What Happens If Hickory Oaks Campground Shuts Off Water at Campsites in October?

If Hickory Oaks Campground shuts off water at the campsites in October, campers who already have reservations will be offered a choice: stay and receive a 25% refund of their total bill, or cancel and receive a full refund. The campground has stated it will only take this step if frost conditions make it necessary to protect the water lines from bursting.

Why the water might be shut off

The campground's own update explains that October camping may coincide with freezing temperatures. To prevent possible bursting lines, Hickory Oaks may need to turn off the water at the campsites. This is a weather-dependent decision, not a planned closure of the campground itself.

The campground says it has seen years past where it stayed warm enough to keep the lines running, but it wants campers to know the possibility exists. It has committed to letting everyone know as soon as it can determine the weather forecast and conditions.

What stays open and what closes

So even in a best-case October, the northwoods showerhouse is already closed. The main office showers are the fallback, and they stay open only while weather permits.

Your two options if the water is shut off

If Hickory Oaks does shut off the campsite water, campers who are already booked get one of two outcomes:

• Stay anyway — receive a 25% refund of your total bill.
• Choose not to stay — receive a full refund.

The campground frames this as an offer to "those already booked," so the choice applies to existing reservations rather than new bookings.

What to do before you arrive

• Watch for the campground's weather update. It says it will notify campers as soon as it can determine conditions.
• Decide in advance which option you'd take, so you can respond quickly once the call is made.
• If you rely on campsite water for your rig, plan for the possibility that you'll need to use the main office showers or bring your own supply.
• Remember that email responses are limited during the shutdown period, so don't wait until the last minute to ask questions.

The bigger context for October 2026

This water advisory sits inside a larger set of changes. Hickory Oaks is not taking additional reservations beyond what it already has for October 2026, because the family is beginning the process of shutting down the campground. The campground is fully closed from October 12, 2026 through March 1, 2027.

New reservation requests for 2027 must be dated March 1, 2027 or later to be reviewed, and the campground says it cannot review any requests until that date. The 2027 season is expected to begin in early to mid-May, depending on weather.

If you have an October reservation, the practical takeaway is simple: you'll either keep your stay at a 25% discount or walk away with a full refund, and you'll hear from the campground once it knows what the weather is doing.