Small Towns, Wisconsin Southwest Region Summer 2014 | Page 23

Canoe Camping Equipment

Obtaining a canoe and transport is the first order of business.
There are a ton of companies operating on the river that will
be happy to set you up with canoes, paddles, life jackets, and
transportation. If you’ve already got your own canoe or kayak,
a few companies will also transport your personal boat for a
modest shuttle fee.
Your standard, everyday camping gear will work well when it
comes to camping out on the river. Canoes are typically as
large as your average trunk so whatever you put in the car will
usually fit in a canoe. However, if you have a choice between a
nice $300 backpacking tent or a $50 Walmart tent, go with the
walmart tent. Sand will eat zippers alive. If you don’t lubricate
your zippers (yes, this is a thing), it won’t take long (a week or
two of regular sandbar use) to grind them down to the point that
they’ll pull apart and not close.

Food + Water

You’ll want to bring your own drinking/cooking water in with you
since the river water picks up a significant amount of sand and
tannins (large storage bags can be cheap, hard sided storage
containers also work great). Sand will significantly shorten the
life of a water filter. Plan to have at least one and a half gallons
of water per person per day while on the river.
Basic camping foods work just as well out here as they do in the
campground. The main thing you need to be aware of is the
prep/cooking area. You’re on sand. A lot of sand. It will get in
everything if you’re not careful. Always try to cook up off the
ground - on a plastic storage bin, a board