The Dyrt – find campgrounds for tents, RVs, cabins, glamping and more.
Open in App

Best Tent Camping near Neillsville, WI

284 Reviews

Tent camping opportunities near Neillsville, Wisconsin include several established campgrounds within driving distance, with Coon Fork Campground in Augusta and Wazee Lake Recreation Area offering tent-specific sites. The Black River State Forest provides canoe-accessible tent camping, while the Ice Age Trail offers more remote backcountry tent sites at Lake Eleven and Sailor Creek for hikers seeking primitive experiences.

Sites may be set on dirt, gravel, or forest duff with minimal grading across the region's tent campgrounds. Coon Fork Campground provides more amenities for tent campers, including drinking water, fire rings, picnic tables, and clean restrooms with hot showers. More primitive options like the Black River State Forest canoe sites offer only basic facilities with vault toilets. A visitor commented, "Only two sites, one is much nicer than the other. Canoe/kayak in only with a steep bank up to the sites. No water, no facilities." Most tent campgrounds in the area require permits or reservations, with prices typically ranging from $15-30 per night, though some backcountry sites are free.

Areas farther from main roads offer deeper seclusion and less noise pollution for tent campers. The Sparta Campground along the Elroy-Sparta State Trail provides walk-in tent sites accessible via short trails from parking areas, though some campers note highway noise can be disruptive. According to one visitor, "This is a walk-in campground intended for very light camping, particularly for those biking the Elroy-Sparta or Lacrosse Trails." For tent campers seeking peace and privacy, Coon Fork receives consistent praise for its spacious, well-separated tent sites surrounded by trees. The backcountry tent sites along the Ice Age Trail, such as Northside Lake Eleven Campsite, offer excellent hammock camping options and access to water that can be filtered for drinking. Seasonal considerations include mosquitoes, which can be particularly problematic during summer months at lower-elevation tent sites.

Map showing campgrounds near Neillsville, WisconsinExplore the Map

Best Tent Sites Near Neillsville, Wisconsin (9)

Show More
Showing results 1-9 of 9 campgrounds

2025 Detourist Giveaway

Presented byToyota Trucks

Review Campgrounds. Win Prizes.

Enter to Win

Neillsville Contest

Enter to Win

Recent Tent Camping Photos near Neillsville, WI

9 Photos of 9 Neillsville Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Neillsville, WI

284 Reviews of 9 Neillsville Campgrounds

  • Debra M.
    Jul. 18, 2021

    Lake Wissota State Park Campground

    Smaller scale park but lots to do

     This park is on a smaller scale and less crowded than Devil’s Lake. There is a small beach that is in the process of renovation. The sites are large surrounded by trees and very private. The sites on the lake side are not electric and some of them are huge buddy sites, great for extended families. There are two shower houses in the campground located next to sites 29 or 72. If you are on the legs furthest from the lake it is a long walk to them, but all those sites have electric. There are two vault toilet locations and a total of 116 campsites all with a picnic table and fire ring. There is a very large playing field and a playground in the Family Campground and another playground past the beach near the fishing dock. This State Park has a large number of picnic shelters and picnic grounds with picnic tables. There are about 10 hiking trails. There is a boat launch and you can rent kayaks or canoes at the visitor center. Everything was kept clean and in good repair. Cell service for both AT&T and Verizon was strong enough to stream video. If you want to take a trip to town, there are about 5 no longer than a 10 mile distance. There was a large grocery store in Chippewa Falls. Only ice and firewood are available at the park.

  • Erin Z.
    Jul. 21, 2024

    Mill Bluff State Park Campground

    Secluded, but noisy.

    We were at site #9, great spot for tent. There were only trees behind us and our neighbors were far enough way we had privacy. There was no electricity, but we charged our phones and my son’s iPad at the ranger station. There was no running water so bring sanitizer. The swimming pond was great and not rocky. The hikes were good but lots of mosquitoes which made it hard to enjoy. Wish there was more to do in the area. No showers and no electricity in the bathroom near our site.

  • Ashley F.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 2, 2023

    Castle Mound Campground — Black River State Forest

    Solid campground

    Camp sites were good. Plenty of room for multiple tents & some hammocks. Came with picnic table and fire pit. Fire wood was only $5 on site for a decent sized bundle. Campground was quiet and well kept. Vault toilets in most of the campground (smelly and not the cleanest but this is expected with vault toilets) there was a main shower/restroom area at the entrance to the campground which was very clean. Drinking water available by the showers. Added bonus - the hiking trail was within the campground and was very scenic. Cool rock formations and a decently easy hike.

  • debe K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 10, 2021

    Harstad Park

    Great Place to Simply Camp

    Harstad is get away camping. Right on the Eau Claire River with canoe kayak access. A great shallow creek for kids to explore. 29 sites mostly separated by trees and brush. A large reservable shelter and field for playing sports on. Only has pit toilets, no electricity and no showers. The bathrooms are are cleaned daily by rangers from another county park. No ranger on site, so you have to request firewood for purchase the day before. Has reduced rate for weekly stays.

  • J
    Jun. 23, 2019

    Sparta Campground — Elroy-Sparta State Trail

    Good for light/bike camping

    This is a walk-in campground intended for very light camping, particularly for those biking the Elroy-Sparta or Lacrosse Trails, as it is right on the Elroy-Sparta trail and only a 10 minute bike ride into the town of Sparta. We are a family of 4 that camped from Friday through Sunday while we attended a swim meet in Sparta. We had site 3 (103 on the DNR campground map), which was about a 600 yard hike in from the parking lot, down a trail that can get quite muddy, especially during rain (which it did while we were breaking camp). Some of the sites are even further down the trail. The site was small, but we did manage to fit a 4-person tent, two 2-person tents, a screen-house, and 5 bikes. I was advised by our camp neighbor that their site was equally small. Water, trash, and bathroom access was great and clean. No noise from other campers, and there was even a boy scout troop on site while we were there. The most disappointing factor for me was the highway noise. I had read about that from another reviewer, and it was indeed bad, all weekend long. I had to wear noise-cancelling headphones to drown out the noise in order to sleep. So, it is a great site for someone biking in and/or carrying a very light load into the campsite and, I would say (only because of the highway noise), if there are no other camping options. I should mention that although there are no showers here, I saw that the Sparta Aquatic Center (10 minute bike ride) allows shower access for $3 (at time of this review). Also, the Sparta Family Restaurant is a great place to eat, having good food, service, and prices.

  • Lesley R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 29, 2022

    Black River State Forest Outdoor Camp — Black River State Forest

    Low Ground

    This campground would be best for RVing IMO. The entire place is lifted from a swamp which means that it’s low, damp ground. They also must have used sand, as it drains very quickly. I describe the site as such because we spent the weekend in a tent and it literally rained the entire weekend. The site we were at turned into a lake four times, submerging our fire pit and picnic table. This made making a fire near impossible, let alone accessible, it was in the middle of a small lake! As we scrambled most of the fear to the car, we watched the water creep to the front door of the tent, from the highest ground. It’s a good thing we had a tarp under the tent, otherwise we would have been swimming in our tent. Anyway, busy place, near the road and a honky tonk. Not our preferred experience. Vault toilets, firewood, nice beach if the weather was nice.

  • Brian O.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 13, 2021

    Canoe Campsite Near Hawk Island — Black River State Forest

    Canoe in, very primative and isolated

     Only two sites, one is much nicer than the other. Canoe/ kayak  in only with a steep bank up to the sites. No water, no facilities. Just two fire rings and two picnic tables about 100 ft apart. But the grass is mowed and well kept

  • Amy G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 18, 2022

    Coon Fork Campground

    Lovely campground with lake views

    The campground is lovely considering it's only $20 for lakeside ($17 non lakeside). It has a shower house, bathroom, dump station, wood for sale ($6/bundle), ice for sale and is non electric. The sites are very generous with a lot of green between spaces. You are not on top of your neighbor.

    I like to hammock, and while not a lot of the sites are ideal, they're are a few that are. A3 was one ($17 non lake) and 2LR ($20 lakeside). The latter was perfect for several hammocks.

    All sites have very clean fire rings, picnic table and a bench next to the fire pit.

    There is a totally separate loop (Loop D) for units that are self contained.

    If you don't make it before the office closes, there is self check in. A total of 108 spaces with about 30 that are first come.

    Very little road noise here… Pretty far off the road. I did have noisy radio neighbors the second night I stayed, but it happens sometimes.That did not reflect on the campground itself.

    Raccoons frequent the park, hence the name, so they will give you trash bags at check in to keep them at bay. That's a great way to help control the problem.

  • Jen R.
    Jul. 16, 2019

    East Fork Campground

    Quiet rustic site right on the river

    We were able to reserve site 120, right on the river.  It was a lovely site with a nice view, but little shade.  The sunsets were amazing here.  This campground is small and quiet, with minimal amenities.  The vault toilets were clean.  We saw some interesting wildlife too.  We purchased firewood on site, it was a bit wet and challenging to get started.  The ranger was super friendly on check-in.

Guide to Neillsville

Tent camping opportunities abound in the rolling hills of western Wisconsin surrounding Neillsville. Located in Clark County where the terrain transitions from farmland to forest, this region experiences warm summers with high humidity and cold winters with significant snowfall. Most campgrounds in the area sit at elevations between 900-1,200 feet above sea level, with tent sites typically positioned on compacted dirt or pine needle surfaces.

What to do

Swimming opportunities: Coon Fork Campground features a small, motor-free lake with two beaches for swimming during summer months. "Great for kids! Way more fun later in the summer so you can go swimming. Although, children don't seem to notice cold water anyway!" notes camper Hannah E.

Scuba diving adventures: Wazee Lake Rec Area offers unique underwater exploration in Wisconsin's deepest and clearest inland lake. "The lake is the clearest and deepest inland lake in Wisconsin. It is non-motorized to promote quiet and clean conditions," explains one visitor, making it popular with divers seeking visibility.

Hiking the Ice Age Trail: Multiple primitive tent sites along the Ice Age Trail provide access to unique geological features. While exploring the Jerry Lake Segment near Sailor Creek Campsite, hikers can traverse the Hemlock Esker. "In the Jerry Lake Segment you cross over the mile-long Hemlock Esker. An Esker is basically an inverted river... It also provides incredible views as you're about 80 feet up," reports one backpacker.

What campers like

Private, spacious sites: Tent campers consistently praise the well-spaced sites at Coon Fork Campground. "The sites are very generous with a lot of green between spaces. You are not on top of your neighbor," writes Amy G. Another camper adds, "Favorite place to camp as a kid. Nice lake with plenty of hiking and biking trails. Great private sites where you're not on top of your neighbor."

Non-motorized lakes: Several campgrounds near Neillsville restrict motorized boats, creating peaceful water experiences. One Coon Fork visitor notes, "No outboard motors allowed on this lake. Canoe and rowboat rentals are available at the office." This creates ideal conditions for paddling and fishing without noise pollution.

Hammock camping options: For those who prefer hammocks to tents, Northside Lake Eleven Campsite on the Ice Age Trail offers excellent trees for suspension. "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," according to one backpacker who found the pine grove setting ideal.

What you should know

Highway noise considerations: When seeking the best tent camping near Neillsville, Wisconsin, be aware that some campgrounds experience traffic noise. At Sparta Campground along the Elroy-Sparta State Trail, one camper reported: "The most disappointing factor for me was the highway noise. I had read about that from another reviewer, and it was indeed bad, all weekend long. I had to wear noise-cancelling headphones to drown out the noise in order to sleep."

Water availability varies: Many primitive sites require filtering surface water. At Northside Lake Eleven, campers report, "Located next to the lake, it provided ease of access to water that was drinkable with a filtration system." Bring appropriate filters or purification methods when camping at backcountry sites.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Neillsville, WI is Coon Fork Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 14 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 9 tent camping locations near Neillsville, WI, with real photos and reviews from campers.

Keep Exploring