camp, set up your chair in the sand and take in the many moods of Mother Superior. Watch the ships come and go to the sparkly backdrop of Duluth’s city lights. The crackle of a driftwood fire on the beach provides the perfect soundtrack as you watch for shooting stars and the aurora. Stock up on supplies and explore the charming industrial town of Superior, WI – 15 minutes from your campsite. Spend a day mountain biking the Duluth Traverse and touring the the wonderful local dining and tap room scenes of Duluth and Superior. Canal Park, downtown Duluth, is a 25 minute drive. If you’d like to venture further, you could meander up the North Shore. Or keep it local and check out Bayfield and the Apostle Islands – only 75 minutes East. Stop through the charming lakeside village of Cornucopia on your way. Or perhaps you’d like to experience world class trout fishing on the Brule River a half hour from Superior Beach Camp. Maybe Parks are your thing: Amnicon Falls, one of Wisconsin’s most beautiful State Parks, is reachable in 10 minutes by car. Drive a half hour further to Pattison State Park and take in Wisconsin’s tallest waterfall. On the Minnesota side, the magic of Jay Cooke State Park is 30 minutes west (and puts you on the doorstep of legit white water rafting). Whether you're looking for solace and relaxation in a blissful [great] lakeside setting or simply seeking a convenient place to rest your head while exploring the many adventures a stone’s throw from your campsite, there is something for everyone who camps here. Superior Beach Camp is a clean, quiet, peaceful, primitive setting. We appreciate that our campers help us keep it this way; remember to pack in any supplies or provisions you need, and leave no trace when you depart so our next guests can enjoy a clean campsite.

A Vegetable & Flower Farm

1 site · Tent8 acres · Fredonia, WI

Our little chunk of paradise is about 8 acres. It is a diverse piece of land allowing for micro environments. A hilltop with an orchard a few terraced garden beds, about an acre or so of wooded area with a waterway down below, and another 1.5 acre of garden, intermixed with pasture, out buildings and our home. The land is surrounded by 120 acres of adjacent farmland. Across our street is wetlands and woods. Adjacent to the 120 acres of farmland is another 80 acres of public hunting land. We are blessed to live so close to nature without a view of a neighbors house. Stars, crickets, frogs, woodcocks in spring, hummingbirds and sandhill cranes in summer, and more all in abundance at our Willoway Farm. We bought our home in 2006. Before then it was in the same family that settled there in 1840s-1850s. At one time there was a log cabin, then they built our cream city brick farmhouse in 1893. The farm in the 1980s and before was a dairy farm. When we bought it half of where you see the garden was either grass or part of the conventional farm adjacent to our property. Our farm logo is taken from the builder of the barn-many pioneer barn builders often signed their barn work with a symbol. We liked the symbol and kept it to use as our own yet honor the builder of our barn. We have great appreciation for those that built with such beautiful large trees and all by hand. The Produce Wash Building is a timber frame built by Dan our farm owner and farm doer. The timber frame was made from reclaimed timbers and reclaimed barn siding, the shingles were made from scratch by Dan also. Learn more about this land: Willoway Farm is a small scale organic vegetable &and flower farm established in 2007, located 35 minutes north of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It's situated upon a glacial hill over looking a Milwaukee river flowage to the south and the kettle moraine state forest to the northwest. Our 8 acre land with cut flower & heirloom vegetable garden is surrounded by over 200 acres of uninhabited land, ( Farmland & state wild land). We are just 5 minutes from hiking trails into the state forest, which is beautiful all times of the year! A 55 acre secluded lake with public access is only 1.5 miles from Willoway - we hear the fishing is good. New now is across the street is a 283 acre land trust- Biehl Nature Preserve on Lake Twelve. The roads near the farm traverse through mixed forest and farm land with only slight traffic offering exceptional bicycling! The camp space is primitive and private yet offers gentle vistas upon the surrounding landscape with often both amazing sunrises and sunsets - situated upon the high point of the farm nestled in a young apple orchard. We have a spacious outhouse on site. We feel so fortunate live and farm where we do & love offering the natural beauty it offers to others. Our garden is lush with flowers, herbs and vegetables great for observing our plethora of pollinators. There are so many places to visit within 10 miles of our Campsite. A favorite is Riveredge Nature Center only 9.6 miles offering 3 miles of trails including 1 mile along Milwaukee River. Riveredge Nature Center has vast landscapes with so many lovely native wild flowers.

Ice Age Retreat

3 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents5 acres · Palmyra, WI

Surrounded by the Kettle Moraine Forest, we purchased this property in October of 2022 to be closer to nature and to share this property with you. We look forward to hosting you. The forest provides many opportunities enjoy! Close to the Ice Age Hiking Trail, Blad Bluff Scenic Overlook within walking distance of our retreat. Hiking, Moutain Biking, Cross Country Skiing, Snow Shoe, Horse Back Riding and much more

Nearby parks

Explore the area’s public lands.

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Interstate State Park

Wisconsin

This past summer my college roommate and I spent a few days hammock camping on Rock Island. We backpacked to the far side of the island and enjoyed viewing the Perseid meteor shower along with the bright and beautiful Milky Way. I highly recommend this Park!

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Rock Island State Park

Ellison Bay, Wisconsin

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Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

Northern Highland American Legion State Forest

Boulder Junction, Wisconsin

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Council Grounds State Park

Merrill, Wisconsin

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Governor Thompson State Park

Lakewood, Wisconsin

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Nicolet National Forest

Rhinelander, Wisconsin

The best plan of action here is to just get lost on the miles of dirt roads that run through the sandy pine forests.

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Black River State Forest

Millston, Wisconsin

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Lake Wissota State Park

Lake Wissota, Wisconsin

Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field

Waterside camping in Wisconsin with a private bathroom guide

Overview

Rolling dairy farmlands are just the start of Wisconsin’s great outdoors. This midwestern state boasts two Great Lakes coastlines, some 15,000 inland lakes, and a state border with the Mississippi River. Whether kayaking around caves and islands, hiking to hidden waterfalls, camping along sandy beaches, or hopping between cheesemakers and breweries—the Dairy State is an idyllic destination for a camping trip. Wisconsin state parks provide some of the best camping and stay busy through summer and fall foliage season. Snow blankets the state from November through February, so pack your snowshoes.

Where to go

Northwest Wisconsin

If you're searching for the most remote Wisconsin campgrounds, the Northern Highlands are a good place to start with hills stretching up to the shore of Lake Superior. Paddle around the islands, sea caves, and lighthouses of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in a kayak, then pitch your tent at a lake campground, or seek out secluded backcountry tent sites in Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. To the west, the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway hugs the coast of the Mississippi River and the Minnesota border, running through Governor Knowles State Forest and Interstate State Park.

Northeast Wisconsin

The forested lakes of the Northwoods blanket northern Wisconsin, stretching down to the shores of Lake Michigan, where the Door County Peninsula curls out around Green Bay. The scenic area is dotted with freshwater beaches, cherry orchards, and hiking trails, making it the perfect spot for a camping getaway. At the northeastern tip, Rock Island State Park is a favorite among campers, with RV sites open year-round.

Southwest Wisconsin

Family campers make a beeline for Wisconsin Dells, the Waterpark Capital of the World, where plenty of full-amenity camping resorts dot the area and nearby Mirror Lake State Park. Just to the south, Baraboo is the gateway to Wisconsin’s most popular park, Devil’s Lake State Park, which boasts beaches, cliff-top walks, and three campgrounds. Further west, the rolling hills and river valleys along the Wisconsin River are ideal for fishing, paddling, and tranquil summer camping.

Southeast Wisconsin

Wisconsin's largest city, Milwaukee, stands proud on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan, where urban campers can sample Wisconsin’s craft beer scene and visit the Harley-Davidson Museum. North of Milwaukee, Lake Winnebago is a popular choice for lakeside camping, while backpackers hiking the 1,000-mile Ice Age National Scenic Trail will find some of the best camping within Kettle Moraine State Forest.

Frequently Asked Questions About Camping in Wisconsin

Is Wisconsin good for camping?

Wisconsin is a great camping destination with dozens of state parks, national forests, and plenty of private camping options and RV parks—not to mention a ton of lake campgrounds with access to both Lake Michigan and Lake Superior, plus a border with sandy beaches on the Mississippi River. Whether heading out on hidden gem waterfall hikes, kayaking around caves, exploring the many bike trails, or hitting the top city hubs of Milwaukee, Door County’s Green Bay, and Wisconsin Dells (known for its waterparks and mini golf for family fun), a Wisconsin campground or Wisconsin state park Devil’s Lake State Park) awaits with tent camping or RV sites. Summertime is for lake visits, and late spring and early fall are still mild enough for tent camping. It's snowy from November through February, when you’ll want to opt for a rustic cabin or a vacation rental getaway.

Is camping allowed in Wisconsin state parks?

Yes, Wisconsin state parks are open for camping. Of the state’s 50+ state parks, nearly all of them allow camping of some kind, whether tent camping, RV camping, or cabin camping. Wisconsin’s most popular parks with camping include Devil’s Lake State Park south of Baraboo, Peninsula State Park (set on the shores of Lake Michigan in Door County), the year-round Rock Island State Park, Willow River State Park, and Copper Falls State Park.

Is wild camping legal in Wisconsin?

Yes, wild camping is allowed in Wisconsin in county forests, state forests, and national forests. Wild camping, typically described as primitive or dispersed camping away from designated campgrounds without facilities, is available within Nicolet National Forest and Chequamegon National Forest, including at Porcupine Lake Wilderness, Rainbow Lake Wilderness, and Blackjack Springs Wilderness. Some Wisconsin River islands are managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), meaning that the ones that are public land are open to camping. Some state parks feature a small number of backpacking campsites, and you can find more private, secluded camping in Wisconsin with Hipcamp.

Is there free camping in Wisconsin?

You can find free camping in Wisconsin in its national forests: Nicolet and Chequamegon, each of which span thousands of acres and house various national wilderness areas. The free campsites in these forests are primitive and dispersed with no facilities, so you’ll need to come prepared. Most of this land is open and free of charge to use, but some beaches, boat launches, and trailheads require small day-use fees or permits.

Can you camp anywhere in a Wisconsin national forest?

No, you cannot camp anywhere in Wisconsin national forests, but they do have plenty of free areas available for dispersed camping. Wisconsin is home to two national forests: Nicolet National Forest and Chequamegon National Forest, both managed together as the 1.5-million acre Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. Throughout are dozens of designated campgrounds with tent sites, including at Twin Lakes Recreation Area and Bear Lake Recreation Area. In addition, the forest offers cabins at Lost Lake, some large group campsites, many RV campsites (most with hookups), and a lot of dispersed camping options. Just be sure to park up to 30 feet from the edge of any road, and pitch your tent at least 150 feet away from any trail or road (and at least 200 feet away from any water). Dispersed camping in Wisconsin national forests is limited to 21 days at the same site within a 30-day period.