Lac Vieux Desert Recreation Area

Chequamegon-Nicolet
National Forest

This recreation area is on a wooded flat on the west shore of Lac Vieux Desert (4,017-acres), a few miles south of the Wisconsin/Michigan border. The lake is one of the largest in northern Wisconsin and is popular with boaters and anglers who come to fish for Walleye, Musky, Bass and Northern Pike. The headwaters of the Wisconsin River are about a mile south of the campground in Lac Vieux Desert Reservoir Park.

The local region has a rich cultural history beginning with the Ojibwe, who have been residing in the area for hundreds of years and once used the islands for cultivating food. When the French explorers arrived, the headwaters became the hub of several trade routes.

CAMPGROUND BROCHURE

The campground has 31, non-electric campsites in a pine and hardwood forest. All sites offer plenty of shade, and all are available for tent and RV/trailer camping (max length varies, see list below). Each site has a tent area, fire ring, picnic table, and a parking spur. None of the sites are lakeside but all are within walking distance of the lake and beach. Campground amenities include drinking water and vault toilets. All sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

The separate day use area features a shady picnic area, swimming beach, and boat landing. Amenities include picnic tables, grills, a shelter, drinking water, and vault toilets. The boat landing has a ramp, a large, paved parking lot, and vault toilets.

CAMPGROUND BROCHURE
campground photo campground photo campground photo
Trails & Places

The Land O’ Lakes Bike Trail (12 miles) and the Agonikak National Recreation Trail (12 miles) are scenic bicycle paths with trailheads in Land O' Lakes. A little farther northwest, the Sylvania Wilderness and the Guido Rahr Tenderfoot Reserve offer beautiful, backcountry hiking and lake paddling adventures.

A half-hour drive south of Lac Vieux Desert is a cluster of four interconnected recreation trails in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. Two of these, the Anvil National Recreation Trail (14 miles), and the Nicolet North Trails (15 miles), offer remote, scenic hiking and mountain biking. Both trails connect with the Hidden Lakes Trail (hiking only), a 13-mile loop that wanders through mixed forests, past scenic lakes, and occasional spruce bogs. A short segment of the Hidden Lakes Trail combines with the popular Luna-White Deer Trail (4 miles, hiking only).

Season

The campground is open from mid-April through mid-October.

Registration

A self-registration kiosk is located near the campground entrance. You must register and pay before occupying a site.

GPS: 46.135991, -89.155876

Campground Stats
  • Total Number of Campsites: 31
  • RV & Tent Campsites: 31
  • Tent Only Campsites: 0
  • Group Campsites: 0
  • Reservable Campsites: 0
Campground Amenities
  • Contact station kiosk
  • Drinking water (hand pump)
  • Accessible vault toilets
  • Garbage & recycling
Campsite Amenities
  • All sites are non-electric
  • Fire ring
  • Picnic table
  • Tent area
  • Parking spur
  • Campsite Capacity: 8 people per site
  • All sites offer at least partial shade
RV & Camping Trailer Info
  • Campground Roads:
  • Campsite Spurs:
  • All sites are back-in
  • Back-in 35-foot max: 15, 22, 24, 31
  • Back-in 40-foot max: 1-14, 16-21, 23, 25-30
  • Generators Allowed: Yes (6:00am to 10:00 pm)
  • Generator noise must not disturb other campground guests!
  • RV/Trailer Dump Station: No
  • Nearby Dump Station: 45.916810, -89.255850
    Eagle River Waste Water Treatment Facility ($ fee), 20.2 miles away
Recreation Area Amenities
  • Drinking water (hand pump)
  • Accessible vault toilets
  • Picnic area (shelter, tables, grills)
  • Swimming beach
  • Boat landing
  •  
  • Pets Allowed? Yes
  • Pets must be restrained or on a leash in campgrounds & developed areas.
  • Pets (except guide dogs) are not allowed in swimming areas.
Recreation Area Activities
  • Picnicking
  • Lac Vieux Desert (4,017 acres, max depth: 38 feet)
  • Swimming
  • Boating (motorized)
  • Canoeing & kayaking
  • Fishing
  • ⥾ Panfish (common)
  • ⥾ Largemouth Bass (common)
  • ⥾ Smallmouth Bass (common)
  • ⥾ Northern Pike (common)
  • ⥾ Musky (common)
  • ⥾ Walleye (common)
  • Lake Bottom: 35% sand, 20% gravel, 10% rock, 35% muck
Managing Agency
  • Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest
  • Eagle River-Florence Ranger District
  • 1247 E. Wall St.
  • Eagle River, WI 54521
Local Gas & Services
  • Land O Lakes is 3.6 miles away
    (restaurants, grocery, supplies, convenience store, gas & services)
  •  
  • Watersmeet, MI is 11 miles away
    (restaurants, grocery, convenience store, gas & services, laundromat)
  •  
  • Eagle River is 19 miles away
    (restaurants, grocery, supplies, convenience store, gas & services, laundromat)
  •  
  • Distances are from the campground entrance.
    An asterisk* indicates an external link.