Best Campgrounds near Holmen, WI

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 Camping Sites Near Holmen, Wisconsin (148)

    1. Perrot State Park Campground

    34 Reviews
    Trempealeau, WI
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (608) 534-6409

    $39 / night

    "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."

    2. Great River Bluffs State Park Campground

    27 Reviews
    Dakota, MN
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (507) 643-6849

    "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."

    3. Pettibone Resort

    12 Reviews
    La Crescent, MN
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (608) 782-5858

    $28 - $30 / night

    "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."

    4. Veterans Memorial Park & Campground

    8 Reviews
    Onalaska, WI
    9 miles
    +1 (608) 789-8599

    "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

    9 Reviews
    Bangor, WI
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (888) 707-1477

    "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

    14 Reviews
    La Crosse, WI
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (608) 788-7018

    $22 - $34 / night

    "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."

    7. River's Edge Campground - Black River

    4 Reviews
    Galesville, WI
    6 miles
    Website

    $30 - $40 / night

    "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."

    8. Champions Riverside Resort

    3 Reviews
    Galesville, WI
    6 miles
    Website
    +1 (608) 582-2995

    "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."

    9. Frickson Family Farms LLC

    3 Reviews
    Trempealeau, WI
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (507) 429-0375

    $30 / night

    "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 ."

    10. Blueberry Fields Forever

    1 Review
    Holmen, WI
    4 miles
    +1 (608) 386-3292

    $15 - $20 / night

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Recent Reviews near Holmen, WI

517 Reviews of 148 Holmen Campgrounds


  • Cynthia K.
    Sep. 7, 2025

    Oakdale KOA

    Shady trees

    KOA Journey. We didn't feel like tackling Illinois at the end of the day, so we planned a stop here. 

    Check in was pleasant. We were in the back by the bathroom, which was my request. Lots of shady trees. This is a well established campground. As others have noted there is Interstate noise. It's easy on- easy off though.

     There's a Loves nearby.

  • Deb M.
    Sep. 1, 2025

    Blackhawk Park

    Another nice COE campground

    Nice mix of sites at this park, many with electric hookups. There’s also lots of unnumbered sites FCFS sites around the park. Only 1 bathroom/shower building, and lots of vault toilets. The west loop sites (where we camped) were a bit close together, but large and level. Even on a busy Labor Day weekend, the campground was quiet and peaceful. AT&T service was good, and T-Mobile service was very spotty. There’s a dump station and potable water on site. We will definitely be back.

  • DThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 1, 2025

    Richard J Dorer Memorial Hardwood Forest Isinours Management Unit

    Lovely space

    There are a few spaces with views you can hike in to but I opted for a spot next to my car. And ideal spot for a one nighter. I stopped here after a 12 hour drive got set up and even walked the trails for a few miles before bed.

  • J
    Aug. 30, 2025

    Reicks Lake Park

    Didn’t stay the night

    Based on picture, we planed to stay at this campsite. It is right in the side of the highway, so too much noise and traffic for us. The picture this site provides is actually the other side of highway, over a hill, so you can’t see it from campsite. but there’s a view of marshlands. It’s $20, have showers and toilets. There’s a small playground for kids. We came across people That said they camp there all the time and love it.

  • Jennifer K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 28, 2025

    Castle Mound Campground — Black River State Forest

    Really beautiful state campground

    Beautiful, clean, peaceful, wooded campground. Its mid-week and there's only a few other campers here. Most are super respectful with the exception of one group that has the occasional outburst but they were mostly quiet otherwise. We saw some bunnies, birds and raccoons. Heard squirrels, owls and other birds. Vault toilets throughout the campground and one building with showers and flush toilets near the visitor center with plenty of parking. Water fill and dump station located at the front near the visitor station as well. We got here around 6pm yesterday and no one was at the check in so we used the kiosk to get the park pass. A bit steep for out of state visitors @ $16 but they seem to keep the park in great shape so for once it was worth it. Lots of space and shade in all spots. Many sites with electric and some without. Plenty of spots can accommodate mid-large campers. Its about half and half pull-thru or back-in/pull-in. We have a 26 foot travel trailer and had no issues. Mostly level spots as well. A lot of trees are close to the road and made it slightly challenging to maneuver the road but nothing too crazy...just pay attention if you have a larger camper. We dont make it though wisconsin a lot but we'd definitely come back here again. Easy and quick to get to from 94 and less than a mile from Walmart. Plenty of stores/restaurants nearby. Really the only complaint besides the high entrance fee for out of state is that it is close to the town and you can definitely hear traffic. It's not too bad considering the surrounding woods definitely deaden the noise. Wish we could have stayed longer to explore the park better.

  • TThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 25, 2025

    Zumbro Bottoms State Forest

    State Forest Dispersed Camping

    This area is off a low maintenance dirt road. It is best to come in from the south as sometimes the gate on the river bridge to the north is closed.

    There is a parking spot near a known dispersed camping site with easy vehicle access next to it. There are hiking trails that pass by this site.

  • Kay K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 24, 2025

    Wildcat Mountain State Park Campground

    Cottontail lane

    We hiked a short distance into our site. We had to pass a grassy area that was always full of bunnies! The site was of good size, dark and quiet. The shower house was close and clean.

  • Derek G.
    Aug. 10, 2025

    Oakdale KOA

    KOA Oakdale

    The park rangers are very kind and extremely helpful. This park is very well maintained with bathrooms and showers that were up kept as well as my own home. Very nice place


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?

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?

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?

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.