Closed
— Closed for the season. Typically opens the Thursday before the May fishing opener, which is the first Saturday in May. The boat landing remains open year-round.
About
Black Lake is a highly ranked family-favorite campground in the Great Divide District of Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. The campground is spread along the eastern shores of beautiful 129-acre Black Lake, surrounded by birch, pine, and spruce forest. Most of the 29 sites are lakefront, with some reservable through Recreation.gov and others available first-come, first-served. Sites accommodate RVs up to 45+ feet, with some tent-only sites available.
The calm, 17-foot-deep drainage lake offers excellent fishing for musky, walleye, bass, and panfish, with two paved boat launches for motorized and non-motorized watercraft. A grassy beach with sandy bottom provides swimming access. The 4-mile Black Lake interpretive trail offers an easy hike around the lake with information about the area's logging history and Civilian Conservation Corps heritage. Wildlife viewing is excellent, with elk, deer, waterfowl, bald eagles, loons, and fox frequently spotted.
Off-road vehicle enthusiasts can access the Fishtrap Motorized Trail from the Camp Loretta Trailhead 12 miles away, though OHV use within the campground is prohibited. The area also provides access to hundreds of miles of hiking and mountain biking trails. The campground is located about 30 minutes east of Hayward, where fuel, fishing supplies, and restaurants are available.
Directions
From Hayward, take Highway B east for 23 miles. Turn left on Barker Lake Road, which becomes Forest Service Road 172, and continue for 8 miles total. Turn left onto Forest Service Road 173 and drive 0.4 miles, then turn right onto the paved campground road (Forest Road 1666).
Nearby Campgrounds
