Best Glamping near Mercer, WI

Have not camped here yet but the whole area is amazingly beautiful. Yurts and Cabins available. Definitely Seasonal. the road is not plowed completely in winter.

Me and the kids took a road trip from North Carolina to Wisconsin over the summer during Covid to get away. We stopped at several states and several campgrounds and this one to this day is still our favorite. Even though less amenities since there’s no showers... the site and scenery made that less important! The camp host was very nice and full of helpful information. The campsite was huge and private, also our site was on the lake with access to it. Perfect for pitching up your hammock and just enjoy the scenery and sounds of the lake. Mornings were beautiful with the pines mirrored on the lake and the crying Loons. I’d definitely make this trip again! It’s a great way to let nature just naturally reset your mind! It was sad when we had to leave. We also found a nice family market in Mercer which had everything we needed about 10-15 minutes away. Get the Cinnamon bread! We went up there every morning to get more😂🤣

With covid changing campgrounds to require reservations, we found a spot here over the weekend. We got one of a couple open sites. Upon arrival the horseflies greeted us with curiosity. They seemed to leave us after we finished setting up but we still put up our screen room. Sites that are near the lake have more direct access. For the rest of us it’s a short hike through the woods or a quick drive to the beach. We loved the amount of greenery between sites that kept us feeling secluded. The tall trees provided shade. We would enjoy this much more out of the fly season. They aren’t so troublesome in town so we did venture out to explore the area. Mercer is only about 11 miles away. It’s also a treat to have 2 dots of Verizon service in camp.

This is a beautiful area to visit even if it is just for a day, but just a days visit will leave you wanting to comeback for more! The Porcupine Mountains is located in the Northwest tip of Michigans Upper Peninsula. There are multiple entrances depending on what part of the park you want to visit. One of the most popular sites in the park is Lake of the Clouds. I have never been fortunate enough to see it on a clear day in person so you may take your chances by cloud cover or the fog. There are campsites that do sit close to the lake but require a hike. This park offers many hiking trails that pass and cross numerous lakes and streams. If you are a backpacker this is an excellent place to go. I would suggest later August or Fall. The trails can be impassable at times during the late Spring and the black flies will disappear usually by August but they can stick around. Check trail conditions often!! You can either camp with your tent or rent cabins along the trail which are usually well kept, I can not say the same about the Yurt however. You should book these cabins or tent sites well in advance as this is a popular park. I prefer tent camping but on my week long hike I decided to rent cabins instead and I am glad I did. I did hike the second week of June and the trails were unkept and the tent sites were thick mud with not much of a choice but to sleep in the mud. The cabins do have wood burning stoves, beds and benches. You will have the occasional rodent but some of the cabins had traps in them and if you set one and catch one, you will be left alone for the rest of the night. I had set the trap and reset the trap twice in 30 seconds, after catching two and coming to the conclusion I could be up all night doing this, after the third trap I just left the rodent in the trap and it must have been a deterrent because I wasn't bothered the rest of the night.

I really can't say enough about this park even though my hiking experience was miserable given the trail conditions. It is a challenge to hike but with such a vast are of wilderness there is so much more to do. Near by is the Presque Isle River Campground and Scenic Area which shouldn't be missed either.

Willow River State Park in Wisconsin is an amazing camp site and since it's in a state park the rates are quite reasonable as well. There are tons of hiking trails that start right In the campground. My favorite hike is to the waterfall and walking up the steps to get to the top of it. I am actually surprised it's not a lot bussier then when I've been there.

Only a few hours drive from northern Wisconsin. Porcupine Mountains is one of my favorite northwoods spots to visit. I have seen black bear here on numerous occasions. I love to sit on the flat rock shore of lake Superior. The colors of the rocks are remarkable! Check out both lake of the clouds and the presque isle area. Happy adventuring!

Presque Isle is a rustic campground in the Porcupine Mountains on Lake Superior in Michigan. Not to be mistaken for the Presque Isle campground in WIsconsin.

The hiking is great and it has a majestic feel camping on top of a bluff looking out to Lake Superior. This is my kind camping. It doesn't get five stars because it lacks some amenities but it is secluded and there are plenty of open campsites.

The park is clean. There are trees everywhere with a large canopy providing a lot of shade. There is plenty of parking for your vehicle. The only downside to the campground is the campsites are very open and not very private, but there is a lot of space.

The Park is a little difficult to find if you have never been there before. It is about 17 miles from Wakefield and highway 28. Just follow the signs and you will get there.

FYI: While you are in Porcupine Mountain Wilderness State Park make sure you checkout Union Bay campground, it is right on the shore of Lake Superior.

Don't miss the hiking trails!

Campground is a hidden gem - these sites are huge and if you can get one of the sites right on the lake, do it! We reserved a site last minute and stayed on site 1933 which had a slight lake view but site 1925 looked amazing. Families staying here had kids swimming right off the campsite in the very nice lake.

There are bathrooms here but no showers. Sites have fire rings and picnic tables. There are dumpsters in the campground. They also had firewood for sale for $5 (cash or check).

We were inspired to stop here by the other Dyrt reviewer!

Decided on a last minute get away here and it was perfect. Super quiet and the views were great for the weekend. Yes there are flies and yes there are mosquitos, but get on the water and it is not so bad. I was able to grab a site near the water so I could get in and out with the kayak, but also the location lended itself to other lakes to fish nearby as well. Sites are fairly private because of the lower vegetation so you don't feel as though you are right on top of your neighbors. The sites in the back are super private and easy to get away from noise of other people, but they do have more flies bc it is less breezy. I did go down to the swimming beach and watch some turtles laying eggs. I will certainly come back again. I love this area! 

If you get the chance to get a walk in site...do it. They are very much in a perfect location!

This is a nice campground located in a nice place that isn’t too rustic. Lots of sites in this large campground too. The road in is paved and yet nicely wooded. It feels like a more upscale location than some other more remote campgrounds. Once in there are a variety of sites to choose from. Firewood is for sale in the wooden building - an honor system for payment. Vault toilets are spread throughout.

Big lake is beautiful and certainly a draw. We loved the bicycle route that runs throughout the area. People were walking, running and biking - even one wheels were in play. This is a great way to get out into the dispersed local community without touching your vehicle. If you would rather something more trail oriented, WinMan Trails is not far. To be honest, we only made it a mile before we ran back to the car to avoid the flies and mosquitoes. The trails were beautiful. They also have mountain bike routes and short tracks along with winter cross country ski routes.

This is a welcoming campground that we look forward to returning to.

Have stayed here two or three times. Pretty quiet except for the boaters coming in and out in the morning and evening. Just your basic campground with pit toilets and pump water. Firewood available for $5 or $6 when I was there. Sites that I stayed in seem to have good amount of vegetation in between for privacy. Overall a good campground.

Big Lake Campground is a great spot if you’re looking for a simple and peaceful camping experience. The facilities are very basic—vault toilets and no showers—but they are clean and well-maintained. Firewood is available for sale on-site, which is super convenient.

The real highlight is the beautiful natural surroundings. The campground is nestled in a quiet, wooded area, perfect for relaxing and disconnecting. There are some really nice hiking trails nearby, offering scenic views and opportunities to spot wildlife.

If you’re okay with minimal amenities and want to enjoy nature, this is a great spot. Perfect for tent campers and anyone looking for a rustic getaway!

Enjoy the road as it winds you between many lakes on the way to Henry Lake. 5 miles of well kept gravel road. It gets bumpier on the last leg to the campground.

A small campground with one loop awaits you. A variety of nice sites with plenty of shade can be found. All of them were empty when we arrived - it was mid-week. It might be different on the weekends. There really seems to be fishing and relaxing in camp as your options. It is a beautiful spot in a peaceful and quiet setting.

Side note. On our visit we passed a group hanging out by their trucks just as we turned off the highway. By the time we got to the campground one of the trucks was following us. We didn’t feel comfortable so we left (always trust your intuition). We passed the whole group of trucks on our way out as they headed back towards the campground. It may have just been coincidence but we felt better moving on to another spot

This campground is closed for 2021. However we didn’t know beforehand and are glad we checked it out. Right by camp entrance is a historic covered bridge. We weren’t the only o es stopping to see it today.

We walked in to see the campground. Vault toilets, water and garbage are there. It hasn’t been mowed but the sites look medium size but most are well separated from each other. The ones we saw had more sun than shade. If you camp here, keep going around the bend to choose the best site. They curl around with some separation.

This is listed as an equestrian campground so we looked for the trail along the river. We found what looked like a trail but the weeds were high. I’d be interested to see what it looks like when it reopens.

Upon pulling into the Alpine Campground after hours,  we were approached by an elderly women while looking at the board for after hours check in protocol.  Inga, who was the owner, had my husband go into the office which had hanging taxidermy mounts all over as well has "stuff" she has been hoarding.  If this campground cost less and had a working bathhouse, I would have given it higher stars. It was $38 for 2 adults, 2 kids electric and water hook up.   (FYI cash only).

Once we paid she found her missing golf cart and drove it like a maniac!   She literally almost hit out truck twice.  She hit the gas instead of the break and swerved to miss us.  She drove it pedal to the metal in circles trying to find our spot in the empty grassy field behind their house.  When she finally decided upon our spot, she drove around again and literally almost hit our truck.  I am so thankful that she didn't because I can't even imagine what would have happened to her if she did going as fast as she was and her age.  Her son, who apparently works there, needs to take the keys from her!  She was a very kind women, but for her safety and sanity she needs help running the place or to sell it!  

The cost was overpriced for what we received.  We were told the toilets didn't work because there was a piece on order for over 2 weeks, the sinks weren't working so we couldn't use those either, but you could get a hot shower for a $0.25. She also asked that we not use the sanitary dumping station unless we really had too. The garbage was overflowing and in desperate need of pick up.  You could save this campground was mosquito heaven.  My son had 9 mosquito bites on his back when he woke up the next morning.  We were barely outside because this was just a quick overnight stop on our way home.  Mosquitos are part of nature so that isn't a complaint just an observation for future campers- bring mosquito spray!   

We were happy to pull out the next morning and be on our way.   We wouldn't chose this campground again, nor the city campground in Ironwood we passed on that landed up as Alpine.  There is another up the road a mile or two we should have considered.   

This spot could be a real gem with a little bit of money and work.  Someone please help Inga out!!

Great place to stay. Right next to Black River. Sites sit back from highway so easy access and quiet. Open year round. Showers. Owner is friendly and very helpful.

We had a lovely spot looking at beautiful trees and the river. But the sounds of big semi trucks going down and up the big hill got old pretty quick. Lady in the office was super cute. Wanted to put her in my pocket. We hiked Wolf Mountain and the Porcupine Mountains. We’ve done the ski jump thing too. All are great!