RV Parks In Amherst, Wisconsin

Amherst is county-park country, so the best options are the Portage County parks and one strong private choice. Lake Emily Park near Amherst Junction is the closest, a 143-acre park on 96-acre Lake Emily with electric sites, a swimming beach, a boat ramp, and a dump station. Collins Park on Collins Lake and DuBay Park on the Wisconsin and Little Eau Pleine rivers add more lakeside county camping nearby. For fuller hookups, a pool, and a water park, Rivers Edge Campground over by Stevens Point on the Wisconsin River is the private full-service pick. Together they cover quiet rustic lakes and a family resort within a short drive.

The county parks are mostly electric-only; the private park has fuller hookups. Portage County campgrounds like Lake Emily, Collins, and DuBay offer 20/30/50-amp electric sites with dump stations and potable water near the campground exits, but generally not full sewer at each site. If you want full or fuller hookups, head to Rivers Edge Campground near Stevens Point on the Wisconsin River, which offers full and partial hookup sites along with a heated pool and other amenities. For most RVers, the county-park setup of electric plus a convenient dump station works fine, and you dump on the way out rather than needing sewer at your individual site.

For the Portage County parks, reserve where you can and plan ahead for summer weekends, since sites fill on holiday weekends in particular. Some county sites are first-come, so arriving Thursday or early Friday gives you the best shot at a weekend spot on those loops. The private Rivers Edge near Stevens Point also books up in peak summer, so reserve a few weeks out for July and August. Midweek and in the shoulder seasons of late spring and early fall you will find plenty of room. If you have your heart set on a lakeside site at Lake Emily, book or arrive early, because those go first.

Late May through September is the window, with summer the prime season for warm days, cool nights, and the best lake and river conditions. The Portage County parks open May 1 and close October 31, so spring and fall bracket the season with cooler, quieter camping. Spring is muddy early but comes alive as the trout streams warm, and fall brings crisp days, hardwood color, and roadside stands selling corn and cheese curds. Winter is the one to avoid: central Wisconsin gets seriously cold, with subzero highs some days and the county parks closed, so RV travel here from December through February is impractical for most.

Yes, it is the natural home base for Amherst. Lake Emily Park is a 143-acre Portage County park just west of Amherst Junction, sitting on 96-acre Lake Emily with a swimming beach, boat ramp, playground, and nature trail. Its campground offers electric sites, showers, flush toilets, and a dump station with potable water near the exit, so tank chores are easy. It is the closest developed campground to Amherst, which keeps you near the Tomorrow River trout fishing and a short drive from Stevens Point for supplies. For a quiet, affordable lakeside base to fish, swim, and paddle central Wisconsin, it is hard to beat.

Yes, this is easy big-rig country in terms of terrain. Central Wisconsin around Amherst is flat-to-gently-rolling farmland, and US-10 is a wide, well-maintained route, so you will not face any grades or tight mountain roads getting here. The thing to watch is that the Portage County parks lean toward electric-only sites and some rural county lanes are narrow, so mind your approach to the smaller parks. If you run a large rig and want fuller hookups, Rivers Edge Campground near Stevens Point on the Wisconsin River is the better fit, with full and partial hookup sites. Otherwise, the county parks handle rigs fine with electric and a convenient dump station.

The Tomorrow River is the headline attraction, one of Wisconsin's quality trout streams running right through the Amherst area, prized by fly fishers for brook and brown trout. Beyond the river, the Tomorrow River State Trail offers easy crushed-limestone biking, and the Portage County park lakes, Lake Emily, Collins, and DuBay, give you swimming, paddling, and fishing. Fifteen miles west in Stevens Point you can tour the Stevens Point Brewery, one of Wisconsin's oldest, and walk or bike the 30-mile Green Circle Trail along the rivers. In late summer and fall, roadside farm stands sell sweet corn and cheese curds. It is a relaxed, outdoorsy stretch of dairyland.

Central Wisconsin is one of the more affordable RV regions in the upper Midwest. Portage County park campgrounds like Lake Emily, Collins, and DuBay typically run about $20 to $35 a night for an electric site, a bargain for lakeside camping with a beach and boat ramp, and dump access is usually included when you stay. The private Rivers Edge near Stevens Point runs higher, roughly $35 to $60 a night, but adds fuller hookups, a heated pool, and a water park. Non-campers who just need to dump can expect $5 to $15 per use at county parks. Groceries and fuel are reasonable, especially if you stock up in Stevens Point.

It is one of the best reasons to camp here. The Tomorrow River flows right through the Amherst area and is known as one of Wisconsin's quality trout streams, with good populations of brook and brown trout. Fly fishers especially prize it, so if you fish at all, bring your waders and spend a morning on the water. Check current Wisconsin fishing regulations and any special trout-stream rules before you go, since seasons, limits, and gear restrictions can vary by stretch. Basing at nearby Lake Emily Park puts you minutes from the river, and you can pair a morning of trout fishing with an afternoon of lake swimming or paddling.

No, they are seasonal. The Portage County parks, including Lake Emily and DuBay, run from May 1 through October 31, and Collins Park closes even earlier, on September 30. Central Wisconsin winters are hard, with snow, wind, and subzero cold snaps, so the county campgrounds shut down and RV travel here from December through February is impractical for most rigs. The private Rivers Edge near Stevens Point is also a warm-season campground. If you want to camp in the shoulder seasons, aim for the county parks in spring after they open or in fall before they close, and be ready for cold nights, muddy ground, and the occasional early snow.

It depends on what you want out of the trip. The public Portage County parks, led by Lake Emily near Amherst Junction, win on price and setting: quiet, wooded, lakeside sites with electric, a beach, and a dump station for around $20 to $35 a night. The private Rivers Edge near Stevens Point wins on amenities: fuller hookups, a heated pool, an inflatable water park, and a bar and grill, at a higher rate. For anglers and quiet-seekers, the county parks are ideal; for families wanting a pool and full hookups, the private park earns its keep. Many RVers split the difference, basing at a county park and day-tripping into Stevens Point.

Head to Stevens Point, about 15 miles west, for a full run. Amherst has a small store for basics, but for a complete grocery shop you will want Stevens Point, where Walmart, Festival Foods, and other retailers are all available. Propane is sold at farm supply stores around the Amherst area, and Stevens Point has more options if you need a fill. Gas stations line US-10, while diesel is easiest at the truck stops along the I-39 corridor. Our advice is to stock up on the way in, since Amherst runs light on services, and to top off propane before settling into a county park where the nearest store is a drive away.

The Portage County parks are your go-to. Campgrounds like Lake Emily and DuBay have dump stations and potable water hookups near the campground exits, and access is usually included when you camp there; non-campers typically pay $5 to $15 to dump. The private Rivers Edge near Stevens Point offers on-site dumping and water with its hookup sites. Amherst has municipal water in town if you need a fill. If you are passing through rather than staying, plan your dump at a county park or along the I-39 corridor and pair it with a fuel and grocery stop in Stevens Point. See our companion Amherst dump guide for the full list of local station locations and fees.

Amherst is county-park country, so the best options are the Portage County parks and one strong private choice. Lake Emily Park near Amherst Junction is the closest, a 143-acre park on 96-acre Lake Emily with electric sites, a swimming beach, a boat ramp, and a dump station. Collins Park on Collins Lake and DuBay Park on the Wisconsin and Little Eau Pleine rivers add more lakeside county camping nearby. For fuller hookups, a pool, and a water park, Rivers Edge Campground over by Stevens Point on the Wisconsin River is the private full-service pick. Together they cover quiet rustic lakes and a family resort within a short drive.

The county parks are mostly electric-only; the private park has fuller hookups. Portage County campgrounds like Lake Emily, Collins, and DuBay offer 20/30/50-amp electric sites with dump stations and potable water near the campground exits, but generally not full sewer at each site. If you want full or fuller hookups, head to Rivers Edge Campground near Stevens Point on the Wisconsin River, which offers full and partial hookup sites along with a heated pool and other amenities. For most RVers, the county-park setup of electric plus a convenient dump station works fine, and you dump on the way out rather than needing sewer at your individual site.

For the Portage County parks, reserve where you can and plan ahead for summer weekends, since sites fill on holiday weekends in particular. Some county sites are first-come, so arriving Thursday or early Friday gives you the best shot at a weekend spot on those loops. The private Rivers Edge near Stevens Point also books up in peak summer, so reserve a few weeks out for July and August. Midweek and in the shoulder seasons of late spring and early fall you will find plenty of room. If you have your heart set on a lakeside site at Lake Emily, book or arrive early, because those go first.

Late May through September is the window, with summer the prime season for warm days, cool nights, and the best lake and river conditions. The Portage County parks open May 1 and close October 31, so spring and fall bracket the season with cooler, quieter camping. Spring is muddy early but comes alive as the trout streams warm, and fall brings crisp days, hardwood color, and roadside stands selling corn and cheese curds. Winter is the one to avoid: central Wisconsin gets seriously cold, with subzero highs some days and the county parks closed, so RV travel here from December through February is impractical for most.

Yes, it is the natural home base for Amherst. Lake Emily Park is a 143-acre Portage County park just west of Amherst Junction, sitting on 96-acre Lake Emily with a swimming beach, boat ramp, playground, and nature trail. Its campground offers electric sites, showers, flush toilets, and a dump station with potable water near the exit, so tank chores are easy. It is the closest developed campground to Amherst, which keeps you near the Tomorrow River trout fishing and a short drive from Stevens Point for supplies. For a quiet, affordable lakeside base to fish, swim, and paddle central Wisconsin, it is hard to beat.

Yes, this is easy big-rig country in terms of terrain. Central Wisconsin around Amherst is flat-to-gently-rolling farmland, and US-10 is a wide, well-maintained route, so you will not face any grades or tight mountain roads getting here. The thing to watch is that the Portage County parks lean toward electric-only sites and some rural county lanes are narrow, so mind your approach to the smaller parks. If you run a large rig and want fuller hookups, Rivers Edge Campground near Stevens Point on the Wisconsin River is the better fit, with full and partial hookup sites. Otherwise, the county parks handle rigs fine with electric and a convenient dump station.

The Tomorrow River is the headline attraction, one of Wisconsin's quality trout streams running right through the Amherst area, prized by fly fishers for brook and brown trout. Beyond the river, the Tomorrow River State Trail offers easy crushed-limestone biking, and the Portage County park lakes, Lake Emily, Collins, and DuBay, give you swimming, paddling, and fishing. Fifteen miles west in Stevens Point you can tour the Stevens Point Brewery, one of Wisconsin's oldest, and walk or bike the 30-mile Green Circle Trail along the rivers. In late summer and fall, roadside farm stands sell sweet corn and cheese curds. It is a relaxed, outdoorsy stretch of dairyland.

Central Wisconsin is one of the more affordable RV regions in the upper Midwest. Portage County park campgrounds like Lake Emily, Collins, and DuBay typically run about $20 to $35 a night for an electric site, a bargain for lakeside camping with a beach and boat ramp, and dump access is usually included when you stay. The private Rivers Edge near Stevens Point runs higher, roughly $35 to $60 a night, but adds fuller hookups, a heated pool, and a water park. Non-campers who just need to dump can expect $5 to $15 per use at county parks. Groceries and fuel are reasonable, especially if you stock up in Stevens Point.

It is one of the best reasons to camp here. The Tomorrow River flows right through the Amherst area and is known as one of Wisconsin's quality trout streams, with good populations of brook and brown trout. Fly fishers especially prize it, so if you fish at all, bring your waders and spend a morning on the water. Check current Wisconsin fishing regulations and any special trout-stream rules before you go, since seasons, limits, and gear restrictions can vary by stretch. Basing at nearby Lake Emily Park puts you minutes from the river, and you can pair a morning of trout fishing with an afternoon of lake swimming or paddling.

No, they are seasonal. The Portage County parks, including Lake Emily and DuBay, run from May 1 through October 31, and Collins Park closes even earlier, on September 30. Central Wisconsin winters are hard, with snow, wind, and subzero cold snaps, so the county campgrounds shut down and RV travel here from December through February is impractical for most rigs. The private Rivers Edge near Stevens Point is also a warm-season campground. If you want to camp in the shoulder seasons, aim for the county parks in spring after they open or in fall before they close, and be ready for cold nights, muddy ground, and the occasional early snow.

It depends on what you want out of the trip. The public Portage County parks, led by Lake Emily near Amherst Junction, win on price and setting: quiet, wooded, lakeside sites with electric, a beach, and a dump station for around $20 to $35 a night. The private Rivers Edge near Stevens Point wins on amenities: fuller hookups, a heated pool, an inflatable water park, and a bar and grill, at a higher rate. For anglers and quiet-seekers, the county parks are ideal; for families wanting a pool and full hookups, the private park earns its keep. Many RVers split the difference, basing at a county park and day-tripping into Stevens Point.

Head to Stevens Point, about 15 miles west, for a full run. Amherst has a small store for basics, but for a complete grocery shop you will want Stevens Point, where Walmart, Festival Foods, and other retailers are all available. Propane is sold at farm supply stores around the Amherst area, and Stevens Point has more options if you need a fill. Gas stations line US-10, while diesel is easiest at the truck stops along the I-39 corridor. Our advice is to stock up on the way in, since Amherst runs light on services, and to top off propane before settling into a county park where the nearest store is a drive away.

The Portage County parks are your go-to. Campgrounds like Lake Emily and DuBay have dump stations and potable water hookups near the campground exits, and access is usually included when you camp there; non-campers typically pay $5 to $15 to dump. The private Rivers Edge near Stevens Point offers on-site dumping and water with its hookup sites. Amherst has municipal water in town if you need a fill. If you are passing through rather than staying, plan your dump at a county park or along the I-39 corridor and pair it with a fuel and grocery stop in Stevens Point. See our companion Amherst dump guide for the full list of local station locations and fees.

Yes — there are free RV waste disposal options available near Amherst.