Bear Lake Campground (Chequamegon-Nicolet Nf, Wi)

Chequamegon-Nicolet NF — lakeside

Location: Laona, WI, WI

Price: From $15 per night

Rating: 4.4 out of 5 (41 reviews)

Season: May through October

If you are interested in a quiet campground and excellent pike fishing, Bear Lake Campground is for you. Campsites are situated along the wooded shore and ridge with outstanding views of the lake.Bear Lake is in close proximity to the Rat River Hike and Bike Trail. Trout fishing opportunities are also nearby on the Peshtigo and Rat Rivers.The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest has an abundance of outdoor recreation opportunities.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/bear-lake-campground-chequamegon-nicolet-nf-wi to be notified when sites open up.

Bear Lake Campground offers a quiet setting with excellent pike fishing and wooded shoreline campsites with outstanding lake views. The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest provides abundant outdoor recreation including fishing, swimming, kayaking, canoeing, and nearby hiking on the Rat River trail.

Wildlife alert: Common Loon, Belted Kingfisher, Purple Finch, Winter Wren, Silver-haired Bat, Common Garter Snake, and Northern Redbelly Snake documented in the area.

Insider tips for Bear Lake Campground (Chequamegon-Nicolet Nf, Wi): Book early as this is a popular federal campground. Bring a self-contained RV as there are no hookups available. Plan for pike fishing and water activities like kayaking and canoeing.

Skip Bear Lake Campground (Chequamegon-Nicolet Nf, Wi) if: You need RV hookups (water, electric, sewer not available).. You want to visit outside May through October seasonal closure.. You prefer developed campground facilities beyond vault toilets and picnic tables..

Best time to visit Bear Lake Campground (Chequamegon-Nicolet Nf, Wi): May-October — Campground operates seasonally from May through October only..

Nearby campgrounds: Richardson Lake Campground (Laona, WI), Laura Lake Campground (Laona, WI), Ada Lake Campground (Laona, WI), Boot Lake Campground (Lakewood, WI).

Cell Phone Coverage at Bear Lake Campground (Chequamegon-Nicolet Nf, Wi)

Cell signal at Bear Lake Campground (Chequamegon-Nicolet Nf, Wi) (Laona, WI): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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Chequamegon-Nicolet NF — lakesideLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Bear Lake Campground (Chequamegon-Nicolet Nf, Wi)

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Laona, WI, WI★ 4.4 (41 reviews)From $15/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

If you are interested in a quiet campground and excellent pike fishing, Bear Lake Campground is for you. Campsites are situated along the wooded shore and ridge with outstanding views of the lake.Bear Lake is in close proximity to the Rat River Hike and Bike Trail. Trout fishing opportunities are also nearby on the Peshtigo and Rat Rivers.The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest has an abundance of outdoor recreation opportunities.

Best for:FamiliesSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV64 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking Water
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Vault Toilets

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups (water, electric, sewer not available).✕ You want to visit outside May through October seasonal closure.✕ You prefer developed campground facilities beyond vault toilets and picnic tables.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early as this is a popular federal campground.

Bring a self-contained RV as there are no hookups available.

Plan for pike fishing and water activities like kayaking and canoeing.

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally from May through October only.

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Common Loon, Belted Kingfisher, Purple Finch, Winter Wren, Silver-haired Bat, Common Garter Snake, and Northern Redbelly Snake documented in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
(715) 674-4481· Chequamegon-Nicolet NF
Getting there →

From Wabeno, drive north 5.5 miles or from Laona drive 3.0 miles to County Road T. Turn east and drive 3 miles to County Road H. Turn right (north) drive 0.75 miles to Goodman Park Road (FR2136). Turn right (east) and drive 4.1 miles to FR3770. Turn right (south) on FR3770 and drive 0.4 miles to the campground.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Chequamegon-Nicolet NF fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Chequamegon-Nicolet NF before arrival — seasonal closures common.
  • Bear country — store all food in bear boxes or locked vehicle at all times.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Bear Lake Campground (Chequamegon-Nicolet Nf, Wi) cost per night?+
Bear Lake Campground (Chequamegon-Nicolet Nf, Wi) costs $15 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Bear Lake Campground (Chequamegon-Nicolet Nf, Wi) open?+
Bear Lake Campground (Chequamegon-Nicolet Nf, Wi) is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Bear Lake Campground (Chequamegon-Nicolet Nf, Wi) have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Bear Lake Campground (Chequamegon-Nicolet Nf, Wi)?+
Bear Lake Campground (Chequamegon-Nicolet Nf, Wi) can accommodate RVs up to 64 feet.
How do I make reservations at Bear Lake Campground (Chequamegon-Nicolet Nf, Wi)?+
Bear Lake Campground (Chequamegon-Nicolet Nf, Wi) is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Bear Lake Campground (Chequamegon-Nicolet Nf, Wi)?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Bear Lake Campground (Chequamegon-Nicolet Nf, Wi) is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Bear Lake Campground (Chequamegon-Nicolet Nf, Wi) open, and what are check-in times?+
Bear Lake Campground (Chequamegon-Nicolet Nf, Wi) is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Campground Map
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●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$15 /night★ 4.4 (41)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Bear Lake Campground (Chequamegon-Nicolet Nf, Wi) cost per night?+
What season is Bear Lake Campground (Chequamegon-Nicolet Nf, Wi) open?+
Does Bear Lake Campground (Chequamegon-Nicolet Nf, Wi) have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Richardson Lake Campground

Laona, WI

From $15/night

Laura Lake Campground

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From $15/night

Ada Lake Campground

Laona, WI

From $15/night

Boot Lake Campground

Lakewood, WI

From $18/night

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