![]() Camping PermitsCamping permits and fees are required for all camping in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. The permit system allows campers to reserve campsites in advance. Each permit is good for up to 14 consecutive nights of camping. Camping permits are non-transferable. You can reserve individual, primitive, and group campsites and obtain a permit at Recreation.gov. The email confirmation you receive from Recreation.gov is NOT your permit! You must go into your recreation.gov account and print your official permit. If the permit is not printed two days prior to the start of the trip it can be picked up in person at the Lakeshore's Visitor Center in Bayfield. A $10 reservation fee is also charged for each trip. The fees must be paid when the reservation is made. A party of eight to twenty-one people is considered a group. All groups must use designated group campsites. Group camping permit reservations may be made beginning in January for that year via Recreation.gov after the group camping lottery. Every January, the park conducts a group camping lottery for individuals and Commercial Use Authorization (CUA) holders, to reserve group campsites for that year. After the lottery is concluded, all remaining campsites and dates are available for reservation. Learn more about the group camping permit lottery. Build Your ItineraryHow to make a reservation online.
Refunds and Itinerary ChangesA 50% refund of nightly camping fees may be issued for the cancellation of an entire trip if the cancellation is made at least eight days before the start of the trip. The $10 reservation fee is nonrefundable. No refunds will be issued after the start of a trip. No refunds will be issued for partial cancellations. ![]() NPS Photo/M. Carlson |
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Last updated: January 26, 2021