big bay town park

I feel a bit sorry for people who visit the island, and say camp in the state park, and never visit the town park. It is an absolute gem. We do not camp here, but we have visited many times to go in the lake, look for stones and shore glass, linger in the refreshing calm beauty, hike along the bay, fish in the lagoon, you get the drift.

I reserved a spot in the town park vs the state park for 3 night to avoid paying state park fees and the reviews were good on TA. Once we got there we were very glad we stayed here. Our camp site had was a bit tricky in arranging where to put our tents but once we figured it out things were great. The fire pit had a nice grate on it, picnic tables were in good shape, very nice bathrooms and always clean. Just a short walk to the lagoon and lake. We kayaked and swam, spent one day in hiking the state park, our kids had a ton of fun. No cell serivce which was not a problem once you set your phone on airplane mode. At night you can see every star in the sky, amazing. Town is close enough if you need basic things but stores close early so check ice before 5:30pm. Tips; Bring a long extention cord if you need something plugged in and check the forecast if you can. We broke down camp in 2 hours of downpouring rain. It does not rain like that were we live. We would go back in any time.

The LGR runs from the parking lot at Town Park to just north of the Beach Picnic area in the State Park. This trail is the prettiest, most engaging and well laid out trail I've been on in a non-alpine setting. Great variety of terrain, vegetation and scenery. It's not for the faint of heart or anyone who wants to stay clean or dry. If you want to really interact with the forest, this is the trail. It's a challenge but a friendly one. Wear rugged shoes or boots and clothes that will withstand water, mud and foliage. I almost wiped out at least three times. It's no walk in the park, not a typical one anyway.The facilities were new and clean. Bill, the Campground Host and the guy with the great beard were obviously enthusiastic about the park. We will stay at the the Town Park for our next trip to Madeline Island.

We brought our dog camping over the 4th of July. Luckily we booked months ahead of time because both campgrounds were sold out. The town park was awesome! The sites are small, but the awesome bathrooms, hot showers, beautiful beach, and kayak/canoe rentals can't be beat. Our dog fetched sticks in the lake nonstop for 30 minutes! We even went in the water even though it's cold. Our canoe trip was so relaxing. We already booked site 14 for July 4, 2015!

I've been camping on Madeline for about 28 years now. Ya, things have changed a lot since that first trip. Things are now more modernized for those that need it to be. Not as happy about that as some. But, you can't beat the most beautiful views from above over-looking the lagoon, plus the hike to the State Park, yes it's boardwalk for a ways for those who can't walk on the sand. This makes it really nice for those who are handy capped to enjoy the spectacular view of the beach, which seems to go on for miles. This is rather a cheap get away if you really enjoy camping or just a great hike for the day. Bring camera and a picnic lunch if you have the time. Kids will remember it for years to come! I know it was the only place my children ever asked to go to every Summer, which became our little get away with out spending a huge amount of money as if going to Florida. Enjoy, Jacky Lindquist - New London, MN

If we didnt know we were in Wisconsin we would think we were at the ocean. Gorgeous beach to walk along and skip rocks (my husband did a lot of that...not very well, I might add!) But the boardwalk was nice too. It ended part of the way around the bay and we were told it picks up again down the way - so be patient and keep walking! Loved the free parking. There was a bathroom but would like to see them add some of the sanitizer wall mounts. If you want to rent a kayak or canoe - it looked like you could do it there. You should be a pretty good rower as the waters look pretty rough around there!

Don't miss this treasure. Canoe the lagoon, relax on the sand beach, and hike the boardwalk! It's a nice bike ride from the ferry.Carol, Trailbound Trips

My husband and I visited this park in late July. We took a 2-hour canoe ride in the lagoon (honor system payment for the canoes - $10/hour or $35 for the day, I believe). We were seemingly the first ones in the lagoon that day - we set out early on purpose and started paddling at 8 am. The lagoon was incredibly peaceful and fun to paddle around. We saw a number of painted turtles sunning themselves as well as a few heron! The beach at the park is large and picturesque. We did not swim in the lake - it seemed pretty cold, even in July! - but enjoyed laying on the sand and looking at the beautiful rocks and pebbles at the shoreline. This was a great way to spend several hours!

This excellent camping location is overshadowed by Big Bay State Park but is a gem in itself. I only discovered Big Bay Town Park when trying to make late camping reservations at the State Park. Unclear of site availability from the State Park reservation website, I called and received a recommendation to also look at BBTP. I may have gotten the better deal. And chances are that most people researching camping either wouldn’t discover this campground or would not immediately recognize that the State and Town parks with the same name are different.BBTP has the typical (single) loop of campsites. Individually, the sites are fine and plenty large. There’s not a lot of foliage buffering the sites left and right, so you can pretty much look into most other neighboring camps. I was lucky. The high heat and threat of rain (it did) kept most campers away. But more importantly, be aware but don’t let this keep you from staying here. Just bring your own privacy if this matters to you. And recent comfort facility improvements put this on par with most any state park. There is no electric hookup available. Considering you are perched on a ridge over a rich bog, marsh and lake estuary, the bugs were present but not overly annoying. Individual results may vary.It is also noteworthy that if you have young kids (or are prone to heavy drinking), choose a site that is not directly on the bank (sites 15 – 26 or so). The grade is maybe 70% and a slide down the slope could be painful and fishing someone out of the forest and marsh land below would probably require a rope. And sites 33 – 36 are directly on the public parking lot where the daytrippers come and go. Much more importantly, the campsites are adjacent to a miles-long swimable beach and canoe rentals. The water flowing out of the bog lagoon is warmer than Superior making the water near the channel outlet more tolerable. Season and waterflow will affect this outcome. Also loved the canoe livery, operated on an honor system. Just grab a boat and gear and pay for the time you keep it – about $10/hour. 2 hours is plenty for most people to explore the lagoon (not for use in the lake). Kayaks are also available but from a different outfitter that requires reservations.I spent 2 nights at this campground and it made my trip. I never made it over to Big Bay State Park. I think with the completion of the upgraded facilities, this park will see increasing demand. Reservations can be made online.

I stayed three nights in early July 2013 at the Big Bay Town Park Campground. The crew was busy finishing up landscaping and parking lot improvements after a wet spring that delayed construction of the new shower house. They have done a fabulous job! The facilities are brand new, clean and it is so nice to have hot water, friendly campground hosts and the fabulous beach. Robert and Elizabeth are the new campground hosts and they sure add a warm touch to the place. I had several opportunities to visit with them and they were truly fabulous. A few notes for campers new to the park: the sites are all wooded and while a close walk to the lake are not lakeside. My non-electric tent site was on the hill overlooking the lake but it is a sheltered glimpse rather than full view. The walk to the beach requires a short walk that takes you down a few flights of wooden stairs and across a bridge. You can then walk along the wooden boardwalk to enjoy the trees and plants along the shoreline or hop off directly onto the beach. The beach is very nice, but be aware that the bottom of the lake is typical lake superior with lots of pebbles and small rocks. There are also canoes and kayaks to rent once you reach the beach so very easy access. In addition to the new bath house which has flush toilets and sinks with warm water, there are also pay showers. They are $1.75 for the first three minutes with additional 30 seconds for each quarter. The water is great pressure and warm almost instantly. There is firewood for sale at the campground but be sure to get ice in town before heading out the 7 mile drive from LaPointe. In all a great place to stay. Unequaled beauty, warm friendly hosts and many recent improvements.

My family and I have benn coming to this park for over 20 years as the access to Big Bay on Lake Superior. Have never camped here but the sites look fine if a little overused. Beach is the big attraction for us. We've done everything from hiking, swimming (a little cool sometimes), canoeing, kayaking and picnicing in this park.Lately it has become more crowded and noisy with the "discovery" by powerboaters on the lake who drop anchor in the bay close to shore and use the sheltered area to use their jet skis.We normally go expecting to stay for an hour or two and are always surprised when we find we've been there for four or more.

If you want electricity for camping, try the State Park first. The electric campsites are basically in the parking lot of the camp ground. We are not used to camping in such close quarters. The tents were about 5 ft. apart. The other sites in the woods are much better. Beautiful beach though, but very crowded when we were there.

This park is free and offers great walking trails and beautiful views of the Lake. We didn't visit the beach, but it's obviously popular with families.

Enjoy the beach and trails. The park was very busy when we were there and more kids than any other place we visited. They had fun floating down the stream into lake superior. If it's warm out, go swimming it's great.

I love this park. It's amazing, peaceful and so quiet. We were here in May and then again in October. Mostly we walked along the beach and took pictures or just sat in the sand. I could stay there all day.