4.2238 reviewsPrice
$9 - $18/night
Booking
Reservable
Sites
33 campsites
Season
The campground opens...
Cell
Unknown
Pets
Very Pet Friendly
Price
$9 - $18/night
Booking
Reservable
Sites
33 campsites
Season
The campground opens...
Cell
Unknown
Pets
Very Pet Friendly
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Namekagon Lake Recreation Area, Chequamegon-Nicolet Forest, Wisconsin, USA
Anglers and paddlers who book early get the most out of this place. Musky, walleye, and northern pike on a big lake with a boat ramp already in place, plus 300+ miles of CAMBA mountain bike trails nearby. South Loop tent sites give you more breathing room and a more woodsy feel.
North Loop sites sit close enough together that weekend noise from neighboring sites is a real issue. No showers, no dump station, and cell signal is essentially gone once you leave the parking lot, plan accordingly if any of those matter to your trip.
Reference information about Namekagon Lake Recreation Area sourced from official USFS records and forestcamping.com. View official recreation.gov page →
<p>Namekagon Lake Recreation Area is a family-friendly campground that runs alongside its namesake lake at the headwaters of the Namekagon River. It is surrounded by a hardwood and hemlock forest. All campsites provide hardened parking area, picnic table, and fire ring. Recycling and trash dumpsters are provided. There is a day-use area with a picnic shelter, several picnic tables with pedestal grills, a basketball court, a sandy swimming beach, a boat landing, and a fishing pier. Potable water is available from an electric well. Vault toilets are provided throughout campground and day-use area.</p><p>Namekagon Campground is an ideal location for a base camp with its close proximity to a number of hiking and biking trails. Famous for its great fishery, this 3,227-acre lake offers excellent fishing for musky, pike, walleye, bass, and other fish varieties. It is the perfect spot to kayak, canoe, jet ski, swim or take a boat ride to one of the many restaurants along the shoreline. Wildlife watching opportunities are abundant as elk, eagles, loons and other wildlife are often spotted in the area.</p><p>The <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/cnnf/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=27753&actid=50">Namekagon Trail</a> is located just across the road from the campground entrance. This one-mile trail loop is great for beginner hikers. </p><p>The campground features a picnic shelter available for larger gatherings and a boat ramp. There is a $5 recreation use fee for the boat landing. This does not apply to registered campers.</p><p>The campground is located near the Rock Lake National Recreation Trail, CAMBA Mountain Bike Trails, North Country National Scenic Trail and Porcupine Lake Wilderness Area.</p><p>So, if you like to swim, boat, fish, hike, or picnic, then the Namekagon Lake Recreation Area is the place for you, located 20 minutes northeast of Hayward. Namekagon Lake Recreation Area is one of our dog friendly recreation areas. </p><p> </p>
The elevation is 1,300 ft. The campground has two loops - North and South. They form a figure "8" through a hardwood and hemlock forest on Namekagon Lake that is the headwaters for the Namekagon River. With a boat ramp, swimming beach, and fishing pier, the campground's focus is on water sports. Boats may be tied up along the lake's rocky shoreline within the campground. Campsites in the North Loop are closer together than in the South Loop and with limited middlestory throughout the campground, privacy is fair to poor. The campground shares the lake with a number of private residences.
Open May 25 through September 4
The water spigot in the south loop (left of campground entrance) is is a handpump. A pressure water spigot is located in the north loop, near campground's pavillon.
Open May 25 through September 4 Rate and Maximum Stay Permitted Rate: $14 per day Maximum Stay Permitted (days): 14 Chequamegon National Forest 69 Campground Site Configuration No. RV Sites: 0 Open Sites: Yes No. Tent Sites: 0 Wooded Sites: Yes No. Combined Sites (Tent or RV): 33 Total Sites: 33 No. Tables on Sites: 33 Tent Pads: No No. Grilles on Sites: 33 Equestrian Camping: No RV Information Hookups: None No. RV Pull Throughs: 0 Waste Station: No Average Parking Apron Size: 15' X 45' Comments: The parking aprons are grass and gravel. There is an RV waste station at Two Lakes campground (national forest). Facilities Flush Toilets: No Hot Showers: No Vaults: Yes Wheelchair Friendly Toilets: Yes Public Phone: Yes Playground: No No. Water Spigots (non-site): 2 No. Threaded: 0 Comments: The water spigot in the south loop (left of campground entrance) is is a handpump. A pressure water spigot is located in the north loop, near campground's pavillon. Water Sports Lake: Yes Water Skiing: Yes Swimming (provided): Yes Rafting (whitewater): No Sailing: Yes Kayaking (whitewater): No Power Boating: Yes Boat Ramp: Yes Boating (no power): Yes Boat Carry-Down Access: No Comments: Namekagon Lake is 3,227 acres. Sandy beach.
The parking aprons are grass and gravel. There is an RV waste station at Two Lakes campground (national forest).
From Cable, WI, drive east on County Rt. M 10.9 miles to County Rt. D. Turn left onto Rt. D and go north 5.7 miles to campground sign (Forest Rt. 209). Turn left onto Rt. 209 and go 0.3 miles to campground.
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Summer brings the warmest conditions for lake swimming and boating, with daytime highs in the mid-60s to mid-80s°F and nighttime lows in the 50s. Smallmouth bass, walleye, and panfish are active. July and August see the highest visitor numbers. Holiday weekends fill up months in advance, though weekday sites remain easier to book. Spring opens in May as wildflowers emerge and migratory birds return. Fall turns the hardwoods gold and crimson before winter snow closes the campground to overnight use, though day visits continue year-round.
Peak season for swimming, boating and warm weather; campground open May–Sept weekends busy.
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Namekagon Lake Recreation Area offers a variety of amenities that cater to families, nature enthusiasts, and outdoor adventurers. Amenities include 34 campsites with picnic tables and fire rings, accessible vault toilets, potable water available from a hand pump and pressure spigot, a boat ramp, a fishing pier, a sandy swimming beach, and a day-use area complete with a picnic shelter, grills, and a basketball court. Trash and recycling dumpsters are also available. The campground is described as well-maintained, with facilities that meet basic camping needs.
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