Safety of Minnesota & Wisconsin State Forests

[Alfred622]

I'd like to seek the wisdom of those more familiar with camping on State Forests in Minnesota and/or Wisconsin. We have a 30' Motorhome and totally enjoy State Parks & Army Corps of Engineer parks. We are fine without campground utilities.

We drove through several beautiful State Forests in Northen MN over the weekend - they were practically empty and that made us a bit nervous.

Are these State Forests safe for a family in a motorhome? I do not carry any weapons with me when camping and would not know what to do if threatened. Late at night do these places fill up with people that could be of concern to my family? Or do they remain peaceful and just under-utilized?

I talked with a State Park ranger who was patrolling a forest & he just said "If you have any trouble, just call me." but I'd like to avoid trouble in the first place.

From your experience, do you encounter "issues" in State Forests that you would not in State Parks? Has your personal safety ever felt threatened?

Thanks much, I'd like to learn from your experiences!

[highplainsdrift]

I have boondocked hundreds of nights on federal land throughout the Western United States for 40 years and have never had a safety or theft issue. I avoid campgrounds because of the noise...not safety concerns.

[campn4walleye]

We've never had a bit of trouble. We've never felt unsafe.
With your motorhome, the most trouble you could have in WI are low hanging branches removing your AC. They tend not to trim them in the rustic areas or even the non-rustic come to think of it.The biggest things to worry us are bears and wolves which we never seen in a CG.

Just to be safe, we do lock everything to keep the wannabe thieves out.

There are gorgeous rustic parks in WI that are seldom full or even known. I think the locals like to keep them a secret because they are such gems.

Have fun! Don't worry but be watchful just like at home.

[donut_dave]

don't know about Minnesota state forests, but wis state forests are pretty much run the same as the state parks. in fact, if you didn't know that you were in a state forest you would think it was a state park. never had a safety issue at wis state forests. we've stayed at point beach, black river falls, and kettle moraine (pike lake, Ottawa lake, mauthe lake).

ps Alfred, several years ago you gave us the suggestion of henry's lake Idaho. that really worked out well.

[rexlion]

Stop worrying and start enjoying the peaceful, quiet, empty places! Keep a clean camp so you don't attract bears, though.

[Quality_Johnson]

Most likely to be as empty at night as during the day. Few party people or troublemakers go into the forest campgrounds, especially far from major towns. Some forest campgrounds, especially the fee site campgrounds on major fishing lakes, can get noisy on weekends, but the remote places are very quiet.

[bucky]

Remember that most bad guys are lazy. They would rather rob their neighbor than drive to the boonies not knowing whether anybody was there or not.
Dogs come in handy in remote places as early warning sytems. Even if you don't have one leave a giant bone or water dish outside near the door.

[bobsallyh]

Emptiness is probably related to no-hookups. We do the places you are talking about out West and friends we know can't understand how we make it work without using the umbilical cord. If it doesn't have a hookup they sure aren't going. eaves more room for you and me.

[EsoxLucius]

I have camped at three Wisconsin State Forest campgrounds, a couple of Minnesota State Forest campgrounds, been in many National Forest campgrounds in both states, and boondocked many times in National Forests in both states. Never have I been concerned for our safety, although were disturbed a couple of times by partying youngsters (even when I was a partying youngster myself).

[Old_Days]

We have camped at most of the state parks in Wisconsin, they are safe your biggest concern will be that some have very small sites plus with a TC or Motorhome you will have to look out for low branches.

[profdant139]

We have camped for several hundred nights during the last ten years, in all sorts of places. We have never felt threatened. We have sometimes been annoyed by drunken loud folks in campgrounds near major urban areas, playing music and laughing and singing.

[Campfire_Time]

The biggest problem on state and federal forest lands in northern states is poachers. And they don't like to be anywhere near people where they can be seen or recognized.

[Kafn8td]

The Northern ones don't fill up like the ones closer to the cities do. We love the ones up North.

[2gypsies1]

We've stayed in forest campgrounds throughout the country and absolutely love them. You sometimes find less campers because they need hookups nowadays. 🙂

[MURPHY55347]

Have been to numerous State Parks in both Minnesota and Wisconsin. We like to go during the week when crowds are gone. Never felt unsafe.