Do you enjoy camping but don't want to rough it? Glamping is a great option. Camping has always been a favorite form of travel for many, but Mellen, WI glamping is a new and unique way to do it. The Dyrt's camping photos, reviews, and tips are an easy way to find the right Wisconsin glamping spot for you.
The Porcupine Mountains Presque Isle Campground offers 50 rustic campsites near the scenic Presque Isle River. There are vault toilets and hand pumps for water. In addition to drive-up sites, there are also 6 walk-in sites. The campground is split into two loops. The east loop is a generator friendly side, while the west loop is generator free. There is access trails to the nearby Presque Isle River and or to the Lake Superior shoreline. Firewood is available for purchase at the campground office. At roughly 60,000 acres, Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park is Michigan’s largest state park. It is home to 35,000 acre old-growth forest, roaring waterfalls, miles of rivers and streams, more than 90 miles of hiking trails, the Lake Superior shoreline and vistas unrivaled anywhere in the Midwest.
$4 - $20 / night
**Camping within Apostle Island National Lakeshore is strictly tent camping. There is no car or RV camping within the park. All campsites within the national lakeshore must be reached by boat or sea kayak, except for the Mainland 1, 2, and 3 campsites, which can be accessed by kayak or by hiking in only.** Mainland camping for car & RV camping: There are a variety of state parks and private campgrounds with facilities for car and RV camping in the Bayfield area on the mainland and on Madeline Island. Visit the park's Camping in the Apostles web page and scroll to the "Local Area Camping" section. Madeline Island is not part of Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. The Madeline Island Ferry is a car & passenger ferry service to transport visitors to the island. Camping within Apostle Islands National Lakeshore: The Apostle Islands offer a unique camping experience. There are many campsites within the park, and each have their own unique characteristics to them. There are 57 individual campsites, 9 group campsites, and 17 primitive camping zones. NOTE: Visitors who choose to visit the islands and sleep in their personal self-contained vessel do not need a camping reservation. Public docks are available first-come, first-serve on 12 of the islands. You'll pay the overnight docking fee upon arrival. Be sure to download the Recreation.gov mobile app on your mobile device before you visit so that you can complete payment for overnight docking using scan & pay upon arrival. Advance reservations for camping permits are requiredfor camping in Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Each camping permit may cover up to 14 consecutive nights.__Permit holders can not have concurrent night stays. Permit holders can only have one reservation for the same nights of camping. Permit holders are responsible for any damages. Camping permits are non-transferable. Individual campsites: These campsites are designated for groups of 1-7 people. Most sites are equipped with a fire ring, bear locker, and a picnic table. These sites are recommended for first-time primitive campers. It will give a sense of backcountry camping with the pleasantries of the amenities. They are a good way to work up to the primitive zone camping. These sites are $15 per night. Reservations can be made starting 30 days from the start of a trip. Group campsites: These campsites are designated for groups of 8-21 people. Each site is equipped with a fire ring, bear locker, and a picnic table. These sites are great for large families or get-togethers with friends. These sites are $30 per night. These sites can be reserved in March every year during the Group Camping Lottery and remaining sites will open after the lottery is completed. Primitive zone camping: These campsites are designated for groups of 1-5 people. These sites are for the truly hardcore backpackers. Primitive zone camping is not a specific site but provides the option of choosing a backcountry area to camp. This type of camping experience has NO amenities. There are specific guidelines on where to camp for this type of experience. Consult the Primitive Zone camping maps for potential landing sites and available areas. The following areas are closed to primitive zone camping: Areas excluded from primitive camping zones and closed to camping to protect sensitive natural and cultural resources. Area posted as closed to protect bird nesting areas and threatened or endangered species. Areas in view of any designated trail. Areas within 1/4 mile of any building, historic structure, individual or group campsite, or another camping party. Areas within 100 feet of a flowing stream. Private land or lease holdings. For more information or questions about your itinerary, call park staff at (715) 779-3398 extension 2, between the hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., daily from Memorial Day through September or Monday to Friday from October through Memorial Day.
For facility specific information, please call (715) 779-3398.
Cancellations made prior to the reservation start date will be given a 50% refund of the use fees. Changes to the reservation will be charged a $15.00 change fee.There is a $10 reservation fee for each permit made. The $10 reservation fee is non-refundable.
$30 / night
$20 - $40 / night
Beneath stately Red Pine trees in the Northern Woods, you'll find a place to make lasting memories with your family here at the Hayward KOA! If you are a frequent camper of this park or a new family wanting to strengthen your bond, there are few places like this KOA! Young & young-at-heart have a fantastic time screaming down the 300ft waterslide or taking a dip in our 9ft deep heated pool. We have rental bikes, 18-hole mini golf, and two playgrounds. Not only that, but there's our beloved Jumping Pillow that keeps everyone bouncing.Have you always wanted to enjoy the river with a canoe/kayak or tube trip? We offer all three options here at the Hayward KOA, providing safe pick-ups and drop-offs for a relaxing time on the Namekagon River. Not only do we offer these regular amenities throughout the summer, but we also add some fun & excitement with our themed weekends! Each weekend between Memorial Day – Labor Day, we have themed crafts, games, an outdoor cinema, and wagon rides for your entertainment. Our newest theme additions for the 2022 summer include Bigfoot takes over and an 80's themed weekend complete with a prom! Folks all around have enjoyed numerous activities for our guests and continue to come year after year to see what's new here at the Hayward KOA.On the premises, the Red Pine Express Café serves your favorite breakfast items not limited to Biscuits and Gravy, Breakfast Pizzas, French Toast, and Pancakes. There is a wide selection of lunch items such as hamburgers, hot wings, pizzas, quesadillas, and more! Our guest favorite is always the hand-dipped icecream in fresh made waffle cones!Here at the Hayward KOA, we want to provide families with the opportunity for that much-needed family time. You can choose a variety of accommodations to stay with us, from deluxe RV patio sites to a cozy tent site. There are plenty of spaces for RV and Tent campers, as well as those wanting some "Cabin Time". In addition to our one and two-room Cabins, we have Lodges! Our two-bedroom accommodations sleep 6 and come complete with a living room, kitchenette, and bathroom. Our Luxury Lodges have the capability of sleeping 8 campers with a larger kitchen, full bathroom, and a loft. Each lodge comes equipped with tableware and cookware, even a coffee maker, toaster, and propane grill. Just bring your linens and belongings to enjoy one of our lodges or cabins. Our KOA is near Hayward's golf courses, hiking, ATV, and mountain-biking trails. Lakes for great fishing are even close by! Maybe you'll catch the next record-setting Musky!
Ranger
Have not camped here yet but the whole area is amazingly beautiful. Yurts and Cabins available. Definitely Seasonal. the road is not plowed completely in winter.
Traveler
Willow River State Park in Wisconsin is an amazing camp site and since it's in a state park the rates are quite reasonable as well. There are tons of hiking trails that start right In the campground. My favorite hike is to the waterfall and walking up the steps to get to the top of it. I am actually surprised it's not a lot bussier then when I've been there.
ScoutThis place has always been well maintained. Clean facilities. There is plenty of space in between camping or RV spots. If your looking for a place that isn't crammed packed full of people this is it. Utv trails to Wisconsin can be accessed right here. There are waterfalls nearby that are off the beaten path. Can't beat it if your looking to explore and have an adventure. The owners here do things a little old fashioned. But are very friendly people. This is our second time staying here. We will come again.
Legend
Apostle Islands is part of a 21 islands chain at the northern tip of Wisconsin, on Lake Superior. On the mainland, the Lakeshore Trail weaves past cliffs and sea caves. Most of the islands have trails, beaches. Lighthouses can be found on Sand Island and Raspberry Island. The Lucerne shipwreck is just off Long Island.
Amazing place to kayak but you do have to do your research if you aren’t using a kayak guide. A great place to get more information is: National Park Service Website. I recommend using a sea kayak in these waters.
Legend
We drove through this campground and liked it fine, it has a USFS campground feel to it. Very lush and green, lots of trees and nice individual spots. Sites are reservable online or by phone. No pay station at campground, no FCFS sites.
Cost for non-residents is $21 for the campsite and another $11 daily state park entrance fee. So, $32 for the same type of campground as a USFS at about $15. We just couldn’t justify paying that when we knew there were USFS campgrounds nearby. If you’re a resident and/or already have the annual Wisconsin state parks pass, then the cost here is pretty reasonable.
There’s a hand-pump water faucet here, vault toilets, and just outside of the campground is a dumpster and a mixed recycling bin. Each site has a picnic table and fire grill and a cool log bench.
LegendI 100% agree with Legend Laura about the price of this campground. If it was simply about the location, this would get five plus stars because it's so beautiful! But if you're from out of state, the prices are even more expensive than she indicated previously, so they must have updated them.
The campsite itself is only $16 which is a bargain! But, if you are out of state like we are, there's also a $15 charge for that. And then, that doesn't include admission to the area, so you pay $11 and change for that. It ended up being about $50 total. That said, we paid it and fully enjoyed it but not sure we would do it again unless we had a Wisconsin sticker. At least to alleviate the $11 charge to get in.
All of that out of the way, the site itself is absolutely gorgeous. This park has lots of very mature trees and lots of very mature pine trees, making it very quiet. The spaces are quite distant from one another and we didn't hear our neighbors at all. We were at one of the walk-in campsites which I chose on purpose because it was literally on top of the river, we could sit by the river and wade our toes if we wanted to. It had a fire ring, a very short walk to the bathroom, and only a short distance to the car from the site. Maybe 100 ft plus about 30 stairs to get up to the parking level.
The walk-in sites also double as canoe campsites, so the river is something you can paddle if the water is sufficient to do so. There is a beautiful little picnic area near the bathrooms that sits on the river as well. Vault toilets seemed as clean as they could be, and they are a little fancier than your single vaults. They have stalls and toilet paper!
I highly recommend if you live in Wisconsin visiting this site as it wouldn't cost much at all. Out of towners, it's a bit more pricey.
Guide
Me and the kids took a road trip from North Carolina to Wisconsin over the summer during Covid to get away. We stopped at several states and several campgrounds and this one to this day is still our favorite. Even though less amenities since there’s no showers... the site and scenery made that less important! The camp host was very nice and full of helpful information. The campsite was huge and private, also our site was on the lake with access to it. Perfect for pitching up your hammock and just enjoy the scenery and sounds of the lake. Mornings were beautiful with the pines mirrored on the lake and the crying Loons. I’d definitely make this trip again! It’s a great way to let nature just naturally reset your mind! It was sad when we had to leave. We also found a nice family market in Mercer which had everything we needed about 10-15 minutes away. Get the Cinnamon bread! We went up there every morning to get more😂🤣
LegendPresque Isle is a rustic campground in the Porcupine Mountains on Lake Superior in Michigan. Not to be mistaken for the Presque Isle campground in WIsconsin.
The hiking is great and it has a majestic feel camping on top of a bluff looking out to Lake Superior. This is my kind camping. It doesn't get five stars because it lacks some amenities but it is secluded and there are plenty of open campsites.
The park is clean. There are trees everywhere with a large canopy providing a lot of shade. There is plenty of parking for your vehicle. The only downside to the campground is the campsites are very open and not very private, but there is a lot of space.
The Park is a little difficult to find if you have never been there before. It is about 17 miles from Wakefield and highway 28. Just follow the signs and you will get there.
FYI: While you are in Porcupine Mountain Wilderness State Park make sure you checkout Union Bay campground, it is right on the shore of Lake Superior.
Don't miss the hiking trails!
Ranger
We booked this campground so we could spend some time exploring up north. The site we got had full hookups, a fire ring and a picnic table. Not super spacious but the place is clean and the people are friendly. The bar & grill have a decent menu and the thin crust pizza was yummy. Conveniently located on Hwy2 but you could hear truck traffic at your site... cell tower right next to the campground meant we had full service when needed. We would stay here again no doubt! I think the price for 30Amp full hook ups was about $35/nt
ScoutClean and easy. Pull through, full hookups, and a great view of the sky. Has a bar, and, gas/diesel. If your looking for a spot to ATV its
TravelerLarge playground, biking,hiking
ScoutMy family have been camping here many years.The KIds always ask to stay here.The campground is family oriented.If you camp here you get free entrance to the gigantic water park.The park caters to little children to big kids. They sell food,or bring a picnic.Plenty of tables.If you not part of the campground,pay a small price to get in.They have the zip line.The western show is worth taking the day to see.They have an ice cream store,and golf,and arcades.Inside the campground,they have a pool,crabbing and fishing pier.Maybe rent a boat or kayak. They have a nice store,with a deli,supplies,beer,and soveniors.They have a laundry mat,and a cheap restaraunt.They also have cabins.But if you want to see the ocean,they supply a bus all day, The sites are shaded and easy to pull in
TravelerVery nice park with several new lots that are all grass with water and electric. Several lots are full hookup. There is not a true dump station, only a spot near the bathroom that you can pull up to dump, but then you have to back out of it. I would not hesitate to stay here again.
GuideNice sites for a couple nights with full hookups. Best part is that there is a lot of room to walk your dog as it backs up to a forest. Also, the gas station is also a bar and its a great place to have a cold one after driving all day!
Guide
This is a perfect small sized campground with trail access to UTV /Atv trails. If you are coming here to ride I would recommend going west on the trail. North a lot of the trails were closed. The coin operated atv wash is $1 for a minute. Bathrooms were extremely clean and well kept. Sites have electric no water hookups at the site . Fill of station is across from site 1.
LegendWell maintained campground with a manicured feel - fresh cut grass feels like a lawn. There are some nice sites - some with more privacy than others. A large covered shelter with plenty of picnic tables is in the center. Atv’s seem to be popular. There are trails starting right by camp. They even have an atv washing station - first I’ve seen. With no Verizon cell service, this is a nice night’s stopover for us.
Guide
A few friends of mine got together one weekend to camp at Porcupine Lake Wilderness. Overall, it was a beautiful place to camp. This particular weekend, it snowed and words could not describe how amazing it was. Complete isolation and a relaxing setting made our trip extra special. I would recommend if you are into adventure. Would go back.
ScoutVery wooded, big lots not at all over crowded and quiet!! Cheap boat and pontoon rental, very friendly and kind staff. I plan on going back and possibly purchasing for permanent site.
ScoutReel Livin Is well maintained and very peaceful. Lost Land Lake offers good fishing and boating. Kevin and Elise were welcoming and even provided parts to fix a major RV plumbing issue. We stayed in camp site 5. It was a large, pull through site. No issue parking our 40’ DP and toad. I would definitely come back!
Guide
This is a quiet campground in the middle of nowhere. The campground is intended to be used as campers that ride horses can stay at. People who camp in tents or small trailers will also enjoy this quiet place. There are many miles of trails that can be ridden on horseback. It is a very clean campground especially if you want a quiet place. Also spacious campsites.
Guide
Wanoka is a quiet campground just off the Hwy 2. It has a nice little trout pond and is a good place to teach the younger kids fishing skills. It is however not ideal for young ones who like to play as there is no playground.
LegendTypical USFS campground in the Chequamegon NF. First come first served, self pay, no host, very green and lush and private sites.
$15/night. Some sites are pull through. A few are level, but most would be difficult for us to get level enough to be comfortable. Not sure of the length limit here but we had no problems in our 26ft class c. Roads are narrow and the low hanging branches scraped along the top and sides of our rig, but no damage.
There is a trash dumpster here, and even a recycling bin, a nice surprise. There is potable water at the campground (per note at spigot water is safe to drink but will leave rust residue). Vault toilets here as well.
The lake is nice and peaceful and small, and bugs/mosquitos weren’t too bad. There’s a little dock at the lake but you can’t drive your boat down, you have to carry it on foot.
Surprisingly decent Verizon and ATT service. Hardly anybody here. Beautiful and quiet and serene.
LegendThis is your typical National Forest campground. Very few amenities, a small lake, and a few hiking trails. The positives is it is easy to find, it is right off of the highway, and if you have an ATV you will be able to use the ATV trails. It's not bad for an overnight stay.
GuideWe had a lovely spot looking at beautiful trees and the river. But the sounds of big semi trucks going down and up the big hill got old pretty quick. Lady in the office was super cute. Wanted to put her in my pocket. We hiked Wolf Mountain and the Porcupine Mountains. We’ve done the ski jump thing too. All are great!
GuideWe first stayed at Alpine Campground this summer and we ended up staying twice on two separate trips. Both times we needed a place to rest for a night on our way to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and later to Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. We think we discovered something special.
The campground is on a beautiful property. It is a bit dated and our pull thru sites where just long enough for our 35’ trailer and truck to stay connected. Sites were grass, a little un-level but were very spacious. These pull-thru sites were water and electric only (30 amp) and the water pressure was a little low. There is a convenient dump station on the way out of the park.
But the sweet owner who opened this park years ago with her husband made the stay a gem. She and her three small dogs went out of her way to make there way around the park on her golf cart and check-in with her guests.
There are full hookups sites back in the trees and there are also some great group camping sites down by the river. Some even looked like the had water and electric at them. There were tents also setup on the perimeter of the grounds.
Where we may have found some small things at a different park a bit disappointing, the charm of this park made this a special place to stay and dream of years gone by. We look forward to visiting again.
ScoutVery run down bathroom and shower facilities. When we were here the site next to us housed some rather undesirable folks. No noise policy here either. Lots of mosquitos. Would not stay here again.
GuideUpon pulling into the Alpine Campground after hours, we were approached by an elderly women while looking at the board for after hours check in protocol. Inga, who was the owner, had my husband go into the office which had hanging taxidermy mounts all over as well has "stuff" she has been hoarding. If this campground cost less and had a working bathhouse, I would have given it higher stars. It was $38 for 2 adults, 2 kids electric and water hook up. (FYI cash only).
Once we paid she found her missing golf cart and drove it like a maniac! She literally almost hit out truck twice. She hit the gas instead of the break and swerved to miss us. She drove it pedal to the metal in circles trying to find our spot in the empty grassy field behind their house. When she finally decided upon our spot, she drove around again and literally almost hit our truck. I am so thankful that she didn't because I can't even imagine what would have happened to her if she did going as fast as she was and her age. Her son, who apparently works there, needs to take the keys from her! She was a very kind women, but for her safety and sanity she needs help running the place or to sell it!
The cost was overpriced for what we received. We were told the toilets didn't work because there was a piece on order for over 2 weeks, the sinks weren't working so we couldn't use those either, but you could get a hot shower for a $0.25. She also asked that we not use the sanitary dumping station unless we really had too. The garbage was overflowing and in desperate need of pick up. You could save this campground was mosquito heaven. My son had 9 mosquito bites on his back when he woke up the next morning. We were barely outside because this was just a quick overnight stop on our way home. Mosquitos are part of nature so that isn't a complaint just an observation for future campers- bring mosquito spray!
We were happy to pull out the next morning and be on our way. We wouldn't chose this campground again, nor the city campground in Ironwood we passed on that landed up as Alpine. There is another up the road a mile or two we should have considered.
This spot could be a real gem with a little bit of money and work. Someone please help Inga out!!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Mellen, WI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Mellen, WI is Presque Isle - Porcupine Mountains State Park with a 4.7-star rating from 36 reviews.
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