Camping in Wisconsin

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• Camping, Boating Can Be Ultimate Surf-And-Turf Treat

  Summer often means time with the family and an urge to get away from it all. But for those on a budget, it can be hard to plan a vacation that is both fun and affordable. As such, camping can often fit the bill.

  Wisconsin has a variety of camp grounds and amenities available, according David Benish, the camping program manager with the Bureau of Parks and Recreation in the state Department of Natural Resources.

  “The Wisconsin State Park System has a little bit of everything: From some backpack sites to tent sites to sites where we have electricity for pop-up campers or RVs. So, we pretty well cover the gamut of what people want to do in the outdoors as far as camping,” Benish said.

  Camping suggested being planted on solid ground, but some might be surprised to know that people can combine camping with sailing. Benish said.

  And of course, Lake Superior and the Apostle Islands are a great draw for campers, sailors and other outdoor enthusiasts. While Madeline Island’s campgrounds aren’t very close to the dock, there are other options to consider.

  Peter Biermeier, section chief for recreation, planning and development for the DNR’s Wisconsin State Park System, said that “having sailed in (Madeline Island) myself, we have done considering overnight camping just offshore of those islands by anchoring and then staying right in the sailboat. That opportunity is available.”

  Michael, a phone caller from Danbury, Wis., said he couldn’t agree more about the joys of camping and sailing together. He said he had been sailing into the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore for more than 25 years.

  “They have some absolutely wonderful campsites,” he said. “They do have moorage at many of the islands. You can tour several of the lighthouses up there. I was a volunteer lighthouse keeper for 40 days up there.”

  He also said that there are other sites in the area, such as Stockton Island, Quarry Bay and the Raspberry Island Lighthouse.

  They’re nothing but pure white sand beaches. And it’s shallow in that area, so by the Fourth (of July), you can swim for hours,” he said.

  Biermeier said he agreed with that assessment.

  “There’s some on the lee sides of the island that are very comfortable and protected. It’s a great experience,” he said.

  For those interesting in planning a trip, the U.S. National Park Service has resources available for people who may want to plan a camping trip at the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.

  To learn about the the history of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, listen to Larry Meiller interviewing Annie Booth, the co-author of “Environmental Politics and the Creation of a Dream: Establishing the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.”

  For people who are more comfortable in a kayak or canoe than in a sailboat, there are other camping experiences available. In the June 2013 issue of the Wisconsin Natural Resources Magazine, writer Brooke Magee shares her love of camping on the sandbars that dot the Wisconsin River.