Best Tent Camping near Medford, WI

We spent two nights at Lake Wissota State Park tent camping in site 30. The site was very deep, and very private with lots of tree coverage on all sides to block out any noise and most of the light from your camping neighbors. The water source was a little far away (about 200 yards) but we were located near the bathroom and showers. The shower facilities were mediocre, but about what you'd expect at a state park.
Park has a swimming beach and several miles of trails.

Worth taking a trip into town and walking up and down the main street. Visit the local shops, and make sure to visit Leinenkugel's brewery for a tour and a pint, but don't over look the Brewster Bros. Brewing Company and the Chippewa River Distillery, also located right in Chippewa Falls.

This campground is right on the Ice Age Trail and a nice place to stop off during an extended hike.

There are not that many sites available here and most do supply electricity. More people tent camp here rather than RV camping. There are pit toilets but no shower house although there are water spigots for drinking water. The sites are closer together than some campgrounds but it's not like a city block of camps like some KOA's I have camped at. The night time temperatures dipped in the low 30's in the middle of May when I was there. The campground attendants were on site twice a day to sell firewood and collect camping fees. The DNR rangers do patrol the campgrounds on a regular basis. There is places all along the river to fish and I was told the fishing is good, however I did not have very much luck when I was there. The campground firepits with cooking grates were OK and the wooden picnic tables are worn, but there is level ground for pitching tents.

The scenery and hiking along the river and on the Ice Age Trail is great. If you had better luck fishing than I did this would have been a great camping weekend. Bring warm cloths and a great sleeping bag.

The campground is part of a larger park. There are multiple playgrounds, tennis courts, splash pads and even an amphitheater and ice rinks within the park.

There is a lot of traffic during the day from park visitors. The evening is mostly quiet, but with traffic noise from the outside of the park streets and occasional loud vehicles that can be disruptive. Morning was largely quiet as well.

The campsites themselves are small — if you have a camper there’s not much room outside. Even the tent spaces are small.

There are no open fires allowed - which didn’t bother us given it was just an overnight stop. You can use grills etc though.

Being a city park it is quite well lit - which has its pros and cons. The back left corner where the nonelectric tent sites are seems to be one of the less bright areas. We slept fine with the rain cover off.

There is a 2 day minimum for online reservations. That’s not required for walk up self registration so you can do one day as a walk up. Self registration has a 3 day maximum.

There is a bathroom/shower for the campers. As a walk up registrant you will have to contact the phone number on the board to get the code. Not sure if online registrations get it in the email. There are other bathrooms (no showers) that are not locked that are a further walk into the park though.

Overall it was a nice place to stay over spending $100+ for a hotel room on a quick overnight on our way further north.

This is a diamond in the rough - exactly what we wanted on our journey.  Our criteria - less than $100, pet friendly and rustic. 

This is a sawmill that has it all - they run the mill when needed, but also have primitive cabins (where we stayed), full cabins with in house bath, electric RV/tent camping and more. Even wood fired pizzas with homemade crust most nights of the week and sometimes live music!

We were in cabin #3 - rustic.  Yes - it did have heat!  A little ceramic heater had it so toasty when it was 30 degrees outside we actually turned it off - so it's sure to please on chilly nights.  The interior was amazing - lumber that I'm sure came from the mill and ceiling planks that were gorgeous - left over planks from many years ago, stored in a shed and re-purposed for the cabin. The bed was very comfortable with clean sheets and squishy (in a good way) pillows. A small covered front porch and we just parked in front.

Bathroom - if you are in a cabin without a bath, it's very nearby. One of the largest, cleanest bathrooms I've seen.  He built it himself. Women's had 2 sinks with a large vanity area, about 3 stalls (very large - you don't have to squish into them) and two very large shower stalls with full doors - not shower curtains. Heated as well.

Pets - easy pet policy. Just let the owner know and it's no problem as long as you are responsible, pick up after them and leash them when necessary.  Just a small charge for them and they were very welcomed here.

He even has event space indoors (heated) and outdoors for weddings and such.  And hiking trails (6 miles) if you choose to take on the outdoors.

The owner plans on adding saunas and a hot tub in the near future - so this would be the place to drop for a while if you want something out of the norm, peaceful, rustic and relaxing. It's off the main road, behind a field in Amish Country.  Lovely place to stay for the night. Very quiet.

Very nice campground, more family-oriented. The campsites were clean and spacious, we had enough room in our site for a tent, screen tent, and a boat. Bathrooms and showers were clean. Showers were free, which is a plus. The beach was a nice size, water was clean. Hiking trails were ok, routing throughout the park. Not very long, only one to two miles per trail, but well maintained. There were beautiful views along the Wisconsin River, would probably be a nice stretch for canoeing or kayaking. The only downfall was the poor fishing on Alexander Lake. The park office didn't have much information on the fishing in the lake, and we only caught one smallmouth the whole weekend.

Nestled within Wisconsin forest you find Sailor Lake. This national forest campground has water access as well as sites away from the lake. We stayed at site 12 - a pull through site away from the water.

Many, although not all, of the waterside sites are for tents. You park and carry your gear down a few steps for a close to the water feel. There is an open area for everyone to enjoy the lake - it’s filled with purple flowers today. With plenty of woods around, all sites offer privacy but they have different vibes. Plenty of choice here so look around or reserve one. Plenty of sites available for walk-ins too. A couple of vault toilets, garage receptacle and water source round out a nice camp.

ATV trails as well as non-motorized trails are plentiful. We hiked on them and it was nice. Minimal cell signal encourages disconnecting for your stay.

Campground Review:

Lake Eleven campsite is a back country site located within the Chequamegon National Forest in Taylor County, Wisconsin. It is the 15.5 mile Lake Eleven Segment, part of the 1200 mile long Ice Age Trail. A 2.5 hr drive from the Twin Cities it is an excellent diverse section of trail with many geologic wonders formed by continental glaciation, with the most recent effects formed at the end of the Wisconsin Glaciation, a period ending about 10,000 years ago.

Starting our hike at the STH-64 parking lot we hike approximately 10 miles to our campsite. There are two sites on Lake Eleven, one on the south side and ours on the north side. Our initial intentions were to camp on the south side but surprisingly it was occupied on an otherwise empty trail. Our late October backpacking trip skirted hunting season in Wisconsin and it appeared a few groups were getting a head start on the weekend. The guide book does mention that this site is used for backpackers, hunters, fisherman and equestrians. We were fortunate to grab the north side location moments before another group of men came thru. I should note that there is plenty of space for large groups at the north side site but as a group of 7 women, the men knew better than to try and camp at our site; fortunate for us as we could hear their drunken banter across the lake. This north side location is accessible via a short spur trail and situated under a grove of pines so we had adequate protection from the sleet storm that was coming as well as a soft pad of needles for all 5 of our tents. This site also provided excellent space for hammock camping. Located next to the lake, it provided ease of access to water that was drinkable with a filtration system. The site has a nice stone fire pit with log benches surrounding it. Plenty of downed/dead trees provide firewood. There is no pit toilet at this location but plenty of open (no low lying brush) wooded area to find a spot to do your business.

Overall a pleasant spot to consider as you travel some or all of the Ice Age Trail.

Product Review:

As a Ranger Reviewer for The Dyrt, I am honored occasionally to test and evaluate products. During this trip I tested out the Oofos womens Oolala Slide Sandal https://www.oofos.com/collections/womens-oolala-slide-sandal

This sandal is touted as a recovery sandal but frankly I use it as an everything sandal. I walk the dog in them, use them at the beach, use them after running, use them around the house, use them at the campsite after a long day of hiking… they are so comfortable that I don’t really care to wear any other sandals. The extra cushy foam, apparently called Oofoam, really does make your feet and legs feel better. The thick sole took a little bit getting used to but like a day not a week. The grippy bottoms give you great traction on all surfaces and my feet fit comfortably yet snugly in the slide, no worries about them slipping off. For our backpacking trip they were a great post 6-8 hr hike shoe. I’d throw off my hiking shoes and throw on the sandals. I really felt this allowed for a quicker recovery and less leg pain and fatigue for the next days hike. What was also great was popping them off right before I got in the tent. No struggling with wet muddy shoes as I crawl into my ultralight 2p tent (aka no room at all). Speaking of light, these puppies were attached to the outside of my pack and added a whopping 10 ounces. As far as the pricing goes these tend to be mid to upper range compared to other recovery sandals. I’ve had a different brand of sandal at a similar price and while nice they only lasted a couple years. For the pricing and the fact that they’re not used for hard use (hiking, running, etc.) I feel they should have lasted longer. Only time will tell if these Oofos will do the same. If they do last longer than they are worth the price.

On the Wisconsin River, there are four “loops” of campsites, with some on the river side of the road and some off the river. The main RV loop looked crowded, but it is also where the very clean bathhouse is located. There are restrooms on the other three loops, but they are not as updated as the main bathrooms and bathhouse in the RV loop. Most of the tents were put on the sites around the ballfield which is across the street from the river. The good thing about that is that the dust from the ballfield seemed to keep the deer flies at bay, which was not the case on the riverside sites. It’s a good thing the road is not too busy as you have to walk along the side of the road to get to the shower house from the other camp loops. There is a nice dock that is a good spot to watch the sun set over the river if you can stand the bugs.

Tent only, reservable group site at Mondeaux recreation area. Boat landing, Ice Age National Scenic Trail. Part of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.

We camped here many times in my childhood. Beautiful forest, boating, dam views along the Wisconsin River.

Campground Review:

Sailor Creek campsite is a backcountry site located within the Chequamegon National Forest in Taylor County, Wisconsin. It is the 15.2 mile Jerry Lake Segment; part of the 1200 mile long Ice Age Trail. A 2.5 hr drive from the Twin Cities it is an excellent diverse section of trail with many geologic wonders formed by continental glaciation, with the most recent effects formed at the end of the Wisconsin Glaciation, a period ending about 10,000 years ago. In the Jerry Lake Segment you cross over the mile-long Hemlock Esker. An Esker is basically an inverted river. Look it up, it’s fascinating. It also provides incredible views as you’re about 80 feet up.

Continuing our backpacking trip from the Lake Eleven campsite, we hiked about 8 miles from our previous site to Sailor Creek. It is located in a grove of hemlocks about 150 feet away from your water source, Sailor Creek. It’s marked by a large blue gray boulder that looks exactly like Jeff Dunhams, Walter, and some very open ground. The trees are lovely but the site is a bit rough for tents. Lots of roots and low dips make for uncomfortable, possibly damp sleeping. Hammock camping, however, is readily available. This site has no pit toilet and not a lot of “privacy” so finding a place to do your business is not for the modest. You are also directly in contact with the trail. It’s literally right along the campsite so even though we never saw anyone, if you happen to camp during a busy time you will not have any privacy from those walking the trails.  The fire pit is very nice and there are plenty of dead downed trees to start a fire. The pit is surrounded by logs to sit on and oddly enough some of the “bridge” of Sailor Creek. We’re not sure if someone broke the boardwalk or they’ve repaired it and those were left over pieces. They made for nice tables though.

Product Review:

As a Ranger Reviewer for The Dyrt, I am honored occasionally to test and evaluate products. During this trip I tested out two LEDLENSER products, the MH2 Headlamp and the MT10 Flashlight. https://www.ledlenserusa.com

First up the MH2. This sturdy, well built, headlamp is great for tasks around camp. It is not incredibly bright at 100 lumens but it’s a no frills get the job done light. You can twist the front to go from soft 15 lumen light to the more direct spot of the 100 lumens. It’s lightweight at a little over 6 oz and has an excellent price point, for its qualities, of $25. It provided plenty of light for walking around camp, gathering firewood and setting up the tent. It requires 3 AAA batteries which were pleasantly included in the box along with instructions and a 7 year warranty.

The MT10 flashlight is in a word, intense. If the packaging doesn’t convince you (a chainsaw would have been useful) then the 1000 lumens of light might. It is incredibly well built and while just under 6 oz feels a lot denser. It’s a convenient, compact size at a little over 5 inches long and comes with a handy sheath that clips to your pants, shirt, backpack, etc. Like the headlamp you can go from a soft 10 lumens of light to the powerful direct 1000 lumens. As a women I considered the fact that this 1000 lumens light would blind a would be attacker in a heartbeat. The light comes with a rechargeable battery via usb cord and is advertised as providing 6 to 144 hours of light depending on your lumen intensity. I enjoyed using this light for a middle of the night bathroom run as I could see everything within a 500+ foot radius. No shining eyes were sneaking up on me. I would completely trust this light for late night trail jaunts. The pictures below looking up into the 100 foot tall pine trees give you just a peak at the power of this flashlight. This light comes in at a steeper price point of $80 but given its capacity I think it’s more than worth it if you need sunlight in the darkness.

We stayed here one quick night on a trip driving the Trans Wisconsin ATV Trail. This is one of 2 campgrounds in the Flambeau River State Forest. It was fairly rustic and remote, but had clean vault toilets, hand pump for water, and a nicely wooded sites. We walked to the lake at dusk and enjoyed great views. There is a boat launch, and also a path to a small beach with a swim area.   Not a destination for us, but a great stop.

Read more, check out the map: https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/stateforests/flambeauriver/camping.html You can check availability and reserve some of the sites online on the Wisconsin DRN site, or just pay at the pay station. 

Pro Tip:  We found wood close by at the Flambeau Forest Inn, with a pick up and paybox outside. Nice to be able to get wood without needing to go inside.

Beautiful Wisconsin state park. Two campgrounds, the north campground is more primitive, the south campground, where we stayed, has electrical hookups. We stayed here in Oct. of 2014, our first night camping in our new RV. Only stayed one night, but we were impressed. Decent bathrooms and showers in the south campground.

Continuing my quest to visit as many Wisconsin state parks as possible. I stopped by here to check out the campsites for potential future camping and look over the park. When I found was a very well-maintained park, love the viewing area of the lake. Campsites looked good as well.

Enjoyed this island campground. There is a RV focused and a tent focused camping loops. This is a nice location for fisherman and kayaks/canoes. There are a few hiking trails that are loaded with mosquitoes (given the location and amount of water). There is a small beach to play in the water, playground and ball field. The bathrooms are nicely kept but dated. Great location to go with kids.

This was dry camping at its best. Sites are wooded and offer plenty of shade. Well spaced so you feel like you’re all alone. Quick walk to the river or drive along the loop to the beach. Dirt pads but fairly level in our spot. (We did have a huge storm during our stay that crated a river in our site -so tent campers may want to chose wisely) Bathrooms could use a good cleaning but we didn’t really use them.

We love this as a “go to” place for family. The lake location is perfect with both sunsets and coves. There are cabins as well as a few tent/rv campsites and a wonderful bar/restaurant on site. You can boat to a number of other bars and restaurants as well. The only negatives are that it is a bit crowded at times and the bathrooms are fairly simple.