Best Tent Camping near Maribel, WI
Kettle Moraine State Forest's Northern Unit offers dedicated tent camping options within driving distance of Maribel, Wisconsin. The forest features two notable tent-friendly group campgrounds: Greenbush Group Campground and Northern Unit Greenbush Group Camp. These established campgrounds provide spacious sites specifically designed for tent camping groups, with the Northern Unit operating seasonally from April through November. Both locations offer basic amenities while maintaining a natural setting within the glacial landscape of eastern Wisconsin.
Campers at these tent campgrounds will find grassy sites surrounded by trees, making them suitable for both ground tents and hammocks. Drinking water is available, though access points may be limited to central locations rather than at individual sites. Pit toilets are positioned throughout the camping areas, typically a short walk from most sites. The campgrounds feature fire rings where fires are permitted, and each site includes picnic tables. All sites are reservable, which is recommended especially for weekend visits during peak season. The sites accommodate multiple tents, with some capable of hosting over 20 backpacking tents simultaneously.
According to reviews, the nine sites at Northern Unit Greenbush Group Camp are visually separated but remain within earshot of each other, which can mean occasional noise from neighboring campers. One visitor reported that sites 2 and 9 are particularly spacious, each able to fit more than 20 backpacking tents at once. Campers noted that while the sites offer visual privacy, sound carries between them, with one mentioning they "could hear loud music from site 4 late into the night." The tent-only focus of these campgrounds creates a more traditional camping atmosphere without RV generators or large vehicles. The surrounding forest provides ample opportunities for hammock hanging, with plenty of suitable trees framing the tent sites. Walk-in access to facilities requires a short trek, with drinking water sometimes located near parking areas rather than directly at campsites.