Camping Policies - Jump to a Section

• General Camping Policy
• Campground Reservation Policy
• Campground Reservation Refund Policy
• Group Site Reservation Rules
• Camper Storage Policy
• Camping Fees
• Wood County Parks Ordinance
• Firewood Policy
• Pets Policy

Wood County Parks - Camping Brochure

General Camping Policy

Self Registration

If you have not made a reservation in advance, you may select a campsite that is not posted as reserved. Before setting up camp, fill out a self-registration form at the fee station for the chosen site. Place the proper fee into the envelope and drop the envelope into the collection box. Place proper portion of fee envelope on post at campsite. If camping more than two days, please check with the camp ranger to make sure there isn't a reservation coming onto the site. Campers who self-register must set up and occupy the site immediately following registration. Proceed to set up camp at registered campsite.

Advance Reservation

If a reservation has been made, campers may proceed to set up camp on their reserved site. Campers should have confirmation information with them. Campers may occupy the site until 12:00 noon (check out time). Campsite must be cleaned and vacated by 12:00 noon. Sunday check out time is 3:00 p.m., unless the site is reserved for Sunday night.

Wheelchair Accessible Campsite Reservation

Each campground will have at least one wheelchair accessible campsite designated and signed for use by campers with disabilities. Advance reservations for accessible campsites can be made only by campers in possession of a state issued disabled parking permit. Accessible sites that are not reserved will be held open and can be registered by any campers for one day only with camp ranger approval after 10:00 a.m.

Campground Reservation Policy

Until October 31, 2017, the Wood County Parks & Forestry Department will take reservations for camping eleven (11) months or less in advance (i.e. a campground reservation for July 1-4, 2012, can be made on August 1, 2011, or any date after August 1).

** Effective November 1, 2017, camping reservations will be allowed “one year in advance”. This is a change from the current policy of eleven (11) months in advance. As an example, if you plan to camp for the July 4th holiday in 2019 and you want to start camping on June 29th, 2019, you can make your reservation on June 29th, 2018. This change is being made so that camping and shelter reservations have the same “advance reservation” policy of one year.

10% of the sites are designated as non-reservable. Reservations can be made for camping from the Memorial Day weekend thru the Labor Day weekend. Camping before the Memorial Day weekend or after mid-September is on a first come, first serve basis (self-registration only).

• On-site registration for non-reserved sites begin May 1 at the campground through the park closing date, October 31, except at Dexter Park, which remains open for camping through the deer gun season.
• A reservation fee will be charged per site being reserved.
• No reservations will be made for a campsite later than 2 days prior to the initial date of occupancy (ie. Wednesday before 3:00 p.m. for a Friday date of occupancy).
• Reservations are not accepted at the campgrounds. Reservations may be made Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m-4:00 p.m. by calling 715-421-8422 (with a VISA or MasterCard credit card only) or in person at the office (with VISA, MasterCard, cash or check).
• Once payment has been made for a reservation, which includes the camping fee plus the reservation fee, the person making the reservation will be issued a confirmation letter containing the camping regulations. All campsites, reserved or self-registered, must be paid before occupying the campsite.
• The camper must bring the confirmation information (written or verbal) with them to the designated park. Late Arrival: You will not be admitted to the campground area after 10:00 p.m. without your confirmation letter.
• During the period from Memorial Day through mid-September, a campsite must be occupied within 24 hours of the first night (10:00 p.m.) of your reservation. No campsite may be left unoccupied for more than 24 hours to prevent reassignment of that site to another party.
• The person reserving or self-registering a campsite must be 18 YEARS OF AGE or older, and will be the person who is responsible for and who is named on the reservation or self-registration envelope. Each reserved campsite has a named responsible party. One person cannot be registered for more than one site on the same date.
• Maximum length of stay for a reservation or self-registration on the same site, with the same unit and/or party is 14 consecutive days. This policy will be enforced by the Camp Ranger. Online reservations made by the same party or unit for more than 14 days will be canceled. Reservations must be made for at least two nights. On holiday weekends (Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day), the site must be reserved for three nights.
• Wood County reserves the right to make adjustments in assigning reserved sites. If you are reserving a wheelchair accessible site, you may be asked to verify that you currently hold a state issued disabled parking permit.
• Any extraordinary circumstances requiring a decision regarding refunds will be made by the Parks and Forestry Director or his designee.
• Maximum length of stay for a reservation or self-registration is 14 consecutive days.
• Re-registering for a campsite must be completed prior to 10:00 a.m. and only if there is not a prior reservation for the site requested. If self-registering for more than two (2) days, confirm with the Camp Ranger that the site is not reserved.
• Only one (1) camping unit and one (1) family unit will be permitted on each campsite, unless there are children under 18, then a small tent can be put on the same site for them.
• An additional nonrefundable reservation charge may apply for each reservation change.

Campground Reservation Refund Policy

• Once a reservation is confirmed and made, you will not be refunded the reservation fee.
• Cancellations made less than 7 days prior to the date the site is to be occupied will result in the forfeiture of the reservation fee and one nights camping fee.
• No refunds will be made for a cancellation received the day the site was to be occupied (2-day weekend and 3-day holiday weekend inclusive.)
• Reservations that are made, which include dates over 11 months out at the time of purchase, may not be changed or refunded until one month after the date of purchase.

Group Site Reservation Rules

Dexter Park and North Wood County Park both have an established Group Site Area. Please refer to the Dexter Park Group Site Reservation Rules or the North Wood County Park Group Site Reservation Rules for full details and policies.

Camper Storage Policy

Wood County allows storage of campers, charging $60.00 per month, or $15.00 per week. The following criteria applies for any camper being stored in any of the Wood County Park & Forestry campgrounds:

• Camping storage is allowed in loops 2 & 3 at Dexter Park, on Hawthorne Hill at North Park, and the first loop at South Park.
• A camping storage contract/letter must be signed by the camper and the storage fee collected for the proper amount/length of time camper will be stored prior to allowing the unit to be stored in any of the County parks.
• To allow campers to be stored, normally these campers are stored in a designated camping storage area at each park. During the Wisconsin hunting season (normally starting the second weekend of September), units would be allowed to be stored in the defined loops as described above, provided that the camping fee is collected in advance for the following weekend.
• If the camper is not returning the following week and storage is longer than one week, the unit must be moved off the site and stored at a designated area in the campground for camper storage.

Camping Fees

Parks Ordinance

The below excerpts refer to the Wood County Ordinance #600: Wood County Parks. In case the ordinance is updated, please be advised the rules in the official ordinance linked above take precedence over the rules copied on this page.

Firewood Restriction Ordinance

It shall be unlawful for any person to bring outside firewood into any park facility, shelter, land or area. All firewood shall be purchased from Wood County at a designated campground. Down and dead wood may be gathered inside the park for the purpose of burning in designated fire places or fire rings. Chainsaws are not allowed in park areas for cutting firewood. Untreated, clean, dimensional lumber (e.g. cut off 2x4’s) may be used for burning.

Pets Ordinance

Per our ordinance 600.08 (1) Pets. It shall be unlawful for any person to allow pets to enter any public building, bathing beach, picnic grounds, or playgrounds within any County Park, or to run at large at any time on County Park grounds. In other County Park areas and campgrounds pets are permitted provided they shall at all times be kept on a leash not more than 10 feet long. All pets shall be effectively restrained or under the owner's control at all times. No person shall allow his pet to deprive or disrupt the enjoyment or use of any area by others. Pet owners are required to immediately clean up after their pets.