River Selection: Campsites

By Nick Pritchard

When you decide to plan a trip one of the obvious factors is where are you going to stay? While some rivers offer camping along their shores, some do not. If there is camping along the river available it may be free, it may not. This often depends on whether or not the campsite is an individual site as found on the North Fork of the Flambeau River or part of a campground as found on the Bois Brule River. If campsites are listed in the guidebook make sure that you confirm those campsites are still valid. Guidebooks have been known to indicate a campsite which is not actually permitted by the local land management agency.

If there is no camping available along the river it may difficult to do an extended trip on that river. It would likely involve re-shuttling your vehicles each day so you would have your vehicle to drive to the campground. This may not be an attractive option to some paddlers because you cannot achieve a backcountry experience if you drive to camp each day.

If there are not campsites available it is not acceptable to make your own camp unless permitted by the local land management agency. Establishing new campsites along rivers often destroy the natural beauty of the shoreline unless Leave No Trace principles are practiced to the strictest standard (make sure you know any special considerations for the environment you're visiting). Only in an emergency situation would it be acceptable to camp where it is not permitted. You should talk with the local land management agency about emergency camping so they are aware of your plan in case of an emergency.

When you are choosing a location to go on an extended paddle the campsites will be one of the most critical factors. Make sure that you do the research into them and you will likely be rewarded with a successful trip!

As always feel free to ask us if you have any questions!