Best Tent Camping near Merrill, WI

Recent Tent Reviews near Merrill, Wisconsin

167 Reviews of 13 Merrill Campgrounds

• 

  Debra

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 8, 2021

  Big Eau Pleine Park Campground

  Handicapped

  I camped on the handicap site as I am disabled. The site is near the bathroom which is good it's a nice big site. It was big enough for an camper and a tent. Site was clean and well kepted. Was one of the better sites that I've been on.

• 

  Raak V.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 7, 2017

  Dorchester Park & Campground

  Unique camping experience

  This was one night tent camping in a very nice town campground as part of the city park. The sites were fairly close together and some were across the street from neighborhood homes on a quiet street. Lots of toys for kids of all ages to play on as well as a disc golf course! There was a scenic lake, but no swimming access. The bathroom and shower facility was well maintained.

• P

  Paul K.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 26, 2019

  Jordan Park

  Beautiful site on the water.

  Quiet little campground, I was in one of the three canoe/ walk in sights and they were right on the water. All three sights were separated from the rest of camp and are tent sites. All have a picnic table, grill, and fire ring and are big enough for 2-3 tents depending on the size of the tents. Set back from a county hwy and state hwy, however not too much traffic and the traffic that does exist was not very disruptive. 2 night minimum, 14 night maximum reservation.

• 

  Michael M.

  Ranger

  

  Oct. 3, 2017

  Dells of the Eau Claire Park Campground

  Nice views fishing not so great

  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.

• C

  Corey D.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 10, 2018

  Indian Mounds — Northern Highland State Forest

  Simplistic, secluded, and great for kids

  Nestled on Lake Tomahawk, this small campground is comprised of drive-in and walk-in sites. Walk-in sites being tent camp only, which is the option we took. There is a small beach on site, and a number of lake front sites to choose from. Oh, can't forget.. The sun sets over the lake! Paved roads made it easy for my children to navigate the grounds on their scooters. There are electric and non electric sites, a water pump, but no showers. Your park pass will give you access to Clear Lake campground (couple miles down the road), which does has showers, another beach, and also firewood sales. We meant to take the boat on multiple lakes, but the fishing on Lake Tomahawk was spectacular! Hiking the trails near our site, you really get a sense of being in the northwoods. We could hear the birds, frogs, found salamanders, seen an otter, musk rat, loons, and more.

  The nearest town is Lake Tomahawk, where you can fuel up, get bait, or grab a bite to eat(maybe an ice cream cone for the kids).

  As I said in the description, the grounds are simple. However, we booked three nights but felt the need at the end of our trip to book another. We'll be coming back. Safe travels.

• 

  Amber G.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 17, 2022

  Marathon Park Campround

  Convenient - But not truly Outdoorsy

  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.

• 

  Amy E.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 12, 2016

  Council Grounds State Park Campground

  Nice, Clean Campground

  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.

• 

  Go A.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 25, 2024

  Eastwood NF Campground

  Bob A. Pennypacker

  Discover the beauty of Eastwood NF Campground, a family-friendly haven nestled in the serene landscapes of northern Wisconsin. With access to a stunning recreation area, this campground offers everything from picturesque hiking trails to a scenic lake perfect for relaxation and adventure. Whether you're pitching a tent or parking your RV, Eastwood NF Campground provides the perfect blend of nature and comfort for families looking to unwind. Plus, for those moments when you want to relax indoors, don’t forget to check out the gogoanime app for endless entertainment options! Enjoy the best of both worlds with outdoor adventures and anime entertainment at your fingertips.

• 

  Annie C.

  Legend

  

  May. 1, 2019

  Dubay Park Campground

  Camping in the woods along the Wisconsin River

  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.

• 

  Steph H.

  Legend

  

  Nov. 1, 2017

  Northside Lake Eleven Campsite

  Ranger Review: Oofos Oolala Slide Sandal at Lake Eleven Campsite, Ice Age Trail, Chequamegon National Forest, WI

  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.

• L

  Luis

  Scout

  

  Jul. 1, 2021

  Moen Lake Campground & RV Park

  Rustic and Secluded

  If you want a quiet, secluded campground where you can just sit back and enjoy being out in the woods(we had deer walk through the back of our campsite at night), then you will enjoy this campground. If you are looking for something with tons of amenities, look elsewhere. The basic amenities are here, picnic table, fire pit, bath house with showers within walking distance, electrical(30amp) and water hookups, but don't expect them to be 5 star quality, they are there, they are functional, that's about all you can say. No onsite sewer, but did have a dump station. The owner was friendly and helpful. She loops though the park occasionally and if you need anything(additional firewood) she will bring it out for you so you don't have to drive back to main area to pick it up yourself. Just a word of advice on firewood. Apparently there have been beetle issues in Wisconsin and most campgrounds require you to buy your firewood locally or on-site. The owner was very generous with the size or the stacks we bought and we were able to enjoy ourselves on a single stack each night. We camped at Moen Lake Campground in a Tent Trailer

• 

  Chad P.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 30, 2016

  Council Grounds State Park Campground

  Great camp and boat grounds

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

• 

  Mark B.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 23, 2018

  Picnic Point Campground

  Amazing group tent site on Mondeaux

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

• 

  Sarah J.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 9, 2021

  Cedar Falls Campground

  Beautiful

  We found this place this summer and it’s the only camping I want todo. Weather we stay in Wisconsin or not I’ll be back!

• 

  Steve D.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 9, 2022

  Pelican Lake Campground

  Nice clean, quiet campground

  Needed a place to stay in northern Wisconsin for a week and this campground was available. Great place for kids, right on Pelican Lake for fishing and boating, and nice friendly staff. VERY clean!

• 

  Steph H.

  Legend

  

  Nov. 1, 2017

  Sailor Creek Campsite

  Ranger Review: Ledlenser MH2 Headlamp and MT10 Flashlight at Sailor Creek Campsite, Ice age Trail, Chequamegon National Forest, WI

  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.

• J

  James H.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 29, 2022

  Indian Mounds — Northern Highland State Forest

  Confusing online reservations

  Wisconsin had the most confusing online reservation system we have ever used. The only state that requires a state sticker with their camping fees. The parks lack amenities for the price they charge.

• 

  Jimmy P.

  Legend

  

  May. 21, 2015

  Langlade County Veterans Memorial Park

  The rustic site on Game Lake is amazing

  This campground is right on Jack Lake and Game Lake. There are a bunch of trails right in and around the campground, as well as opportunities for canoeing on Game Lake (there is a canoe you can just use for free). The Ice Age trail, the 1000 mile trail that goes throughout Wisconsin, also passes right by the campground.

• B

  Becky S.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 1, 2021

  Chippewa NF Campground

  Tent worms!

  This memorial weekend was horrible! Tent worms had infested the campground! Dropping from the trees and landing on you and all your belongings! Had picnic tables fully cobwebbed. Grass wasn’t mowed, was told that they mowed beginning of season! Playground was wet and with high grass!

• 

  Erin A.

  Ranger

  

  Aug. 20, 2021

  Council Grounds State Park Campground

  Perfect Peaceful Spot

  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.

• 

  Tina D.

  Ranger

  

  Sep. 9, 2018

  Council Grounds State Park Campground

  Great Site

  I lived near here growing up. We would bike there, and around the whole thing, and back home. It has a nice beach, and boat launch area. Campers and Tents can camp there. There are all the hookups you need. My Aunt and Uncle had a nice camper they would stay there a week, and we'd come visit and sit by the fire. You can kayak down the river past the dam to and avoid the other boating area. That's where all the motor boats go. Great family area.

• A

  Amanda K.

  Scout

  

  May. 29, 2021

  Camp New Wood County Park

  Peaceful

  We ended up camping here after finding out the last site at Council Grounds was taken by the time we got there(we did call before we left). There were maybe only 1-2 other camp sites taken when we arrived and they were on the other end so nice and quiet. My kids and husband loved the campground. It wasn’t my favorite, but it was a nice/quiet/peaceful campground. The park includes the scenic Wisconsin River Segment of the Ice Age Trail. There is only pit toilets here, no showers. There is only 7 sites.

• A

  Aaron D.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 1, 2018

  North Twin Lake Recreation Area

  Quiet Peaceful Place to Escape

  I grew up on this lake from the early 90s to about 2012. The campground was always very peaceful and all the campsites on the lake had plenty of space for multiple tents or campers. The people that live/have cabins on the lake are all extremely friendly. There is excellent fishing mostly consisting of Bass and Bluegills and Perch. It’s a no wake lake so plan on just using a trolling motor or even a canoe to fish. There are outhouses close to the campgrounds but that’s about it for amenities. Mondeux dam isnt far away which serves food and Is a nice swimming hole.

• 

  David K.

  Ranger

  

  Sep. 30, 2021

  Pine Grove Campground

  Excellent for Young Families

  As a father with 3 young kids, I thoroughly enjoy this camp for the activities and amenities available. The water area is a favorite for kids and the grounds sport plenty of things to grab their attention from mini-golf to the lake. The sites themselves had enough to meet your needs, as well as enough tree cover to still help you enjoy the feeling of being in nature. The drive in is nice and accessible even for bigger rigs. It's a good entry point for the nature in Northeast Wisconsin.

• 

  Annie C.

  Legend

  

  Apr. 30, 2019

  Council Grounds State Park Campground

  Nice wooded campground

  Stayed here one night while driving home from Lake Superior. I found this to be a pricey evening as you have to pay for a day use fee as well as a camping fee. But, it was all in all a nice campground. The shower house was clean, the campsites were wooded and well spaced out, and there were a couple of trails that went from the campground to the beach, boat ramps, or in the opposite direction, just nice walking/hiking trails. There seemed to be plenty of spots along the Wisconsin River or on Alexander Lake to fish if that’s your thing and you have a license. You can buy firewood up front at the ranger station. The park road went behind my campsite between me and the river, but it wasn’t too noisy as it was set back about 100 yards from the campground and there were plenty of trees to break the noise.

• 

  David K.

  Ranger

  

  Sep. 30, 2021

  Tilleda Falls Campground

  Charming Little Camp

  The thing that impresses me most about this campground is that they manage to do a lot with a little. The Falls are a beautiful little site which the campsites themselves manage to wrap around to maximize the space and fit spaces for all to enjoy. Fortunately, the river itself adds more space for folks to enjoy the water on rocky outcroppings and trees lining much of the banks.

  The small town in which the camp is placed gives a true Wisconsin-Midwestern veneer to your stay. Some basic amenities are close by, and the community itself feels safe and inviting. I would have enjoyed a longer stay but I hope to visit it again soon. 5 stars for making the most of what they have.

• A

  Amanda G.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 27, 2020

  Council Grounds State Park Campground

  Beautiful!

  What a gorgeous state park! From the moment you enter, you are in awe of the landscape. Trees tower above you as you drive through the park. For this particular trip, we reserved group sites A and B. They each have concrete pads for 3 campers and TONS of space to spread out and/or set up tents. Non-flush toilets in between the two sites on opposite side of the campsites. Each have electric for each pad, and there is water that can be pumped on each group site. We didn’t have group site C, but that one only had a pad for 1 camper and was a smaller area. Group sites are close to the beach and boat launch. Water was refreshing and there is a small beach area. Beautiful hiking trails, but watch out for the biting deer flies as the sun goes down! Three kids got attacked in one of the trails and had huge welts and lots of tears. May have been an isolated incident, as everyone else was ok. Overall, I would highly recommend this state park and group sites!