Campgrounds and RV parks near Stratford, WI

Stratford sits in Marathon County in north-central Wisconsin, roughly a half hour west of Wausau and within easy driving distance of the Wisconsin River corridor. The village itself is small and rural, so most RV travelers use it as a launch point for lakes, state parks, and river campgrounds in the surrounding counties. The closest options range from private lakeside resorts to state park campgrounds. Lake DuBay Shores Campground is a lakeside RV park with about 200 campsites for RV or tent camping, a paved boat launch and boat rentals, hiking trails, Wi-Fi, and a children's playground. River's Edge Campground and Cozy Inn Motel and RV Park provide smaller, quieter alternatives closer to the village, while Craneberry Campground rounds out the private-park choices in the area. For public land camping, Council Grounds State Park sits along the Wisconsin River near the site of Native American encampments and offers family and group campsites, wooded trails, a beach area, and an accessible fishing pier, about an hour north near Merrill.

Wisconsin state parks and private campgrounds use separate reservation systems. For Council Grounds State Park, camping reservations are required and can be made for the same day of arrival or up to 11 months in advance, campers must reserve before setting up on any site, and reservations are made online through the Wisconsin DNR. A Wisconsin State Park System vehicle admission sticker is required on all motor vehicles stopping in state parks, forests, recreation areas, trails, and campgrounds, and stickers can be bought online or at the property. Private parks including Lake Dubay Shores Campground, River's Edge Campground, Cozy Inn Motel and RV Park, and Craneberry Campground handle bookings directly by phone or through their own websites. Summer weekends and holiday periods sell out first, so contact the campground several weeks ahead for peak dates.