Johnny Molloy - Wisconsin: A Guide for Campers Who Hate RVs, Concrete Slabs, and Loud Portable Stereos

W ELCOME TO THE SECOND EDITION OF The Best in Tent Camping: Wisconsin. In seeking new tent-camping destinations, I teamed up with Madison resident, Kevin Revolinski, who loves all things Wisconsin. And certainly the outdoors is one of its finer things. Globetrotting Kevin always returns more appreciative of the vast wildlands in his home state and eagerly added his knowledge and talent to this book.

Life is so interestingyou just never know where it will lead you. I certainly would not have known just how unique and beautiful Wisconsin is if it werent for serendipitous fortune. Way back when, I met Tom Rodgers, who was moving from Madison, Wisconsin, to Knoxville, Tennessee, to further his wife Kathleens college teaching career. He waxed eloquent about the beauty of the Badger State. I had been stopping there some on trips, but I hadnt explored it fully. Tom introduced me to his friend Ellie Connolly, who talked up Wisconsin even more. Then the opportunity arose to write this book. I grabbed my tent and laptop and hopped in my Jeep, exploring the state by day and typing up literal on-site campground reports by night.

The first surprise came at Wyalusing State Park. The view from the bluffs of the Wisconsin River rivaled any mountain vista, as did views from the walk-in tent sites at Nelson Dewey State Park. Next, I headed east to the glacially carved features of Kettle Moraine State Forest. Glaciers had a hand in molding much of Wisconsin, but the concentration of features at Kettle Moraine made for a good geological lesson and scenic beauty. Big lakes border parts of the Badger State, so I went to enjoy the cool breezes at Point Beach State Forest, on the shores of Lake Michigan. The tan sand squished beneath my toes as I looked up at Rawley Point Lighthouse. In the central state were two of the biggest surprises of them all, Dells of Eau Claire and Hartman Creek. Hartman Creek is an exemplary state park: an attractive, relaxing campground with lots of nearby natural features to enjoy. The Dells of Eau Claire, a county park east of Wausau, is a rocky natural feature on the Eau Claire River that is a must for all those who want to know their state well. Speaking of rocks, have you seen the view from the top of Roche-A-Cri? That is one amazing natural feature with a nice campground within walking distance. More bluffs waited at Perrot State Park, astride the Mississippi River.