Erin F.
Guide
GuideSpirit Mountain Campground
Great Basecamp
Mountain bikers and hikers will love this beautiful treed campground. Level sites that are spread out enough to offer some privacy. Bath house was old, but adequate.
Tent Camping near Danbury, WI
49 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Search destinations
Add dates
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 Campgrounds near Danbury (49)
1. Grace Lake Road Dispersed
"Stayed a night here on our way up to the boundary waters gate is very narrow had to fold the mirrors on my Tacoma to squeeze through but if you park at the entrance it’s a short walk You’re about 20 foot"
"Go down Tamarack Forest Road, which is a little further than the location on here."
2. Namekagon Trail Bridge
3. Schoen Park — Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway
"This is a great spot for the primitive campers. There are no real sites more of a dispersed camping area. No reservations."
4. Howell Landing
"Campfround has 6 campsites with fire pits and picnic tables. There is also a double vault toilet. The campground is very clean and accomodate many more campers, scout troops or large families."
"Tent only with access to the Namekagon River. Plenty of parking. The only downside was no separation from other parties due to the group site setup."
5. St Croix State Forest Tamarack River Horse Campground
6. Sioux Portage Group Campground — Governor Knowles State Forest
from $20 - $130 / night
Check Availability7. St. Johns Landing
8. Riverside Landing — Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway
9. Big Island — Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway
10. Robinson Park Camping
"I wanted to be close to Banning State Park without the reservations. Early spring in Minnesota left us little cover between sites, but we were the only ones there."
"Ropinion park is a historic walk through time with year around activities your bound to find something to interest you from hiking and rock climbing to fishing and boating this little park has something"
from $10 - $30 / night
Check Availability
Drive Time
- 1 hr 5 min from Duluth, MN
- 1 hr 34 min from Minneapolis, MN
- 1 hr 46 min from Eau Claire, WI
- 1 hr 48 min from St. Cloud, MN
Recent Tent Camping Photos near Danbury, WI
10 Photos of 49 Danbury Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Tent Camping Reviews near Danbury, WI
572 Reviews of 49 Danbury Campgrounds
- TTanya L.
TravelerJay Cooke State Park Campground
Crowded but lovely stop
A weekend in October...peak color but the campground is crowded and pretty noisy up until 8 pm ish when it does quiet down a bit. Would stay again, just when it's less crowded.
Mindy B.GuideApple River County Park Campground
Peaceful, hidden gem for simple campers, wonderful water
There are surprisingly few campgrounds in this area with overnight camping - most are just giant trailer parks for people who stay the entire season. We were pleased to find this "real" campground close enough for segment hikes on the Ice Age Trail, 12 miles away at the closest. Some sites do have electricity, but pit toilets, no showers. I took advantage of the Apple River instead - it's just a short walk away, wonderful for wading, has some deeper pools for a cool dip. The water from the hand pump is cold and delicious. We noticed several cars, probably local, stop and fill jugs to take home.
- AAndy S.
ScoutDago Lake
Nope
Have to balance out the last review. Right off the road, you can’t drive very far in. Looks like a squatter camping from the road. Also feels like squatting on the corner of someone’s property off the road.
- TTimGuide
St Croix River Resort
Great Family Campground
Many activities throughout the day for the family. Kids enjoyed the pool. The store has a nice selection of items for sale. Firewood is $8 a bundle.
The campsites are close but there is enough trees between sites to make it seem like you are not so close.
There are atvs and utvs but at night they are not moving around.
- MMelissa S.Scout
Pardun’s Jack Pine Campground
This is for Pardun’s Tube Rental. Don't give this man your business!
If I could give this company negative stars I would. I would never recommend this company to even my worst enemy. This was our second experience with them. The first time took a long time but we knew it wasn’t their fault because the river was low and that’s out of their control. Our tubes were also good. The owner’s dad(Jerry?) picked us up and was so nice and sweet. We laughed at all our hiccups along the way.
This time around, it was just my friend and I and we were having a wonderful time for the first 2.5-3 hours. Then we realized we weren’t moving and the wind was blowing us upstream. We kept trying to go, waiting to see the landing. By the 5 hour mark we kept trying to call Pardun’s to mention that we were trying to come back and to let them know that we’d probably be later than expected and to see if they had any tips. Since the cell service is almost non existent, the calls would not go through. By that time, we didn’t know what to else to do but call 911. By the time we were able to get a hold of someone to ask for help, we were nearing 6 hours on the river. They called Pardun’s to let them know and the owner(Guy?) and his son were waiting to pick us up. As soon as they saw us, the snarky disrespectful remarks started and they began making fun of us. The owner was relentless. It was one rude remark after another. This was at about 9pm. When I started crying and asking him to stop talking to me, the a-hole dug in even more and had to get the last word in. It kept on until I screamed at him to shut the F up. I couldn’t take it anymore. He then stopped and started trying to kick us off the bus. I was sitting in the seat, sobbing while my friend was nicely asking him to just please go and please stop with the comments. He wouldn’t. Once we got back to Danbury, he stopped the bus and walked away. His son helped us get our stuff out and his wife eventually came out to make sure that we had our keys and let us know she had called the other people involved to let them know we were back. The son was initially being kind of a jerk when we got on the bus but he apologized to us soon after. His waste of a human father didn’t.
Please do not give this man your business. I have never been so humiliated and made to feel as awful as he made me feel. The blatant disrespect and language from the minute he saw was unbelievable. This man is the most awful human I have ever encountered. I sure hope he treats his wife and his mother with a little more compassion and empathy.
Dana D.GuideEagles Landing Campground
Clean and pretty. But some traffic noise.
This is a well taken care of and pretty campground. The staff in the office is very nice. It's very small. Nice view of a running creek with wildlife. But there is traffic noise, you are very near the road. There is a nice little laundromat, clean showers and good drinking water here also. Great T-Mobile access.
Amy G.ScoutEarl Park
Camping at Earls
Sweet spot, with about 10 campsites all next to each other, one by the water. There’s seasonal campground hosts(who were fabulous) and a canoe launch all right here. Walk in campsites and free 3 night! Was just what i needed
Melody J.GuideRed Fox Campground and RV Park
Very quiet during the week
We stayed here during the week. Host Peggy was very friendly. Had to make our reservation by phone as their website is very outdated. Most sites are for seasonal guests and it most campers were empty so it was very quiet. Our site was great. $40 for electric and water hook ups. Dump station right on the way out. :) would stay again
Guide to Danbury
Tent camping near Danbury, Wisconsin centers around the Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway, a 252-mile protected waterway with elevations ranging from 680 to 1,350 feet above sea level. The riverway corridor features northern hardwood forests dominated by maple, birch, and pine species, creating a dense canopy over many primitive camping areas. Water levels fluctuate seasonally, with spring typically offering higher flows suitable for paddling but potentially limiting some riverside campsites.
What to do
Paddling routes: The Namekagon River section near Danbury offers multiple put-in points for overnight paddling trips. A camper at Howell Landing noted, "Clean, well kept little campground, which consisted of one large group site. Tent only with access to the Namekagon River. Plenty of parking."
Fishing access: Multiple shoreline access points allow fishing for smallmouth bass, northern pike and walleye. At Grace Lake Road Dispersed, one visitor mentioned, "Stayed a night here on our way up to the boundary waters gate is very narrow had to fold the mirrors on my Tacoma to squeeze through but if you park at the entrance it's a short walk. You're about 20 foot from the water and fishing is good."
Rock climbing: For campers willing to drive 40 minutes from Danbury, sandstone formations provide technical climbing opportunities. A visitor at Robinson Park Camping shared, "Rock climbing including the state's best 12a/b!!! Sigma lives up to the hype."
What campers like
River access: Direct water access from many sites allows for swimming and spontaneous paddling. At Schoen Park, a camper reported, "There's another small site cut out from the road that's somewhat separated from the main sites. There's enough room for small campers. Road is good."
Wildlife viewing: The riverway corridor hosts diverse wildlife including deer, river otters, and numerous bird species. A camper at Namekagon Trail Bridge observed, "Beautiful river! Instead of paddling down the river I'd recommend turning this into a nice float/fishing trip. They provide nice maps depicting where off shore camping sites are."
Primitive solitude: Many sites offer significant distance from neighboring campers. As one visitor noted about Grace Lake Road Dispersed, "This spot was super nice and peaceful! Lots of different dispersed spots. Go down Tamarack Forest Road, which is a little further than the location on here."
What you should know
Narrow access roads: Several camping areas require navigating tight forest roads unsuitable for larger vehicles. One camper at Grace Lake Road Dispersed warned, "Stayed a night here on our way up to the boundary waters gate is very narrow had to fold the mirrors on my Tacoma to squeeze through but if you park at the entrance it's a short walk."
Limited facilities: Most tent camping areas have minimal or no amenities. Bring necessary supplies including drinking water, waste bags, and toilet paper. At Robinson Park Camping, a camper noted, "There are both group campsites and individual campsites here. From the entrance road, once you see the camping rules sign you will take a right down a dirt road to the individual sites."
First-come availability: Most dispersed and primitive sites near Danbury operate without reservations. A Robinson Park camper advised, "I enjoyed this little spot in early April. I wanted to be close to Banning State Park without the reservations. Early spring in Minnesota left us little cover between sites, but we were the only ones there."
Tips for camping with families
Site selection: Choose established campgrounds with toilets for easier family camping experiences. A camper at Robinson Park Camping mentioned, "Picnic tables, fire rings, and a tent pad at every spot. Realistically, each site was only big enough for one tent."
Bug preparation: Bring sufficient insect repellent, especially during summer months. A visitor to Grace Lake Road Dispersed reported, "A lot of ATV traffic but super friendly people, really buggy but a few nice spots to pull into for the night."
Water safety: The Saint Croix and Namekagon Rivers have variable currents and depths. Bring personal flotation devices for all family members if planning water activities. At Namekagon Trail Bridge, a camper advised, "We spent 3 days and 2 nights in the river in our canoe. Caught great fish and camping off the rice banks was great."
Tips from RVers
Size limitations: Most tent camping areas near Danbury cannot accommodate large RVs. At Schoen Park, a camper cautioned, "Don't try to bring any thing to big into here or you will be in trouble. We have a 19' travel trailer and it wasn't a problem but turning around is tight."
Parking challenges: Even small trailers face limited parking and turning radius at most riverway camping areas. Consider parking at trailheads and walking to campsites when possible.
Seasonal road conditions: Forest access roads deteriorate significantly during spring melt and after heavy rains. A Robinson Park visitor noted, "The road back to the sites was a small two track with giant pot holes and lots of overgrowth."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent
campsite near Danbury, WI?
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?
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.
Keep Exploring