Searching for a tent camping spot near Nelson? You can find tent campsites by type, including drive-in, walk-in, and even hike-in for a backpacking adventure. Each tent site offers quick access to one or more of Nelson, Wisconsin's most popular destinations.
Tent only campground.
$22 - $132 / night
Aefintyr campground is located in the scenic woods of the Whitewater River Valley in the Driftless Area of Southeastern Minnesota. We offer beautiful blufftop hike-in camping and glamping and cozy treehouse inspired camper cabins. The hike-in camp/glamp sites offer a backpacking like experience (1460 ft hike with a 230 ft elevation gain) and are great for people who like to get some exercise and want to immerse themselves in a woodland setting. Perfect relaxation destination or home base for your Whitewater Valley adventures. Aefintyr is a small operation that values peace, quiet and quality over quantity. Get away from crowds and get into the woods! Onsite, enjoy a campfire, stargazing, hiking and observing the amazing animals, plants and fungi.
Nearby recreation opportunities include:
Within 2 miles of Whitewater State Park, the Elba Fire Tower, Whitewater State Wildlife Management Area (hunting, trout fishing, hiking, wildlife viewing) and the Whitewater River State Water Trail (canoe/kayak/tube). There is a gas station (bait and fishing supplies, convenience store items), 2 bars and a restaurant within a mile in the town of Elba. Whitewater Wines Winery is also just a few miles up the road!
Shared amenities:
Bathhouse with individual rooms, with a hot shower, vanity and composting toilet
Outhouse with composting toilet on top of the bluff within 400 feet of each campsite
Community area (requires short hike) with tent shelters (2, each 10' x 20'), outdoor furniture, tables, chairs, propane grill w/ side burner, firepit w/ cooking grate/skillet.
Propane Gas Grill (at base of the hill by the bathhouse)
Stargazing area with reclining chairs
Cell service: AT&T typically works well, Verizon works intermittently, and T-mobile doesn't have a good signal.
Wi-fi: Available at the bathhouse and parking area, data speeds up to 25 Mbps.
**Parking: **On site, 2 vehicle limit, no vehicles larger than a full-size truck, no trailers.
**Host accessibility: **Available 24/7/365 via phone and email/messaging, frequently on site.
**Security: **Campground community areas are under video surveillance.
Setting: Aefintyr campground is located in the hilly, wooded, blufflands of the Whitewater River Valley just north of the tiny town of Elba, MN. Views are primarily of the woods and valleys. The campground is off of a 2 lane county highway so there is some intermittent road noise. It is otherwise very peaceful and filled with the sounds of nature, including lots of birds and other wildlife.
Aefintyr is a peaceful place with chill vibes and we like to keep it that way! It is not a place for parties or rowdy groups. We like to listen to nature, not loud music or rowdy people blabbering into the night. Please see our rules/polices to know what to expect.
20240824
$29 - $139 / night
This recreation area is part of Mississippi River - Pool 4
There are five family walk-in tent campsites and a group tent site on an island, connected to the mainland by road. The island also has a log shelter, boat and canoe launches, picnic area, pit toilets and drinking water.
$15 - $40 / night
Scout
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Scout
We went here as a last minute decision. We were placed in the middle of the seasonal crowd who were loud. Music was playing all day loud enough for half the campground to hear. When the music went up so did their conversations. I go for peace and quiet. If I wanted to be at a concert. I would have gone to a concert. Showers seemed ok but some areas to me seemed kinda junky.
ScoutThis is a smaller Corps of Engineers park, lots of primitive sites and lots electric sites too. A smaller lake but no gas motors. Cell service with Verizon was ok.
Legend
Nice campground
Traveler
Beautiful area with very nice trails. 20-30 mins to Winona, 20 mins to La Crosse. Not a huge site selection, but very nice sites. My wife and I try to go there as much as we can!
Scout
My husband made a reservation for our 25th wedding anniversary and he was rushed in the hospital for an emergency surgery. We notified you 3 days in advance and you refused to give us even a partial refund! We only had that money to celebrate. You didn't even offer another date for us! We are now not able to enjoy our 25th! That's terrible that you will do nothing in such an emergency situation. I will be making this public in every venue I can. Disgusting that you will probably get paid by another person to stay there. How disappointing that you would offer us nothing! Very bad business.
Scout
We spent 2 nights at this park and enjoyed our stay. The sites are well spaced and well separated by trees. The potable water has high nitrate levels so we had to buy drinking water as filters don’t remove nitrates.
TravelerLots of RV campers, but none were obnoxious. T-mobile service is almost non-existent depending on location. The showers and bathrooms were spotless. Firewood is available at several roadside stands just outside the entrance.
RangerA newly paved road leads into the park with lots of gorgeous views along the way. Very friendly staff. Bathrooms buggy… to be expected… but clean. Shower has ample hot water. Some sites are close together but nicely wooded for privacy. Some sites have water views.
Traveler
Campsites are very closely spaced together. I was thankful no one was placed near our campsite to give us more room. The permanent campsites are practically on top of one another. If you’re bringing the kids there is literally nothing to do there. They do have a play-set but that’s where it ends. I think this campground may be under new ownership and it may be nice to see what they do with it in a year or two. For now the picnic tables are run down. The parking pads are very unlevel. WiFi signal is weak at best. If you have Verizon don’t count on service. Antenna strength is weak. Also oddly spaced power hook up with sewer and water placements. Overall not a horrible experience but not a great one. Mostly like will not return.
Scout
If you want to experience very rude and unfair treatment where you will be mistreated and ripped off by the staff and ow era you must come to Eagle Cliff campground. Was double charged for the room without any options and negotiations and knees delivered to us after we already left the campground. Staff is very rude and unwilling to be reasonable, professional and understanding. Campground looks good but rules are ridiculous and staff and owners are very shady and make non sense decisions. Stay away if you want nice peaceful stay and don’t want to be ripped off.
ScoutIf you want to experience very rude and unfair treatment where you will be mistreated and ripped off by the staff and ow era you must come to Eagle Cliff campground. Was double charged for the room without any options and negotiations and knees delivered to us after we already left the campground. Staff is very rude and unwilling to be reasonable, professional and understanding. Campground looks good but rules are ridiculous and staff and owners are very shady and make non sense decisions. Stay away if you want nice peaceful stay and don’t want to be ripped off.
TravelerThe cart in sites all have a fire pit with a grill, picnic table, and are a short walk from the primitive toilets. There is a water spigot in the parking area. They have 4-5 wheelbarrows to use as carts to get your stuff to the site. Each site could comfortably hold 3 to 4 tents. They are on a path for an out and back hike so expect some passers by. Cart in 1 and 2 are fairly close to the parking area and are less secluded from each other. 3 and 4 are more secluded. Site 3 offers more shade and 4 looks to have recently had some trees cut down and is fairly open air. Overall the trails are well maintained and accessible from the cart in area. They provide some nice views of the river and you can easily hike the area in a day. It’s by no means a secluded area if you’re looking to get away from road noise or other people. All in all it makes for a nice weekend getaway.
Traveler
Good pricing, great trails for all different skill levels and nice staff. Our site was mighty large and for the most part secluded from those near and on the path. $22 for the site, $8 for reservation. $8 for wood (all you can chop) and $7 for the overnight and next day parking pass for one car. Beautiful surroundings and clean bathrooms and grills one mile mostly uphill hike from parking lot but not to difficult and some paved parts. Definitely coming back.
GuideWe were here for a night to see a concert at the amphitheater and everyone was super friendly. It was easy to check in, and we were able to do laundry and shower which was great. It’s mostly gravel but they have some tent sites on the grass. They are dog friendly and have some grassy areas to walk your pets which was great.
Traveler
We started coming here in 2020 and got on the seasonal list right away. We have now been seasonals 2 years and absolutely love it!! The owners and family are amazing. They have tons of things to do for the kids! We have two boys 12 and 5 and they love it here! We can't say enough good things about Cannon Falls Campground!
Ranger
Great find! Small yet only us and one tent couple camping. Toilets clean. Water and electric … so score! Close to restaurants and taverns. Recommend for a quick getaway!
Scout
Restrooms, showers, the areal is so clean! We felt very welcome. Elaine is very friendly and helpful!
Ranger
Our second time camping here.. this time at the South campground. Definitely bring everything to repel the bugs… thermacells are a must. Waterview sites are amazing. Very little park staff presence that I could see. Showers and flush toilets at the north campground which is a quick drive or a very long walk. They were clean, but showers could use a refresh. Pro tip: there are wheelbarrows full of firewood for sale across from the entrance of the park. Only 5 dollars buys a generous amount that burns well.
Traveler
I absolutely love this little campground it's close to my grandparents & close to do much more all while being away from too much
TravelerStayed here one night on way to YNP. Very nice and quite. Clean flush toilets. There are no hook ups.
The road in is long gravel road, but smooth. The sites are short and tree branches low. We have 10 foot high 19 foot travel trailer and it was fine for us. I think for any unit more than 30 feet will have trouble.
We liked it as overnight stop.
Legend
We stayed in one of the cart-in sites. Right when you park you see the push carts and it is a very short walk to the campsite. You are able to slightly see 1 cart-in site neighbor, but besides that it was very private and quiet. We hiked all the trails in the park and the Fall colors were beautiful but not yet at full peak.
LegendHighland Ridge, WI - COE east of Minneapolis.
(Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good
(70 yr olds in 17’ trailer)
Overall Rating: 4.5
Price 2023: $12/ night w senior pass
Usage during visit: 60 - 70% during weekdays
Site Privacy: GOOD - not a fence forest, but tremendous spacing makes up for it.
Site Spacing: VERY GOOD
Site surface: Gravel and level
Reservations: Yes. Can reserve on line at the cg
Campground Noise: None
Road Noise: None
Through Traffic in campground: None
Electric Hookup: Yes
Sewer Hookup: No
Dump Station: Yes
Potable Water Available: Yes, at the bathrooms.
Generators: Not needed.
Bathroom: kept VERY clean. Shutdown for cleaning every morning at about 6 AM.
Showers: Yes. Clean
Pull Throughs: I think all are back ins.
Cell Service (AT&T): Good
Setting: Forest with no understory
Weather: 80s
Bugs: Not too bad.
Solar: Forest canopy would interfere , but not needed.
Host: Yes. They are around and offer free beach passes. They are super.
Rig size: Large RVs.
Sites: All sites are very nice in loop 1 -24. I understand that Loop 28+ is less private.
Scout
This park had lots of old tree coverage. The site we had was secluded enough from others. But they had sites available that were open to each other good for groups. They say on the description which are linked together. Nice clean facilities. Saw they had an outdoor theater which we didn’t see in action because we weren’t there tell almost 10pm and someone was still in the office. Nice grass trails. Looked like a decent playground.
TravelerThis campground has everything they say: nice spots that are level (pull through and back in), right off Hwy 90, quiet, and friendly staff. Their bathrooms are also well kept. I would highly recommend this campground!
GuideThis campground is a home away from home. We found this campground through this app, and was very happy with our stay. We had one of the primitive sites on the river front, and it was huge! Highly recommend site 152 if you have some camping games you like to play. This campground always has something to do. Whether it’s a movie night, live music, food trucks, or kayak rentals, there’s always something. There is a playground for kids, and clean bathrooms. There are also porta-potty’s around the campground that are clean and very convenient. The camp staff was absolutely amazing. We ran into some issues car issues on the last day, so we had to stay an extra night. The staff offered to help us out, they gave us a helping hand and offered to run into town for food for us. The manager was also awesome in this situation. The staff were very supportive and felt like a family in this situation. If you are looking for a family friendly campground, with staff that treats you like family- this is the place for you.
Traveler
Road splits the campground kind of annoying. Bathrooms were pretty gross. Camped on the opposite side of the road as the bathrooms and the sites were big, not sure about the other side
Camping near Nelson, Wisconsin, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and outdoor activities that make it a great getaway. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventure-filled weekend, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.
Camping near Nelson, Wisconsin, has something for everyone, from families to solo adventurers. Whether you’re looking for a quiet spot or a lively campground, you’ll find plenty of options to enjoy the great outdoors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Nelson, WI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Nelson, WI is Hok-Si-La City Park & Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 7 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Nelson, WI?
TheDyrt.com has all 10 tent camping locations near Nelson, WI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
