Recreation

Camping

Quick Links:

• Search for a campground
• Make a reservation  [exit DNR]

Camping is a popular activity on our state forests. Whether it’s at a family site or group camp, camping with your horses, along a river at a canoe campsite, or along a backpack trail, it’s all here for you!

There are also a wide range of amenities to choose from. Here are some definitions to keep in mind:

Fully Developed Campground – These include “modern” family campsites. Sites come with picnic tables, tent pads, and fire rings. Campers have access to flush and vault toilets (also called pit toilets), running and hand-pumped water, showers, and refuse collection within the campground. A few of the campgrounds also have dump stations for RVs. These campsites are typically only accessible by vehicle. Modern family campgrounds can be found on:

• Northern Highlands – American Legion (NH-AL) State Forest
• Black River State Forest
• Kettle Moraine State Forest – Northern Unit, Southern Unit & Pike Lake Unit

Child playing in water.
Photo copyright MNIrisguy.

Moderately Developed Campground – These include “rustic” family campsites. Sites come with picnic tables, tent pads, and fire rings. Campers have access to vault toilets, hand-pumped water, and refuse collection within the campground. Most of the group campsites and horse campgrounds fall into this category. These campsites are typically only accessible by vehicle. Rustic family campgrounds can be found on:

• All State Forests

Remote Campsites – The campsites in this category are diverse and include canoe campsites, reservable remote sites, hunter camping, wilderness camping and permit backpacking camping. None of these campsites are located within a family campground setting such as the modern and rustic sites. The standard amenity generally only includes a box latrine, which are open-air toilets. Some, but not all, may also have picnic tables and fire rings. These campsites are generally accessible only by foot or watercraft but a few are accessible by car.  Remote campsites can be found on:

• Black River State Forest
• Brule River State Forest
• Flambeau River State Forest
• Governor Knowles State Forest
• NH-AL State Forest
• Peshtigo River State Forest

Search for a campground.

Reservations
Currently visitors can reserve both modern and rustic family sites, group sites, and reservable remote sites. Reservations can be made up to 11 months in advance and are found on the Black River and NH-AL State Forests. Reserve America handles all of the reservations and provides a map search and a detailed description for each of the campgrounds as well as individual campsites. Please visit Reserve America's webpage [exit DNR] for more information.

Non-Reservable
Most of the campgrounds in the northern part of the state are not reservable. To help keep the popular first-come, first-served tradition alive, the state forests do not have all of their campgrounds on the reservation system. Here is a list by property.

Camping Fees
State Forest Camping Fees [PDF, 69KB] - please note that fees for reservable campsites are listed on the first page and non-reservable campsites are listed on the second page.

Day Use Trails and Activities

There are also many areas to go picnicking, swimming, fishing, hunting, and boating.
            Search State Forest Recreation Areas  

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