Northern Highland- American Legion State Forest - new remote boat-in campsites on Prong, Bittersweet, Smith, and Oberlin Lakes. If you're looking for a true wilderness camping experience on remote lakes, these campsites may be for you. I wouldn't suggest coming here unless you have a 4-wheel drive vehicle, because the roads are very rough with large water-filled potholes and muddy spots (photo 1 - road to Prong Lake) - (photo 2 - road to Prong Lake). I hit a submerged rock in a pothole and had to get out of my car and move the rock to the side of the road before I could continue. I got some photos of Prong Lake (photo 1) - (photo 2) but didn't want to risk the well-being of my car continuing on the road to Bittersweet and Smith lakes.
These three lakes, along with Oberlin to the north, are all connected by streams, and this chain of lakes is a great place to explore by canoe or kayak. There are 5 remote campsites available and they can all be reserved on Reserveamerica.com. You may want to visit the area first to see what you are getting yourself into. Only site 653 on Bittersweet lake seems to be getting any advance reservations.
There are 5 sites in total, all boat-in sites; there are small parking spaces off the road where you can launch your canoe. Site 651, Sunken Rowboat, is located on the south shore of Prong Lake. Site 652, Big Rock, is located on the south shore of Bittersweet Lake. Site 653, Trapper's Cabin, is located on the north shore of Bittersweet Lake. Site 654, Loon Song, is located on the west shore of Smith Lake. And site 655, Sunset Point, is located on the east shore of Oberlin Lake. If you enjoy the wilderness experience and peaceful privacy, you may want to give these remote campsites a try.

Rib Mountain State Park will be closed to campers in 2010. The road leading into the park will close June 7, 2010. The road will be closed to vehicles and walkers so that the road may be redone and water and sewer added to the park, along with a walking path alongside the road. Previously water had to be trucked up to the campground for use, so these will be great improvements to the park and campground.

Willow River State Park has added 80 new campsites, most of them with electric service.

The new Ishnala Trail is open for hiking at Mirror Lake State Park

At Buckhorn State Park, a new 20-foot high observation tower is under construction, and a flush toilet/shower building is planned for the future.

At Peninsula State Park, bald eagles are being spotted regularly from the bluffs. The American Foklore Theater's season is underway (schedule). Flush toilets and showers at Nicolet Beach are being replaced and are not available at present.

Visitors to Governor Dodge State Park will see new interpretive panels in the Deer Cove picnic area describing the cultural history of the park and the Deer Cove Rockshelter excavations. These panels will be installed during the summer.

At Big Bay State Park, a handicap accessibility ramp is being constructed from the day use area proceeding down to the beach and boardwalk trail. This new ramp will be over 350 feet long and will include a viewing deck. The planned completion date is the fall of 2010. There have been numerous black bear sightings in the camping areas (black bears are common on the island and should not be fed).

At Richard Bong Recreation Center, a shower building with flush toilets is now available at the Sunset Campground. For those who wish to camp with horses, campsites 413, 415, 417, 419 and 421 in the Sunset campground have hitching posts in them.
The wildlife refuge water north of the observation platform has drained due to a failure of the water control structure. The DNR will use this opportunity to improve habitat before repairing the structure. The Richard Bong Friends group is currently accepting tax-deductible donations for the $60,000 restoration project.

At Governor Thompson State Park, construction has begun on the new 50-site campground. Throughout the winter construction crews were hauling out brush and stumps, and grading in the new campsites and roads. The first 45 sites of the campground and shower building are expected to open for the 2011 camping season. Construction has begun on the new visitor center for the state park and Peshtigo River State Forest. The new visitor center will open for business in fall of 2010.

In the Northern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest, the Greenbush mountain bike loop 4 is expected to be completed in late summer.

At Pattison State Park, campsite #36E has been converted to a drive-in site accessible for people with disabilities.

A new entrance station is under construction at Wildcat Mountain State Park.

Photos from the Chequamegon National Forest and Two Lakes Campground: The North Country Scenic Trail provides one of the best hiking experiences in the state of Wisconsin, passing through the Porcupine Lake and Rainbow Lake Wilderness areas. You can hike all day on these trails where wildlife abounds without seeing another human being. Two Lakes Campground is the best place to stay if you plan on taking extensive hikes along the trails, as it provides the quickest access to many of the trailheads. The trail itself passes by Lake Owen, not far from the campground. I took these photos in summer of 2009

West Davis Lake along the North Country Scenic Trail -------- Map of the trail east of West Davis Lake

Trailhead near Porcupine Lake in the Porcupine Lake Wilderness Area ----- Map of the Trail in the Porcupine Lake Wilderness Area (shows nearby Two Lakes Campground on Owen and Bass Lakes)

Trail through a forest in the Procupine Lake Wilderness ------- 18-Mile Creek in the Porcupine Lake Wilderness ------- Trail passing along 18-Mile Creek

Photo of Porcupine Lake --------- Photo of Wishbone Lake --------- Rainbow Lake Wilderness- signs near Nelson Lake ----- Map of the Clay/Nelson Lake Area

Photo of Nelson Lake --------- Sign along the Trail to Clay Lake --------- Clay Lake Photo 1 ---------- Clay Lake Photo 2 ------- Clay Lake Photo 3

Along the Ashland-Bayfield Road near Morgan Falls and St. Peter's Dome (Lake Superior and the Apostle Islands are visible from here) -------- Morgan Falls

Path to Bass Lake from Campsite 61 at Two Lakes Campground ----------- Campsite 78 at Two Lakes Campground (Full descriptions and photos of this campsite can be found on the CD-rom)

Along the Bass Lake Trail at Two Lakes (the campground is across the lake) ----------- Loons on Bass Lake (You can watch them all day, and hear them all night long)

One of the beaches at Two Lakes at dusk -------------- Picnic Shelter on Lake Owen