Best Tent Camping: Wisconsin: Your Car-Camping Guide to Scenic Beauty, the Sounds of Nature, and an Escape from Civilization

by Kevin Revolinski, Johnny Molloy

Overview

The definitive guide to tent camping in the Badger State.

Veteran outdoors writers Kevin Revolinski and Johnny Molloy have teamed up once again to update and improve the now full-color Best Tent Camping: Wisconsin. Camp in the evergreens at Brule River State Forest, then float and fish this famed river near Lake Superior. Or soak in the cool breezes of Lake Michigan at Rock Island. Hike up to a panoramic view in the shadow of the Wisconsin Dells at Devils Lake State Park. Hit the great north woods at Clam Lake.

Let Kevin and Johnny do the research, allowing you to spend your time having fun in Wisconsin’s outdoor vacationland. They put their considerable knowledge to work in penning and updating this collaboration that takes the reader to outdoor destinations that will quench their thirst for natural Wisconsin. Entries in this clear and concise guide include an enlightening description of each campground—so you won’t have any bad surprises. That way you can find the perfect place to pitch your tent, and then focus on relaxing or indulging in some of the nearby outdoor activities. Ratings for safety, scenery, and security help you make your choices.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780897329989
Publisher:	Menasha Ridge Press
Publication date:	05/21/2013
Series:	Best Tent Camping
Edition description:	Third Edition
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Johnny Molloy is a writer and adventurer based in Johnson City, Tennessee. His outdoor passion was ignited on a backpacking trip in Great Smoky Mountains National Park while attending the University of Tennessee. That first foray unleashed a love of the outdoors that led Johnny to spend more than 4,000 nights backpacking, canoe camping, and tent camping throughout the country over the past three decades. If you put the days of camping all together, that is nearly 11 straight years of camping out.

Friends enjoyed his outdoor adventure stories; one even suggested he write a book. He pursued his friend’s idea and soon parlayed his love of the outdoors into an occupation. The results of his efforts are more than 60 books and guides. His writings include hiking guidebooks, camping guidebooks, paddling guidebooks, comprehensive guidebooks about a specific area, and true outdoor adventure books covering all or parts of 26 states.

Though primarily involved with book publications, Johnny also writes for magazines and websites. Furthermore, he is an outdoors columnist and feature writer for his local paper, the Johnson City Press. He continues writing and traveling extensively throughout the United States, endeavoring in a variety of outdoor pursuits.

Johnny is an active member of First Presbyterian Church in Johnson City, Tennessee. He is also a Gideon. His non-outdoor interests include reading, Christian studies, and University of Tennessee sports. For the latest on Johnny, please visit www.johnnymolloy.com.

Kevin Revolinski was born and raised in Marshfield, Wisconsin. As a child, he was fascinated by the Northwoods and Lake Superior whenever he visited his grandparents in Ashland. He is also the author of The Yogurt Man Cometh: Tales of an American Teacher in Turkey, 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Madison, and Wisconsin’s Best Beer Guide. He has written for Rough Guides guidebooks, and his articles and photography have appeared in a variety of publications, including Chicago Tribune, Wisconsin State Journal, and The Miami Herald. He has lived abroad in several places, including Italy, Guatemala, and Panama, but he currently makes camp back in the homeland in Madison, Wisconsin. He maintains a travel website at TheMadTravelerOnline.com as well as an accompanying blog at RevTravel.com.

Read an Excerpt

Sandy Beach Lake Campground
Beauty 4 / Privacy 4 / Spaciousness 3 / Quiet 4 / Security 4 / Cleanliness 4

The campground at this good swimming lake rarely fills.

Key Information

• Contact: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, 715-385-2727, dnr.wi.gov /topic/StateForests/nhal; reservations 888-wi-parks, reserveamerica.com
• Open: Wednesday before Memorial Day– Tuesday after Columbus Day weekend
• Sites: 33
• Each site: Picnic table, fire ring
• Assignment: By phone; internet; or first come, first served
• Registration: Campground host will register you
• Facilities: Vault toilets, pump wells
• Parking: At campsites only
• Fee: Wisconsin residents, $20; nonresidents, $25; plus vehicle admission fee (Wisconsin residents, $8; nonresidents, $11; Wisconsin residents age 65 and older, $3); $9.65 reservation fee
• Elevation: 1,600'
• Restrictions:
• Pets: On leash only
• Fires: In fire ring only; firewood must be purchased in state within 10 miles of campground
• Alcohol: At campsites only
• Vehicles: No restrictions
• Other: 21-day stay limit

Northern Highland–American Legion State Forest was established in 1925 to protect the headwaters of many Wisconsin rivers. This area has the most abundant and closely concentrated group of lakes in the state. From this agglomeration of more than 900 lakes flow the Wisconsin, Flambeau, and Manitowish riverways. One such protected headwater lake is Sandy Beach Lake, which feeds the Flambeau River. After seeing Sandy Beach Lake, you may think that it was protected for its scenic beauty alone. Spruces, firs, pines, and white birches ring the shoreline of this undeveloped lake, and its dark waters contrast with the tan sand for which the lake was named. Being distant from the North Country tourist towns keeps it a quiet tent-camping destination in this vast, 222,000-acre state forest.

The campground sits on a level parcel of thick forestland adjacent to Sandy Beach Lake. The first set of campsites in the loop, 1–13, is situated away from the lake. A dense forest of paper birches, spruces, firs, maples, and hemlocks shades from above. The woods are even thicker between the campsites than they are over them, making for great campsite privacy. Campsite 11 has a pair of shady spruce trees in the middle of the campsite. Campsite 12 is the only sunny site here. The loop curves around and reaches the three walk-in tent campsites, 14–16. Sites 15 and 16 are directly lakeside. Just past the walk-in sites are the coveted lakeside sites. The lakeside sites are large, accommodating a tent, bug-screen shelter, and a small boat, and many red pines provide shade. There are seven drive-up lakeside sites. Two other sites are close to the lake, but lush woods obscure the water view. The sites on the inside of the loop are smaller but will do, though I would just as soon camp in the more private sites, 1–11, at the beginning of the loop if a lakeside site was not available.

A campground host lives on-site for your convenience and safety. Two water spigots and three vault toilets serve the campground. Sandy Beach Lake fills only on holiday weekends and sometimes not even then. However, some campsites can be reserved. Be advised that the mosquitoes can be troublesome early in the camping season.

The lakeside sites are perfect for beach lovers, who can enjoy the sandy waters directly from their campsite. Campers without lakefront sites can walk a short distance to the water access and picnic area, where a grassy flat pocked with pines overlooks a developed swim beach with deep-water buoys. Though the dark-water lake is only 111 acres, gas motors are allowed. Anglers can vie for muskellunge, pike, walleye, largemouth bass, and panfish. Many campers leave their boats directly in front of the campsite. Others use the boat launch located near the campground entrance. The launch also has a small dock. A trail located in pines near the swim beach parking area will lead anglers to Mud Lake, where you can fish for bass in a wild setting. Another fishing option is on the Manitowish River, located just north of Sandy Beach Lake near US 51. It also offers good paddling and fishing opportunities.

Wildlife watching is easy here with Powell Marsh State Wildlife Area just a few miles away. Turn left out of Sandy Beach Road, and follow Powell Marsh Road a few miles to a cleared overlook on your right. The wildlife area offers great views of this home for sandhill cranes and other birdlife. Explorers will want to hike the dikes in this open, watery country. Hikers can also trek the cross-country ski trails located just a short distance from Sandy Beach Road on Powell Marsh Road. Bicyclers can tool around the paved campground road and the road to the swim beach or follow the old Chicago and Northwestern railroad grade near the campground. (You passed over it on the way in, near the junction of Sandy Beach Road and Powell Marsh Road.) Pedal north to Mercer or south to the Lac du Flambeau Reservation. This trail is popular with snowmobiles in the winter. With the attractiveness of Sandy Beach Lake, I think that the campground should be more popular with campers in summer.

Getting There

From the intersection of US 51 and WI 47 in Woodruff, head north on WI 47 for 23.6 miles, passing through Lac du Flambeau on the way to Powell Marsh Road. Turn right on Powell Marsh Road and follow it 0.2 mile to Sandy Beach Road. Turn left on Sandy Beach Road and follow it 1 mile to reach the campground on your right.

GPS Coordinates: N46º 6.247' W89º 58.022'

Table of Contents

Overview Map

Best Campgrounds vii

Acknowledgments ix

Preface x

Introduction 1

Southern Wisconsin 11

1 Blackhawk Memorial Park Campground 12

2 Governor Dodge State Park Campground 15

3 Harrington Beach State Park Campground 19

4 High Cliff State Park Campground 22

5 Ledge County Park Campground 25

6 Nelson Dewey State Park Campground 28

7 Pinewoods Campground 31

8 Sidie Hollow County Park Campground 34

9 Tower Hill State Park Campground 38

10 Wildcat Mountain State Park Campground 41

11 Wyalusing State Park Campground 44

Central Wisconsin 49

12 Buckhorn State Park Campground 50

13 Dells of the Eau Claire County Park Campground 53

14 East Fork Campground 56

15 Harstad County Park Campground 59

16 Hartman Creek State Park Campground 62

17 Lake Wissota State Park Campground 65

18 Mirror Lake State Park Campground 68

19 Perrot State Park Campground 71

20 Pigeon Creek Campground 74

21 Point Beach State Forest Campground 77

22 Roche-A-Cri State Park Campground 80

23 Willow River State Park Campground 83

Northwestern Wisconsin 87

24 Amnicon Falls State Park Campground 88

25 Big Bay State Park Campground 91

26 Birch Grove Campground 94

27 Black Lake Campground 97

28 Bois Brule Campground 100

29 Brunet Island State Park Campground 103

30 Copper Falls State Park Campground 106

31 Day Lake Campground 109

32 Lake of the Pines Campground 112

33 Lake Three/Beaver Lake Campground 115

34 Perch Lake Campground 118

35 Spearhead Point Campground 121

36 St. Croix Campground 124

Northeastern Wisconsin 127

37 Bagley Rapids Campground 128

38 Bear Lake Campground 131

39 Goodman Park Campground 134

40 Laura Lake Campground 137

41 Lauterman Lake/Perch Lake Campgrounds 140

42 Lost Lake Campground 143

43 Luna Lake/White Deer Lake Campground 146

44 Newport State Park Campground 149

45 North Trout Lake Campground 152

46 Rock Island State Park Campground 155

47 Sandy Beach Lake Campground 158

48 Starrett Lake Campground 161

49 Twelve Foot Falls Park Campground 164

50 Twin Lakes Campground 167

Appendix A Camping Equipment Checklist 171

Appendix B Sources of Information 172

Index 173

About the Authors 179

Map Legend