U.S. Forest Service · Chequamegon-Nicolet NF · Wisconsin

Birch Grove

Birch Grove Recreation Area is a family favorite if you are looking for a base camp to explore the Bayfield Peninsula. It is nestled between East and West Twin Lakes. If you like to boat, fish and camp then the Birch Grove Recreation Area is the place for you. The campgreound is conveniently located 8 miles west of Washburn.

More like this: reservable in Wisconsin · big rigs in Wisconsin · pets allowed in Wisconsin

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Pavilion for use by Birch Grove camperssite 16 from the roadsite 3 from the roadsite 9 from the road
Photos courtesy of usfs, USFS, USDA Forest Service · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard, no hookups16
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

Will my RV fit

The longest site here provides 40 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

15 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteEntryFits, ftWater / sewerPeople / vehiclesFires
1Back-inNo / No8 / 4Yes
2Back-inNo / No8 / 4Yes
3Back-inNo / No8 / 4Yes
4Back-in25No / No8 / 4Yes
5Back-in30No / No16 / 4Yes
6Back-in30No / No8 / 4Yes
7Back-in30No / No16 / 4Yes
8Back-in30No / No8 / 4Yes
9Back-in40No / No8 / 4Yes
10Back-in25No / No8 / 4Yes

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 2:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
Max vehicle length45 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
FeesIndividual campsite fee is $15, or $7.50 with the use of an Interagency pass (access or senior). The interagency pass applies only to the fee for the campsite physically occupied by the pass holder, not to any additional fees or campsite(s) occupied by members of the pass holder's party.

The campground offers 16 single family campsites for tent or RV camping. Each campsite has a defined parking spur, fire ring, picnic table and some have a tent pad and can accommodate RV's up to 35 feet. Drinking water, vault toilets and a small picnic area are available. There are also areas where campers can access the lake for swimming. There are two double sites which cost twice the single rate, but are next to each other. There is also a new open sided pavilion available for use by paying campers.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusTemporarily closed
SeasonMay 2 to October 31
ForestChequamegon-Nicolet NF
BookingThere are no reservable sites at the Birch Grove Campground. All sites are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
FeesIndividual campsite fee is $15, or $7.50 with the use of an Interagency pass (access or senior). The interagency pass applies only to the fee for the campsite physically occupied by the pass holder, not to any additional fees or campsite(s) occupied by members of the pass holder's party.
RulesThe Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest specific restrictions can be found in the Occupancy and Use Restrictions for the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. Campsite Capacity Maximum of 8 people and 4 vehicles at each camp site.

Chequamegon-Nicolet NF recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Birch Grove10°20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 1.31 inches of precipitationFebruary: 1.08 inches of precipitationMarch: 1.62 inches of precipitationApril: 2.94 inches of precipitationMay: 3.63 inches of precipitationJune: 4.18 inches of precipitationJuly: 4.08 inches of precipitationAugust: 3.77 inches of precipitationSeptember: 3.58 inches of precipitationOctober: 3.26 inches of precipitationNovember: 1.79 inches of precipitationDecember: 1.59 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 12.9°F averageFebruary: 16.5°F averageMarch: 27.2°F averageApril: 39.0°F averageMay: 51.4°F averageJune: 61.2°F averageJuly: 67.2°F averageAugust: 66.0°F averageSeptember: 58.0°F averageOctober: 45.0°F averageNovember: 31.8°F averageDecember: 19.7°F average0 in1 in2 in3 in4 in5 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Ashland 3S, 11 miles from the campground at 826 feet, station USC00470347 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 33 inches a year. The shaded span is the published season, May 2 to October 31.

Getting there

Coordinates46.6848° N, 91.0605° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Wildfire
    Redhouse

    35 mi from the campground · 22 acres

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

Outdoor gearSolstice Outdoors ↗9.9 mi
Dump stationMadeline Island Sanitary Dump Station ↗16 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

Video of Birch Grove Campground, WI from SmallRVLifestyle V.

Worth a stop

Long Lake Recreation Area and Valhalla Recreation Area

  • 1.1 mi
    Lenewee ↗
    11.7 mi trail · hiking, motorcycle, ATV, e-bike
  • 1.2 mi
    Iron River ↗
    18.6 mi trail · hiking, motorcycle, ATV, e-bike
  • 2.2 mi
    Bayfield Connector
    2.1 mi trail · hiking, motorcycle, ATV, e-bike
  • 2.2 mi
    Tower
    0.2 mi trail · hiking, motorcycle, ATV, e-bike
  • 2.3 mi
    Teuton E - Smokey'S Run
    1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 2.4 mi
    Ridgetop
    0.8 mi trail · hiking, motorcycle, ATV, e-bike

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Natural features

The campground is situated between 22 acre East Twin Lake and 16 acre West Twin Lake. The lakes contain bass, panfish and northen pike.

Recreation

Both campground lakes have a small boat access. During the late summer berry picking is a popular activity in the nearby Moquah Barrens. This campground is near Long Lake Recreation Area which has a swimming beach, trail and carry-in boat access. Valhalla Recreation Area is also nearby that has more than 20 miles of hiking and biking trails during the summer months.

Guidebooks for Wisconsin

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Best Tent Camping: Wisconsin
    Kevin Revolinski and Johnny Molloy, 2018
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Best Hikes Madison, Wisconsin
    Johnny Molloy, 2018
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Rail-trails Michigan & Wisconsin
    Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, 2017
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Birch Grove?

Sites at Birch Grove are reservable on Recreation.gov. There are no reservable sites at the Birch Grove Campground. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Birch Grove?

Individual campsite fee is $15, or $7.50 with the use of an Interagency pass (access or senior). The interagency pass applies only to the fee for the campsite physically occupied by the pass holder, not to any additional fees or campsite(s) occupied by members of the pass holder's party.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Birch Grove?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 2:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Birch Grove open right now?

Temporarily closed as of Oct 16, 2026. Season May 2 to October 31.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Birch Grove have?

16 sites, including 16 standard sites without power.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Birch Grove?

The longest site here provides 45 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Are pets allowed at Birch Grove?

Yes, pets are allowed at Birch Grove. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Birch Grove?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there is 1 active fire within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one. The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest specific restrictions can be found in the Occupancy and Use Restrictions for the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.

Source: Fire nearby

What is there to do at Birch Grove?

Both campground lakes have a small boat access. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What if Birch Grove is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Bah1 (14.4 mi), Bah2 (14.4 mi), and Wanoka Lake Recreation Area (14.4 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby