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

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

Big Rock Creek

15 RV Sites, 3 Glamping Sites, 1 Yurt

Big Rock Creek in Saint Croix Falls, Wisconsin, provides a natural, river-centered camping retreat on the banks of the St. Croix River in Polk County, where the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway's protected corridor delivers one of the Midwest's most pristine paddling and fishing environments in a landscape that has been federally protected since 1968 as one of the original components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Positioned at the gateway to the St. Croix River's upper segment, the campground serves paddlers, anglers, hikers, and nature-oriented travelers who prioritize the authentic river experience over resort-scale amenities. The campground accommodates guests in cabin rentals alongside tent and RV sites, with amenities calibrated to the outdoor recreation lifestyle the St. Croix River corridor demands: a general store for resupply, showers, bathrooms, Wi-Fi, firewood, and access to the river and a pond for fishing and non-motorized watercraft. Walking trails through the surrounding woodland and a playground serve guests whose camping agendas include both structured outdoor activity and the unhurried pace that river-adjacent camping encourages when the current of the St. Croix itself provides the day's primary entertainment. Pet-friendly policies welcome the outdoor recreation dogs that Wisconsin river camping characteristically attracts. The St. Croix River flows through a glaciated landscape of sandstone bluffs, clear cold water, and dense conifer and mixed hardwood forest that defines the visual character of the upper Midwest's most celebrated river corridor. The river's exceptional water quality—maintained by the restricted development that National Scenic Riverway designation enforces along both the Wisconsin and Minnesota shorelines—supports wild trout populations in the cold upper reaches, walleye and smallmouth bass in the middle river sections near Saint Croix Falls, and the canoe camping culture that has made the St. Croix one of the Midwest's most beloved paddling destinations for multi-day river trips. Interstate State Park in Saint Croix Falls, the oldest state park in Wisconsin, protects the dramatic Dalles of the St. Croix where the river carved a spectacular basalt gorge with glacial potholes carved by swirling boulders in the receding glacial meltwater—a geological display accessible from the park's trail system directly above the river. The Gandy Dancer Trail, a 98-mile multi-use rail-trail extending from Saint Croix Falls north to Superior along a converted railroad grade, provides biking and hiking access through the wooded Polk and Burnett county lake country. Minneapolis and Saint Paul are accessible approximately 60 miles southwest. Big Rock Creek operates seasonally from spring through fall in northwestern Wisconsin's four-season continental climate, with the St. Croix River's paddling season typically running from May through October and the best water levels for canoe and kayak descents occurring in May and June when snowmelt sustains the river's flow. Summer's warmth drives peak demand for river swimming and family camping in the clear St. Croix waters, and fall's hardwood foliage transforms the river corridor into one of the upper Midwest's most scenic landscapes through October. The campground's riverside character and proximity to Saint Croix Falls' outdoor recreation amenities make it a natural choice for paddlers planning St. Croix River multi-day descents.

from $35/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

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

Deep Lake Campground

3 RV Sites

In central Wisconsin's lake country, just fifteen minutes from the waterslides and attractions of Wisconsin Dells, Deep Lake Campground offers a quieter alternative that puts a pristine natural lake front and center. The campground sits on Oxford's Deep Lake with 62 sites ranging from tent spots to full-hookup RV pads and cozy cabin and cottage rentals, providing a well-rounded base for campers who want genuine lake access alongside easy proximity to the Dells entertainment corridor. The combination is rare, and guests who discover it tend to come back. The lake is the campground's defining feature, and the facilities around it are designed to maximize time on the water. Rowboat, paddleboard, and kayak rentals are available to registered guests at no additional charge for three-hour windows, removing the barrier to getting out on the water as soon as the mood strikes. Pontoon boat rentals with a fee are available for those wanting a longer cruise. A swimming beach gives families a sandy place to splash around, and all RV sites include water, sewer, and 30/50-amp electrical service. Cabin and cottage rentals offer comfortable alternatives to setting up a rig, and picnic tables and fire pits at every site make evenings on the grounds feel right. Deep Lake has the clear, unhurried quality of a Wisconsin lake that hasn't been over-developed. Wooded shorelines frame the water, and the lake attracts fishing pressure for bass and panfish from guests who find the campground well before they find the Dells. Loons are a reliable presence, and an early morning paddle across the calm surface—before the boat engines start and the families begin stirring—is the kind of experience that defines the best of Wisconsin lake camping. The surrounding central Wisconsin countryside has a gentle agricultural character that balances the campground's natural setting. Fifteen minutes to the north, Wisconsin Dells offers the full spectrum of family entertainment that has made it the waterpark capital of the world: indoor and outdoor waterslides, go-karts, mini golf, Tommy Bartlett shows, and the historic Dells boat tours through the scenic sandstone Wisconsin River. Devil's Lake State Park—one of Wisconsin's most visited parks, with soaring quartzite bluffs and excellent hiking, rock climbing, and swimming—is within easy range for a day trip. Mirror Lake State Park and the Dells' countless attractions add further options for days when more variety is called for. Deep Lake Campground operates from mid-April through mid-October and books up quickly for summer weekends, when the combination of lake access and Dells proximity proves irresistible for Wisconsin families. Boat rentals, lake views, and cabin availability are the first things to fill, so reservations made early in the season pay off. Whether you're looking for a lake-focused camping trip, a family vacation that mixes nature with Dells entertainment, or simply a quiet week in central Wisconsin with a boat at your disposal, Deep Lake gives you more to work with than the name suggests. Reserve early and get on the water.

from $45/night

Buffalo Lake Camping Resort

47 RV Sites

On Buffalo Lake in Montello, Wisconsin—the Marquette County seat and the birthplace of John Muir, whose formative years in the glacially sculpted lake country of central Wisconsin shaped the conservation philosophy that would eventually protect Yosemite Valley and inspire the creation of the National Park Service—Buffalo Lake Camping Resort provides 110 campsites, three two-bedroom housekeeping cabins, a park model cabin, a solar-heated swimming pool, rowboat, canoe, and kayak rentals, bait and tackle, a carry-out kitchen, arcade, covered pavilion, and the complete family camping infrastructure of a well-established Wisconsin lake resort where every site has a picnic table, fire ring, and basic cable TV and free WiFi covers the entire property. The lake access and the classic Wisconsin camping atmosphere make Buffalo Lake a destination in its own right for the Fox Valley and Madison-area families who return season after season. The 110 sites range from full hookup RV accommodations with 30-amp service to more primitive options, and the big-rig-friendly infrastructure accommodates the larger motorhomes and fifth wheels that the Wisconsin camping community brings to the lake. Boat docks and a boat ramp serve guests with their own watercraft alongside the resort's own rowboat, canoe, and kayak rental fleet, and the 24-hour on-site laundry supports the extended family stays and the week-long reservations that Buffalo Lake draws from its loyal repeat guest base. Weekend activities, volleyball, basketball, horseshoes, gaga ball, and an arcade create the social and competitive programming that keeps families entertained between lake outings, and the carry-out kitchen handles the meal logistics for days when cooking out isn't on the agenda. Montello sits at the head of Buffalo Lake in Marquette County in the Central Sands region of Wisconsin, where the glacial landscape of the Green Bay Lobe's retreat created the outwash plains, kettle lakes, and the sandy soils that support the pine barrens and lake country that characterize this part of the state. The John Muir birthplace connection is genuine—Muir's family settled in Marquette County in 1849 when John was eleven, and the Fountain Lake Farm and the Muir Memorial Park near Montello preserve the landscape where Muir developed his passion for natural observation that would make him the father of American conservation. Green Lake, approximately 20 miles north, is the deepest inland lake in Wisconsin at 237 feet—a deep, cold lake in a beautiful setting that provides the swimming, boating, and fishing complement to Buffalo Lake's shallower, warmer recreational character. The resort towns of Green Lake and Ripon provide the restaurants, shops, and the Ripon College campus that give the central Wisconsin lake country its cultural infrastructure beyond the lake itself. The Wisconsin River corridor, accessible within the broader Marquette County area, provides additional fishing, canoeing, and the Dells of the Wisconsin River's dramatic sandstone gorge scenery that makes the Dells one of the state's most visited natural attractions. Buffalo Lake Camping Resort operates from Memorial Day through Labor Day in Wisconsin's summer camping season, with the Fourth of July week and the August weekends filling earliest for the resort's loyal repeat guest community. The carry-out kitchen and the weekend activities calendar create the social energy that extends beyond individual sites and makes a Buffalo Lake stay feel genuinely communal. Reserve your site or housekeeping cabin at Buffalo Lake Camping Resort and let Marquette County's lake country, the John Muir landscape, and the classic Wisconsin summer camping experience deliver a season of memories on a lake that Muir himself would have recognized.

Whiskey Creek Family RV Park

39 RV Sites, 2 Cabins, 1 Glamping Site

Whiskey Creek Family RV Park in Sparta, Wisconsin, offers 39 RV sites, two cabins, and a glamping site across 38.5 wooded acres along the Little La Crosse River, with 30 and 50-amp service and rigs accepted to 50 feet on a big-rig-friendly layout. A one-acre lined swim pond with an Aquaglide aqua park anchors an unusually deep amenity set behind a gated entrance. Thirty-nine back-in sites run in full-hookup and water-and-electric categories carrying 30 and 50-amp, sized to 50 feet, with fire pits and picnic tables. Two cabins and a glamping site round out the accommodations. A general store, laundry, dump station, restrooms, showers, firewood, recycling, and site WiFi handle the practical side, with a gated entrance controlling access. The recreation is the reason to book. A one-acre lined swim pond with an Aquaglide inflatable aqua park anchors the summer, with a beach, water park, and inflatable water toys besides. A ninja slack line, gaga ball, playground, dog park, sports courts, volleyball, and basketball fill the grounds, with a golf driving range, bike rentals, walking trails, hiking, and biking from the property. A camp store, bar, and snack bar serve pizza, ice cream, a Friday fish fry, and beachside treats, with live music and planned activities through the season. The park also operates as a wedding venue. Pets are welcome. Sparta wears its title as the Bicycling Capital of America with genuine pride, and the Driftless Region's trail connections run directly from the area. Memorial Day through Labor Day is the peak. Reserve well ahead.

Lake View Lodge

9 Cabins

Lake View Lodge sits on the shores of Shagawa Lake in Ely, Minnesota — a lakeside cabin resort in the Boundary Waters gateway community that has provided fishing, boating, and wilderness vacation experiences for over 18 years in a setting where the Shagawa's 2,000-plus acres of walleye, northern pike, bass, crappie, perch, and bluegill habitat provide the kind of multi-species fishing variety that sustains a full week of angling without returning to the same spot twice. Ely's position at the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness gives the lodge a dual character — a fully comfortable lakeside fishing retreat in its own right, and the most practical staging base for the BWCAW wilderness canoe travel that draws paddlers from across the upper Midwest. Each cabin at Lake View Lodge comes fully equipped with a complete kitchen, a contemporary bathroom with shower, and air conditioning — the amenity set that ensures guests can focus on the lake and the wilderness rather than the management of basic lodging logistics. The pontoon boat furnished with each cabin unit gives guests immediate and highly accessible watercraft from the moment of arrival, removing the equipment-sourcing step that typically requires a separate marina transaction. The combination of full kitchen, A/C, and included pontoon boat gives Lake View Lodge a practical self-sufficiency particularly suited to multi-generational fishing groups and families with children who benefit from the lodge's comfort infrastructure alongside the lake's recreational depth. Shagawa Lake's fishery reflects the productivity of the Canadian Shield lake environment — clear, cold, oligotrophic water over a granite and glacial till basin that supports the forage base for healthy year-round populations of walleye, northern pike, bass, perch, and bluegill. The lake's connectivity to the broader BWCAW watershed means the fish populations benefit from the wild corridor of protected lakes and streams extending north from Shagawa into the Boundary Waters, maintaining the wild character of the fishery in a lake immediately accessible from town. The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, the most visited wilderness area in the United States, encompasses over one million acres of lake-and-portage canoe country along the Minnesota-Ontario border — a network of over 1,000 lakes connected by portage trails where motor travel is restricted or prohibited and the experience of extended paddling travel through a genuinely intact subarctic wilderness ecosystem is available within paddling distance of Ely's outfitter row. The International Wolf Center in Ely provides the most comprehensive public wolf biology education program in North America, with live ambassador wolves and interpretive exhibits that connect the lodge's wilderness location to the ecological significance of the species that defines the BWCAW's predator community. Lake View Lodge operates through the northern Minnesota outdoor season, with ice-out in May launching the open-water fishing season that runs through freeze-up in November. The BWCAW canoe season peaks from June through early September, and the fall fishing calendar for walleye and northern pike provides particularly productive angling as the water cools and fish activity increases ahead of winter. Reserve cabins well ahead for the prime summer and fall fishing windows, when Ely's lodging inventory fills from the BWCAW outfitter and fishing tourism market that defines the community's visitor economy.

from $220/night

Golden Acres Park

1 RV Site

On the crystal-clear shores of Square Lake in Washington County, just a short drive from the historic St. Croix River town of Stillwater, Golden Acres Park provides an intimate lakeside camping experience anchored by one of Minnesota's most celebrated natural swimming waters. Square Lake consistently earns recognition as one of the Twin Cities metro area's clearest recreational lakes—a deep kettle lake of exceptional water quality where the sandy bottom is visible well into the depths and the summer swimming ranks among the most refreshing in the state. Nine nightly RV sites with full hookups bring modern camping infrastructure to a serene lakeside setting that has attracted water-loving visitors to this Washington County property for decades. All nine nightly RV sites feature full hookup service with 50/30/20-amp electrical connections, water, and sewer on gravel pads, and high-speed Wi-Fi has been added for the current camping season throughout the park. Pontoon boat, paddleboard, and canoe rentals enable non-motorized exploration of Square Lake's pristine waters without requiring guests to arrive with watercraft, and swimming, boating, and fishing from the park's lakefront give the campground a full recreational identity. The park's small-scale, boutique character creates an atmosphere significantly more intimate than the large commercial campgrounds of the suburban Twin Cities, and returning guests often cite the combination of lake quality and personal service as what brings them back each season. Square Lake's exceptional clarity makes it one of the region's preferred destinations for swimming and stand-up paddleboarding—activities where water quality is visible and immediately appreciable rather than abstractly measured. Washington County's Square Lake Park adjoins the property and provides additional beach access and picnic facilities on the same remarkable lake, giving guests a combined recreational footprint that extends shoreline enjoyment across the full summer day. Fishing for bass, panfish, and northern pike in the clear water provides a rewarding angling experience in conditions where sight-fishing is possible during the calm morning hours when the surface lies undisturbed. Stillwater, one of Minnesota's most historic and charming river towns, lies a short drive west along the St. Croix valley and anchors a downtown district of Victorian architecture, independent bookshops, wine bars, and galleries that serve as the Twin Cities metro area's most beloved small-town getaway. The St. Croix River, a National Wild and Scenic corridor that forms the Minnesota-Wisconsin state line, supports canoeing, kayaking, and riverboat excursions through a bluff-lined valley that remains one of the upper Midwest's most scenic waterway corridors. William O'Brien State Park, along the St. Croix just north of Stillwater, provides hiking, camping, and river access in a protected state land setting easily reached for a half-day outing. The swimming and paddling season on Square Lake runs from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, with the clearest and warmest water conditions arriving in July and August. Fall brings spectacular color to the surrounding Washington County hardwood forests, and the Stillwater district's shops and dining remain active through October for guests who want the lake and the town at a quieter pace. Reserve early for summer weekends—the park's nine nightly sites fill quickly given the exceptional lake quality and the ease of Stillwater and Twin Cities access from this excellent Washington County address.

from $70/night