Wasn't there once camping available in Bradly park? What ever happened? Are there any good spots to camp close to Tomahawk? I know that Sara park has some spots but those seem a little to open. I just think that it's a shame that we have all this beutiful land and it doesn't get used to much. I have never seen anything promoting hiking or cross country sking around these parts. Even the thousands of acres of county land could be better used to draw in some tourism.

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First the second.
Second the first.

The park was closed to camping some time in the 70's. This was due to erosion and concern over damage to the trees. There are some new picnic shelters, but most of the old buildings are gone. The Stone building is still there and the log building at the enterance to the park. The band stand is long gone and so are the boat houses and the changing rooms down where the beach used to be. The road that goes past mirror lake is closed to vehicle traffic and mirror lake is stocked with pan fish and is designated for kids fishing. The park is used mostly for group and family picnics now. There aren't any real organized activities there.

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God and the Soldier we all adore,
In times of trouble and then no more
when war is over and all things righted
God is forgotten, the old soldier Slighted.

Bradley Park used to be a wonderful place for vacationing campers. Back in the 60's there were families that came every year to the same camp site and stayed for a week or two.

Seems to me that we used to camp there with the Boys Scouts was it?

I spent a few days there back in the 70's over one 4th of July holiday while visiting family. I was in a small motor home and it was a very nice experience. Too bad it is no more...

It would be nice to have some sort of good camping near Tomahawk. It's even hard to find any information about camping on the Willow.

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First the second.
Second the first.

It would be nice if there were some nice camping near Tomahawk. Lincoln County does have 2 campgrounds that I'm aware. Unfortunately they are not monitored and have reputations as party spots. Otter Lake campground is really a pretty little rustic spot, if handled correctly could be a nice little get-a-way for families. I've never been to Tug Lake but it's my understanding it's pretty much the same deal there.

Should the city of Tomahawk again consider camping at Bradley Park? In my opinion, NO, for the environmental impact. Today's campers, for the most part, aren't tents, small pop-ups, or small travel trailers. The big rigs cause damage to needed undergrowth, increase noise pollution, to name a few. Many campers feel that electricity is a necessity, would the city want to spend the money for that improvement, along with the improvements needed to once again make campsites at the park? Budgets are tight, would the revenue from camping meet the expenses, probably not. If the sites would be improved without electricity the campers coming in would bring generators, further causing harm to the delicate environment. There would need to be monitoring of the campsites to keep safe and friendly, another expense to the city most likely not recoverable.

I certainly hope that the city never considers camping at Bradley Park. Things have changed since camping was allowed, I feel that it would be a detriment to the pristine beauty and the quiet of the park.

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Life is too short for drama & petty things!
So, laugh insanely, love truly and forgive quickly!

So why not put in a few tent camping sites? The city doesn't have to put in electricity just because people use it. Camping is very successful up at sylvania and most of that is tent, no electricity. I know that right now with out camping there are a lot of people going into the park at night. Maybe if there was camping this would discourage some of this bad behavior that is going on. The Tomahawk Police Department already does patrols thru the park. What would it cost the city to clear some of the underbrush and put in some gravel? Not much. I bet a lot less than it cost the city to dig up the old runway to put in the dog park. Does anybody know exactly how much polution that a generator puts out? Attracting people to Tomahawk is going to cause polution. People arn't going to walk to Tomahawk, and what do you think they are going to do once they get here. Most of the time bringing in money makes polution one way or another.

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First the second.
Second the first.

Dogs have rights... people don't. They used to but not any more.

The Council Grounds is just down the street. I remember it as a kid. I believe Bradley should stay a city park for day traffic only. I am for developing other options just outside of Tomahawk.

That is one long street, Like 20 some miles !

It's great if you want to camp in Merrill, but quite a bit out of the way if you want to vacation in the Tomahawk area.

_________________
God and the Soldier we all adore,
In times of trouble and then no more
when war is over and all things righted
God is forgotten, the old soldier Slighted.

Council Grounds is nice but like Scout said, not a place to camp if you want to be in the Tomahawk area. I can't believe that the county hasn't developed some it's land. Or worked at doing something productive with Otter Lake or Tug Lake. Even on the north end of Somo Lake there is county land that could be developed for rustic sites. Managed properly these area could be great for the county and tourism. If I were independently wealthy I would gladly be the campground host.

_________________
Life is too short for drama & petty things!
So, laugh insanely, love truly and forgive quickly!

One other thing about Council Grounds, it is a state park so you need a State sticker to get in, so there is added expense just to go there.

_________________
God and the Soldier we all adore,
In times of trouble and then no more
when war is over and all things righted
God is forgotten, the old soldier Slighted.

The $25 or what ever it is for a state sticker hasn't ever even crossed my mind as a reason to not go to a state park...

I do agree that we need more camping in the Tomahawk area though. Didn't they open up camping in Sara Park at one point?

The state park sticker has never been an issue here either. We usually have 2, one for each vehicle. Really a small price to pay, considering the camping is less expensive at a state park. Even less at the state forest campgrounds, usually about $9.00 per night. Of course that's no electricity, no flush toilet, or no shower. All over rated as far as I'm concerned.

Kerry, I do believe they did open SARA Park to camping. I still don't get the whole urban, out it the open camping concept, but so be it for those that do.

_________________
Life is too short for drama & petty things!
So, laugh insanely, love truly and forgive quickly!

It is evident that Tomahawk wants to downplay Bradley Park for some reason. There are signs at all of the other parks but if you didnt know where Bradley Park was you would never find it. The only sign is on a lightpost several blocks away that is hardly noticable. I do remember the camping but it was closed I understand because tourists were ruining the trees especially the birch by cutting pieces out of the bark. It is a lovely park and not popular as the ones where sports are attended but it is one of a kind. The walking trails are super. They used to have a large sign painted on the building on South Tomahawk that pointed to the park but even that is gone now. I think a lookout tower would be very nice but from where I see it that will never happen........

Well, I don't see why, if it done right, they can't bring back camping in Bradley Park. It's just the perfect location and such a wonderful setting.

I'm not suggesting 40 foot motor homes with full hock-ups. But I can see smaller motor homes, camp trailers and certainly tents. You just limit the size of the rig. One thing you do need to consider if you allow even small motor homes and trailers is a dump station or one near by. When people leave the need to empty their tanks.

I'd also limit the time they could stay, two weeks should be plenty. And a campground host with be a must, imho.

I would charge a premium price because of the location and also to encourage more of an upscale clientele for all the obvious reasons.

30-40 camp sites spread through out the park and turned over every couple of weeks would be a nice little piece of economic benefit to the community.

30-40 sites seems a bit extreme, they would be on top of one another. I've camped in places that have 20 in a smaller area and still seem closer than need be to me.

There was a dump station at the city garage at one time, not sure if it's still there. That would take care of that need.

Personally I can't see that as a destination that would be that appealing, but that's just me. There would be fishing, but no beach, unless the city would be willing to develop one.

_________________
Life is too short for drama & petty things!
So, laugh insanely, love truly and forgive quickly!

Maybe the park is not as big as I remember it! lol

As far as it being a destination, it was a very popular destination back when they allowed camping.

Motor home sites usually are right on top of each other, for maintenance purposes. And especially if you run water and electricity to them.

But how likely is this to ever happen. Probably me more likely see the park closed to people all together in today's wacky world. Remember people have no rights, only plants and animals.

Floyd, funny how memory increases the size of everything, or maybe it's just a young person's perspective.

I'm sure the "reasons" that the park was closed to camping would once again become "reasons" in time, if camping were allowed again.

Someone in a previous post had mentioned erosion, I think that could quickly become an issue again, particularly if anything other than tents were allowed. Even the added vehicle traffic would contribute to erosion. I suppose tents sites could be done but as walk-ins. Many state forest campgrounds have such sites, the area is suitable to tents but not motor vehicle traffic.

It would certainly nice to have Bradley Park as it was in days gone by, but at what cost.

_________________
Life is too short for drama & petty things!
So, laugh insanely, love truly and forgive quickly!

I think opening Bradly Park to campers would be a GREAT IDEA. It would definately give a big economic boost to the down town businesses.
I think they closed the park to campers because years ago someone felt they were destroying the trees. If that is the case, wouldn't ALL parks be closed to campers?? I think the city counsel should look into it.

I really doubt that you will ever see camping in the park again. There is still the same problem as existed when it was closed. Mainly the erosion factor. The park is very hilly and anywhere the soil is disturbed it will start washing away in the next good rain. They have a service road that used to go down to the old beach area. There is a lot of crushed rock and gravel in the areas where it was eroding just from the occasional city vehical that went down there. Also there just are not that many places in the park that are level enough to be good campsites unless you would go in there with some heavy equipment and create them. In it's natural state it is just not a good candidate for a camp ground.

It would be nice to see more local activities there, but I have a hunch that it has just become a place to enjoy the peace and quiet of nature.

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God and the Soldier we all adore,
In times of trouble and then no more
when war is over and all things righted
God is forgotten, the old soldier Slighted.

Everything you said is very true Old Scout. But I can't help but think that if the powers that be wanted camping there, they would find a way. That's the way it usually is with most political situations.

Issues like erosion and the terrain in general can be dealt with.

Unfortunatly we have become a county where we spend most of our time looking for reasons to not do things or ways of peventing others form doing things instead of looking for ways to do things.

And of course there is something to say about a place to go to enjoy the peace and quiet.

I have to agree with Old Scout. Bringing heavy equipment in to develop sites, and whatever else would be just too much for the delicate landscape.

I think that park is utilized more than people realize. Of course I've been gone from Tomahawk for nearly 5 years, I can't imagine the use of the park would have dropped that much.

I know that often times the cross country teams use the park, mainly for practice, in the past meets for the middle school were held out there. The shelters get used by a variety of different organizations. Many a folk have said "I do" at Bradley Park. The local churches have used the park for summer church services. Granted this is local use. What's so wrong with an area that towns people can call their own.

It seems to me that there are plenty of other places that could be developed for camping that would have an impact on the economics of Tomahawk. Campers need ice, gotta come to town for that. The weather takes a turn to cold, not enough sweatshirts, campers need to come to town. Rainy day, not enough rainy day activities, campers need to come to town, bait, food, etc. There is plenty of county land close to town off and on water that could be an option. If there is going to be camping developed I feel that's the direction to go.

_________________
Life is too short for drama & petty things!
So, laugh insanely, love truly and forgive quickly!

In reallity, I would really hate to see camping in Bradley park and for probably a very selfish reason. I really enjoy going there, walking out to the point or walking the trails and knowing it is unlikly you will be disturbed by anyone other than the occasional other person doing the same thing. No loud music, no dogs barking, no kids yelling, only the wind in the pines, the birds and occasionally an outboard motor going past. All that would be lost if it was turned into a camp ground. I think having a place like this is worth more than any campground. It is a rare treasure that many communities would give anything to have.

_________________
God and the Soldier we all adore,
In times of trouble and then no more
when war is over and all things righted
God is forgotten, the old soldier Slighted.

BTW, what ever became of the old Out Post campground. I know if was sold for development. Was it ever developed?

_________________
Life is too short for drama & petty things!
So, laugh insanely, love truly and forgive quickly!

You can build camp grounds with out a lot of heavy equipment. I know we did when we built camping of the Boys Scouts in one of our local parks.

But hey, I don't live there anymore. If I did and started thinking about the loud music and screaming kids that you mention... I to may be more supportive of leaving it as it is... as I said earlier, lot to be said about close in peace and quite.... lol