Best Campgrounds near Franklin, VT

My family of 4 tent camped at Camp Skyland in June ‘24 on a waterfront spot showcasing gorgeous Lake Champlain with a mountain backdrop - chef’s kiss!

The owner (family owned and operated across generations) took my booking via phone and months later, checked us into camp upon arrival. He was super friendly and gave us great advice for cycling the Island Line Trail - highly recommend!!!! It was a fantastic campground with awesome views and the only thing I regret is not spending more time camping here & exploring the area.

The bathhouse & restrooms were a little small but it was totally fine. They had outdoor sink for washing dishes, too. The main check-in house had books and games to check out. But the BEST onsite entertainment was the lake. Definitely plan to kayak here & swim. Water was clean & clear. Fantastic lake for rock collecting!!! Very pretty and diverse geological landscape! We immediately started googling the rock formations and it was super interesting!

Definitely bring your bikes to ride the trail & catch the ferry! Such a unique experience to cycle across a lake! Photos & videos do not give the actual in-person views justice!

There are cabins to rent here, but owner said they book up in advance and it’s a YOY reservation that previous bookers get first access each year for dates.

Tip - mosquitos were intense here, so bring spray & plan accordingly! Our screened-in tent area saved us from being eaten up.

If you want a place to nomadic camp that is near Stowe, but away from the hustle and bustle, then this place is for you.  It is a private landowners land, and she has up to  5-6 campers at any point in time.  Sites are set up with picnic or other small tables, and randomly spread out across the field.  There is good distance between sites, but all other sites are within view.  There is a porta potty at the entrance to the field.  Dogs are allowed.  The landowner is very responsive and helpful with questions.   Across the street from the camping field is another field with access to water via a hose, and a very large flower garden.  There is also a small store that sells honey

The sites in the field are generally un-level, and we had to really work to level our trailer.  While we were there, there were car campers, tent campers, and a class C rv, in addition to us in our travel trailer.  Dogs are allowed on the property.

In addition to being 20 minutes to downtown Stowe, you can gravel bike right from the field.  We built a number or rides with Ride with GPS, leaving from there site.  There are never ending hiking options, from easy to advanced, in the general area.  

We would gladly return to this camp, even though we had challenges leveling.

General: Large state park with two loops, both of which are lakefront. A mix of primitive sites (no w/e/s), lean-tos, and two cabins, one in each section. Sites/lean-tos are designated premium (lakefront) or non. There is also an ADA-accessible lean-to. Upon check-in, you are given a gate code to enter. 

Site Quality: Our site, like all others, was generous in size and a back-in site. Most sites don’t have clearly defined camper pads, and the surface is grass/dirt (or mud if it has rained recently). A large wooden picnic table and fire ring complete the site. There are plentiful trees, so each site has at least some shade and some are very shaded. Lakefront sites have a filtered view of the lake through the trees. 

Bath/Shower House: The one closest to us was very clean. Three stalls and one shower. Cold water only at both the sinks and the shower (at least I didn’t get any hot water). The showers do take quarters and although you get five minutes for each quarter (up to 15 quarters, although I can’t imagine taking that long of a shower), it was quite possibly the wimpiest shower I’ve experienced in quite some time. But, after I finished, I saw my quarter had been returned. The toilet paper was so thin, it was nearly transparent! 

Activities: Although swimming is allowed, the “beaches” are very small and there was a bacteria warning in place when we were there advising against swimming. There are two boat launch areas, one in each loop. Great for kayaks, and canoes, and we saw what looked like a fishing boat. There was one very annoying motorboat revving its engine while doing circles in the lake. The day-use area has a small, dated playground, fire pit, horseshoe pit, and volleyball net. There is a short nature trail and one other small walking trail. Nearby is access to the Missisquoi Rail Trail. 

A surprise was a family of ducks who visited our site when I was outside reading! Our stay was very quiet during the week after Labor Day, but I imagine the vibe is quite different during summer weekends, especially given the sign in the restroom stating that quiet hours are strictly enforced. We were annoyed by one loud boat so I can’t imagine what it would be like if the lake was filled with boaters. This is why we prefer shoulder-season camping!