For great camping in Wisconsin, you won’t have to look far.
It’s no secret—at least not to its neighbors—that Wisconsin offers a rich and wild escape into nature in every corner of the state. Consider the numbers: 1.5 million acres of national forest, two Great Lakes and a national lakeshore, two national scenic trails and two wild and scenic riverways, a stretch along the Mississippi, and more than 15,000 lakes and 32,000 river miles. It’s a land formed by ancient seas and volcanoes, and so carved by glaciers that the most recent period of the Ice Age is named Wisconsin. All that public and privately protected land amounts to a gold mine for campers. But it creates the tyranny of choice: where to go first?
This guide suggests nine of the best destinations for camping in Wisconsin, honoring a philosophy of ‘getting away from it all’ while highlighting some of the state’s most impressive natural sites—from state park campgrounds to primitive hike-in sites.
Newport State Park
The Door Peninsula is a tourist draw for its lakeside towns and natural beauty. While Peninsula and Potawatomi State Parks handle the bulk of outdoor enthusiasts, Newport, an International Dark Sky Park with 11 miles of shoreline on Lake Michigan, is quiet and feels remote. Thirteen of the park’s 17 marvelously spread out campsites overlook water—one from atop a dune—and all require campers to hike in. Sites provide fire rings with grills, benches, and metal storage boxes, plus a pit toilet for every two sites.
Reserve a backcountry campsite at Newport State Park.
Lower Wisconsin State Riverway
You never camp on the same river twice. From its last dam to its confluence with the Mississippi River, the Wisconsin River offers paddling campers 92 miles of flatwater through more than 42,000 protected acres of lowlands, forest, and bluffs. Eagles and herons are standard, and the fishing is excellent. While proper sites can be reserved at Tower Hill and Wyalusing State Parks along the route, the best experience is to paddle up and camp for free on the many islands and sandbars.
Reserve a campsite at Tower Hill or at one of the four campgrounds in Wyalusing State Park.
Copper Falls State Park
Flowing across ancient volcanic rock, the Bad River rages over Copper Falls in a deep gorge before Tyler Forks tumbles in from the 30-foot Brownstone Falls to join it. Trails and bridges make a circuit of the gorge and rivers: The North Country National Scenic Trail counts 5 miles within the park, and an observation tower offers a 20-mile view to Lake Superior. The 23 sites in the South Campground are rustic with tables and fire rings, and offer the best shade and privacy.
