Review: Little Sand Bay Campground
Our first night ever in a campground has also turned out to be one of our best. In our borrowed RV last summer, we made our first stop the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore near Bayfield, Wisconsin. There are a handful of campgrounds to choose from in the area, most of which are not heavily advertised nor reviewed. We chose the Little Sand Bay Campground operated by the town of Russell, Wisconsin. I never actually saw the town of Russell, but boy did we enjoy the campground. It is several miles outside of Bayfield – a little too far to traverse by bicycle unless you are quite accustomed to hills and don’t mind a workout. The campground sits adjacent to the visitor center for the Apostle Islands and directly across the street from Lake Superior with only a small playground, boat launch, and swimming beach in between.
The campground has 32 sites with electric only. Potable water and dump station are available onsite, so you will need to live off your tanks. We stayed at site 15; it along with sites 13, 14, and 28 have direct view of the lake. These sites were more exposed to the sun and neighbors. Sites on the side and back of the campground were more private and shady. Our space was pretty level. We especially loved that the fire ring included a grill grate for cooking directly over the fire. Each site also included a picnic table. At only $25/night it seemed pretty reasonable. The reservations are only handled by phone, email, or snail mail – no online booking. Payment can be made by check when you arrive.
The restroom facilities were nearly new and very clean. The showers on the other hand were small and expensive: $2.00 for 4 minutes. The water was good and hot, though! Firewood and ice were available for sale on site. Internet was not available at the campsite, and we could not get cell phone reception with Sprint. The host, Judy, was pleasant and helpful, as were the rangers at the nearby park visitor center who let me use their computer to book our next camping reservation.
Our fellow campers were a great mix of retirees and families. We found most to be friendly and social while also respectful of space, noise, and privacy.
If you like a small campground with great access to the lake and do not mind using your water and holding tank, then you will love Little Sand Bay.
Little Sand Bay Campground
County Road K
Bayfield, WI
(715) 779-5233
Email Campground
