Chippewa Flowage Rental

The Lake Chippewa Flowage, affectionately known as the “Big Chip,” is a sprawling, 15,000-acre network of water, islands, and undeveloped shoreline in the legendary Northwoods near Hayward, Wisconsin, offering a spectrum of camping experiences from deeply rustic to amenity-rich. Public camping here emphasizes immersion in the wilderness. The Flowage, managed jointly by various entities including the Lac Courte Oreilles Tribe and Sawyer County, features numerous primitive, boat-in campsites scattered across its hundreds of islands. These public sites are typically managed on a “pack-in, pack-out” basis, providing campers with minimal amenities—often just a fire ring and a clearing—but granting unparalleled solitude, breathtaking views, and direct access to some of the nation’s premier musky fishing waters.

In sharp contrast to this rugged isolation, private camping and lodging options dot the mainland shores of the Flowage. These private resort-campgrounds cater to those requiring comfort and convenience, offering full RV hookups, modern bathhouses, laundromats, convenience stores, and dedicated boat launches and docking facilities. Many established private resorts also feature cabin rentals alongside their campgrounds, presenting a comfortable home base for families and anglers who favor organized amenities over primitive seclusion. Whether seeking the challenge of a remote island campsite accessible only by water, or the ease of a private site complete with electricity and hot showers, camping on the Chippewa Flowage offers an authentic, customizable gateway into Wisconsin’s wildest watery landscape.