Rocky Rips Campground will soon join the many outdoor attractions in Langlade County.
DENNIS & DEANNA SPRINGER
Renovating a campground (originally built in 1983) has been a labor of love for this couple. These weekend warriors are putting the final touches on the campground located in Langlade County, and will officially open Rocky Rips Campground on Friday, May 26.
Dennis and Deanna Springer—originally from Columbus, Wisconsin—now call Rocky Rips Campground their home.
“Two years ago, to complete the big renovations of the campground buildings and grounds,
Dennis retired from his career in Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC),” says
Deanna Springer. “Dennis’ vast mechanical knowledge and HVAC experience was a contributing factor for us to take this leap and become small business owners.”
“We’ve been working weekends painting, siding buildings, and turning a one-car garage into a camp store. We recently looked back at the original photos we took in 2014 when we purchased the property. We turned to each other and both said ‘What were we thinking?!’” says Dennis. “In 2015, we focused on infrastructure; replacing mechanicals and cleaning up the grounds.”
In the spring of 2016, Dennis and Deanna began work on the camp store. “That summer, my parents Don and Sharon Woodward (Columbus, WI) joined us for several weeks and weekends to take down dead trees, cut firewood, and Dennis and Dad installed the camp store's overhead glass door,” says Deanna. “My dad is a retired mechanic, engineer, and woodworker. When my dad said, ‘Dennis is quite the accomplished carpenter’, my heart filled with pride for Dennis.”
“We haven’t done this work alone,” says Dennis. “When it was time to replace the building roofs and utilities, we called on local contractors. Our daughter and son-in-law, Teri and James Grev (St. Paul, Minnesota) have contributed to many campground planning meetings during family visits and over holiday meals. Teri is a talented artist, writer, and committed land steward. She created our logo, branding, signage, and social media presence. We are grateful for her work and contributions to our family business.”
“Blood, sweat and tears is an accurate expression of the work we’ve done to get to where we are today,” says Deanna. “I love working and collaborating with my husband of 35 years. We want to express our gratitude to our family and friends for their contributions and support of our dream—including my sisters, Diana Kovacs, Dana Casey, and Denise Abel.
Work continues on the buildings and grounds at Rocky Rips Campground. Updates and expansions are planned for near the future. This summer, the local community is invited to stop in and explore Rocky Rips Campground and see the many upgrades.
Rips Campground is a family-friendly campground in the heart of Wisconsin’s Northwoods, located on State Hwy. 55, one mile south of Highway 64. The campground is near the Wolf River, which is known for rafting and tubing. Many lakes in the area provide swimming, kayaking, and canoeing. Langlade County is the “county of trails,” providing a variety of outdoor activities such as hiking, geocaching, and ATVing.
According to ARVC, the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds–a leader in the outdoor hospitality industry, camping is an upward trend and camp spots are in high demand. Living through a pandemic has led many people to reflect on what’s important in life.
That makes this an ideal time to remind prospective campers about the benefits of spending time outdoors with family and friends. The Japanese even have a practice called shinrin-yoku. It means “forest bathing” and emphasizes how time spent immersed in nature is good for us, both physically and emotionally. Going camping can also give adults and kids an opportunity to unplug and step away from the screens for a bit and focus on creating memories together, instead. Source: https://www.arvc.org
Rocky Rips Campground in White Lake, WI officially opens on May 26, 2023. Campers may now make reservations online at rockyripscampground.com
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