4.0425 reviews
Price
$7.5 - $15/night
Booking
Walk-in Only
Sites
31 campsites
Season
Open season runs fro...
Cell
Unknown
Pets
Check Policy
Price
$7.5 - $15/night
Booking
Walk-in Only
Sites
31 campsites
Season
Open season runs fro...
Cell
Unknown
Pets
Check Policy
We'll monitor this campground and alert you the moment sites become available.
Free to start · paid plans add 2-min scans
256,000+ sites monitored · Email alerts to start; SMS and in-app with an account
Learn more about alerts →Lac Vieux Desert Recreation Area
1247 E. Wall St., Eagle River, WI 54521
Walleye and musky anglers will get the most out of this place, especially arriving before July 4th when fishing peaks. The southern loop has the better privacy, and flat wood-framed tent pads make this easier on tent campers than most Nicolet sites. At $15 a night, it's hard to a
Trailering a large or heavy boat? The ramp runs shallow and reviews consistently warn it won't handle it. No showers, no dump station, no hookups, and a no-refund policy on early departures means you're committing to rustic on their terms.
Reference information about Lac Vieux Desert Recreation Area sourced from official USFS records and forestcamping.com. View official recreation.gov page →
<p>Camp here and you'll be at the headwaters of the Wisconsin River! You'll also be on a lake that has been "home" to Chippewa (Ojibwa) American Indians for centuries. This 4,017-acre lake is one of the largest lake on the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest and is shared with the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.</p><p>If you are planning to fish, please review the border lake fishing regulations. The lake is known for its musky, walleye, bass, and northern pike.</p><p>The campground is located on the west shore of the lake and features a boat landing and picnic shelter.</p>
The elevation is 1,620 ft. A single loop campground at the headwaters of the Wisconsin River, it is anything but a desert. The largest lake in the Nicolet, Lac Vieux Desert is shared by Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The Chippewa, also known as the Ojibwa people, called this location "home" for centuries. On some misty mornings you can almost feel these people pass by.
Open April 30 through October 14.
The water spigot is a hand pump.
Lac Vieux Desert is 2,853 acres.
The parking aprons are paved.
In Land O'Lake, WI on County Rt. B, take US Rt. 45/State Rt. 32 south 2.1 miles to County Rt. E. Turn left on Rt. E and go east 2.8 miles to West Shore Rd. (Forest Rt. 2205). Turn left onto West Shore Rd. and go 1.3 miles to campground entrance on the right.
Compare with similar sites, watch availability, and build a packing list — Camp Sage handles all of it.
Summer is the prime window. Daytime highs sit in the 70s to low 80s, nights cool to the 40s and 50s. Water warms enough for comfortable swimming, and fishing peaks before the Fourth of July according to regulars. The campground fills on holiday weekends but stays quieter midweek. Shoulder seasons bring migrating birds in spring and fall color in autumn, though services may be reduced.
Summer is prime: water warms for swimming and fishing peaks in late spring/early summer.
The campground offers basic amenities suitable for a rustic camping experience. Potable water is available through a hand-pump spigot. Vault toilets are present but no flush toilets. Each campsite is equipped with fire rings and picnic tables. User reviews highlight amenities such as designated flat tent pads framed with wood, which are uncommon in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. While there is no dump station, electricity is expected to be added to some sites soon, according to one user review.
Researching this campground? Ask anything — other campers and our team will weigh in. No visit required.
Short heads-ups about the road in, gear quirks, timing, and more. You don't have to have been here to share what you know.
Rate Lac Vieux Desert Recreation Area
Been here? Tap a star to start. Takes about a minute.
Sign-in required only if you want your name on it.
Be the first to review this campground
Every adventure creates another. Share what you learned so the next camper feels a little more prepared heading out.
