10 Best Campsites in Wisconsin
Wisconsin is among the most fantastic states in the United States. The gift of Mother Nature embedded in the state has attracted a plethora of tourists over the years. Visually appealing areas like the Wisconsin Dells will always wow visitors for the rest of the time.
The beautiful state of Wisconsin has over fifty recreation areas, state forests, and parks. Locations like the 1000-mile footpath Ice Age Trail have attracted campers for years, and the place still maintains its awe to date. The scenic trail gives visitors more than the hiking experience; they get to see the open prairies, dense forests, and ancient glaciers. It is truly an adventure from a movie.
The parks, sites, and attractions of Wisconsin pull in a whopping 17 million visitors annually. They go to Wisconsin to feed their sights, intellect and relax. Wisconsin is arguably the best state to go camping in the United States. This text explores the best camping sites in Wisconsin. Read on to discover your next camping location in Wisconsin.
1. Devil’s Lake State Park: Baraboo
The visually interesting Devil’s State park is the most famous park in Wisconsin. The lake came into existence ten thousand years ago by glacial activity. The lake has impeccable bluffs that attract tourists, and it has become a favorite camping spot.
The park’s landmass makes it Wisconsin’s largest state park, spanning over nine thousand acres, with the lake measuring a whopping three hundred and sixty acres. The lake has annual visitors of over three million people who mostly visit to see the Wisconsin Dells and quartzite rock formations caused by the glacier, as mentioned above. The Devil’s Lake State Park has become somewhat of a little community of its own as it gets visits throughout the year. What this means is that the park gets visitors at every time, even now.
As far as camping activities go, the lake does not lack. Visitors can hike along the Ice Age Trail. Others can resort to fishing at the lake’s south shore. Relaxation is also assured in spades as the park has two beaches that give many guests enough time to relax after an adventurous day. Regardless of the lake’s size, it is always crowded, so one must have a spot reserved at the beach for the evening relaxation.
The number of people that the park makes it hard to get to; this means that campers have to book a reservation before getting a spot. The campgrounds are numerous to choose from, with the Ice Age campground being an all-time favorite for campers who intend to set up a tent.
2. The Peninsula State Park
The Peninsula State Park is another large park on this list. The park has a landmass of a whopping three thousand and seventy-six. As far as campsites go, the peninsula state park has four hundred and sixty-eight of them. The park’s size makes it a world of its own but campers do not have to worry about getting caught up in that world as the park is quite close to civilization.
The Peninsula state park is close to the fish creek village, where campers can get their morning coffee at the Blue Horse Beach Café. This gives you the best of both worlds as you get to start your day with a hot coffee, just like in the big city before returning.
3. The Mirror Lake State Park: Baraboo
Due to the large number of state parks in Wisconsin, many of the parks are close to each other, and the Mirror Lake State Park is one. Close to our first entry on this list, the Mirror Lake State Park is subtly located in a small valley; it is, in actuality, a reservoir. The waters of the lake are always undeterred and serene because of its concealed location. The calmness of the water gave it its name as it always appears glassy.
The other part of the park, which is about two thousand acres of land, is a pine-oak forest. Campers have the opportunity of exploring the hiking trails of the park, which runs for twenty-eight miles. Apart from hiking, campers can get into other activities like snowshoeing, skiing, and mountain biking on the pathways. The lake is great for canoeing and kayaking. It is a great experience due to the beauty and serenity of the waters. Imagine going around is such a beautiful water body. It is indeed a sight to behold.
The mirror state park accommodates one of Wisconsin’s best campgrounds which is Bluewater Bay.
4. The Camp Kettlewood
This is our first private location on this list. The Camp Kettlewod used to be a girl scouts camp but is now open to other campers. The camp is not as large as the ones that have been mentioned so far in this text, but it is ideal for a private camping experience; eight campers can pitch their tents there. It is the ideal spot for a “getaway in the woods.”
The most impeccable feature in this camp is the indoor baths. This means that campers get to use a flushable toilet. This gives you the thrill of camping alongside the comfort of full plumbing. It is indeed the best of both worlds.
Campers can visit the nearby Rushing Waters Fisheries for some fast seafood (pun intended). Apart from ordering delicacies, you can even fish for your own meal.
5. The Wyalusing State Park: Wyalusing
The Wyalusing State Park is one of the most interesting because of where it is located. Sitting on the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers’ confluence, the park has tall rocky bluffs that all add up to make it an exciting tourist and camping location. Like most parks on this list, the Wyalusing state park has a large landmass of two thousand seven hundred acres. This gives campers enough space to explore by land or water. The park has wetlands, hardwood forests, wetlands, and many other interesting sights that keep the eyes and minds of the campers busy during their time there.
6. The Cooper Falls State Park
The name of the park already gives a hint of what its main attraction is. The Cooper falls park has waterfalls that are surrounded by a whopping three thousand and sixty-eight acres of landmass. The conglomeration of the land and waterfalls gives it paradise-like scenery.
The Cooper Falls State park’s size makes it difficult for campers to experience all of its magnificence in one night or visit. So if you intend to visit the falls, make it a week-long as you will need several nights to get the full experience.
7. The Harrington Beach State Park
This park is one of the smallest camping locations on this list; it is also one of Wisconsin’s smallest camping locations. The Harrington Beach State Park has a landmass of seven hundred and fifteen acres. However, the size of this park has not deterred visitors from trooping in their numbers.
The shoreline of the park’s beach is its biggest draw. The other parts of the park have hardwood swamp and white cedar. As far as adventures go, the park has hiking trails that run for seven miles. The trails lead to the 1900s pier, which has become somewhat of a monument.
If you can ride a horse, you’ll love this park as it offers horseback riding except for the beach. The park prohibits any form of boating or canoeing due to Lake Michigan’s strong winds; it can knock campers off course, which is not a reasonable probability. However, you can enjoy fishing at the lake’s bank and the pier. A plethora of anglers is attracted to Harrington Beach State Park by Salmon and trout.
The park has a campground that can accommodate an entire family; it has over sixty different campsites. Some campsites feature lots of electrical amenities, but they are only available to early birds. Hence, prospective campers need to always make reservations before embarking on the trip there; reservations increase your chances of getting suitable accommodation. In the case that there are none available, the attendant will surely let you know.
8. The Kohler-Andrae State Park
The amazing Kohler-Andrae State Park is rimmed by Lake Michigan to the east. Campers can enjoy an evening stroll on the beach’s boardwalks after a fun day of camp activities. The park has one hundred and thirty-seven campsites, of which fifty-two are equipped with electrical hookups. The limited electrical hookups mean a reservation is recommended.
It contains three hiking trails and two nature trails, and it’s open all year. You can enjoy winter activities, such as snowshoeing, winter camping, and cross country skiing. The state park features facilities like roads, trails, campgrounds, and a bath house.
9. The Kettle Moraine State Forest: Milwaukee
This campground is one of the most visually appealing locations on this list. Although it is not as large as most on the list, the fifty-six thousand-acre land area has green grasslands, icy lakes, and several forests. If you are an outdoor person, then there is enough in this camping location to get you busy until you exit.
Apart from the visually appealing surroundings mentioned above, the glacial area which gave this state forest its name is the biggest draw. The landscape has several natural features that intrigue visitors every time. The fascinating thing about the features is that they were created thousands of years ago, thanks to the glacial meltwater flowage.
The Kettle Moraine State Forest is not just a sightseeing location as campers can hike in its hiking trails. The state forest also offers off-road bikers, skiers, and equestrian trails. It implies that there is an adventure for every taste.
10. The Blue Mound State Park: Madison
The Blue Mound Park is a biker’s haven, especially for those who need a non-mountainous location to explore as it features a five hundred-foot elevated 15—mile trail. Located close to Madison, the park gives campers a three hundred and sixty-degree view of the state of Wisconsin as it sits on the state’s highest point. Simply put, the blue mound state park is the Mount Everest of Wisconsin camping site. The entry-level trails of the Blue Mound State Park attract a plethora of cyclists.
One of the unique features of this park is that it is the only one in Wisconsin with a large open swimming pool, and the pool can be accessed by disables. For the best view of Wisconsin, campers have the opportunity to check the west and east viewing towers.
This interesting and activity-filled camping location houses seventy-seven campsite and it is always open regardless of the time of the year. There are fire rings and picnic tables placed at every campsite. In terms of excitement, the blue mound state park may be lacking compared to others on this list. However, it is an ideal spot to visit for campers looking for a serene place to escape from life’s craziness. The natural surroundings put visitors closer to Mother Nature, both physically and mentally, ideal for mental clarity.
Conclusion
The beautiful locations in this list all have one thing in common: their beautiful valleys and rolling hills. At first glance, the valleys as mentioned above set a mood of peace and serenity, but it is ironic when you realize that they were created by destructive and powerful glaciers thousands of years ago. As this list has proven, Wisconsin is a state in the United States with one of the most island camping locations. These island camping locations give campers to do more camping activities than they are used to. They get to have maximum fun both on land and sea.
The state of Wisconsin has a plethora of camping sites, and they all offer unique features. Simply get your bags packed, and get ready for the best camping experience of your life.
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