Looking for the best campgrounds near Franklin, WI? Camping, hiking, biking: however you want to spend your days near Franklin, you'll find great campgrounds with The Dyrt. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your Wisconsin camping adventure.
"Great backpack camp site. Decent walk and terrain to get to the site. There is an open shelter to put your tent if you prefer to outside."
$15 - $45 / night
"This is primarily an RV/mobile home campground, but there are some nicely tucked away tent camp sites that I'll recommend later in this review. "
"Wanted someplace close to home. Familiar with the Delavan area so was excited to find Snug Harbor. Set up went well, didn’t blow anything up! Yea! Staff was great, helped me back in."
"Sandill Station is right outside Lake Mills, WI, right off the Glacial Drumlin bike trail. It features 15 campsites and 1 group campsite in an oak savanna, with varying degrees of shade."
LegendVery impressed with this state park! It was huge, almost 3 miles just to our site! The showers were clean. The spots were large and wooded with nice fire ring set ups. The staff was very helpful answering any questions and giving recommendations. We stayed on a primitive/wilderness site for $12 with no electric. They will allow anyone on these sites-we even saw huge RV'S and 5th wheels on primitive sites.
There are amazing trails through park for people to hike, bike, or ride horse on.
Spring Grove is a tiny town nearby with a little corner bar called “The Grove”. They serve amazing food with great service. Very clean! I recommend checking it out if you’re looking for some good food.
LegendThis is a relatively small, private campground mostly for RVs though there are some very nice sites that would be lovely for tents. There are a dozen tent sites that back up to a very charming river, each one has a picnic table and fire pit. The view of the river from these sites is lovely. Adding to the waterworks, there is a cute pond with a charming fountain in the center of the RV sites, and a nice horseshoes pit. There are a number of RV sites with full hookups.
I spoke with the owner and they did not have tent camping in 2020. They were worried about people in too close proximity in the restroom. In 2020 they only allowed RVs that had their own restroom facilities. The owner told me that maybe there will be tent camping in 2021.
Guide*** reviewing as a baby/toddler camp family on the go :-) we chose the loop 11 was on because it was close to the path to the playgrounds and lakes plus bathrooms… avoid the first 2 sites from either end as the ones closest to the main loop aren’t very deep. Closer to the center of this row is best.
Pros- easy pull in sites and lots of walk-in availability. Sites are almost all flat thankfully, so no weird slopes to sleep on and easy for babies/toddlers to stay safe. Also seemed pretty respectful in the evenings with people toning down the noise.
Lots of electric sites, deep enough for 2 tents, 2 cars (although close to neighbors and no trees between sites), picnic table and fire pit.
Bathroom shower houses were decent (we usually just have toddler use her travel potty, but this one was fine).
Multiple playgrounds, access to launch sites for kayaks, little store to buy ice cream or snacks.
Cons - SO many ticks. With a baby crawling that needed to be set free, we were constantly doing checks. Luckily our screen house pop up on a tarp that was sprayed ahead for tick repellent plus a blanket on top of that did the trick, but they literally fall out of the trees into people! Plan for toddlers and babies to have a contained covered screen house and have them wear hats or a wagon shade on walks so nothing lands in their hair.
Also - the raccoons at night here are no joke. The second it’s dusky, they come scavenging for absolutely anything food has touched. So basically, eat dinner and do s’mores early, then everything must be packed into cars for the night and all surfaces wiped down.
GuideThe park is very pretty. Walking along the trails, you can see where it gets its name! Lots of cool ledges and rock outcrops. We saw a moderate amount of birds and heard a bunch of critters (owls, a fox (?!)) one night.
We camped at non-electric site J. It was nice and big. We originally were to be at site G but it was way too small to fit our cars, tents, etc.
Pros:
- Quiet and decently spaced sites.
- Clean vault toilets. Did not use the shower house/other facilities.
- The firepits are flush with the ground and have cooking grates.
- Easy access to trails.
Cons:
- I'm not a trailer camper, but if I were I would not appreciate the vibes of the electric sites. The sites are very close together and walking through it felt like going through a festival or circus more than a campground.
- The firewood was a bit pricey compared to other parks.
LegendConveniently located next to absolutely nothing just due northwest of Fort Atkinson, you’ll love Pilgrim’s Campground for its successful delivery of (capital letters) P&Q! What I love most about this location is how they keep all the RV campers penned in up against the slight diagonal embankment, which actually provides some pretty phenomenal views of the surrounding areas (if not your next door neighbors) as well as excellent drainage and subsequently separated from the primitive TV campsites. These latter sites are placed just due southwest of the grounds and are pitched perfectly in a tree-lined meadow, encircled by freshly cut corn fields, where you’ll find no shortage of amazing animals coming to graze throughout the day (and night) from deer, raccoons, opossums and endless tag teams of squirrels.
Because there isn’t so much around, be prepared to bring everything with you (save ice and wood, which is sold on-site). While the bathroom / shower facilities are just passable, what you are giving up in terms of creature comforts is more than made up for in the sheer proximity to all of nature. During the warm summer months, there’s a small in-ground pool on-site, which sits right in front of the main office. All of the standard camping surround-sound elements are here from fire rings and picnic tables to water, electrical (50 / 30 / 20 / 15 amp) and sewer hook-ups. In all, there’s about 100 sites here at Pilgrims Campground, with the lion’s share of this pet-friendly property dedicated to overnight and seasonal RV / 5th Wheelers offering both back-in and pull-through sites.
Insider’s Tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you don’t mind some rough hiking, there’s fantastic ‘spazierengehen’ to be had just wandering around the countryside in the bountiful corn and bean fields or head over to nearby Dorothy Carnes County Park for some decent trails to explore; (2) In the event that you don’t like being awaken too early from all of the nearby roosters, then bring some ear plugs; (3) When you grow tired of having to forage through either your on-board RV mini-fridge or bear-proof Cordova roto-molded cooler, then look no further than ‘What’s the Point’ (no, seriously, that's the name of the restaurant!) for traditional Midwestern comfort food like corned beef & cabbage, fried fish, BBQ ribs and prime rib; (4) Should you come bearing watercraft and looking for a decent spot to dip your kayak or canoe at, then check out Rose Lake State Natural Area, which BTW is quite small, but very convenient, or try out much larger Red Cedar Lake or Lake Ripley; and (5) Cell coverage and WiFi is pretty horrific in these parts, so bring a booster or plan to leave civilization behind you.
Happy Camping!
GuideWe had a great time swimming and hiking At Pike Lake State Park. There is a nice observation tower with beautiful views of Holy Hill. The beach is large and there is a designated area for dogs, which we loved. Our campsite was large and grassy and had good privacy. The only issue we had was that our site was in a divot and had lots of low spots and therefore flooded badly, like 3 inches in our tent bad. Overall great camping, just watch for low sites in the non-electric area.
GuideWe mostly enjoyed our trip here over Memorial Day Weekend. It’s not too far away from our home and a nice gear testing first trip.
Pros: Spacious grassy site. This one even had an attached smaller clearing perfect for our 7 year old to use for her own space where we set up a hammock for her.
The campsites feel very private with a thick brush between each site. It’s not a huge campground.
Bathrooms and showers are very cleans and actually closed from 11am-noon each day for complete cleaning.
Gorgeous magnificent trails and right on Lake Michigan. Also a beautiful quarry lake with a trail all the way around and a cute pond full of turtles!
Very nice, completely cleaned fire pits.
Cheap bundle yourself firewood. Cons:
Gorgeous hikes, but short. We prefer more distance.
Maybe because of its proximity to the lake and Milwaukee or perhaps the holiday weekend but this was a louder campground. More of a party vibe than we really look for in state parks. A particular group was extremely loud and kept us up until 4 am the first night. No park ranger on duty. It’s nice when quiet hours are observed.
No trees really on the campground and it is built on and surrounded by wetlands that are actively in restoration. At the height of summer this place is going to be sweltering and full of bugs. The mosquitoes will be especially terrible.
Overall we have and love this park for a day trip but probably won’t return to camp.
ScoutLarge sites with plenty of room to spread out. Plenty of birds and other wildlife for the kids to see. No alcohol is allowed so it made for a great family weekend. Short walk to bathhouse. Pit toilet for emergencies.
LegendI did not stay here, but I spend some time walking through to get a feel for the place.
This is primarily an RV/mobile home campground, but there are some nicely tucked away tent camp sites that I'll recommend later in this review. Gravel roads connect the three loops and the landscaping is well kept and maintained. The campground sells ice, firewood and rents boats.
There is a very clean bathroom and bathhouse, freshwater for campers, and some electric tent campsites. The property is basically terraced along a slope down to the lake, with the RV and mobile home sites closer to the lake. The tent sites are above it all with decent views of the lake below (and the RVs).
The Galapagos tent campsite is elevated and a short distance from the loop road, and has a nice view of the lake. The Box Turtle site is also a bit elevated above the main driveway as is Snapper 7, though I am not sure where you are supposed to put your tent in that site.
Now, Snapper 4, 5,6 and 7 would be nice for group camping because they are all very close to one another and a bit more private, set away from the rest of the campsites. There are lots of electrical sites for campers and RVs, most of which look like they are quite permanently in place.
Tent camping near Franklin, Wisconsin offers a variety of scenic spots where nature lovers can unwind and enjoy the great outdoors. With options ranging from secluded sites to those with more amenities, there's something for every type of camper.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Franklin, WI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Franklin, WI is KMSF Shelter 1 Backpack Site with a 5-star rating from 1 review.
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TheDyrt.com has all 9 tent camping locations near Franklin, WI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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