Best Tent Camping near Danbury, WI

Tent campgrounds near Danbury, Wisconsin offer primitive camping experiences along the Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway, with several tent-only sites accessible from riverside locations. Grace Lake Road provides dispersed tent camping opportunities for self-sufficient campers, while Namekagon Trail Bridge and Schoen Park offer established tent camping with varying levels of amenities within the scenic river corridor.

The primitive tent sites typically include fire rings with most allowing fires, though restrictions may apply during dry seasons. Many sites lack drinking water and require campers to bring their own or filter from nearby water sources. Vault toilets are available at some locations like Namekagon Trail Bridge, while others such as Grace Lake Road Dispersed have no toilet facilities. Access varies significantly between sites - some are drive-in accessible while others require short hikes or boat access. At Schoen Park, the parking area is limited and turning around with larger vehicles can be challenging, making it particularly suitable for tent campers rather than those with trailers.

The tent camping experience in this region offers exceptional privacy and natural settings, particularly at sites along the waterways. Most tent-only areas provide picnic tables and direct river access, allowing for fishing, paddling, and swimming opportunities. The wooded settings create natural buffers between campsites, enhancing the wilderness experience. Sites like Schoen Park offer dispersed camping areas rather than designated numbered sites, allowing for greater flexibility in tent placement. One camper noted, "This is a great spot for primitive campers. There are no real sites more of a dispersed camping area. No reservations. The reason we like it so much is it's very private and a beautiful view of the river." Wildlife observation opportunities are abundant, with many campers reporting deer, bird, and small mammal sightings from their tent sites.

Best Tent Sites Near Danbury, Wisconsin (49)

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Tent Camping Reviews near Danbury, WI

526 Reviews of 49 Danbury Campgrounds


  • Katherine T.
    Oct. 11, 2024

    Wild River State Park Campground

    Solid option with star gazing

    This is a solid state park offering. The sites are decently spaced with good tree cover. Noise seemed to travel between sites, I had some loud neighbors during the day but they settled down before quiet hours. The grass was easy to get tent stakes into. Bathrooms were your basic state park situation. Clean with warm showers so no complaints from me. The star gazing area was great! Intermittently had 1-2 bars of T-Mobile with LTE Internet. Wi-Fi is available at the park entrance.

  • Annie V.
    Sep. 30, 2020

    Moose Lake State Park Campground

    Nice Stop Along the Way

    I came out of the BWCA near Grand Marais late in the day and so wanted to stop somewhere to camp as I headed south before dark. There were plenty of spots available online at this little park. It was clean and the campsites were fine—could see my neighbors without much tree cover though.

    If the weather had been better when I woke up I would have hiked some trails or paddled the lake. Next time!

  • D
    Sep. 19, 2020

    Wild River State Park Campground

    Great spot for first time camping

    This was my first time camping EVER, and I wanted a balance of car camping ease with quiet wilderness. I stayed in the E loop. No electric sites, which cut down the number of big rig RVs, but there were plenty of small campers and trailers. To me, this means louder guests than tent campers. That said, people tended to quiet down by 9-10p. There was occasional noise during the day from crop dusters and motorized boat traffic on the St. Croix.

    Site 87 had nice privacy — less between sites 87 and 89 and much more between 87 and 85 (see photos). Site 89 is a double site, so be prepared for a little more activity if someone books there. If I went again, I'd try to snag site 85. Large trees and vegetation between sites, especially on the outside loop. Plenty of space for hammocks. The site itself was level and very spacious. We had a five person tent and could have put up a bug house easily. The fire pit was clean and had a grate on top. Pit toilets were clean and had plenty of toilet paper, especially for the end of a holiday weekend. Bugs were minimal, but could have been because the weather was on the cooler side (50s-60s).

    A couple random notes:

    • Firewood is $6/bundle. Self-pay available if the ranger station is closed. Bring exact change since you'll be paying by envelope.

    • The ranger station was open for window service, and they sold fire starters, soda, t-shirts, etc. Not sure when hours are exactly. They were open when I went around 3-4p Sunday and Monday to buy wood.

    • Cell reception for T-Mobile was minimal to non-existent.

  • amber  N.
    Sep. 1, 2019

    Wild River State Park Campground

    Secluded, River Front Buck Hill Site

    Backpack site Buck Hill is right on the river, beautiful view to the east. Circled by flowers (goldenrod in the late summer), brush and trees. End of the path so zero foot traffic / passersby. Fine size for us but if you had two tents maybe tight. Fire ring and picnic table of course. No drinking water (we brought a bladder). It’s a great place to star gaze. There’s a teeny somewhat treacherous path to the river- no beach or anything (water was super low when we went) - Just can get your feet wet.

    Down the path a little bit is an unenclosed toilet - not the best. The other direction down the path (only about 20 ft) is a smallish bear box.

    You can harvest your own wood (at this time) and that was really great - bring a backpacking saw!

    Only downside to the site— you can hear cars on both sides (river and opposite side of forest).

    It was a 2.37 mile walk from the parking lot, mostly shaded.

    Side note: we checked out Deer Creek site which is much closer to the car. It is a hike in / canoe site. It’s wayyy more spacious, and even has two separate clearings. Also has cool stairs down the to water, and a much more expansive view of the river. We will be staying there next time! We want to take a few days to canoe the whole length of the park, camping along the different sites. Next year! :)

  • Tori K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jan. 28, 2025

    Jay Cooke State Park Campground

    Lost Lake Backpack Site

    such a fun backpack site! The hike in was muddy and buggy as there was quite a bit of rain in the weeks prior to our camping trip. Picnic table, fire ring, and bear locker provided. Site offers great vies of a little beaver pond where you may get to see some wildlife! Site was able to fit 4 backpacking tents, most of which were 2 person size tents, so it is good for a small group. Private latrine a short walk into the woods.

  • Steph H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 1, 2018

    Interstate State Park — Interstate State Park

    Group site with a view

    Group campsite one is a lovely open site right on the St Croix River. This is a walk in site but fairly close to the parking area. Plenty of grassy space to play and set up several tents. If the 5 group sites it is probably the farthest from the vault toilets but still not that far away. The sites are all right next to each other so there is no privacy and no guarantees another group won’t disturb your group at night or vice versa. The park is not very large but what it offers is lovely. In the river side you’ll enjoy rocky trails and the famous potholes and in the hill side you’ll enjoy views from way up high.

  • E
    Jul. 4, 2018

    Pattison State Park Campground

    Beautiful, quiet

    A great campground! There is a beach, playground, as well as drive-in and hike-in sites. The waterfalls are very cool, and they have nice signage and pamphlets to learn more about them. I recommend taking the time to read about the geology. I haven't stayed in a car camping sites, but we thought they looked very nice.

    The hike-in sites are great, not too far to walk but you have privacy. One thing to note about the hike-in sites is that the trails aren't well marked. Once you're on the trail for a while, they start having regular signage, but the start of the trails themselves aren't marked. You park in an area behind the car camping sites, next to what I assume is a storage building or old house. There are two starts to the trail, the one I found best is down the service road maybe a couple hundred yards. There's also one on the other side of the lot, but it winds a bit, forks into another trail, and all in all seems a little more confusing. I'd recommend just talking to the campground host when you get there, they can explain everything. The walk is short enough (a mile and a half) that we hiked out and back a couple times when camping, either to access the beach or to fill up water. Another important note is that while it's in an area where hanging a bear bag is recommended, the woods aren't thinned enough to where there are strong branches low enough for a bag. It took quite a lot of looking to find a suitable spot for our bag. There's a fire ring and picnic table at each site, which was nice. The bathrooms outhouses, which was a nice surprise, as I was expecting an unenclosed vault toilet.

    There's a separate trail to the beach from the sites as well, but I went back the main way anyway. The beach isn't anything special, but is nice enough. There's a nice, small playground near the beach as well.

  • Tori K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 12, 2024

    Paint Rock Springs Campground — St. Croix State Park

    No service

    Felt nice to spend a weekend without cell service about an hour away from home. Forgot to take my usual photos and video of the site all set up but had a few random to share. Nice campground. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring. There are flush toilets and showers and the office has a store for any last minute needs.

  • Annie C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 28, 2019

    Jay Cooke State Park Campground

    Working on being spectacular

    This is a beautiful park with tons of great hiking trails and amazing waterfalls. The campground is also really nice, and very popular. It was sold out the day I was there. I was surprised it was sold out considering there was no water, no showers, and no toilets due to major construction to fix the plumbing of the entire campground and to build new bathrooms. The campground is set up with a series of loops in a wooded area, so most campsites have nice privacy. You need to check in at the ranger station to get your campsite and learn about the water problems/solutions, as well as pay for your site and pay for the day use permit. I was kind of glad it was sold out as I found it to be very pricy for a campground that had no water or toilets (they did have porta potties). But, the hiking trails and waterfalls were definitely worth the visit.


Guide to Danbury

Tent camping near Danbury, Wisconsin offers a blend of natural beauty and outdoor activities, making it a perfect getaway for nature enthusiasts.

Tent campers appreciate these amenities

  • Howell Landing features a clean, well-kept group site with access to the Namekagon River, ideal for those looking to enjoy a communal camping experience.
  • Namekagon Trail Bridge provides essential amenities like drinking water and toilets, ensuring a comfortable stay for tent campers.
  • Nelsons Landing offers drinking water and toilets, making it a convenient choice for those who want basic facilities while enjoying the outdoors.

Some prices for tent camping range from $0 to $30

  • Schoen Park is a free primitive camping area, perfect for those looking to save on costs while enjoying a beautiful riverside view.
  • Riverside Landing offers tent camping with no fees, allowing campers to enjoy the natural surroundings without breaking the bank.
  • Sioux Portage Group Campground provides a group camping experience at a reasonable price, making it a great option for larger gatherings.

Local activities for outdoor enthusiasts

  • Robinson Park Camping is known for its proximity to excellent rock climbing spots, making it a favorite for climbers looking to camp nearby.
  • Howell Landing offers access to the Namekagon River, perfect for fishing and canoeing adventures.
  • Namekagon Trail Bridge is a great starting point for paddling trips, allowing campers to explore the scenic waterways at their leisure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Danbury, WI?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Danbury, WI is Grace Lake Road Dispersed with a 4.7-star rating from 3 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Danbury, WI?

TheDyrt.com has all 49 tent camping locations near Danbury, WI, with real photos and reviews from campers.