As camping grows in popularity, new website helps Wisconsin campers find the perfect spot

Keith Uhlig, Wausau Daily Herald
·3 min read
Emrick Lake Campground is slated to open May 1 for seasonal campers and May 25 for weekenders and overnight guests. It features a 38-acre lake and was built on the site of an old Boy Scout camp.
Emrick Lake Campground is slated to open May 1 for seasonal campers and May 25 for weekenders and overnight guests. It features a 38-acre lake and was built on the site of an old Boy Scout camp.

The lingering cold of early spring in Wisconsin might deter many from sleeping in a tent, trailer or RV right now, but there's no question that camping is hot.

More than 93.8 million North American households considered themselves campers in 2021, the year after COVID-19 locked down travel, according to the 2022 North American Camping Report funded by KOA. The report also noted that camping accounted for 40% of all leisure trips in 2021. The study looked at people who lived across the continent, but it's got to be safe to assume that camping mania in Wisconsin meets or exceeds the trend on a continental level.

The Wisconsin Association of Campground Owners offers another resource for people looking for a place to camp. The organization has compiled a searchable website that highlights hundreds of private campgrounds. The website, WisconsinCampgrounds.com, helps campers find camping sites based on region or specific cities, according to an WACO news release.

The online resource links users with campgrounds' own websites, which lists resources and amenities available to campers. Many campgrounds offer organized family activities and entertainment, said Lori Severson, WACO's executive director.

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As demand for camping has grown, many WACO members have expanded the number of camping sites and facilities, and new campgrounds also have opened. Some of new and upgraded private camping options include:

— Emrick Lake Campground & Resort in Oxford: This is a brand new 417-site campground that is slated to open May 1 for seasonal campers and May 25 for weekenders and overnight guests. Located 21 miles north of the Wisconsin Dells, the campground was built on the site of an old Boy Scout camp. A focal point of the campground is its private 38-acre lake.

— Merry Mac's Campground in Merrimac: This 40-acre campground recently added 15 seasonal campsites on the park’s remaining undeveloped acreage. The campground now has 171 seasonal sites, 75 overnight campsites and 25 rental units.

— Champions Riverside Resort in Galesville: Last year, this park expanded from 220 to 290 campsites, including the addition of nine cabins, including loft units. New amenities include a 1.5-acre pond with a floating climbing structures as well as three new land-based inflatables for children.

— Breezy Hill Campground in Fond du Lac: This family owned campground has been continually expanding and improving, adding 90 big rig RV sites between 2017 and 2020. The park currently has 190 campsites and eight rental cabins. In 2021, a second playground area was added to the park’s swimming beach.

— Skillet Creek Campground in Baraboo: This campground has added 37 full hookup campsites as well as a new one-acre swimming pond.

Features reporter Keith Uhlig is based in Wausau. Contact him at 715-845-0651 or kuhlig@gannett.com. Follow him at @UhligK on Twitter and Instagram or on Facebook.

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This article originally appeared on Wausau Daily Herald: Website helps campers find sites at Wisconsin's private campgrounds