Highland Ridge COE Campground, Spring Valley, WI

This is a small Corps of Engineers campground on the Eau Galle Lake Recreation area at Spring Valley, WI. I think it is the only non-Mississippi River COE campground in Wisconsin. The sites are mostly large, well separated and heavily wooded.

There is a cave in Spring Valley called "Crystal Cave" which gives tours, has a gift and souveneir shop and sells bags you can screen in a sluice for whatever you can find. Nothing really valuable, but kind of fun.

There are not a lot of activities but there are a good number of hiking trails. There is a beach at the main day use area but it is a 10 mile drive from the campground. You can view a bald eagle nest on a trail less than two hundred yards from the campground. To young eagles were visible in or near the nest last evening.

Until this year the Corps provided free slab wood for your fire. Now they are selling wood through the host or a ranger. The quality of the wood was spotty. I did OK because I picked as much birch as possible and I believe in using charcoal for a base. I also believe that "sparing the lighter fluid spoils the fire". No Boy Scout methods for me!

This is my kind of place to camp; but I know it may not be everyone's cup of tea.