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Bear Lake Campground's pet-friendly sites offer private, waterfront camping in the Nicolet National Forest between Wabeno and Laona. Most campsites feature lake views or direct access to Bear Lake, with some positioned on ridges overlooking the water. Pets must remain leashed throughout the campground, including on the hiking and biking trails that connect to the Rat River Trail system. The pit toilets are exceptionally clean, and drinking water is available on-site. Ada Lake Recreation Area and Richardson Lake also welcome pets, providing similar rustic camping experiences with lake access. The campgrounds maintain a quiet atmosphere where pets and their owners can enjoy the natural surroundings without excessive noise or disturbance.
Bagley Rapids Campground serves as an ideal base for pet owners exploring the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest trail systems. Located in the Lakewood-Laona District, the campground entrance connects directly to ATV, snowmobile, and horse trails that extend throughout the Northwoods. Dogs must stay on leashes no longer than six feet and are not permitted on designated swimming beaches at most area campgrounds, including Ada Lake. Governor Thompson State Park enforces similar pet policies while offering more amenities, including electric hookups and shower facilities. The park features hiking trails where leashed pets are welcome, though owners should be prepared for ticks and mosquitoes during humid weather. Campgrounds throughout the region maintain varying pet waste policies, with most requiring owners to clean up after their animals to preserve the natural environment and beach areas.
"Lots of wet swampy areas around this site. If it were hot, I would imagine a lot of mosquitos. If you forget something, you are better off going to Laona than Wabeno. Nice bike trail."
"This campground is located between Wabeno and Laeno, in the Nicolet National Forest. Most of the camp sites are waterfront with views or lake access to Bear Lake."
from $15 / night
Check Availability"One was a multi-layer setup while others were more hidden as they moved further away from the lake. The picnic tables look very new and the vault toilets are well kept."
"We arrived mid-week and had no problem getting a lakeside campsite. The sites are low compared to the water level, so it was an easy walk from our campsite to the water (no stairs to climb)."
from $15 / night
Check Availability"The lakeside campsites are elevated somewhat high above the lake, so you need to walk down stairs or a steep-ish trail to get to the water."
"Quiet, secluded, right next to a lake."
from $15 / night
Check Availability"A nice little beach, quiet well spaced sites, and nearby snowmobile/hiking trails. The lake it small with a few lake cabins across the lake."
"Trolling motors only on this lake. Good fishing and quite. Dirty and grave sites with no concrete pads. Great place to spend a week or two!"
"The first site, east side, is a pull in right off the road with the pit and table a few steps down from the parking pad. The second site is a pull through facing west right off the road."
"Entrances need a lot of TLC washed out and large drop from paved road. Middle camp site has best access to brook I put a 8 foot pop up in it you could go bigger 20 foot max."
"Park is located in the Peshtigo River state forest. Pet friendly!! Your pets are aloud on trails and with you at your campsite. They must be on a 6 ft leash. The park is beautiful."
"We stopped here for a quick overnight pit stop on our way from Minneapolis to our final destination camp site in Rowleys bay , Door county, Wisconsin."
"It's roughly 2.5 hours away from Madison and Milwaukee and just over an hour away from the Green Bay area. If outdoor recreation is your thing, this is the perfect base camp."
"I showed up on a Friday evening around 6:30pm and was still able to snag a spot on the river. Quite a few ticks here, make sure to bring some permethrin spray for your clothes and your dog."
from $15 / night
Check Availability"Nice location!"
"They have a pool, some hiking trails, bathrooms and showers. They also have themed nights."
"We chose this campground on a whim since we wanted to be near Lakewood where I would spend summers as a kid. We love this place and ended up choosing it for both of our camping trips last summer."
"Boulder lake is amazing and is located conveniently close to the Wolf river, which has whitewater rafting and trout fishing."
from $18 - $75 / night
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TravelerWe enjoyed our stay very much. Pretty campground, extremely friendly and helpful staff, nice neighbors all around. The shower area could use some updating, but was fairly clean. It is a dog friendly place and for the most part they were well behaved pets. We planned on staying four nights and are staying six instead. Taking advantage of the last nice days of the season. I would highly recommend trying this park.
GuideBagley Rapids Campground is located in the Lakewood- Laona District of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, which is about as far South as the Forest goes. This makes Bagley Rapids Campground the perfect spot for a quick weekend trip from surrounding larger cities. It's roughly 2.5 hours away from Madison and Milwaukee and just over an hour away from the Green Bay area.
If outdoor recreation is your thing, this is the perfect base camp. The campground entrance is right off the ATV / Snowmobile / Horse Trails which connect to thousands of miles of trail systems all throughout the Northwoods of Wisconsin. I've stayed here 5 times in the last two years and frequent the local logging roads on my Dual Sport motorcycle. I'd say over 1/4 of the spots are actually located on Bagley Rapids, a very clear, crisp refreshing spring fed river that runs around the campground. It's great to wade into and enjoy after a hot day hiking and exploring trails.
A couple miles from the campground is nearby Mountain, WI where you can get basic groceries, gas and a great bar burger. Within 30 minutes you can be in the smaller town of Wabeno, which is home to some of the best ATV trails around and also has a very cool old style downtown.
The sites are a mix of tent and RV with some really great spots with some elevation that back down into the river. It's always been peaceful during my stays and never gets loud and rowdy.
As there isn't a beach, small children should stay out of the river due to it's strong current, so this might not be the best choice if you're going purely for the water.
ScoutLeave the loud pets and noisey illegal moterbikeos ah home no nature here
GuidePark is located in the Peshtigo River state forest. Pet friendly!! Your pets are aloud on trails and with you at your campsite. They must be on a 6 ft leash. The park is beautiful. What surprised me the most was the pit toliets that looked like tiny houses. Pictures are attached. There is a small lake which is great for kayak and swimming. This park also has a boat launch onto the Cauldron Falls Reservoir. I've attached photos of the map. Almost all the campsites are private and hidden away in their own little spots. There are a few hiking trails which i enjoyed spending time on. If you go down the street a bit you will find Old Veterans state park which has a secluded quiet lake and beach. I spent an afternoon at the beach and never saw a soul. There is not a camp store. The only thing you can buy at the park is firewood.
GuideWe have been coming here for a long time. It is under new management and we thought things would get better. While we were here other guests trashed the beach and had dogs running and using the bathroom throughout the campsite. The rules for dogs were to keep them on leashes and clean up after them. These rules were not being followed which caused the beach, in the past is lovely, but with the dogs using it as a bathroom the beach smelt like poop. Nobody in our week of staying cleaned up after them so we needed to go somewhere else to swim. If your place is pet friendly please make sure to keep up with your own rules. The cabins are run down but showers are hot and the utilities are still able to be used
TravelerStayed for the first time at this campground in July and loved it. We stayed on a tent site, it was huge and had electric. I love that the campground is right on the lake and there’s quite a few amenities for people who boat. It is pet friendly and the bathrooms are quite a walk but clean and hot water is available.
ScoutThis place was so much fun! The back tent areas are great, great walking trails, right on the water, the staff is so friendly and do daily checks to check if you need fire wood or anything. They also have fun seasonal events that the host for the campers. Definitely check this place out! So many memories there. They also have a playground for the kids, pet friendly, and allow atv/utv.
ScoutWe were at site 25. Lots of wet swampy areas around this site. If it were hot, I would imagine a lot of mosquitos. If you forget something, you are better off going to Laona than Wabeno. Nice bike trail. Too shallow to fish off the shore by our site. Does have a grate over there fire for cooking. ZERO WiFi and cell service
ScoutIf you are looking to get away and relax then this is the campground to go to. This campground is located between Wabeno and Laeno, in the Nicolet National Forest. Most of the camp sites are waterfront with views or lake access to Bear Lake. Some sites are located on a ridge along the lake with stairs leading down to the water.
Camp sites are large and private. There is drinking water and pit toilets. The pit toliets were the cleanest I have ever used. Firewood is available just a few miles away. There is a Biking/Hiking trail that accesses the Rat River Trail.
The beach is nice size with a roped off swimming area that has plenty of space for the kids to swim and explore.
Kayaking, fishing and swimming are the best activites for this campground.
I would have given it five stars if it had showers but then again if it had showers it wouldnt be a rustic campground.
Nicolet National Forest campgrounds near Wabeno offer primitive to semi-developed camping options within northern Wisconsin's mixed hardwood forest region. Most campgrounds sit at elevations between 1,600-1,800 feet with summer temperatures averaging 75-85°F during the day and 55-65°F at night. The camping season typically runs May through October with limited winter access due to seasonal closures of forest roads and facilities.
Trout fishing: Access prime brook and brown trout fishing at Bagley Rapids NF Campground, where campsites position visitors directly alongside the Oconto River. "Tranquil nights next to the rapids makes this campground great," notes Christopher R. The river's clear, spring-fed waters provide good fishing conditions throughout the camping season.
Hiking trail connections: Multiple forest trail systems connect directly from campground areas. "There is a Biking/Hiking trail that accesses the Rat River Trail," explains Kimberly G. about Bear Lake Campground. For geocaching enthusiasts, Governor Thompson State Park offers "Lots of geocaches in the park to keep us busy," according to Jill G.
Kayaking accessible lakes: Many area campgrounds provide direct water access for small watercraft. At Boulder Lake, "The shore was pretty level and easy to get our kayaks in and out. The shore is shallow and mostly sand. Nice for swimming," shares Julia B. The electric-motors-only policy on many smaller lakes creates quieter conditions for paddlers.
Clean facilities: Despite rustic settings, campground maintenance receives consistent praise. At Ada Lake Recreation Area, "The amenities were well kept and placed and having our dog with us wasn't a problem," reports Kinni P. Many campers specifically note the condition of vault toilets and drinking water facilities.
Private campsites: The natural forest setting provides good site separation at most campgrounds. "The sites are large and private," explains Kimberly G. At Richardson Lake Campground, Robin W. notes, "Very nice campground. Bare bones, but that's all we needed. Quiet, secluded, right next to a lake."
Secluded waterfront access: Many sites offer direct lake or river frontage. At McCaslin Brook Dispersed site, "There are three sites each with a table, fire pit, a toilet pit and right off the brooke," explains Robyn B. For smaller campgrounds, this creates a more intimate connection with the waterways.
Tick and mosquito precautions: Prepare for seasonal insect activity, particularly during early summer. "Beautiful Lakes secluded areas and a crazy amount of ticks in May," warns Jill G. about Governor Thompson State Park. At Bagley Rapids, Jacob V. advises, "Quite a few ticks here, make sure to bring some permethrin spray for your clothes and your dog."
Variable cell coverage: Most forest areas have limited connectivity. At Bear Lake Campground, Jenna R. reports "ZERO WiFi and cell service." For emergency communications, check with campground hosts about the closest reliable signal locations.
Site reservations: Campground reservation policies vary significantly. Ada Lake Recreation Area operates first-come, first-served, so "We were lucky and found one last spot to call home for the night," explains Kinni P. For weekend camping during summer months, arrive Thursday or early Friday for better site selection at non-reservable campgrounds.
Beach access considerations: When camping with children, check water access details. At Boulder Lake, "The lake is not very deep, which is great for swimming or water recreation," notes Christopher R. Richardson Lake Campground presents different challenges as "all of the lakefront sites are elevated somewhat high above the lake, so you need to walk down stairs or a steep-ish trail to get to the water," according to Jen E.
Quieter weekday stays: For families seeking less crowded conditions, mid-week camping offers advantages. At Governor Thompson State Park Campground, Jeff F. reports, "We went the weekend after Labor Day and basically had the whole place to ourselves. Very quiet and peaceful."
Nearby town services: Limited on-site amenities mean planning for supply runs. "Laona is just a short drive for gas, and food," notes Lisa R. about Bear Lake Campground. When camping at Bagley Rapids, Chris B. suggests "nearby Mountain, WI where you can get basic groceries, gas and a great bar burger."
Site selection for larger rigs: Not all campgrounds accommodate larger RVs equally. At McCaslin Brook, Robyn B. observes the "third site is a deep, large site away from the road facing west," but cautions about access challenges as "the easement was really washed out and we bottomed our minivan coming in." For electric hookups, Heavens Up North Family Campground offers "Clean updated camping... The most beautiful showers and amenities I've seen camping so far," according to Tami G.
Road access limitations: Forest roads leading to dog friendly campgrounds near Wabeno can present challenges. Ada Lake Recreation Area requires negotiating "a few miles of gravel and dirt road but others brought their larger rv's," reports Art S. During wet weather, check road conditions with ranger stations before attempting access with heavier vehicles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Wabeno, WI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Wabeno, WI is Bear Lake with a 4.3-star rating from 7 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Wabeno, WI?
TheDyrt.com has all 127 dog-friendly camping locations near Wabeno, WI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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