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Established Camping

Franklin Lake

CAMPER SUMMARY PRESENTED BYFord

Franklin Lake, near Three Lakes, Wisconsin, is a fantastic spot for those looking to enjoy the great outdoors. With its spacious sites and a mix of shaded areas, it’s perfect for both tent campers and RV enthusiasts.

The campground boasts electric hookups at some sites, which is a recent addition that visitors have appreciated. Many campers have raved about the crystal-clear water and the beautiful beach area, making it a great place for swimming and fishing. As one happy camper noted, “The water is crystal clear and there’s a beach that can be used if you don’t have a lake site.”

For those who enjoy hiking, there are nice trails nearby, and the surrounding Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest offers plenty of opportunities to explore nature. Just be prepared for some pesky mosquitoes; a few campers have mentioned bringing bug spray to keep them at bay.

The campground is known for its quiet atmosphere, with a good distance between sites, allowing for a peaceful retreat. Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway or a longer stay, Franklin Lake provides a lovely backdrop for your camping adventures.

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Location

Franklin Lake is located in Wisconsin

Detail location of campground

Directions

Drive approximately 8 miles east from Eagle River on Highway 70. Turn south onto Military Road/Forest Road 2178 and continue about 2 miles, to Butternut Lake Road/Forest Road 2181, and continue approximately 4 miles to the campground.

Coordinates

45.9247222 N
89.0080556 W

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Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site
  • Walk-In
    Park in a lot, walk to your site.
  • Boat-In
    Sites accessible by watercraft.

Connectivity

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  • signal strength bars
    T-Mobile
    No Coverage
  • signal strength bars
    Verizon
    No Coverage
  • signal strength bars
    AT&TLTE
    Some Coverage

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • RV Sites
  • Standard (Tent/RV)
  • Group

Features

For Campers

  • Trash
  • Picnic Table
  • Reservable
  • Drinking Water
  • Electric Hookups
  • Toilets
  • Alcohol
  • Pets
  • Fires

For Vehicles

  • Pull-Through Sites
  • 50 Amp Hookups

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Reviews

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5.0

out of 5

12 Reviews

Reviewed Aug. 31, 2025

Excellent sandy beach

Private sites, great beach, beautiful buildings built by the CCC. There is even a small nature center. My family loves the nature trail that takes us through bogs and past maiden hair ferns. With a boat one can visit an island that once had a cabin. The best swimming is on a sandbar directly across from the beach.

Month of VisitSeptember
  • Review photo of Franklin Lake by Kay K., August 31, 2025
  • Review photo of Franklin Lake by Kay K., August 31, 2025
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  • (8) View All
Reviewed Aug. 5, 2024

Quiet campground

Beautiful campground had site 45 one week and site 72 the next both fcfs. Campground was quiet and clean. For those with out power there is outlets in shelter in middle of campground to charge batteries. Had phone service through boost mobile enough to stream movies

Site45,72
Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of Franklin Lake by hesselinkj@yahoo.com , August 5, 2024
  • Review photo of Franklin Lake by hesselinkj@yahoo.com , August 5, 2024
  • Review photo of Franklin Lake by hesselinkj@yahoo.com , August 5, 2024
  • (5) View All
Reviewed Jun. 26, 2023

Great campsite

Stayed one night on  a Sunday.  Mostly empty but you can see it is heavily booked for the Fourth of July weekend. They just added electric hook up to some sites in the South End.  Right now the price is the same for electric or non-electric sites.

Sites are large and decent spacing between sites.  Heavy tree cover with mostly shade.

The site was mostly gravel with nice fire ring and picnic table.

Site33
Month of VisitJune
Reviewed Sep. 3, 2021

Beautiful campground

Got a great site on the lake, some sites are huge and a few are reservable , nice bathrooms, nice trails to hike and close to eagle river for supplies

Site9
Month of VisitAugust
Reviewed Aug. 5, 2021

My favorite place

My family has been coming to Franklin Lake for decades. It’s hands down our favorite campground in Wisconsin. You can get campsites on the lake, or you could get more secluded sites further back into the woods.

The water is crystal clear and there’s a beach that can be used if you don’t have a lake site.

There’s bathrooms in the first couple of campsite loops and pit toilets the loops further back in the campground. There’s well water available but it’s not for drinking, just for cooking or cleaning.

Cell service is awful, you can get service sort of by the lake depending on your provider, but don’t count on it.

Month of VisitAugust
  • Review photo of Franklin Lake by Hannah I., August 5, 2021
  • Review photo of Franklin Lake by Hannah I., August 5, 2021
  • Review photo of Franklin Lake by Hannah I., August 5, 2021
  • (7) View All
Reviewed Aug. 5, 2021

My favorite place

My family has been coming to Franklin Lake every year for decades. It’s the most beautiful campground we’ve come across in Wisconsin. The water is crystal clear, you can get campsites on the lake, and it’s pretty quiet.

There’s bathrooms in the first few loops of the campground but there are pit toilets in the further loops. There’s well water pumps throughout the campground but it’s not good for drinking.

You can swim off of the lake sites if you have one, otherwise there’s a really nice beach at the beginning of the campground. Boats are allowed on the lake.

Cell service is horrible, you can get service kind of by the lake depending on your provider, but don’t count on it.

Month of VisitAugust
Reviewed Apr. 8, 2021

Beautiful forests, quiet

We camped here in October, the last week the National Forest was open. It seemed that we had 10,000 acres to ourselves. Area was spotless!

Month of VisitOctober
Reviewed Jul. 31, 2019

Love this place

Very nice lake and beach area. Good fishing. Clean campground with running water and bathrooms.

Reviewed Jul. 18, 2019

Ok

No power, no water, clean pit toilets, beautiful water view sites, no dump station, LOTS of mosquitos. Hoped to stay a few nights, chased out by mosquitoes after first one.

Reviewed Sep. 29, 2018

Rustic Quiet and Secluded, Everything a Camper Dreams For

I've camped at Franklin Lake many times now. It is a gorgeous campground that is literally in the middle of nowhere, and I love it. Loons are always on the lake. The water is crystal clear. The beach is great, but if you have a site on the lake you can walk in and swim right there! Amount other wildlife bear are in the area, which is a testament to how off the beaten path this campground is. Despite this there actually is a building with flush toliets! There are plenty of places to hike in the area, and we've even done a little fishing in the area. We saw decent sized fish in Franklin lake, but didn't end up being able to catch any. (We just fish for fun so nothing serious here, I'm sure the fishing is great for those that are in to it!) I am eager to make plans to get back to Franklin Lake. It is just such a beautiful spot. The stars at night are some of the best I've seen with so little light pollution up there. The camoground has always been quiet and there's a good distance between sites. I'm eager to camp here again!

Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Franklin Lake by Selah S., September 29, 2018
  • Review photo of Franklin Lake by Selah S., September 29, 2018
  • Review photo of Franklin Lake by Selah S., September 29, 2018
  • (5) View All
Reviewed Aug. 4, 2017

Beautiful lake true northwoods experience

I formally lived in northern Wisconsin and we would camp here quite often. Huge lake. Most sites are lake front with steps leading right down to your own private beach! This campground is very popular and busy but it is mostly local people and my experience has been they're all respectful. If youre looking for a less busy experience fall might be a better time or a weekday in summer. Don't forget the bug spray! Those northwoods bugs are lethal🤣

Month of VisitAugust

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to camp at Franklin Lake?

Camping at Franklin Lake can cost between $15.00 and $25.00 depending on the site.

Does Franklin Lake have RV hookups?

According to TheDyrt.com, Franklin Lake has 50 amp electric hookups.

What is the max vehicle length at Franklin Lake?

Franklin Lake allows vehicles up to 40 feet.

Are fires allowed at Franklin Lake?

Yes, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, fires are allowed at Franklin Lake, although make sure to check current fire restrictions in the area.

Does Franklin Lake have wifi?

No, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, Franklin Lake does not have wifi.

Is there cell phone reception at Franklin Lake?

According to campers on TheDyrt.com, there is some coverage for AT&T, no coverage for T-Mobile, and no coverage for Verizon.

How hard is it to get a campsite at Franklin Lake?

Some campers book as far as 6 months in advance, so on high-demand weekends it can be very difficult to get a campsite at Franklin Lake. If you want to get a last-minute campsite at Franklin Lake, try setting up a text message Alert atTheDyrt.com/alerts

Why is it so hard to get a campsite at Franklin Lake?

There are 77 campsites at Franklin Lake and over 80 million Americans who camp! Try snagging a cancellation by setting up a text message Alert atTheDyrt.com/alerts