Best Tent Camping near Sturgeon Bay, WI
Tent campsites in Door County near Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin range from secluded walk-in sites to established campgrounds with basic amenities. Newport State Park offers backcountry tent camping with 16 walk-in sites accessible via hiking trails ranging from one to two and a half miles. Harbour Village Campground provides drive-in tent sites with more developed facilities, while Peninsula State Park's Welcker's Point Campground offers tent sites in a wooded setting near Green Bay waters.
Primitive tent setups at Newport State Park feature fire rings, camp bench seats, and bear boxes for food storage. Most walk-in tent locations require hikers to carry all gear and supplies, with no cart or wagon services available. Sites have pit toilets or rustic outhouses nearby, though Newport campers should bring their own toilet paper. Potable water is available at ranger stations, but backcountry campers often filter water from Lake Michigan for cooking and drinking. Peninsula State Park provides more amenities including showers, flush toilets, and drinking water for tent campers.
Walk-in tent sites at Newport State Park offer exceptional privacy and natural experiences. The park's shoreline campsites provide direct access to Lake Michigan's rocky or pebble beaches. Tent campers enjoy significantly more solitude than at other Door County destinations, with several reviewers noting they never encountered other campers during their stay. Sites vary in their proximity to water—some directly on the shoreline while others require a short walk to reach Lake Michigan or Europe Lake. A reviewer described Newport as having "beautiful, quiet sites which are spread out nicely. Even the couple that are 'close together' didn't feel crowded at all." For tent campers seeking stargazing opportunities, Newport's dark skies offer exceptional viewing during new moon periods.