Merrick State Park in Wisconsin is one of our favorite campgrounds.  It is right along the shores of the Mississippi river and reminds me much of the campgrounds I used to enjoy as a child.  While the channel in the pictures is not along the main channel of the river, you still get to enjoy the river traffic that passes by, you have great access to the river if you have a boat, and for fishermen, you are in a great area for angling.

The photos above are of the South and Island Campgrounds taken over a couple different years.  We spend most of our time in the South Campground, which is all non-electric, with primitive restroom facilities and water facilities at a couple different locations.  The Island Campground has only walk-in tent only sites, but they are not too far from the parking areas.  The North Campground, depicted below, consists of mostly electrical sites, and has the only modern restroom and shower facility. 

A couple of other things to note, the South Campground has a variety of campsites.  There are some that are relatively private and spaced apart from other sites, and then there are several that are great for group camping.  A good number of the sites are reservable, and I highly recommend going that route if you wish to camp here; especially if you have a ways to drive.  Keep in mind, due to proximity of the water, the South and Island Campgrounds usually open later in the season, once the spring waters have dropped.  The North Campground, which is on higher ground is usually open year round, but the water is turned off during the winter and early spring months.

The campground also as a Nature Center where information about the local habitat is available as well as some fun games and activities.  Nearby is a good size playground for children and both of these facilities are located at a convenient distance from both campgrounds.

The last two photos are of some new campsite changes.  Wisconsin has done a really good job at posting sites that are closed, as well as those that are reserved.  I would like to commend them for there efforts in this regard.

The red arrows on the map below indicate the direction and location where photos were taken.  The maps of the campground below are from May of 2012.  If you would like a more recent map, or have any questions about the campground, please follow the link below to the official website.