Price County Camping Checklist: What to Bring for Every Camp

Last updated: July 2026

By Price County Fun Editorial Team | Price County, Wisconsin

Most camping checklists read like they were written for a state park in Ohio. Generic packing lists that tell you to bring a tent and a flashlight. Useless if you’re trying to figure out whether Big Falls County Park has potable water or whether the dispersed sites on County Forest Road 132 still have open fire rings this summer.

Quick Answer: Price County has three reservable county park campgrounds (Big Falls, Solberg Lake, and Smith Lake), one DNR campground at Connors Lake with walk-in backcountry sites, private campgrounds at Chain-O-Lakes in Phillips and Riverside in Prentice at $20/night for electric, and free dispersed camping on Chequamegon National Forest roads and Price County Forest Road 132. Checkout at county parks is 2:00 PM. You can self-register at the pay station for unreserved sites. Bring bug spray, a sleeping pad with real insulation, and offline maps. Cell service drops off Highway 13.

By the Price County Fun editorial team. Last updated July 24, 2026.

We organized this checklist differently. Instead of listing gear categories, we broke it down by where you’re actually camping. The gear changes depending on the spot. What you need at Big Falls is different from what you need on a forest road 15 miles from the nearest store. Each section below covers the site, what’s there, and what you need to bring that you might not think of.

1. Price County Park Campgrounds: Big Falls, Solberg Lake, and Smith Lake

These are the three campgrounds the county runs with online reservations. Big Falls sits along the Flambeau River with sites tucked among pines. Solberg Lake and Smith Lake both offer lakeside camping. All three have the same checkout time and self-registration system.

Big Falls is the most scenic of the three. The river runs right past the campsites, and the sound of water over the rock ledges stays with you all night. Solberg Lake has a public beach with a playground. Smith Lake is the quietest of the three and the one most likely to have open sites on short notice.

What’s Already There

Picnic tables and fire rings at each site
Potable water (verify seasonal availability)
Pay station for self-registration on unreserved sites
Boat launch access at Solberg Lake and Smith Lake
Swimming beach at Solberg Lake

What You Need to Bring

Shelter and Sleeping

Tent with a full rain fly. The sites at Big Falls sit under pine canopy, so falling branches are a real concern in wind. Check the weather before you pitch.
Sleeping pad with real insulation. The ground at Big Falls is rocky. A cheap foam pad won’t cut it. Bring something with an R-value of 3 or higher if you’re camping before mid-June or after Labor Day.
Extra stakes. The soil at Solberg Lake is sandy, which means standard stakes pull out in a gust. Bring longer stakes or sand anchors.

Cooking and Food

Camp stove with fuel. None of the county park sites have grill grates over the fire rings. If you want to cook anything beyond hot dogs, bring a stove.
Cooler with ice. The closest grocery stores are in Phillips (15 minutes from Solberg) and Park Falls (20 minutes from Big Falls). Stock up before you drive in.
Water jug. Bring a 5-gallon jug even if the site has potable water. The systems occasionally go down in late summer for maintenance, and the county doesn’t always post a notice.

Site-Specific Items

Big Falls County Park

Water shoes. The Flambeau River bottom is rocky. You’ll want foot protection if you swim or wade.
Folding chairs. The picnic tables sit on uneven ground at several sites. Chairs give you a flat seating option.
Headlamp with red mode. The river reflects light pollution from Park Falls, but the sites themselves are dark. Red mode preserves your night vision when you’re walking to the pay station or bathroom.

Solberg Lake County Park

Swimming gear and beach towels. The public beach has a playground, so if you have kids, this is the easiest county park for a swimming-and-camping trip.
Kayak or canoe if you have one. The boat launch gives you access to the full lake. Quiet water, minimal motorboat traffic on weekdays.

Smith Lake County Park

Portable phone charger. Smith Lake sits further from town than the other two. Cell service is weaker here. Your phone will burn battery searching for a tower.
Board games or cards. Smith Lake is the quietest of the three. That’s the point. But if you’re used to noise, bring something to do after dark.

See also: our complete lodging guide for cabins and motels if the campgrounds are full.

2. DNR Campground at Connors Lake: Developed Sites and Walk-In Backcountry

Connors Lake has a developed campground that fills on weekends. But the three walk-in sites on the north shore stay empty most weekdays even in July. Follow the service road past the boat landing and take the footpath that branches left after the last parking spur. Each site sits 200 yards from the water with its own fire ring and privy. You can reserve them through the DNR site or just show up on a Tuesday.

What’s at the Developed Campground

Standard campsites with fire rings and picnic tables
Vault toilets
Boat launch
Swimming beach area

What’s at the Walk-In Backcountry Sites

Fire ring and privy at each site
No picnic tables
No potable water
No electricity
200-yard walk from the parking area

What You Need to Bring for the Walk-In Sites

Gear You’ll Carry In

Backpack or gear cart. You’re walking 200 yards with everything. A standard camping load in a tote bag will not work. Use a frame pack or a wheeled cart if the path is dry.
Water filtration. There’s no potable water at the walk-in sites. Bring a filter pump or gravity filter. The lake water is clean enough to filter. Bring a backup purification method (tablets or a UV pen) in case your primary filter clogs.
Compact camp stove. No grill grates at these sites. The fire ring is basic. A small canister stove packs better than a full two-burner setup.

Comfort Items That Matter More Here

Sleeping Setup

Inflatable sleeping pad. The ground at the backcountry sites is root-heavy and uneven. A foam pad won’t conform. An inflatable pad with patch kit is the move.
Lightweight tent. You’re carrying it in. Every ounce matters. A 6-person cabin tent is miserable to haul 200 yards. A 2-person backpacking tent is the right call.

Sanitation

Hand sanitizer. The privy has no wash station.
Trash bags. Pack out everything. The sites have no trash pickup. Leave the fire ring cleaner than you found it.
Trowel for burying waste if you don’t want to use the privy. The privies at Connors Lake are maintained but rustic.

See also: our free camping guide for more no-cost options in the region.

3. Private Campgrounds: Chain-O-Lakes, Riverside, and Flambeau River Lodge

Private campgrounds fill a different niche. They give you hookups, showers, and amenities the county parks and DNR sites don’t offer. They also cost more. But for a family trip or a base camp for a longer stay, they’re worth knowing about.

Chain-O-Lakes Campground (Phillips)

Sits on Elk Lake with direct beach access. Sites run from basic tent pads to full hookups. The shower house stays clean. The boat launch stays busy. Reservations go through the city of Phillips. Weekends book faster than weekdays. Shoulder seasons stay wide open. It’s the only campground in Phillips where you can roll out of your tent and be on the water in under two minutes.

Riverside Campground (Prentice)

Located at 1599 Dr. MacKinnon Drive in Prentice. Electric sites at $20/night, first come first served. Showers are available at Prentice High School and Prentice Travel Center during Progress Days weekend. For regular summer camping, check ahead on shower access. This is a basic, no-frills campground that works well if you’re riding the ATV trail system and need a place to park your rig overnight.

Flambeau River Lodge and Campground

South of Park Falls. Cabins, RV sites, and tent sites with 500 feet of waterfront. Full hookups available. Moose Jaw Resort and Campground on Wind Song Lane is another private option with a 4.5 Google rating.

What to Bring for Private Campgrounds

RV and Trailer Sites

50-amp adapter. Not every site at every private campground has 50-amp service. Bring a 30-to-50 adapter so you’re not stuck.
Surge protector for your RV electrical system. Northwoods power grids are reliable but rural. A surge after a storm can fry your converter.
Leveling blocks. The sites at Chain-O-Lakes are generally level, but Riverside Campground sites can slope toward the river. Bring blocks.

Tent Sites at Private Campgrounds

Extension cord and power strip if the site has electric. You’ll want to charge phones overnight.
Portable fan. July in Price County can hit 85 degrees with humidity. A small fan running off the electric hookup makes a tent bearable.
Your own firewood. Some private campgrounds sell wood on-site. Chain-O-Lakes does. Riverside sometimes does. Call ahead. Don’t bring wood from more than 10 miles away (Wisconsin firewood movement rules to prevent emerald ash borer spread).

Cross-Site Gear for Private Campgrounds

Shower Kit

Shower shoes. The shower houses at Chain-O-Lakes are clean. That doesn’t mean the floor is. Always wear flip-flops.
Toiletry bag with a hook. Shower stalls don’t always have shelves. A hanging bag keeps your soap off the floor.

Family Trip Extras

Bikes or scooters for kids. Chain-O-Lakes has enough space for kids to ride around the loop safely.
Fishing poles. Elk Lake at Chain-O-Lakes has panfish right off the dock. No boat needed.
Beach toys. The sand at Elk Lake Park is soft enough for sandcastles.

See also: things to do in Park Falls if you’re staying at Chain-O-Lakes and want to explore the area.

4. Dispersed Camping: Chequamegon National Forest and Price County Forest Roads

This is where camping in Price County gets good. Free, no reservations, no hookups, no running water. Just you and the trees. The Chequamegon National Forest covers 865,825 acres across six counties, and the headquarters at 1170 4th Ave S in Park Falls can point you toward the best dispersed sites based on current conditions.

The Price County Forestry Department also maintains several primitive sites along County Forest Road 132. Look for the brown wooden posts with numbers. Each site has a fire ring and room for one or two tents. No fees, no reservations. These sites never appear on the state forest maps. The county cuts timber along this road every few years, so recent cuts create good edge habitat for grouse and deer if you’re camping during hunting season.

Chequamegon National Forest Dispersed Camping

Find a flat spot off Forest Road 144 or 148, set up, and enjoy the quiet. Dispersed camping is free year-round on most forest roads. The forest waives day-use fees on nine specific days in 2026, including Memorial Day, July 4, and National Public Lands Day. But dispersed camping itself stays free every day.

What You Need for Dispersed Camping

Navigation

Downloaded offline maps. Cell service drops off Highway 13. Do not rely on Google Maps. Download the Gaia GPS or OnX offline map for Price County before you drive in.
Printed county forest map. The Price County Forestry office in Phillips sells them. Get one. Forest roads change with the seasons. What works in August might be underwater in May.
Compass. A real one. Not the app on your phone. If your phone dies, you need a way to orient yourself on the county map.

Water and Food

Full water setup. No potable water at dispersed sites. Bring at least 2 gallons per person per day, plus a filtration system as backup. A Sawyer squeeze filter weighs 3 ounces and fits in a pocket.
All food for your entire stay. The closest store to most dispersed sites on Forest Road 144 is 20 to 30 minutes away. You don’t want to make that drive twice.
Bear-proof food storage. Price County has black bears. Hang your food in a bear bag at least 12 feet off the ground and 6 feet from the trunk, or use a bear canister. Do not keep food in your tent. Do not keep food in your car if you’re in the national forest. Bears have learned to open car doors.

Shelter for Dispersed Sites

Tent Selection

3-season tent with good ventilation. The national forest is humid in summer. A tent with mesh panels and a rain fly that pitches tight will keep condensation down.
Tarp and guy lines. A 10×10 tarp gives you a dry cooking area when it rains. Practice setting it up before you go. A tarp pitched wrong is worse than no tarp at all.

Ground Preparation

Ground cloth or footprint. The dispersed sites don’t have leveled tent pads. You’ll need to clear sticks and rocks by hand. A footprint protects your tent floor from what you miss.
Small broom or brush. Sweep the site before you pitch. Pine needles hide wasps and rocks in equal measure.

Fire and Light

Fire starter that works when wet. Matches in a waterproof container. A lighter. Two methods, minimum. The forest gets rain. Everything gets damp. Bring something reliable.
Local firewood. Do not bring wood from outside the area. Buy it locally or gather dead and down wood on-site. Wisconsin restricts firewood movement to prevent spreading emerald ash borer and other pests. The 10-mile rule applies.
Headlamp for every person. The national forest is genuinely dark. No ambient light. No streetlights. No light pollution. That’s the point. But you need to see where you’re walking.

Safety Gear

First aid kit. The nearest hospital from most dispersed sites is Price County Hospital in Phillips or Memorial Medical Center in Ashland, depending on which side of the forest you’re on. Plan for a 30 to 45 minute drive to emergency care.
Satellite messenger if you have one. A Garmin inReach or similar device lets you call for help when cell service is gone. Not required, but worth the investment if you camp alone.
Tell someone where you’re going. Give them the forest road number and the nearest cross road. Tell them when you plan to be back. This is the single most important safety step for dispersed camping.

See also: our ATV trail guide if you’re riding the county forest roads to reach dispersed sites.

5. What Every Price County Camper Needs Regardless of Site

Some gear doesn’t care where you pitch your tent. The Northwoods has its own rules. These items matter at every site from Big Falls to Forest Road 132.

Bug Protection

It’s northern Wisconsin. The mosquitoes don’t care about your plans. They peak at dawn and dusk, but biting flies stay active during the day in July. DEET works. Picaridin works. Citronella does not. The bugs at Hanson Lake Wetlands stay thick until mid-July. After that the county opens up and the birds move through in waves. Plan your trip around the bug calendar if you can.

Bug spray with 25% to 30% DEET or 20% picaridin
Head net for hiking in or setting up camp during peak mosquito hours
Permethrin-treated clothing for longer trips. Treat your pants and hat before you leave. It lasts through several washes.

Weather Gear

Lake temperatures in Price County range from 65°F to 78°F in July. Rivers run colder, 55°F to 68°F depending on recent rainfall. But the air is the thing. Summer nights can drop into the 40s, even in July. We’ve woken up to frost on the tent in early September. Bring a sleeping bag rated 15 degrees colder than the forecast low.

Rain jacket. Not a poncho. A real rain jacket with pit zips. Storms roll through fast in the Northwoods and they drop serious water in 20 minutes.
Layer system. A base layer, a mid-weight fleece, and a shell. You can peel down or layer up as the day changes. Temperature swings of 30 degrees in a single afternoon are normal here.
Wide-brim hat. The sun is strong on the lakes. Sunscreen matters. So does shade for your face.

Tools That Save Trips

Duct tape. Wrap it around your water bottle. You’ll never unpack it from your bag and think “I wish I didn’t bring this.”
Multi-tool. A Leatherman or equivalent. The pliers matter more than the knife blade for fixing tent stakes and gear repairs.
Extra fuel canister. Running out of stove fuel on day two of a three-day trip is a classic mistake. Bring a second canister. They weigh almost nothing.
Axe or saw. If you’re at a site with a fire ring and you plan to have a fire, you need something bigger than a knife to process wood. A small folding saw is lighter than a hatchet and cuts better.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you camp for free in Price County?

Yes. Dispersed camping in the Chequamegon National Forest is free year-round on most forest roads. The Price County Forestry Department also maintains primitive sites along County Forest Road 132 with no fees and no reservations. Look for the brown wooden posts with numbers. Each site has a fire ring and room for one or two tents.

How do you reserve a campsite at Big Falls County Park?

Big Falls County Park uses an online reservation system. Solberg Lake and Smith Lake County Parks use the same system. Checkout is 2:00 PM at all three. Each family unit pays a camping fee, and additional families on the same site pay an additional fee. You can self-register at the pay station for any unreserved site on a first-come, first-served basis.

What is the best campground in Price County for families?

Chain-O-Lakes Campground in Phillips sits on Elk Lake with direct beach access, a playground, and sites ranging from basic tent pads to full hookups. The shower house stays clean, and the boat launch gives you access to the Phillips Chain of Lakes. Solberg Lake County Park is the best county park option for families, with a public beach and playground.

Do you need bear-proof food storage when camping in Price County?

Yes. Price County has a healthy black bear population. Hang food in a bear bag at least 12 feet off the ground and 6 feet from the trunk, or use a bear canister. Never keep food in your tent. The Chequamegon National Forest recommends bear canisters for dispersed camping since trees suitable for hanging aren’t always available near your site.

Is there cell service at Price County campgrounds?

Cell service at Big Falls and Solberg Lake is spotty but generally available. Smith Lake has weaker service. The Connors Lake walk-in sites have no service. Dispersed sites on national forest roads have no service in most areas. Download offline maps before you go. Tell someone your location and when you plan to return.

See also: our complete Price County fishing guide After a day on the water, Ripsaw Saloon serves one of the best fish frys in the county.

See also: our weekend weather preview