Canoeing/Kayaking

Wildwood Outdoor Adventures & Campground

73 RV Sites, 10 Tent Sites

Wildwood Outdoor Adventures and Campground in Eagle River, Wisconsin, offers 73 RV sites and 10 tent sites directly on the Eagle River Chain of 28 Lakes, with 30 and 50-amp service and rigs accepted up to 102 feet. Pond water view and premium back-in categories in both full-hookup and water-and-electric versions join boat docks, kayak rentals, and floating boat slips. Seventy-three sites span pond water view back-in 30/50-amp, pond water view back-in 30/50-amp water-and-electric, premium back-in 30/50-amp, and premium back-in 30/50-amp water-and-electric categories, carrying water, sewer, and electric where noted, sized to 102 feet, with fire pits and picnic tables. Every category comes in both a full-hookup and a water-and-electric version, which lets you choose the setting and the hookup level independently — a sensible structure. One hundred two feet accommodates the longest coaches with a tow. Every site gets a fire ring and picnic table. Ten tent sites round out the lodging. A general store, laundry, dump station, restrooms, and private family shower rooms handle the practical side. Floating boat slips, a full dock, and kayak rentals open the chain for boating, canoeing, and kayaking, with a lake, pond, river, walking trails, biking, a playground, community fire pit, and productive birding filling the rest. The Eagle River Chain is the largest freshwater chain in the world — 28 glacially carved lakes connected end to end across more than 3,000 acres. Summer is decisively the season. Reserve well ahead.

Thornton's Rafting Resort and Campground

17 RV Sites, 4 Cabins, 3 Tent Sites, 1 Mobile Home, 2 Onsite RV/Trailers

Thornton's Rafting Resort and Campground in Athelstane, Wisconsin, provides RV sites, cabins, and tent camping alongside the Peshtigo River's whitewater rafting access in Marinette County's Northwoods country — a family-friendly resort whose on-site Camp Inn bar with billiards, darts, foosball, and video games gives guests the indoor social space that the Peshtigo River country's wet-weather rafting days specifically warrant, and whose proximity to one of Wisconsin's premier whitewater rivers makes it the natural overnight destination for guests coming to paddle the Peshtigo's technical Class II through IV drops. The resort's combination of water recreation access, diverse accommodation, and the social programming that the Camp Inn sustains gives it the multi-dimensional character that river resort campgrounds at their best consistently deliver. RV sites, cabins, and tent camping areas give the resort the accommodation range to serve the full spectrum of Peshtigo River adventure visitors — from families in cabins who want the river adjacent experience without tent camping to hardcore paddlers in tent sites who want the most immersive connection to the river environment. The Camp Inn bar's pool table, darts, foosball, and video games provide the evening social infrastructure that river resort campgrounds sustain most effectively when the outdoor programming shifts indoors after a full day of whitewater. Pets are welcome. The Peshtigo River through Marinette County is Wisconsin's most technically challenging and most widely respected whitewater river — a waterway whose watershed in the Nicolet National Forest and the Peshtigo River State Forest sustains Class II through Class IV rapids across its multiple run sections from the Caldron Falls Flowage downstream to the Lake Noquebay corridor. The First and Second Drop sections on the lower Peshtigo provide the Class IV technical rapids that Wisconsin whitewater kayakers and experienced rafters specifically pursue in a state where the generally flatwater river network makes the Peshtigo's gradient exceptional, while the Upper Peshtigo's continuous Class II-III paddling delivers the sustained exciting water that guided commercial raft trips specifically feature. Marinette County's Northwoods landscape — the Peshtigo River State Forest's 225,000 acres of northern Wisconsin mixed conifer and hardwood forest, the Caldron Falls and High Falls Flowages, and the Mountain Bay State Trail's rail-trail cycling through the Marinette County forest — gives resort guests the complete northern Wisconsin outdoor recreation portfolio beyond the river itself. The Peshtigo Fire Museum in the city of Peshtigo, 30 miles east, commemorates the October 8, 1871 fire that killed approximately 1,500 to 2,500 people on the same night as the Great Chicago Fire — one of the deadliest natural disasters in American history, historically overshadowed by the Chicago fire's greater national news coverage despite its far larger death toll. Thornton's Rafting Resort and Campground operates through the Northwoods season from spring through fall, with the spring high-water rafting season from April through June providing the most powerful and most technically demanding Peshtigo River conditions and the summer season delivering the most comfortable camping weather. Fall color in Marinette County's northern Wisconsin forest peaks from early October through mid-October in a maple, aspen, and birch display that the Peshtigo River corridor specifically frames with river reflections and forested bank foliage that river-level paddling reveals in its most intimate form. Reserve sites and cabins ahead for Memorial Day weekend and the peak spring whitewater season, when Peshtigo River visitor traffic fills the Athelstane corridor's limited accommodation.

from $49/night

Indian Lake RV Resort & Campground

57 RV Sites

Indian Lake RV Resort and Campground in Manistique, Michigan, offers 57 RV sites on the shores of Indian Lake in the Upper Peninsula, with 30 and 50-amp service and rigs accepted to 50 feet on a big-rig-friendly layout. Full-hookup back-in, water-and-electric back-in, and pull-through categories join a beach, cabins, and dump station in Schoolcraft County. Fifty-seven sites run in back-in, back-in water-and-electric, and pull-thru categories, carrying water, sewer, and electric where noted, sized to 50 feet, with fire pits and picnic tables. Confirm your tier before booking, as the water-and-electric category does not carry sewer at the site. Cabins round out the lodging. A laundry, dump station, and restrooms handle the practical side. A beach on the property supports swimming, boating, canoeing, kayaking, and fishing. Hiking runs through the surrounding forest, and the birding along the lakeshore and the nearby river is genuinely productive. A golf course and a state park are nearby. Pets are welcome. Indian Lake is the fourth-largest inland lake in Michigan, and this stretch of the Upper Peninsula's Big Lakes country sits between Lake Michigan's north shore and the waterfalls and birch forest of the central UP. Manistique's boardwalk and lighthouse are close, with Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Kitch-iti-kipi Big Spring, and the Seney National Wildlife Refuge all within reach — an unusual concentration of natural attractions for a quiet corner of the state. The UP season is short and concentrated. Summer is peak, with fall color drawing a strong second wave. Reserve well ahead for July and August, and check operating dates for the shoulder months.

from $42/night

Timberline Campground

98 RV Sites

Timberline Campground in Benzonia, Michigan, offers 98 RV sites with 30 and 50-amp service and rigs accepted to 40 feet, in Benzie County's forested lake country. Full-hookup and water-and-electric categories in both back-in and pull-through serve anglers targeting the Betsie River and Lake Michigan's tributary streams, with two-story cabin rentals on site. Ninety-eight sites span full-hookup back-in, water-and-electric back-in, 30-amp pull-through, 50-amp pull-through, and water-and-electric pull-through categories, carrying water, sewer, and electric where noted, sized to 40 feet, with fire pits, picnic tables, and site WiFi. Note the 40-foot cap before booking a larger rig. Two-story cabin rentals round out the accommodations. A general store, laundry, propane fills, dump station, RV storage, restrooms, and showers handle the practical side. An outdoor pool anchors the summer, with a clubhouse, pavilion, playground, and dog park across the grounds and basketball, volleyball, horseshoes, shuffleboard, and corn hole besides. Canoeing, kayaking, hiking, and swimming run from the area, with a golf course nearby. Pets are welcome. The campground's reputation is built on fishing — it is the premier base camp for trout and salmon anglers working the Betsie River system, and that loyal repeat community drives much of its business. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and Crystal Mountain's year-round resort are both close. Salmon and steelhead runs drive the sharpest demand spikes alongside summer family season. Reserve well ahead for both.

from $40/night

Boyne Country RV Park and Campground

24 RV Sites

In Boyne City, Michigan—on the southern shore of Lake Charlevoix in the Charlevoix County community at the heart of Northern Michigan's most celebrated four-season resort region—Boyne Country RV Park and Campground provides 30 sites within minutes of restaurants, shops, and the full commercial and recreational infrastructure of a genuine Northern Michigan resort town, with a modern service building featuring hot and cold water, flush toilets, and showers, a disc golf course, and a mini nature preserve alongside the lake, river, mountain, and forest access that makes Boyne City one of the most completely equipped recreational communities in the Great Lakes region. The campground's town-center proximity means guests walk to dinner rather than driving, and the lake, ski, and trail access starts within minutes. Sites range from 10 full hookup sites with sewer, water, and 30-amp electric to 20 additional sites with 20 and 30-amp electric service, all on level, large 35-by-50-foot pads that accommodate the variety of rigs the Northern Michigan camping season attracts. A dump station and adequate parking serve the property's logistical needs, and recreation areas and a mini nature preserve on the grounds provide the immediate natural character that makes the campground feel genuinely wooded despite its walkable proximity to town. A general store handles daily supply needs, and the community fire pit creates the evening gathering space that Northern Michigan's cool nights make particularly inviting from Memorial Day through September. Boyne City sits at the head of Lake Charlevoix—Michigan's third-largest inland lake at 17,260 acres and 72 miles of shoreline—in a setting where the lake's sailing, boating, fishing, and the surrounding forest and resort infrastructure create one of the most complete outdoor recreation environments in the northern Lower Peninsula. The Boyne River flows through town from the east, and the surrounding Charlevoix County landscape of hardwood and conifer forest, inland lakes, and the Lake Michigan shoreline accessible across the Charlevoix peninsula creates the natural context for the four-season resort culture that Boyne City has developed. Boyne Mountain, seven miles southeast in Boyne Falls, operates one of Michigan's premier four-season ski and golf resorts with the Alpine Slide, zip lines, and lift-served mountain biking in summer and downhill skiing on 60 trails in winter. The nearby community of Charlevoix, 12 miles west on Lake Michigan, provides the Earl Young Mushroom Houses—the whimsical, organic-shaped stone cottages designed by eccentric architect Earl Young in the mid-20th century—the Venetian Festival on Pine River Channel, and the ferry service to Beaver Island, Michigan's most remote inhabited island 32 miles offshore in Lake Michigan. Petoskey, 15 miles north, adds the historic Gaslight District, Petoskey State Park, and the Petoskey stone beaches where the fossilized coral specimens unique to this area of Lake Michigan's shoreline can be collected. Boyne Country RV Park operates seasonally in Northern Michigan's outdoor recreation calendar, with the prime season running from Memorial Day through Labor Day for summer lake and outdoor recreation, with some fall foliage season extension through mid-October when Charlevoix County's hardwood forests produce the color display that makes Northern Michigan's autumn one of the Midwest's most photographed seasonal events. Reserve your site at Boyne Country and let Lake Charlevoix, Boyne Mountain, and the walkable character of one of Northern Michigan's finest resort towns deliver the full Great Lakes resort experience.

from $45/night

Hidden Shady Nook

3 RV Sites, 2 Cabins

Perched on the spring-fed shores of Pike Lake in Wisconsin's Chippewa County, Hidden Shady Nook delivers the kind of lakeside escape that makes you want to cancel your checkout date. The resort spreads across 800 feet of shoreline on Pike Lake—a 200-acre, 38-foot-deep gem known for clear water and excellent fishing—positioning it as one of the most distinctive camping experiences in central Wisconsin. Cornell, a small town tucked into the rolling Chippewa River valley, serves as the jumping-off point, and the surrounding forests of the Wisconsin Northwoods provide a backdrop that shifts from emerald green in summer to blazing color by fall. Twenty-five RV and camping sites plus four lodging options give guests plenty of ways to enjoy the lake, from full-hookup spots to comfortable overnight accommodations. Thirteen fishing docks, a private boat launch, and kayak rentals keep water lovers busy from first light to sunset, while the onsite restaurant—famous for Friday fish fries, Saturday ribs, and Sunday brunch—means you never have to drive far for a memorable meal. Live music performs on the lakefront deck throughout the summer, the pole barn hosts activities and events, and UTV and ATV trail access opens the surrounding forests to exploration. Boat storage, a dog park, and a playground round out an amenity list rarely matched at a lakefront resort of this size. Pike Lake itself is the star of the show—spring-fed and exceptionally clear, it supports strong populations of walleye, bass, and panfish that draw anglers from across the Midwest. The resort's 800 feet of private shoreline gives guests direct access to a sandy beach for swimming, paddling, or simply sitting with a cold drink watching the loons drift by. Surrounding the property, mature hardwoods and conifers filter the light and provide the natural canopy that gives the resort its name—shady, quiet, and genuinely tucked away from the noise of everyday life. The Ice Age National Scenic Trail traverses the property itself, offering guests access to miles of hiking through terrain shaped by the last glaciers to push across Wisconsin. The trail winds through kettles, drumlins, and moraines that tell the story of a landscape still bearing the marks of its glacial past. Beyond the property, the Chippewa River corridor provides paddling, and the surrounding forests offer birding, hunting, and wildlife watching throughout the seasons. The city of Eau Claire, with its vibrant arts scene and full range of dining and shopping, lies less than an hour west for those who need an urban fix between lake days. Hidden Shady Nook shines brightest in summer when live music floats across the water and the fishing is at its peak, though the fall walleye run draws dedicated anglers well into October. Spring arrives early on the lake and brings migrating waterfowl and the first warm evenings perfect for dock sitting. The resort's combination of waterfront access, on-site dining, live entertainment, and trail access makes it rare among Wisconsin campgrounds—an all-in-one destination rather than just a place to sleep. Book your site on Pike Lake and discover why guests return to Hidden Shady Nook year after year.

from $35/night

River's Edge Campground - Birchwood

River's Edge Campground in Birchwood, Wisconsin, offers full-hookup RV sites with water, sewer, and electric, cabins, and tent camping on the Brill River in Washburn County, with pull-through and back-in sites, fire pits, and picnic tables. A man-made swim pond with a beach supplements the river access, and site WiFi reaches the campground. Full-hookup sites carry water, sewer, and electric in both pull-through and back-in configurations, with fire pits and picnic tables. Cabins serve guests traveling without a rig. A dump station, restrooms, showers, and laundry cover the practical side, a general store stocks basics and firewood, and WiFi reaches the sites. A pet washing station is on site — a genuinely useful detail after a day in the river. The Brill River frontage defines the campground. Swimming holes, tubing runs through clear northwoods water, and kayak launches give guests direct river access, while the swim pond and beach provide shallow, managed water for younger children. A dog park, playground, walking trails, sports courts, and basketball spread across the wooded grounds, with a jumping pillow, gaga ball, inflatable water toys, and planned activities filling the family calendar. Boating, canoeing, kayaking, and picnicking round it out. Pets are welcome. Birchwood sits in the northern Wisconsin lakes country between Spooner and Rice Lake, where the Namekagon and Brill rivers and a chain of glacial lakes define the landscape. Long Lake, the area UTV and ATV trails, and historic Hayward are the main draws nearby. The campground runs the northern Wisconsin summer season, with river swimming and tubing driving peak demand from June through August. Reserve ahead for summer weekends.

from $20/night

Tippy Dam Campground and Cabins

17 RV Sites, 3 Cabins, 11 Tent Sites

Tippy Dam Campground and Cabins sits in the heart of Manistee National Forest in Wellston, Michigan, positioned directly on the Manistee River at one of the state's most celebrated trout and salmon fishing destinations. The campground takes its name from the Tippy Dam—a hydroelectric facility on the Manistee that creates the impoundment responsible for the world-class steelhead and chinook salmon runs that draw anglers from across the Midwest each fall and spring. The campground provides 24 electric sites and 11 non-electric sites, all with picnic tables and fire pits, plus a bathhouse with showers that received a complete upgrade in fall 2024. A water fill station and dump station handle logistical needs for self-contained rigs. Rustic cabins sleep up to six people each and come equipped with bunk beds, a propane heating stove, solar-powered lighting, a table and chairs, and a fire circle outside—a genuinely remote feel despite the convenient road access. An accessible fishing pier extends over the Manistee River from the parking lot, putting productive water within reach for campers of all mobility levels. The tippy dam campground is pet-friendly and operates year-round for campers who time their visits around the seasonal fish runs. Manistee National Forest surrounds the campground on all sides, creating one of Michigan's most immersive forest settings—stands of northern hardwood and conifer, sandy two-track roads, and the wide, cold Manistee River moving steadily through it all. The river here is wide, dark, and deep in the pool below the dam, an ideal holding environment for the large salmon and steelhead that stack up during fall and spring runs. The North Country Trail and Manistee River Trail both pass through the area, offering multi-day backpacking routes and day hiking options through the national forest with river views and backcountry scenery that rivals anything in Michigan's Lower Peninsula. The Manistee River downstream of Tippy Dam is one of Michigan's premier canoe and kayak routes, offering a gentle float through forested national forest land with a series of riverside campgrounds accessible only by water. Several liveries in the Wellston-Mesick area offer canoe, kayak, and tube rentals with shuttle service, making it easy to run a half-day or full-day river trip. Caberfae Peaks ski area is about 20 miles east and offers winter recreation once the snow arrives. The resort town of Cadillac, about 30 miles east, provides full commercial services, waterfront dining on Lake Cadillac, and additional paddling on the connected Lakes Cadillac and Mitchell. Tippy Dam Campground is one of Michigan's genuine four-season destinations—steelhead in spring, canoeing and hiking through summer, salmon runs in September and October, and snowshoeing and ice fishing through winter. The fall salmon run is the calendar's peak, attracting serious anglers who know that the Manistee River below Tippy Dam ranks among the most productive chinook salmon fisheries in the Great Lakes system. Electric sites fill quickly during the salmon season and summer weekends, so reservations are important for peak periods. If you're looking for a Michigan campground where the river itself is the primary attraction—and fishing, paddling, and trail miles define the daily agenda—Tippy Dam Campground and Cabins delivers the real thing.

from $32/night

Hattie Sherwood Campground

20 RV Sites, 12 Tent Sites

Situated on the shores of Big Green Lake in the central Wisconsin village of Green Lake, Hattie Sherwood Campground offers RV sites and tent sites with elevated views of the lake through a mature hardwood canopy—a natural setting that takes advantage of Big Green Lake's status as the deepest inland lake in Wisconsin, with a maximum depth of 237 feet that gives the water an unusually clear, cold quality distinctive among the state's glacially formed lakes. The campground's wooded bluff position provides dappled shade throughout the day that moderates summer temperatures and enhances the visual appeal of the lakeside setting. Each site is equipped with a picnic table and fire pit, and the campground's facilities include bathrooms, showers, a dump station, and a boat ramp giving guests direct lake access from within the property. A children's playground and walking trails make the campground functional for families with younger guests, and the pet-friendly policy accommodates travelers with dogs. The recently added permanent pier on the lake extends the guests' connection to the water, and firewood is available for purchase on-site for campfire evenings under the Green Lake hardwood canopy. Hattie Sherwood Beach, directly across the street from the campground, provides a sandy swimming beach and additional shoreline access that complements the campground's bluff-side position above the lake. Kayaks, canoes, and rowboats are available for rent nearby, and the marina on Green Lake supports more expansive boating for guests bringing their own watercraft or seeking charter options on the lake. Fishing on Big Green Lake targets walleye, smallmouth bass, northern pike, and panfish across a season that extends from ice-out in spring through the fall fishing window. The village of Green Lake hosts an active summer and fall community event calendar, with local dining options, ice cream shops, and the historic Heidel House Resort and Spa providing additional amenity access for campground guests within walking distance or a short drive of the campground. The Green Lake Conference Center, one of the oldest conference centers in the country, draws event-related visitors to the community throughout the season, and the surrounding Marquette County landscape provides additional hiking and scenic driving options for guests exploring beyond the immediate lake area. Hattie Sherwood Campground is open through the warm-weather camping season, with summer representing the peak period for lake swimming, boating, and fishing. Green Lake's cold, clear water makes it an appealing swimming destination even during the warmest weeks of summer, when shallower lakes warm to less comfortable temperatures. Advance reservations are recommended for summer holiday weekends, when the campground's lakeside position and immediate beach access make it one of the more sought-after sites in central Wisconsin's lake country. Big Green Lake's cold, clear water—maintained by the lake's unusual depth and the cold spring inputs that feed it from the surrounding limestone formations—gives it a water quality that supports exceptional trout fishing and a swimming experience distinctly different from the warmer, shallower lakes that are more common in central Wisconsin's glaciated landscape.

from $33/night