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Best Tent Camping near Mellen, WI

522 Reviews

The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest area surrounding Mellen, Wisconsin provides tent campers with remote, wilderness-focused experiences at sites like Turtle Flambeau Scenic Waters Area and Wabasso Lake Recreation Area. Tent camping options range from established campgrounds with basic amenities to primitive island sites accessible only by water. The region features numerous lakes and waterways that create opportunities for boat-in tent camping, particularly at the Turtle-Flambeau Flowage where campers can secure sites on private islands.

Most tent sites in this region offer rustic facilities with vault toilets but limited other amenities. Wabasso Lake Recreation Area provides walk-in tent sites with picnic tables, fire rings, and a hand pump for water. The Turtle Flambeau sites require boat access and feature pit toilets that are not enclosed, requiring campers to bring their own supplies. Many campgrounds operate on a first-come, first-served basis, especially the island sites throughout the Turtle Flambeau Flowage. Campers should pack in drinking water or bring filtration systems as few sites offer potable water sources.

The tent camping experience in this region provides exceptional seclusion and natural beauty. Sites at Turtle Flambeau Scenic Waters Area offer island camping with abundant wildlife viewing opportunities including eagles, loons, and deer. The Wabasso Lake area includes walk-in tent sites with scenic lake views and access to hiking trails in the nearby Headwaters Lakes Natural Area. Several areas feature swimming opportunities in pristine northwoods lakes. According to a review from The Dyrt, "If you're looking for camping in the woods and privacy this is your spot. The Turtle-Flambeau Flowage is a 12,942 acre lake with a maximum depth of 50 feet. Great fishing as well." Another camper described Turtle Flambeau as "the Boundary Waters of Wisconsin" with diverse camping options spread across multiple islands and shorelines.

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Best Tent Sites Near Mellen, Wisconsin (31)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Mellen, WI

8 Photos of 31 Mellen Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Mellen, WI

522 Reviews of 31 Mellen Campgrounds

  • Kim The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 1, 2020

    Potato River Falls Campground

    No amenities but worth it

    Who knew this park out in the middle of nowhere would have camp sites! I have been visiting the falls for years as it is one of the most beautiful (and little known) places in northern Wisconsin.

    I didn't realize until recently that Iron County actually has first come-first served camp sites at a variety of amazing locations at or near the North Country Trail. This park is not on the NCT but a short drive from Mellen.

    The camp sites are rustic. No potable water, but the quality of the water from the river is good for filtering. There is a vault toilet in the parking area. There is 5 sites to choose from, all in a heavily wooded area. What this camp site lacks in amenities, it makes up for in sheer natural beauty. The falls may be accessed from a long set of stairs climbing down to see the lower falls. You can also take a shorter set of stairs down to a platform to see the upper falls. If you are willing to climb a little (it's not difficult or dangerous) you can get down to the base of the first drop and look down at the top of the 2nd drop.

    There is so much to explore and enjoy here! It can get buggy in the summer heat so be prepared with lots of repellant. Oh, and the road in is all dirt and gravel.

  • Stacia R.
    Apr. 27, 2019

    Presque Isle - Porcupine Mountains State Park

    Stunning landscapes

    We camped at Presque Isle in the Porkies for a long weekend in October. The color change was amazing! This campground is rustic with only vault toilets and no hookups. There is a section that allows generators during certain hours of the day, a non-generator area and a few walk-in sites. There are a few sites which are along the cliff side looking down to Lake Superior, we were lucky enough to reserve one of those, site 2. It was a very large site, equipped with the standard picnic table and fire ring. Many of the sites back up to the woods, which were smaller and a little soggy while we were there. This campground is one of two in the park, Union Bay is the other more modern campground located right on the lake. The sites there are much smaller and crowded. I prefer the more remote Presque Isle campground by far. Less amenities but far less people. The hiking throughout this park is unparalleled in its beauty. The campground is close to the Presque Isle river trail which is waterfall after waterfall. The park has a ski lift we rode to check out the views from the top of the mountain, as well as an 18 hole disc course. It’s the hiking and rugged beauty of the area that is the main attraction, especially catching the fall colors surrounding Lake Superior.

  • Hans E.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 6, 2022

    Chequamegon National Forest Beaver Lake Campground

    Our Happy Place for over 30 years

    I started camping a Beaver Lake as a Forest Service volunteer back in the late 1980s and have done so every year, even while working as a ranger for another agency, ever since. Usually quiet, clean, and very well maintained, to my wife and I Beaver Lake's biggest asset is that it is completely off the grid; no cell service, no electric, nothing (except baying hounds in the distance during bear hunting season) to disturb the peace and quiet. Trout fishing in the lake and nearby streams, canoeing/boating/paddleboarding, hiking (there's a spur trail leading to the North Country National Scenic Trail), and relaxing. It's a place we go to to seriously get away from it all and disconnect. Drives our daughter and her family crazy to be without cell service! But hey, we get away from it all NOT to bring it all with us. #5 and 7 are the nicest reservable sites, 1 and 3 the best open sites. Tall pines abound, loons on the lake, Northern Lights in the sky. What's not to love? PS: BYO firewood from Mellen, Clam Lake, or Grand View. No hosts, and the other two campgrounds in the area are closed.

  • Nona A.
    Aug. 10, 2017

    Presque Isle - Porcupine Mountains State Park

    Great Campground for exploring, and for those who love waterfalls.

    If you're a person who loves waterfalls, then I recommend you don’t miss this campground.  Presque Isle Campground is located at the southern edge of the Porcupine Mountains State Park in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.  This campground has bluff overlooking Lake Superior, there is a walkway and stairs that take you down the bluff to the shore.  Walking distance from the campground is the Presque River you can hike along and see all the beautiful waterfalls this river has to offer.  This is a Rustic campground that has vault toilets, and hand pump drinking water. The campground, restrooms and surrounding area’s were kept very clean. There are 50 campsites that are equipped for tents, trailers, and RV’s.  Each site has a fire pit, and picnic table.  There is no electrical hook up, and part of the campground is generator free.  Six of the sites are walk in sites, there are parking spots for these sites, you park and walk in a little ways to your site.  I recommend a site that is located on the outer sides of the campground loop.  They are larger sites and more privacy from your neighbors.  Inner loop sites are closer together and open.  Be prepared for mosquitoes and blackflies.  Blackflies bite, and bug spray does not affect them.  I found keeping a hand towel or fly swatter moving around me helped keep them away.  They are more active when it is humid, and down by the water.  These flies seem to be common up here along the shore.

    There are many things to do around the campground close to your site and others are a little bit of a drive from your site in the Porcupine Mountains State Park.  If you like to stay close to your camp, you can hang out on the beach, hike along the Presque Isle River and discover the Manabezho Falls, Manido Falls, and the Nawadaha Falls.  Also the Lake Superior Trail and North Country Trail are right by the campground.  These trails will connect you with other trails in the Porcupine Mountains.  The Porcupine Mountains have lot’s to offer anyone stopping to visit.  We took and day and seen The Lake of the Clouds, and Summit Peak.  They both are gorgeous areas to explore.  

  • A
    Aug. 19, 2020

    Black River Harbor Campground

    Great campground in a beautiful location

    We stayed at Black River Harbor Campground last week, in a year that the water supply was never turned on due to Covid. Nevertheless, we had an amazing time. We stayed in one of the many first-come-first-served campsites (which seemed to be available late into the afternoon, but filled most nights) and enjoyed a large site, separated by a pretty dense forest in between our neighbors. We had easy access to nicely maintained vault toilets, and had there been water available this year there were plenty of spigots—no hand pumps here. The fire rings were solid and had cooking greats on each one, and the picnic tables in many cases were new. If you are heading here during the wetter season, know that the ground will likely be soft, but every site we looked at had some effort taken to make sure it stayed dry.

    The real gem of this place is the location. The Black River Falls are an astounding bit of Michigan scenery just minutes away by car. We decided to take a 7 mile out-and-back hike that brought us past five of the falls—each one far exceeding the expectations of this downstater. Next door to the Black River Falls are the Presque Isle Falls (though next door still means about an hour drive due to following the valley roads). The Presque Isle Falls are part of the Porcupine Wilderness State Park, and are gorgeous and even more accessible than the Black River Falls.

    Beyond hiking we had a great time hunting for agates on the beach and enjoying the marvelous spectacle of Lake Superior, including its unpredictable weather!

  • Roger W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 18, 2023

    Big Bay State Park Campground

    Nice Experience and some very nice sites

    Big Bay State Park Campground, WI: (Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good (70 yr olds in 17’ trailer) Ferry Ride: $110 round trip with a 17’ trailer Overall Rating: 3.5 Price 2023: About $20 to $30 Usage during visit: Very full Site Privacy: Loop 1 - 29 Great site privacy. Loop 30 -60 some good sites. The overall privacy not as good. Site Spacing: Loop 1 - 30: Great. Loop 31- 60: Good Site surface: Gravel Reservations: Yes Campground Noise: People noise while here. Road Noise: None Through Traffic in campground: No Electric Hookup: Some sites Sewer Hookup: No Dump Station: Check out the campground map . The dump is on the way to the airport.
    Potable Water Available: Yes, at the bathrooms Generators: Not specified. We used a low noise generator. Bathroom: Clean pit toilets and flush toilets in the showroom.
    Showers: One centrally located.
    Pull Throughs: Mostly, if not all are back in. Cell Service (AT&T): Sporadic Setting: In a pine forest Weather: Highs are 70’s Bugs: Some mosquitoes. I think they are decreasing. Have bug spray if you hike. Solar: No Host: They are short a host Rig size: Rigs I’ve seen are under 35’ Sites: The sites in Loop 1 - 30 is the best loop, are most all very private. Loop30 - 60: Not as private. Site 42 has no under brush between site and parking for tent walk in sites. Other than that, pretty good. Sites 48, ad 50 are the absolute least private sites. Trailer sites in Loop 30 - 60 are generally not as deep and thus less site privacy than Loop 1 - 30. (35 - 41 are walk in tent sites,)

  • Kim The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 13, 2020

    Chequamegon National Forest Beaver Lake Campground

    Great campground, bad reservation system

    After 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.

  • Kim K.
    Oct. 3, 2021

    Herbster Campground

    Amazing location

    We 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.

  • Debra M.
    Jul. 18, 2021

    Connors Lake Campground — Flambeau River State Forest

    Great Canoe and Backwoods Place– Maybe Not the Place for Families

    The State Forest is very beautiful. There is a lake as well as the Flambeau River to explore. There are two campgrounds, Lake of the Pines which has 30 non-electric sites and Connor Lake which has 3 electric sites and 26 non-electric. All sites have a picnic table and a fire ring. There are no play grounds. There are only vault toilets at the campground. There is one shower at the ranger station which is about 4 miles away. There is no cell service at Connors Lake Campground. I could not even make an emergency call which was a concern for me. There are many signs that say to go to the ranger station, about 4 miles to make an emergency call. There is no weather safe shelter at the campground. There are 14 canoe camp areas and the park is beautiful. If you like to canoe this is a great park. We did a hike and cut our stay short since we like a bit more services and safety.

Guide to Mellen

Tent camping near Mellen, Wisconsin offers a chance to immerse yourself in nature, with a variety of campgrounds that cater to outdoor enthusiasts seeking tranquility and adventure.

Explore Scenic Waterways and Trails

  • The Turtle Flambeau Scenic Waters Area is often referred to as the "Boundary Waters of Wisconsin," featuring numerous islands and channels perfect for canoeing and fishing.
  • Bad River Wilderness provides a secluded experience with hike-in sites, allowing campers to enjoy the beauty of nearby waterfalls and hiking trails.
  • For those looking for a peaceful retreat, Potato River Falls Campground offers great hiking trails leading to stunning views of the falls.

Tent Campers Appreciate These Amenities

  • At Big Rock Campground, you'll find spacious wooded sites along a trout stream, ideal for a quiet getaway.
  • Newman Lake Shelter features picnic tables and toilets, making it a great spot for day activities like fishing and swimming.
  • The Basswood Island Group Site offers a unique boat-in camping experience with fire rings and picnic tables, perfect for group gatherings.

Discover Local Attractions and Activities

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Mellen, WI?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Mellen, WI is Turtle Flambeau Scenic Waters Area with a 4.7-star rating from 6 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Mellen, WI?

TheDyrt.com has all 31 tent camping locations near Mellen, WI, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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