Best Campgrounds near Trempealeau, WI

The Mississippi River valley near Trempealeau, Wisconsin encompasses several developed campgrounds including Perrot State Park, a popular camping destination situated at the confluence of the Mississippi and Trempealeau Rivers. The region includes numerous established camping areas ranging from tent-only sites to full-hookup RV campgrounds. Campground options extend north to Merrick State Park along the Mississippi River and east to Goose Island, offering visitors a mix of riverside and bluff-top camping experiences. Most campgrounds provide electric sites, picnic tables, fire rings, and access to hiking trails with scenic overlooks of the river valley.

Seasonal considerations significantly affect campground availability in the Trempealeau area, with many facilities operating from April through October. Winter camping is limited but available at select locations like Perrot State Park, which operates year-round. Reservations are strongly recommended during summer weekends and holidays when riverside sites fill quickly. The area experiences typical Midwest seasonal variations with humid summers and cold winters. Campers should be prepared for occasional high water conditions along the Mississippi River, particularly during spring runoff periods. River access is a notable feature of many campgrounds, though water quality concerns have been reported at some locations. According to one visitor, "Notices were posted that the water was not safe for drinking and that it should not be boiled due to high levels of nitrates."

Campers consistently highlight the dramatic bluff views and river scenery as primary attractions of camping in this region. Hiking trails at Perrot State Park, particularly Brady's Bluff trail, receive frequent praise for panoramic Mississippi River valley vistas. The area's camping experience is enhanced by proximity to water recreation, with multiple boat launches and paddling opportunities mentioned in reviews. Wildlife viewing opportunities abound, with reviewers noting bird watching as a popular activity. Some campgrounds experience noise from nearby train lines, particularly at Merrick State Park. Several reviews mention the well-maintained trails created by the Civilian Conservation Corps. A visitor commented that Perrot State Park has "beautiful views along the Trempealeau river flowage and the Mississippi River" though noted there is "no beach on site, which is a downer for families that want to play in the water."

Best Camping Sites Near Trempealeau, Wisconsin (153)

    1. Perrot State Park Campground

    34 Reviews
    Trempealeau, WI
    3 miles
    Website
    +1 (608) 534-6409

    $39 / night

    "The campground is located near the confluence of the Mississippi and Trempealeau Rivers)."

    "The nice little town of trempealeau is close by with a cool old hotel and some fun bars. Highly recommended."

    2. Great River Bluffs State Park Campground

    28 Reviews
    Dakota, MN
    4 miles
    Website
    +1 (507) 643-6849

    "I enjoy camping away from the hub bub of the family campground and opting for the backpack or cart in sites. Luckily, Great River Bluffs has some of the nicest cart ins I have encountered."

    "The 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."

    3. Prairie Island City Campground

    11 Reviews
    Winona, MN
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (507) 452-4501

    "This 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!"

    "Clean bath house and convenient outdoor bathroom buildings around the grounds. The road along the river is narrow making it hard to back your camper into the riverfront sites if you have neighbors."

    4. Pettibone Resort

    12 Reviews
    La Crescent, MN
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (608) 782-5858

    $28 - $30 / night

    "About a 10 minute walk over the Cass St. bridge and you are in the heart of downtown La Crosse. This campground offers everything."

    "Utilities were located in the rear. 20A/30A electric and water. Site was a little unlevel. Neighbors are close.  AT&T had 2-3 bars of LTE and Verizon 1 bars of LTE service."

    5. Frickson Family Farms LLC

    3 Reviews
    Trempealeau, WI
    6 miles
    Website
    +1 (507) 429-0375

    $30 / night

    "Great Harvest Host location super nice family."

    "We pulled in from a long driving day .we were greeted by our host . She was very friendly and explained where the site was . Had a great night sleep . This is a good over night stop ."

    6. River's Edge Campground - Black River

    4 Reviews
    Galesville, WI
    9 miles
    Website

    $30 - $40 / night

    "This place is priced around the same as other places you might camp around Wisconsin and I believe is privately owned."

    "There is a bar and restaurant within walking distance. A lot of people camp there, the sites are small we still managed to have a good time. We had four campsites next to each other for our group."

    7. Champions Riverside Resort

    3 Reviews
    Galesville, WI
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (608) 582-2995

    "We brought their bikes along which was fun to hit the bike trails at midway. We did find out the campground charters a canoe trip so if we had planned better we will do that next time."

    8. Merrick State Park Campground

    13 Reviews
    Fountain City, WI
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (608) 687-4936

    "This is our first Wisconsin state park camping experience. This place is lovely! Nice and secluded. Our site is spacious. Nice deep fire ring with a grill grate. Really close to the river, as well."

    "We always bring the kayaks, so the water access offered is why we stay.   3 Campgrounds:

     - Island sites offer the best-in-park privacy for a campsite, but they are walk in (carts provided for hauling"

    9. Camp Everyday Winona

    1 Review
    Homer, MN
    5 miles
    Website
    +1 (507) 454-2851

    $20 - $67 / night

    "We were visiting our daughter in nearby Winona, MN. This place is also close to La Crosse WI. We stayed here three nights."

    10. Veterans Memorial Park & Campground

    8 Reviews
    Onalaska, WI
    17 miles
    +1 (608) 789-8599

    "Vet's Park has direct access to the La Crosse Great River Trail where you can connect onto Elroy/Sparta Trail to the east and it directly to La Crosse Great River Trail to the northwest."

    "Great location!"

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Recent Reviews near Trempealeau, WI

553 Reviews of 153 Trempealeau Campgrounds


  • Anne P.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 16, 2025

    Blueberry Fields Forever

    Great little spot

    Second time I’ve stayed up on Peach Peak. I’ve never had an issue driving up the hill. Great views of the stars. Plenty of deer this last time! It seems very secluded, but I did hear music from nearby one of the nights on my last trip.

  • Ken B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 13, 2025

    Great River Bluffs State Park Campground

    Very nice

    I arrived late in the day and the office was closed but they have all the instructions and QR codes for an online reservation and check in. Very clean including the showers and bathroom. View of the Mississippi is amazing!

  • Deb M.
    Sep. 1, 2025

    Blackhawk Park

    Another nice COE campground

    Nice mix of sites at this park, many with electric hookups. There’s also lots of unnumbered sites FCFS sites around the park. Only 1 bathroom/shower building, and lots of vault toilets. The west loop sites (where we camped) were a bit close together, but large and level. Even on a busy Labor Day weekend, the campground was quiet and peaceful. AT&T service was good, and T-Mobile service was very spotty. There’s a dump station and potable water on site. We will definitely be back.

  • DThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 1, 2025

    Richard J Dorer Memorial Hardwood Forest Isinours Management Unit

    Lovely space

    There are a few spaces with views you can hike in to but I opted for a spot next to my car. And ideal spot for a one nighter. I stopped here after a 12 hour drive got set up and even walked the trails for a few miles before bed.

  • J
    Aug. 30, 2025

    Reicks Lake Park

    Didn’t stay the night

    Based on picture, we planed to stay at this campsite. It is right in the side of the highway, so too much noise and traffic for us. The picture this site provides is actually the other side of highway, over a hill, so you can’t see it from campsite. but there’s a view of marshlands. It’s $20, have showers and toilets. There’s a small playground for kids. We came across people That said they camp there all the time and love it.

  • Jennifer K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 28, 2025

    Castle Mound Campground — Black River State Forest

    Really beautiful state campground

    Beautiful, clean, peaceful, wooded campground. Its mid-week and there's only a few other campers here. Most are super respectful with the exception of one group that has the occasional outburst but they were mostly quiet otherwise. We saw some bunnies, birds and raccoons. Heard squirrels, owls and other birds. Vault toilets throughout the campground and one building with showers and flush toilets near the visitor center with plenty of parking. Water fill and dump station located at the front near the visitor station as well. We got here around 6pm yesterday and no one was at the check in so we used the kiosk to get the park pass. A bit steep for out of state visitors @ $16 but they seem to keep the park in great shape so for once it was worth it. Lots of space and shade in all spots. Many sites with electric and some without. Plenty of spots can accommodate mid-large campers. Its about half and half pull-thru or back-in/pull-in. We have a 26 foot travel trailer and had no issues. Mostly level spots as well. A lot of trees are close to the road and made it slightly challenging to maneuver the road but nothing too crazy...just pay attention if you have a larger camper. We dont make it though wisconsin a lot but we'd definitely come back here again. Easy and quick to get to from 94 and less than a mile from Walmart. Plenty of stores/restaurants nearby. Really the only complaint besides the high entrance fee for out of state is that it is close to the town and you can definitely hear traffic. It's not too bad considering the surrounding woods definitely deaden the noise. Wish we could have stayed longer to explore the park better.

  • Cynthia K.
    Aug. 27, 2025

    Rochester-Marion KOA

    In transition

    The direct road to the KOA was all jacked up due to a large construction project that closed the whole road. We got back on the Interstate & got off on exit 224. Took Co Rd 7 to HWY 52. This is a lot easier than the directions the KOA gave.

     This is a small KOA Journey we stayed in 1 night on our way up North. It's an established campground, but well kept. We stayed on the office side of the road. The other side has newer sites & the pool. Our site was a buddy site, which I dislike. It was close to the bathrooms/showers though, which helps out my mobility challenged husband. I can put up with it for 1 night. 

    The bathrooms were clean. The laundry had 2 dryers out of service.

  • TThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 25, 2025

    Zumbro Bottoms State Forest

    State Forest Dispersed Camping

    This area is off a low maintenance dirt road. It is best to come in from the south as sometimes the gate on the river bridge to the north is closed.

    There is a parking spot near a known dispersed camping site with easy vehicle access next to it. There are hiking trails that pass by this site.


Guide to Trempealeau

The Mississippi River valley near Trempealeau offers established camping options from April through October, with some locations open year-round. Most campsites in the area feature electric hookups, fire rings, and picnic tables. Tent campers can find walk-in sites at several locations, while RVers have access to both partial and full-hookup options.

What to do

Kayaking on calm waters: Merrick State Park provides excellent paddling access directly from campsites. "We stayed in one of the lower walk in sites. It had a wonderful view and easy water access... I could carry my kayak into the water and paddle across the channel to the kayak/canoe trail that we could see from the campsite," notes one visitor to Merrick State Park Campground.

Bike trail access: Veterans Memorial Park connects directly to regional trail systems. "Vet's Park has direct access to the La Crosse Great River Trail where you can connect onto Elroy/Sparta Trail to the east and it directly to La Crosse Great River Trail to the northwest," reports a camper at Veterans Memorial Park & Campground.

Fishing: Both river and pond fishing options exist throughout camping sites near Trempealeau. A reviewer at Pettibone Resort notes they "rented canoes and went out to the river for some good fishing and putzing around." River's Edge Campground also offers "water, fishing, tubing" according to campers.

What campers like

Riverfront site selection: Pettibone Resort offers direct water access. "If you're on the bay side you can bring your boat and beach it right by your campsite," explains a visitor to Pettibone Resort. Waterfront sites are available at several campgrounds in the area.

Family-focused amenities: Multiple campgrounds offer structured activities for children. "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," shares a camper at Prairie Island City Campground.

Spring and fall camping: Shoulder seasons offer fewer mosquitoes and beautiful colors. "Stayed here in the fall. Had a site right next to the bathroom big enough for 2 tents and 2 vehicles. Hikes here offer great views of the river and bluffs and the fall colors are gorgeous!!!" reports a camper at Great River Bluffs State Park.

What you should know

Train noise: Several campgrounds experience train disruptions, particularly at night. "Highway noise from the highway running along the river and from I-90 (while not really noticeable during the day) is ridiculously loud at night. Added to this were the half dozen trains that ran through the night (horns going off too)," warns a camper at Great River Bluffs State Park.

Mosquito management: Bug pressure can be significant, especially near water. "The mosquitos were almost unbearable. We fogged the site daily, had thermacells, and coated ourselves in bug spray - still came home completely bit up," notes one Perrot State Park visitor.

Water quality concerns: Some locations report drinking water issues. "There were signs posted that the drinking water cannot be boiled, nor can it be given to babies or elderly due to high nitrates. But we brought our own water anyways," advises a Perrot State Park camper.

Tips for camping with families

Playground proximity: Request sites near play areas for easier supervision. Veterans Memorial Park offers "baseball fields, playgrounds, a couple of group shelters, volleyball courts, and tons of space for activities."

Golf cart rentals: Consider renting carts at larger campgrounds for easier mobility. "Definitely worth renting a golf cart for the day as the campground is pretty spread out," suggests a visitor to Champions Riverside Resort.

Walk-in site planning: Bring carts for gear transport if choosing tent sites. At Merrick State Park, "Island sites offer the best-in-park privacy for a campsite, but they are walk in (carts provided for hauling in). Worth the short walk in from the lot for what you get."

Tips from RVers

Site leveling: Prepare for uneven surfaces at some locations. A visitor to Pettibone Resort reports, "It was a grass site with two concrete strips for my TT tires. There was more than enough parking for my TT and truck and grass on either side. Site was a little unlevel."

Seasonal planning: Most campgrounds with full hookups close by mid-October. "A little pricey at $54 considering there were no sewer hookups," notes an RV camper at Pettibone Resort regarding value considerations.

Overnight farm stays: Small farm campgrounds offer unique alternatives. "We pulled in from a long driving day. We were greeted by our host. She was very friendly and explained where the site was. Had a great night sleep. This is a good overnight stop," shares a visitor to Frickson Family Farms.

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near Trempealeau, WI?

According to TheDyrt.com, Trempealeau, WI offers a wide range of camping options, with 153 campgrounds and RV parks near Trempealeau, WI and 5 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near Trempealeau, WI?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Trempealeau, WI is Perrot State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 34 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Trempealeau, WI?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 5 free dispersed camping spots near Trempealeau, WI.