The best ranch campgrounds near Appleton, Wisconsin

Looking to explore the great outdoors near Appleton, Wisconsin? Hipcamp has over 38 options available for camping on a ranch in this area. Whether you're a seasoned cowboy or just looking to try something new, camping on a ranch offers a unique experience. Get ready to saddle up and enjoy the beautiful Wisconsin countryside. With average prices per night starting at $40 and options as low as $20, there's something for every budget. Check out top-rated campsites like Purplehaze Acres (295 reviews), Bear Hill (53 reviews), and Cricket Ranch (48 reviews). Enjoy popular amenities like cooking equipment, potable water, and trash disposal. And don't forget to take advantage of nearby activities such as visiting historic sites, boating, and even surfing. Happy camping!

100% (233)

Top-rated campgrounds

This scene from "Bunny Borrow" (parking area) at sunset really got my attention. Pic was taken with my mobile phone, no filter, and is unaltered. Goldenrods bloom late Aug. - early Sept. For Hay fever sufferers: please come prepared.

1. Cricket Ranch

99%

(344)

47mi from Appleton · 5 sites · Tents · Cascade, WI

We are honored to again be named one of the Best Hipcamps in Wisconsin for 2024. Thank you to our guests for your wonderful reviews and helpful suggestions! And a special thank you to one of our guests, Brandon "Da Garbage Disposal" Clark, for featuring Cricket Ranch in his YouTube series "Outdoors Unsupervised: Survival Season 6". Learn more about this land: Cricket Ranch is a crazy combo of Nature's past, present, and future. The property was a farm with 75% of it corn fields until 30 years ago. It has been virtually untouched since then and in just a few decades it has reinvented itself as a forest. Chambers Creek runs thru the west side of the property. As a headwater of the Milwaukee River, it is part of the Great Lakes Basin and a source for Lake Michigan. Wisconsin has identified Chambers Creek as an Exceptional Resource Water (ERWs), Less than 10% of Wisconsin waterways carry this designation. What we do (or don't do) now affects the Great Lakes later. And you'll find fossils in the rock walls of some of the earliest examples of complex life on Earth (from 460 mya, Ordovician, Cambrian). No digging required. Seriously. How they got there is a very long story in the making and involves ancient inland seas, plate tectonics, glaciers, German immigrants, and 19th-20th century farming. Off the Beaten Path @ Cricket Ranch provides a true back to nature environment for campers, sometimes called "backcountry camping". Located on 50 acres of private forest, field, and valley, our campsites are very secluded and separated by acres of woodland. Each layout is unique, embracing what nature has provided. Backpacking (or wagoning) to your camp from the parking area is necessary as the 5' wide paths do not accommodate cars/trucks. Hiking distance from parking area: (1) Camp Cricket is 600 Ft. (2) Haen Hollow is 250 ft. (3) Rocky Top is 700 ft. (4) Grapeline is 1000 ft. Feel fee to explore the land! We are located near the Niagara Escarpment so, as previously mentioned, you might even find a 460 million year old fossil on one of the field rock walls. Keep it! So we can keep a count of how many are found, and out of an overabundance of curiosity, please let us know and send some pics of your find. Chambers Creek provides a spot to cool your feet, stone step, or just listen to the relaxing sound of a babbling brook. The creek is overgrown with brush so access is limited but we do have a trail that follows the creek for about 300 yds. We intend to clear some more of the underbrush in the near future to allow for better enjoyment and management of this invaluable natural resource. Near by: Kettle Moraine National Forest is a 10 minute drive, boasting great hiking and the can't-miss-it view from atop Parnell Tower. Lake Ellen has a nice no-fee public boat landing just 2 miles away. The lake has clear water and is stocked periodically with Pike and Walleye. It is surprising how un-busy this lake is so bring your boat, kayak, paddle board, and/or assorted flotation devices and check it out. Our parking area can accommodate boat trailers during your stay.

2. Koeller Century Farm

100%

(52)

38mi from Appleton · 3 sites · Tents, RVs · Shawano, WI

The farm has been in the family for four generations. We don't have any livestock anymore and rent the fields to the neighbors but the home, outbuildings and five acres are well-loved and used as our home base and also for rustic weddings, graduation parties, reunions and barn dances. In 1974, the farm was used as the location for the TV movie "Things in Their Season" starring Patricia O'Neal. We put up one of the first barn quilts in the county and are on the route of the Bike the Barn Quilts bike ride (held last Saturday in September.) Learn more about this land: Pitch your tent or roll your RV up to a beautiful farmstead (we no longer have animals, crops only).  We are a rustic wedding / event venue located mid-way on the Mountain Bay Trail, Wisconsin's longest rail-trail which runs about 90 miles from Weston to Green Bay.   Fire pit available.  Views of farmland all around.  Quiet and peaceful but not secluded.   (See pictures on Facebook Country Events at the Koeller Century Farm.) You can move tent into the machine shed (wood chip floor) during severe weather.  There are electrical outlets to use to re-charge devices.

Looking to explore the great outdoors near Appleton, Wisconsin? Hipcamp has over 38 options available for camping on a ranch in this area. Whether you're a seasoned cowboy or just looking to try something new, camping on a ranch offers a unique experience. Get ready to saddle up and enjoy the beautiful Wisconsin countryside. With average prices per night starting at $40 and options as low as $20, there's something for every budget. Check out top-rated campsites like Purplehaze Acres (295 reviews), Bear Hill (53 reviews), and Cricket Ranch (48 reviews). Enjoy popular amenities like cooking equipment, potable water, and trash disposal. And don't forget to take advantage of nearby activities such as visiting historic sites, boating, and even surfing. Happy camping!

100% (233)

Top-rated campgrounds

1. Cricket Ranch

99%

(344)

47mi from Appleton · 5 sites · Tents · Cascade, WI

We are honored to again be named one of the Best Hipcamps in Wisconsin for 2024. Thank you to our guests for your wonderful reviews and helpful suggestions! And a special thank you to one of our guests, Brandon "Da Garbage Disposal" Clark, for featuring Cricket Ranch in his YouTube series "Outdoors Unsupervised: Survival Season 6". Learn more about this land: Cricket Ranch is a crazy combo of Nature's past, present, and future. The property was a farm with 75% of it corn fields until 30 years ago. It has been virtually untouched since then and in just a few decades it has reinvented itself as a forest. Chambers Creek runs thru the west side of the property. As a headwater of the Milwaukee River, it is part of the Great Lakes Basin and a source for Lake Michigan. Wisconsin has identified Chambers Creek as an Exceptional Resource Water (ERWs), Less than 10% of Wisconsin waterways carry this designation. What we do (or don't do) now affects the Great Lakes later. And you'll find fossils in the rock walls of some of the earliest examples of complex life on Earth (from 460 mya, Ordovician, Cambrian). No digging required. Seriously. How they got there is a very long story in the making and involves ancient inland seas, plate tectonics, glaciers, German immigrants, and 19th-20th century farming. Off the Beaten Path @ Cricket Ranch provides a true back to nature environment for campers, sometimes called "backcountry camping". Located on 50 acres of private forest, field, and valley, our campsites are very secluded and separated by acres of woodland. Each layout is unique, embracing what nature has provided. Backpacking (or wagoning) to your camp from the parking area is necessary as the 5' wide paths do not accommodate cars/trucks. Hiking distance from parking area: (1) Camp Cricket is 600 Ft. (2) Haen Hollow is 250 ft. (3) Rocky Top is 700 ft. (4) Grapeline is 1000 ft. Feel fee to explore the land! We are located near the Niagara Escarpment so, as previously mentioned, you might even find a 460 million year old fossil on one of the field rock walls. Keep it! So we can keep a count of how many are found, and out of an overabundance of curiosity, please let us know and send some pics of your find. Chambers Creek provides a spot to cool your feet, stone step, or just listen to the relaxing sound of a babbling brook. The creek is overgrown with brush so access is limited but we do have a trail that follows the creek for about 300 yds. We intend to clear some more of the underbrush in the near future to allow for better enjoyment and management of this invaluable natural resource. Near by: Kettle Moraine National Forest is a 10 minute drive, boasting great hiking and the can't-miss-it view from atop Parnell Tower. Lake Ellen has a nice no-fee public boat landing just 2 miles away. The lake has clear water and is stocked periodically with Pike and Walleye. It is surprising how un-busy this lake is so bring your boat, kayak, paddle board, and/or assorted flotation devices and check it out. Our parking area can accommodate boat trailers during your stay.

2. Koeller Century Farm

100%

(52)

38mi from Appleton · 3 sites · Tents, RVs · Shawano, WI

The farm has been in the family for four generations. We don't have any livestock anymore and rent the fields to the neighbors but the home, outbuildings and five acres are well-loved and used as our home base and also for rustic weddings, graduation parties, reunions and barn dances. In 1974, the farm was used as the location for the TV movie "Things in Their Season" starring Patricia O'Neal. We put up one of the first barn quilts in the county and are on the route of the Bike the Barn Quilts bike ride (held last Saturday in September.) Learn more about this land: Pitch your tent or roll your RV up to a beautiful farmstead (we no longer have animals, crops only).  We are a rustic wedding / event venue located mid-way on the Mountain Bay Trail, Wisconsin's longest rail-trail which runs about 90 miles from Weston to Green Bay.   Fire pit available.  Views of farmland all around.  Quiet and peaceful but not secluded.   (See pictures on Facebook Country Events at the Koeller Century Farm.) You can move tent into the machine shed (wood chip floor) during severe weather.  There are electrical outlets to use to re-charge devices.

Stories from the community

A

Ashley

October 2025

Tent

With pets

Weekend Trip to Cricket Ranch

Clean, private, and spacious. Easy, wide walk in with wagons. Jay brought us a big haul of firewood. Would recommend.

Amy

October 2025

Tent

With kids

Weekend Trip to Cricket Ranch

Third annual camping trip to Grapeline, and every year it's a home run! We love the convenience of having the Bell tent up and ready to go when we arrive. This property is so close to so much great outdoor adventure we keep coming back year after year. See you in 2026!

M

Megan

October 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to Cricket Ranch

Stayed at Rocky Top for one night, what a lovely, secluded campsite! Even though there were campers at other sites I barely heard or saw them. Nice sunset view and the creek was calming. The wagon was awesome amenity as the site is a little ways in and up a bit of a hill. The only minor con was a bit of road noise but it wasn’t too loud or distracting.

Julia

October 2025

Tent

With pets

Weekend Trip to Cricket Ranch

Directions to get to the site were easy enough to follow. Portapotty was clean and well maintained. Firewood was available on site for $5 with a wagon which was helpful. We cooked our dinner over the fire grate provided & ate at the picnic table. Overall a lovely stay. We took a nature walk during sunset to scope out a bit of the land. Was cool to see the rock walls & get some history from The land owner. When we crawled into the tent for the evening we were awoken twice throughout the night from our dog barking at what seemed to be human footsteps through the fallen leaves on the path leading up to our site. We were quite spooked to say the very least… other than that, we heard truck noise from the road throughout the night which brought some comfort to us. The owner said he never heard of such a thing in the middle of the night.. Would recommend, just be aware & prepared as always when tent camping.

Rob

October 2025

Tent

With pets

Weekend Trip to Cricket Ranch

Great camping spot would recommend to others. We had a group of 6, 4 dogs and 3 tents and had plenty of space. Trashcan was full when we got there with trash on the ground and no wood was left in the precut bundle area. Can hear the traffic from the site but really wasn't a problem for us. Overall would go again.

B

Brenda

October 2025

Tent

2 nights at Cricket Ranch

Super nice property and host! We stayed at Grapeline and barely heard any traffic from the road. Would recommend!

B

Becki

September 2025

Tent

With pets

Weekend Trip to Cricket Ranch

This was our first time staying at a Hipcamp. Don't think we will ever go to another crowded campground again. This is exactly what we were looking for. We adopted 2 rescue dogs a few years ago and one is not so great with people. Pretty much put an end to our camping. This site was absolutely perfect. We picked the furthest site away from the others, Grapeline. It was not a bad walk at all, remote enough that we could let the dogs off leash. We still encountered other campers when we were coming and going for the day, near the parking area and Porta potty. Lake Michigan is near by and Kettle Morain for some great hiking. This trip and the camp were exactly what we were looking for. Perfect!

C

Chris

September 2025

Tent

Group trip

Weekend Trip to Cricket Ranch

Great communication from the host, everything exactly as described. We had a question upon arrival and Jay was very helpful. The site was well maintained and the property is beautiful.

S

Shannon

September 2025

Tent

With pets

1 night at Cricket Ranch

We had an awesome time at Cricket Ranch! We were lucky enough to have the entire property to ourselves for a night of camping! The host, Jay, was incredibly communicative and accommodating. It’s awesome that he has firewood for sale right in the general area, porta potty was very clean & all sites were awesome as we did explore with our 3 dogs! The off leash amenity of this location is hard to beat! We will be back!

K

Katie

September 2025

Tent

With pets

Weekend Trip to Cricket Ranch

Awesome spot! Tent camped at site 5, it felt nice and private. You hear a little car traffic during the day but it’s pretty quiet at night and doesn’t take away from the experience. Wonderful spot to see the stars. The sled is very helpful getting supplies to the site from your car. There is a bit of a hill towards the actual site itself so have decent shoes on, again nothing crazy or undoable. I would recommend this spot if you need a relaxing getaway!

H

Heather

September 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to Cricket Ranch

We got rained out, but the dry time we had was great! Port o potty was amazing. Our dog had a blast getting to camp and be free!

S

Sha

September 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to Cricket Ranch

We had a great weekend camping here! The grapeline site was secluded and peaceful, and the hosts quick to respond with answers to questions.

D

Danielle

September 2025

Tent

With kids

Weekend Trip to Cricket Ranch

This was such a great spot to camp! The site was well maintained, so clean, and had lots of spots to explore (the rock wall was fun to explore and the history of the area is fascinating). Our host, Jay, was also very responsive. We definitely will stay again. One note, the road noise was loud at times, mostly overnight due to the big rigs taking that route. Not at all a deal breaker, just a heads up for any light sleepers!

C

Colleen

September 2025

20 ft campervan

With pets

Weekend Trip to Koeller Century Farm

The grounds were very well kept and it was very quiet and relaxing...just what I was looking for. Nancy's instructions were very complete and helpful. And yes, the sunsets were beautiful , just as she had said.

B

Brett

August 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to Cricket Ranch

Great place to camp, would definitely camp here again.

L

Lydia

August 2025

Tent

With pets

Weekend Trip to Cricket Ranch

Super cute campsite! Definitely felt very private. We could hear the cars going by on the highway but the property is so well maintained and the portapotty is really clean, so all things considered we didn’t mind at all. Host was also very nice!

K

Kimberly

August 2025

Tent

With pets

Weekend Trip to Cricket Ranch

Loved grapevine camp spot, quiet and mostly private area. One campground area with a few clearings around to spread out a bit. Downside was creek area wasn't much of an excitement as hoped, but would definitely recommend area and such a deal for 12 ppl!

M

Mike

August 2025

Tent

1 night at Cricket Ranch

A very private and peaceful campsite, exactly what we were looking for. The host had excellent communication throughout our stay. The property was well-maintained: clean, freshly mowed, and even had firewood available for sale. And honestly, the port-a-potty was the cleanest I've ever seen. Highly recommend if you're looking for a quiet, well-kept spot to relax

M

Michelle

August 2025

Tent

With kids

1 night at Koeller Century Farm

We had a peaceful stay at Nancy and John’s farm. We chose to pitch our tent behind the outbuildings near the cornfields which blocked the security lights. We appreciated the flush toilet and enjoyed dinner around the fire pit. This is a great site for those looking for some solitude and privacy.

J

Justin

August 2025

15 ft campervan

Weekend Trip to Koeller Century Farm

Great stay! They’re farm is BEAUTIFUL. Nice grass you can camp on wherever you want. The fire pit is well maintained and the bathroom/ sink are all clean. They even let us charge things in the barn. John was very kind and told us the history of his family on the farm. If we’re in Wisconsin again we will happily camp here!