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Tent campers exploring the Lake Nebagamon area in northwestern Wisconsin can find several primitive camping options within a 30-mile radius. Brule River State Forest offers backpacking sites accessible by hiking trails, while Schoen Park in the Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway provides free tent camping with picnic tables in a more established setting. Several tent-only sites can be found along the Namekagon River, part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
Most tent sites in the region are rustic with minimal amenities. Brule River State Forest backpacking sites are free and pet-friendly but lack facilities like toilets or drinking water. Campers should bring water filtration systems or carry sufficient water for their stay. Schoen Park offers drive-in and boat-in access with picnic tables but no drinking water or toilets. Sites at Phipps Landing and Howell Landing provide fire rings and vault toilets but limited other amenities. Weather conditions can change rapidly, especially in spring and fall, requiring proper gear and preparation.
The tent camping experience near Lake Nebagamon offers opportunities for solitude and nature immersion. Sites along the Namekagon River provide both water access and hiking opportunities, with Phipps Landing featuring multiple access types including boat-in, drive-in, hike-in, and walk-in options. The area attracts paddlers and anglers seeking quieter experiences away from more developed campgrounds. Tent-only areas typically provide more privacy than mixed-use campgrounds. A camper noted that Phipps Landing has "two small sites with fire pits near the parking and landing, and one large group site with fire pit to the far back of the site that is easily accessed by water as well or a little walk from the parking area." First-come, first-served policies apply at most locations, so midweek arrival is recommended during summer months.
"Tucked away in the northwoods, lots of amenities to offer! Showers, food, and fires! Not far from many lakes and scenic views"
"One staff drove a cart right to our campsite and helped us determine the best way to back in our RV for the most privacy."
"Tons of trees for shade. Everything you Need to enjoy a weekend away. Pool, hot tub, WiFi, showers, arcade, laundry, c store, and lots more. We will be back!!"
"This is a great spot for the primitive campers. There are no real sites more of a dispersed camping area. No reservations."
"My family has stayed here many times to use the dirt bike and atv trails. There is a lot of variety for different levels of difficulty. It can get busy."
"It was hard to find a campsite because it's first-come-first-serve, but we were able to find a spot closer to the trails."
"You can drive in and park at this site, or canoe down the Namekagagen and pull up."
"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."
"Great location on a river and was there when no one else was. Stayed two nights and moved to a site further into the woods the second night."
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TravelerI 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!
TravelerSpent a couple of nights here recently and really enjoyed the solitude. Trails are all marked and the proximity to the lighthouse was nice. Weather was cool and varied between clear and partly cloudy with a light rain for about an hour one morning. Site is on a relatively open, low bluff that overlooks Lake Superior to the South and has fire ring with grill grate, half a picnic table, a locker for food / gear, latrine and tent area padded with wood chips. Trees on site were perfect for my hammock. Waves crashing below site were calming and put me to sleep both nights - was much like beach camping in my home state of California! I did not hike the surrounding trails much as this was more of a short reconnaissance trip for future visits. If you plan on swimming be sure to bring water shoes! Pebbles/rocks are tough on bare feet.
While there I also took the opportunity to scout backpack site 1. This site has same amenities though it is more sheltered by trees. There is a short path that leads down to the water’s edge and a little swimming cove that could be cool for shallow rock diving. Large, flat granite formations for sunning yourself as well. Either site is awesome and Split Rock I’ll definitely be back!
Legendsuch 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.
GuideMy friend and I went camping here from October 19th-21st (which happened to be during an unseasonable cold snap- I'm talking 20 degrees at night with a bit of snow, but that's neither here nor there). The first night we lucked out and though it was cold, there was virtually no wind.
We chose one of the campsites nearest to the parking lot since we had a lot of cold weather gear to lug and my friend was new to camping. Even though it was close to the lot and there weren't really leaves on the trees anymore to offer privacy, the park was quiet and we only heard people when they would walk directly past our campsite.
The proximity to Lake Superior and the view was absolutely gorgeous. We gasped when we got to the site because it was so beautiful! In combination with how quiet it was, it really made for a worthwhile stay.
The tent pad was flat and covered with woodchips. Tent pad was elevated, with a wooden bench built in. The site was cart-in, which made loading in and out a breeze. Going uphill to the parking lot was a bit of a pain, but it was a short enough distance that it was just fine. There was a sizeable metal bear box for food. The vault toilet was a short jaunt up the hill and had plenty of toilet paper in stock.
Because it was off-season, the campground building with flush toilets/showers was closed, and there was no running water for the campground. (During the regular season, water is close by at the parking lot.) There was water available on the side of the Trail Center Picnic Shelter.
I am looking forward to returning to camp here in a bit warmer weather!
GuideAfter a long hard hike on the NCT, we hiked into camp ready for a meal and a good sleep. We had spot #7 reserved, easily the most beautiful camp spot on the lake. A wonderful strip of sandy beach, heavily treed site, nice flat tent pads, a picnic table and fire pit.
Our hearts sank as we walked to the site only to encounter a big RV parked there and it appeared someone was set up for the weekend. We were baffled! I had my print out confirm and proof it was ours but there was no camp host or any kind of ranger on site. We were on our own.
So the people who took our site shows up. They tried to explain to us that there was a mistake in the reservation system and they had the site reserved too. I have no idea if it was a fabrication or not. But we were willing to share the camp site since we were only there for one night anyway.
We pitched our tent. Enjoyed the sunset over the lake and settled in for a nice sleep.
Pros: Large treed campsites Close vault Excellent potable water Beautiful serene lake Close to the NCT trailhead Vault cleaned daily Dumpsters and bear lockers Quiet camp sites No light pollution. Clear skies Minimal bugs in late august
Cons: No camp hosts No firewood for sale Gravel back roads far from town No contact with forest service for issues NCT stretch of trail through the campsite is not that great
I would camp there again but drive and not hike in.
RangerThe reservations were made online with ease. We were booked for November 5th of 2017. Parking lot was convenient, but the restrooms were closed. We did have a mouse in the car when we returned eating a bag of popcorn I had left. There were an adequate amount of carts for the cart in sites. The trails are groomed regularly. There were latrines houses along the way. The backpack in hike in to site 2 is all of 1.25 miles I believe. There is a stairway leading down to the beach that is in great condition. Campsite 2 is a large site on the most south side of the property. It is on a hill above the water. There are a few trees at the edge of your hill cliff area for a bit of a wind break, but not much. The view is amazing. Down the hill to the very rock water front you have access to an abundance of clean water. The waves can come crashing in on you. In most of the seasons this is very doable. When the rocks begin to freeze in November you will slip into the cold water. There is not an easy way to go about it. A pole attachment for your water bucket could work. There is a bear box, but I would warn you of the mice. The latrine is guarded on three sides and has a well build pedestal. There is a pad for your tent and trees for your hammock. There is no hiding from the wind in this large clearing of a campsite. There is a half wood bench with table top. This is very convenient. The fire pit has a metal grate to swing over the top with a few large logs for seating. The hike is easy and the view is amazing. It is mostly tall grass around you, but there is plenty of firewood in the surrounding area.
ScoutWe tried it on the way to the UP of Michigan and came back the same route for two more nights. If you are a water lover, you’ll love the easy access to the water and walkable beach. 12 Reservable campsites online. Tent camping and electrical camping on water, and dry camping in the back woods first come first serve. Camp hosts are nice. Picnic table and fire ring included. Wood bundles $5 for a lot of wood. Laundry, separate bathrooms from shower trailer. Faucets in shower were odd. Definitely would stay again.
GuideA 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.
RangerI’ve stayed at Site 1 twice in the winter. We did manage to hike in on a blizzard night in November of 2019, but the park office made sure we were ok. The park office has limited hours so be prepared with firewood ahead of time. They do not plow the campground parking lot in the winter, but they do plow down to the pebble beach lot. You can snowshoe, hike, or toboggan in. The back trail off Of pebble beach parking is groomed and has views of the light house and nature center. There is a dumpster and a bathroom that is open. There is another bathroom off of the campground parking lot that I was able to use, but you will need to have snow shoes. Camping at site 1 in the winter is amazing. Perfect views of the lake and lighthouse. The site is protected from the lake by a large hill that has a bench at the top. The site has a picnic table, bear box, and grate. During the summer, the site would have a lot of noise from the parking lot and hiking traffic. In the winter, there are a lot of photographers. There are coyotes in the winter.
Primitive camping options dot the landscape around Lake Nebagamon, Wisconsin, with sites ranging from remote hike-in locations to accessible drive-up areas. The region sits within the transition zone between northern hardwood and boreal forests, creating diverse ecosystems for campers to explore. Summer temperatures typically range from 45-80°F with frequent rainfall, while spring and fall camping requires preparation for overnight temperatures that can drop below freezing.
Dirt biking and ATV trails: Gafvert Campground in Nemadji State Forest offers extensive trail systems for off-road enthusiasts. "There is a lot of variety for different levels of difficulty. It can get busy. I don't think I would like to stay here if I wasn't using the trails due to the noise even though there are sites on a nice lake," notes Elisha C.
Paddling the Namekagon River: The river provides excellent opportunities for multi-day float trips between campsites. "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," suggests Joseph L. who stayed at Namekagon Trail Bridge.
Exploring Jay Cooke State Park: Located near Cloquet-Duluth KOA, this park features dramatic river gorges and hiking trails. "Jay Cook has a lot to offer; a suspended cable walking bridge, great moderate hikes, waterfalls, climbing on rocks, and amazing river views. Great place to stop in for a couple hours or spend the whole day hiking," shares Sam C.
Privacy at smaller sites: Many campers prefer the secluded spots available at Schoen Park for tent camping near Lake Nebagamon. "This is a great spot for the primitive campers. There are no real sites more of a dispersed camping area. No reservations. The reason we like it so much as it's very private and a beautiful view of the river," explains Clarke N.
Easy water access: Phipps Landing combines accessibility with riverside camping. "You can drive in and park at this site, or canoe down the Namekagagen and pull up. There are 2 small sites with fire pits near the parking & landing, and one large group site with fire pit to the far back of the site," notes Arctic D.
Escape from crowds: Less-developed sites offer solitude for those seeking a break from busier campgrounds. "I'd recommend Gafvert if you want a deeper woods experience without many people. Accessible trails, good, flat sizeable spots," writes Kraig E. about Nemadji State Forest camping.
Security concerns: Some remote sites have reported issues with unattended property. At Big Rock Campground, Janet R. observed: "A concern for me was a notice up about frequent car break-ins and campsite vandalism there. We ended up not staying here because no one else was at any of the campsites and we wondered about security."
First-come, first-served challenges: Most primitive sites fill quickly during peak season. "It was hard to find a campsite because it's first-come-first-serve, but we were able to find a spot closer to the trails," reports Casie S. about Gafvert Campground.
Vehicle limitations: Many of the best tent camping spots near Lake Nebagamon have restricted access. Clarke N. warns about Schoen Park: "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."
Proximity to amenities: Families often prefer sites with basic facilities within reach. At Howell Landing, Nickole D. notes: "Clean, well kept little campground, which consisted of one large group site. 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."
Nearby attractions: Plan day trips to supplement your camping experience. Cindy B. shares: "We rode the Gitchi Gami trail up along the north shore of Lake Superior, hiked around in Jay Cooke State Park and explored Duluth a bit. We liked the Streetcare Cafe in Carlton, The Cedar Coffee Co and Castle Danger Brewery."
Firewood availability: Some sites have natural deadfall while others require bringing your own wood. Josh M. notes about Nemadji State Forest: "If you are staying here, there is a lot of wood that is available to pick up for fire wood."
Site selection for privacy: RV campers should carefully select locations that offer some separation. Glenda D. shares about Cloquet-Duluth KOA: "We were about 20 feet from another campsite on one side and 50 feet on the other. There are a lot of trees and wooded areas so our site felt semi-private."
Dump station planning: Factor in potential delays when exiting popular campgrounds. "Dump station is conveniently located on your way out of the grounds but can get backed up at the end of a busy weekend and can make it difficult to exit the campground," warns Sam C.
Water sources: Know where to find potable water if your campsite lacks it. Eric from Big Rock Campground advises: "There's a great water source in Ashland next to the lake. We would fill our jugs here."
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