A dark green Toyota pickup with a roof tent parked in tall dry grass as mist closes in.

Forest Service campground

Kentuck Lake Campground

Forest Service campground in Chequamegon-Nicolet NF, Vilas County, Wisconsin. 1,730 feet. 14.3 miles from Eagle River.

Managed by
Forest Service Chequamegon-Nicolet NF
Elevation
1,730 ft As the Forest Service states
Sites
30 15 standard non-electric, 13 standard electric, 2 tent only non-electric
Longest rig
40 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
Electric
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Vilas County

Overview

Early settlers from Kentucky gave the name to Kentuck Lake. Kentuck Lake Campground is located on the east lake shore of Kentuck Lake in a stand of maple. The 955-acre lake is popular with anglers and has abundant walleye, bass, crappies and panfish. Kentuck lake is connected to Spectacle Lake Campground by a scenic 2.5-mile-long hiking trail.

Recreation

The lake provides visitors with ample opportunities for boating and fishing. Anglers can expect a catch of musky, walleye, northern pike, large and smallmouth bass, crappie and perch. The lake is open to all types of boating, motorized and non-motorized. A trail linking the campground to the Spectacle Lake Campground begins near the boat landing and stretches 2.5 miles though mature upland hardwoods and lowland conifer areas. A variety of wildlife make its home in the area and visitors are encouraged to keep watch.

Facilities

The campground offers 31 single family campsites, available for tent or RV camping. The campground offers both first-come, first-served (13) campsites as well as sites which can be reserved in advance (18). Sites are equipped with tables and fire rings with grills. A pressurized water system is available for drinking water.

Natural Features

The campground is situated in a stand of maple, at an elevation of 1,730 feet. The adjacent Kentuck Lake is accessible by the boat landing which is located within the campground.

Nearby Attractions

The City of Eagle River is located about 17 miles west of the campground. A variety of services and activities are offered in Eagle River.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • biking
  • boating
  • camping
  • canoeing
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • kayaking
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Kentuck Lake Campground

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated March 11, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.