Katie D.
Guide
GuideGoose Island
Huge sites, lots of open areas, nice trails
We are in 301 near the back and the sites are large, lots of grass, and beautiful. Trails around the park are wonderful for exercise and bird watching.
Camping near Holmen, WI
154 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
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SUMMARY PRESENTED BY
The Mississippi River valley surrounding Holmen, Wisconsin features diverse camping options within the scenic Driftless Area, characterized by dramatic bluffs and river access points. State parks like Perrot State Park in nearby Trempealeau offer year-round camping with hiking trails created by the Civilian Conservation Corps that lead to panoramic Mississippi River views. County parks such as Veterans Memorial Park in West Salem provide more accessible options with direct access to the La Crosse River and connecting bike trails. The region supports everything from primitive tent camping to full-hookup RV sites, with several campgrounds offering boat-in access for paddlers exploring the Mississippi and its backwaters.
Most campgrounds in the area operate seasonally from April through October, with limited winter camping available at select state parks. Campers frequently note the presence of railroad tracks and highways near some sites, creating occasional noise disturbances. According to one visitor at Goose Island south of La Crosse, "Bring the bug spray for the evening because the mosquitoes do come out in force." Summer humidity and insects are common challenges, particularly in low-lying areas near water. Many campgrounds require reservations during peak summer weekends, while some county and smaller facilities operate on a first-come, first-served basis. Wisconsin state parks require vehicle admission stickers in addition to camping fees.
River access represents a significant draw for campers in the region, with multiple reviewers highlighting water-based recreation opportunities. Cart-in sites at Great River Bluffs State Park across the Minnesota border receive particularly high ratings for privacy and views. One camper noted, "The surrounding hiking trails feature incredible views of the Mississippi River valley, high upon a bluff." Wildlife viewing opportunities abound, with campers reporting sightings of sandhill cranes, eagles, and various waterfowl. Amenities vary widely between facilities, from basic vault toilets at primitive sites to full-service campgrounds with showers, camp stores, and recreational facilities. Family-friendly options include Goose Island with its playground and swimming area, while more secluded experiences can be found at Black River State Forest campgrounds.
Best Campgrounds near Holmen (154)
1. Perrot State Park Campground
"Located among driftless Wisconsin, Perrot SP is a great place to camp. The highlight of this park are the hiking trails created by the CCC."
"There is a rail line that runs along between the Mississippi and the park edge, campsites are away from this but still can be heard as well as motor boats on the River."
from $18 - $110 / night
Check Availability2. Great River Bluffs State Park Campground
"I enjoy camping away from the hub bub of the family campground and opting for the backpack or cart in sites. Luckily, Great River Bluffs has some of the nicest cart ins I have encountered."
"The cart in sites all have a fire pit with a grill, picnic table, and are a short walk from the primitive toilets. There is a water spigot in the parking area."
from $24 / night
Check Availability3. Pettibone Resort
"About a 10 minute walk over the Cass St. bridge and you are in the heart of downtown La Crosse. This campground offers everything."
"Utilities were located in the rear. 20A/30A electric and water. Site was a little unlevel. Neighbors are close. AT&T had 2-3 bars of LTE and Verizon 1 bars of LTE service."
from $28 - $30 / night
Check Availability4. Veterans Memorial Park & Campground
"Vet's Park has direct access to the La Crosse Great River Trail where you can connect onto Elroy/Sparta Trail to the east and it directly to La Crosse Great River Trail to the northwest."
"Great location!"
5. Neshonoc Lakeside
"It was spacious and very well kept, with a great view of the lake. Wry easy to back in and get set up, almost level and took very little adjustment to get our spot in order."
"They are pretty open, so you’re close to you neighbors and little shade or privacy. All RVs here, some tents as overflow for kiddos whose parents are staying in the RV."
6. Goose Island
"This camp South of Lacrosse Wisconsin is a great family or road tripping camp."
"The sites are close together near the entrance. The spread out as you get deeper into the park. Beautiful grounds. Good communication from the camp rangers when we had to switch sites."
from $22 - $34 / night
Check Availability7. River's Edge Campground - Black River
"This place is priced around the same as other places you might camp around Wisconsin and I believe is privately owned."
"There is a bar and restaurant within walking distance. A lot of people camp there, the sites are small we still managed to have a good time. We had four campsites next to each other for our group."
from $30 - $40 / night
Check Availability8. Blueberry Fields Forever
"I’ve never had an issue driving up the hill. Great views of the stars. Plenty of deer this last time! It seems very secluded, but I did hear music from nearby one of the nights on my last trip."
from $15 - $20 / night
Check Availability9. Champions Riverside Resort
"We brought their bikes along which was fun to hit the bike trails at midway. We did find out the campground charters a canoe trip so if we had planned better we will do that next time."
10. Frickson Family Farms LLC
"Great Harvest Host location super nice family."
"We pulled in from a long driving day .we were greeted by our host . She was very friendly and explained where the site was . Had a great night sleep . This is a good over night stop ."
from $30 / night
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Drive Time
- 14 min from La Crosse, WI
- 1 hr 6 min from Rochester, MN
- 1 hr 16 min from Eau Claire, WI
- 2 hrs 22 min from Wausau, WI
Recent Camping Photos near Holmen, WI
179 Photos of 154 Holmen Campgrounds
Tony J.
Great River Bluffs State Park Campground
Annabelle G.
River's Edge Campground - Black River
The Dyrt
Lake Road Campground
Hannah H.
Scenic Acres Campground
jeanne V.
Veterans Memorial Park & Campground
A T.
Perrot State Park Campground
Bob M.
Pettibone Resort
Kim L.
Neshonoc Lakeside
Paula P.
Goose Island
Tim M.
Whiskey Creek Family RV Park
Patty B.
Shady Rest Acres
Steve S.
Houston Nature Center
Recent Reviews near Holmen, WI
566 Reviews of 154 Holmen Campgrounds
- PPad F.Guide
Jackson County Wazee Lake Recreation Area
Park is beautiful
Beach area and lake is amazing. Campground is rustic- only water from hand pump, most sites do not have gravel pads or set areas to park, no grates in fire rings, had vault toilets. Plenty of space between most sites. Few sites are shaded -1,2 and 7 have most shade. Can get water and dump at Cenex station 6 miles from campground in Black River Falls. Beach area has flush toilets. Swimming area is white sand!
Dawn S.
ScoutMcMullen County Park
Skip the tourist trap and stay here
The camp hosts are kind and friendly. The whole vibe of this llace is peace and quiet. The sites are huge with enough space and trees to be private. Deer came into our site both days. We liked it so nice, we stayed twice. Treat yourself.
- HHannah P.
TravelerMill Bluff State Park Campground
Expensive but fine for 1-2 nights
Stayed hear on a very hot 90+degree day during a road trip, easy to reach from I90/94. Midweek, we were the only overnight guests. -Occasional loud noise from the road and train tracks. -At first was wary of paying for no showers and pit toilets for the price, but pit toilets were actually clean with no odor. -Spring fed swimming pond was good for a dip once you found a cool spot, but there are spots that felt like a hot tub. Beach is very nice sand, and there’s a playground for the kids. -Definitely check out the short hike up to Mill Bluff if you can tolerate steep rocky stairs, the view is beautiful. -Tried to check out the other trail near Camel Bluff but it was too overgrown to continue. -Electrical box is in the middle of the campsite near the picnic table, so power cables will need to be at least 30 feet long to comfortably reach your rig. -National Parks Pass is accepted for vehicle admission (separate from camping fee in WI) as this is part of the Ice Age National Scientific Reserve! -Sites 20/21 are great for proximity to swimming pond and toilets
- CCaroline G.Traveler
Pigeon Creek Campground — Black River State Forest
Great time for the kids
We loved how well spaced out the sites were and traveled on a busy June weekend. Our kids loved taking their scooters on the campground road and to the lake swimming. The kids loved the playground and path, beach. We had one person that was blaring their music and there was no ranger around. Finally someone must have called the police and they shut off their music
- BBea H.Guide
Zumbro Bottoms State Forest
Hard to find
This place wasn’t bad, but I don’t think it is Maintenanced well because all of the spots that were supposed to be dispersed camping were completely overgrown and not even recognizable. But on that note, I stayed here on a Tuesday ended up just staying right in the campground, and i was the only one there! It was technically 22 dollars, but nobody came to check on me…… Along with this, there is absolutely no service so make sure you download a map or know what your plan is! Be prepared for the most amount of bugs you will ever see(literally ever) and check the weather! I woke up to hail the same size as the ice in my cooler
- MMhari M.Traveler
Perrot State Park Campground
Surprised in Wisconsin!
I am making a cross country road trip to my next job. I left Vermont and will end in Washington. I was amazed that this is the prettiest place I’ve stopped so far. Wisconsin for the win!
John S.GuideBlackhawk Park
Camping along the river
Nice place with spots at the end with places to fish that over look the Mississippi River
Athan D.GuidePigeon Creek Campground — Black River State Forest
Pleasant place to stop, with a few wrinkles.
If you want a stop on a drive, or a home base for exploring the local tourist attractions (look up toilet on the side of the road,) this is the place for you! Think about bringing your own drinking water, though, the water from the pumps is a dark red-brown color, either from rust or from tanin.
The bad:
- No showers/dishwashing/handwashing area.
- A bit buggy- in late May mosquitos were manageable with spray, but watch out for ticks if you venture into the woods.
- Some sites can be noisy, with a road running 20 feet behind.
- Not much to do if there's rain.
The good:
- Overall, a well maintained place.
- clean sandy beach with warm water
- beautiful trees & underbrush make sites very private and shaded
- a short drive from some nice towns, trails, lakes, rivers to enjoy.
- close to the highway, and cheap.
Guide to Holmen
Camping near Holmen, Wisconsin offers access to the La Crosse River and Black River watersheds, with elevation changes from 700 feet in river valleys to 1,200 feet on surrounding bluffs. Summer temperatures typically range from 75-85°F during the day, dropping to 55-65°F at night, with higher humidity levels near waterways compared to bluff campsites.
What to do
Kayaking access points: At Veterans Memorial Park & Campground, campers can launch directly into the La Crosse River. "We stayed here for one night in August 2020 en route to black hills. Nice site(number 80), good shade and privacy between sites. Some mosquitos in evening," notes Kathy L.
Bike trail connections: Veterans Memorial Park provides direct access to the La Crosse Great River Trail network. "Very nice campground with many amenities. Playground for kids and a very nice dog park. Right off the river. Will definitely be back!" reports Jarrett G. The campground connects to multiple trail systems, including routes to Sparta.
Heritage activities: Perrot State Park Campground offers historical programming during summer weekends. "The Saturday we were there they had a heritage camp set up to learn about how things were done in the past. This park has good access for a kayak/canoe path," explains Tiffany K.
What campers like
Varied terrain: Great River Bluffs State Park Campground offers both drive-in and cart-in sites with different privacy levels. "Views were stunning, trails and picnic areas were well maintained (w/ clean vault toilets). Campground had nice clean facilities (w/ showers!) and forested campsite added some extra privacy," shares Jenna M.
River access: Waterfront sites at Pettibone Resort allow boaters to beach watercraft right by their campsites. "We booked this on a whim so what's expecting much but found it to be a wonderful getaway. Everything was easy to access and they had all the needed items on site. Propane, camp store, bar, golf cart rentals, canoes, etc," reports Tara M.
Fall colors: The bluff country surrounding Holmen offers exceptional autumn camping. "Stayed here in the fall. Had a site right next to the bathroom big enough for 2 tents and 2 vehicles. Hikes here offer great views of the river and bluffs and the fall colors are gorgeous!!!" writes Tori K. about Great River Bluffs State Park.
What you should know
Wildlife encounters: The Mississippi backwaters host diverse animal species. "Eagles, geese, pelicans, barred owls, ducks, deer, rabbits, raccoon, possum, etc. are abundant," explains Frank G. about his experience at Goose Island.
Noise considerations: Train tracks and highways run near several campgrounds. One camper at Great River Bluffs State Park notes, "Highway noise from the highway running along the river and from I-90 (while not really noticeable during the day) is ridiculously loud at night."
Water quality: Some campgrounds have water quality notices. At Perrot State Park, one camper advises: "There were signs posted that the drinking water cannot be boiled, nor can it be given to babies or elderly due to high nitrates. But we brought our own water anyways."
Tips for camping with families
Swimming options: Neshonoc Lakeside offers two swimming pools for families. "With 2 swimming pools, daily activities, movies, and a full ice cream shop you won't be bored here. The top one is very large and new with a splash pad area. The lower pool is older and smaller, and where grown ups tend to go for a dip," writes Kim L.
Playground locations: Several campsites near Holmen feature play equipment. At Goose Island, one reviewer mentions "several playgrounds for kids to have fun at" and notes that the beach area includes volleyball courts and playgrounds together, making supervision easier.
Evening activities: Many campgrounds program family-friendly evening events. "Bingo, tie dye, outdoor movies, and other relay races kept the kids happy and adults amused. Sunday night a jimmy buffet cover band played," reports a Neshonoc Lakeside camper.
Tips from RVers
Site surfaces: Most RV sites in the area have specific pad compositions. At Pettibone Resort, David B. explains: "The park streets are asphalt with two concrete strips for your tires in the sites. It was a grass site with two concrete strips for my TT tires. There was more than enough parking for my TT and truck and grass on either side."
Seasonal considerations: The Mississippi floodplain affects camping access. "Very friendly, spot on the river. Looks like a lot of regulars-glad to be here in off season. Would come again," notes Kelly at Goose Island, while another camper adds, "We got flooded out the only day we stayed. Got our money back for second night."
Internet connectivity: Service varies throughout the region. At Neshonoc Lakeside, Susan & Kevin W. report: "1-2 bars on AT+T," while David B. at Pettibone Resort provides more detailed information: "AT&T had 2-3 bars of LTE and Verizon 1 bars of LTE service. AT&T Speedtest: 146 Mbps down, 4.8 Mbps up. Verizon Speedtest: 016 Mbps down, 0.14 Mbps up. Free WiFi."
Frequently Asked Questions
What amenities are offered at Whispering Pines Campground in Holmen?
What amenities are offered at Whispering Pines Campground in Holmen?
While specific information about Whispering Pines Campground is limited, similar campgrounds in the region offer standard amenities. For comparison, Oakdale KOA provides full hookups for RVs, allowing for air conditioning use during hot nights, and is conveniently located near I-90. Meanwhile, East Fork Campground - Black River State Forest offers river access and natural surroundings. Typical campground amenities in the area include fire rings with grill grates, picnic tables, potable water access, and bathroom facilities. Campers seeking Whispering Pines should call directly for the most current amenity information.
What campgrounds are available near Holmen, WI?
What campgrounds are available near Holmen, WI?
Several campgrounds are available within a short drive of Holmen, WI. Goose Island is located just south of La Crosse, offering family-friendly camping with friendly staff and a camp supply store. For those seeking a riverside experience, Merrick State Park Campground provides secluded sites with beautiful tall trees and river access. Other nearby options include Veterans Memorial Park & Campground, Neshonoc Lakeside near West Salem, and Champions Riverside Resort near Galesville. Most campgrounds in the area offer a mix of tent and RV sites with varying levels of amenities and hookups.
How much does camping cost in the Holmen, Wisconsin area?
How much does camping cost in the Holmen, Wisconsin area?
Camping costs around Holmen vary by amenities and location. Reicks Lake Park charges $15 per night for a site with a paved camping pad, fire pit, picnic table, coin-operated showers, and restrooms, with electricity available for an additional fee. At Minneiska Campground — Whitewater State Park, standard fees apply plus Wisconsin state park entrance fees if you're camping there. County parks and state forests typically range from $15-30 per night, while private campgrounds with full hookups and resort-style amenities can cost $35-60+ per night. Most public campgrounds charge extra for electricity and hot showers.
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