“The Touring Camper” at Wagon Trail Campground

This is an excerpt of a post originally appearing at “The Touring Camper”

Wagon Trail Campground, Door County, Wisconsin

Several years ago Jarrett and I read an article about a place nicknamed the “Cape Cod of the Midwest.” To locals it’s just called Door County, Wis., a 70-mile long peninsula along Lake Michigan that is dotted with resort communities and pastoral farm land. But every year, more than 2 million visitors flock to the region, which boasts five state parks, 11 historic lighthouses, and more than 50 beaches and parks.

Intrigued by what we read and the pictures we saw, we had tucked the travel idea away for the future. Then finally our grand tour of Michigan this past summer provided the perfect opportunity to explore this slice of Wisconsin a bit, which we did from the comfort of Wagon Trail Campground in Ellison Bay.

Because Door County is composed of small resort communities, the first thing we noticed about the peninsula is that everything was pricey. (It is nicknamed the “Cape Cod of the Midwest” after all. 🙂 ) The good news is that even if you are on a budget (like us!) there are plenty of ways to enjoy the rich historical, cultural, and natural world of Door County. (And stay tuned because I am working on my family fun guide to Door County, which will highlight many affordable stops.)

Before we dive into our campground review, here is a video overview of all the fun we had while visiting the Door County region:

We chose Wagon Trail because of its high reviews and also because it offered the promise of “a feeling of seclusion and privacy that is difficult to find at campgrounds these days.” Although the nightly rate was more than what we would pay at a state park, we felt the campground lived up to its promise, with well-spaced sites divided by thick hedges to offer that sense of seclusion.

Wagon Trail has organized its sites by using the following numbering system:

• The 100s are tent sites with the exception of 101, 118, and 119, which are big rig pull-through sites.
• The 200s are nice sites but all are for smaller campers such as pop-ups or those campers that are less than 25 feet long. Sites 213, 214, and 215 are the exception as big rig pull-through sites.
• The 300s (with the exception of 313-317) are all permanent campers. Site 317 is a very nice pull through and our site 316 was very private (but the late afternoon sun shone down right on our picnic table area and led us to hang up a shade).
• The 400s are where the few full hook-up sites are located, but many of these sites are tighter to get in and out of.
• The 500s are a bit down the hill and several were VERY nice. I would highly recommend the even numbered sites from 502-516 and 515: They are great sites, carefully positioned to look off into the woods with ample privacy.
• The 600s and 700s sites are all permanent seasonal sites.
• The campground also offers rustic cabins, yurts, travel trailer rental sites, and a honey dipper pump out service.

Here’s a video Jarrett created of this beautiful campground spot:

We will have more details in our upcoming Door County family fun guide, but here is just a sampling of what we did, as well as more pictures of the campground: (Click to see the rest of the article including TONS of Door County pictures, attractions, and videos! – opens in a new window.)