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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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    Bear Lake Campground (Chequamegon-Nicolet Nf, Wi) — photo 1
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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
    evan.miller@usda.gov
    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
    Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
    ●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

    Laona, WI

    From $15/night

    Ada Lake Campground

    Laona, WI

    From $15/night

    Boot Lake Campground

    Lakewood, WI

    From $18/night

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