The best camping near Franklin with wildlife watching

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Looking to go camping near Franklin, Wisconsin? Hipcamp has you covered with over 268 options in the area. With campsite prices averaging at $48 per night and options as low as $10, you'll find something that fits your budget. Check out some of the top campsites with rave reviews like The Vaudeville Urban Farm Fun! (136 reviews), Retreat Center Campsites (51 reviews), and Willowthorne (45 reviews). Whether you're into off-roading, horseback riding, or climbing, you'll find popular activities like these to enjoy. Amenities like toilets, pet-friendly spaces, and potable water are also available. So get ready to experience the great outdoors near Franklin, Wisconsin!

98% (716)

Top-rated campgrounds

Purplehaze Acres

1. Purplehaze Acres

98%
(952)
41mi from Franklin · 9 sites · Tents, Lodging · Rubicon, WI
Purplehaze Acres is a 60-acre organic rustic farm in Rubicon, WI and resides at the beginning of the approx. 650-mile Niagara Escarpment--known locally as "The Ledge". We are in close proximity to the Ice Age Trail, and the natural treasures of the great Horicon Marsh, Lake Sinnissipi/Rock River with canoeing/kayaking/fishing, Ledges County Park, and the world-renowned Holy Hill Shrine. Nearby Hustisford ("Husti") offers unique shopping and dining experiences. Need a few organic groceries? Make sure to visit Back To The Best Organic grocer only 3 miles away, featuring food raised on local organic farms including Purplehaze Acres. We offer a variety of camping alternatives, with 7 tent sites, 1 group site, and a cabin. There is potable water, charcoal grills, firepit grates, eggs and, available for purchase, firewood. COMING SOON: Did you forget something? If so, check out our Camp Cupboard Store. Your approach via 1/2-mile dirt drive up the hills and through the woods . . . to not your grandmother's typical house you go. You'll find wonderful vistas, wildflowers, berries, trails up into the woods, a 900' grass runway for aviators on an overall great "peace" of earth. ☮
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
from 
$40
 / night
The resident kiddos in the tent.

5. A Vegetable & Flower Farm

98%
(54)
44mi from Franklin · 1 site · Tent · Fredonia, WI
Our little chunk of paradise is about 8 acres. It is a diverse piece of land allowing for micro environments. A hilltop with an orchard a few terraced garden beds, about an acre or so of wooded area with a waterway down below, and another 1.5 acre of garden, intermixed with pasture, out buildings and our home. The land is surrounded by 120 acres of adjacent farmland. Across our street is wetlands and woods. Adjacent to the 120 acres of farmland is another 80 acres of public hunting land. We are blessed to live so close to nature without a view of a neighbors house. Stars, crickets, frogs, woodcocks in spring, hummingbirds and sandhill cranes in summer, and more all in abundance at our Willoway Farm. We bought our home in 2006. Before then it was in the same family that settled there in 1840s-1850s. At one time there was a log cabin, then they built our cream city brick farmhouse in 1893. The farm in the 1980s and before was a dairy farm. When we bought it half of where you see the garden was either grass or part of the conventional farm adjacent to our property. Our farm logo is taken from the builder of the barn-many pioneer barn builders often signed their barn work with a symbol. We liked the symbol and kept it to use as our own yet honor the builder of our barn. We have great appreciation for those that built with such beautiful large trees and all by hand. The Produce Wash Building is a timber frame built by Dan our farm owner and farm doer. The timber frame was made from reclaimed timbers and reclaimed barn siding, the shingles were made from scratch by Dan also. Learn more about this land: Willoway Farm is a small scale organic vegetable &and flower farm established in 2007, located 35 minutes north of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It's situated upon a glacial hill over looking a Milwaukee river flowage to the south and the kettle moraine state forest to the northwest. Our 8 acre land with cut flower & heirloom vegetable garden is surrounded by over 200 acres of uninhabited land, ( Farmland & state wild land). We are just 5 minutes from hiking trails into the state forest, which is beautiful all times of the year! A 55 acre secluded lake with public access is only 1.5 miles from Willoway - we hear the fishing is good. New now is across the street is a 283 acre land trust- Biehl Nature Preserve on Lake Twelve. The roads near the farm traverse through mixed forest and farm land with only slight traffic offering exceptional bicycling! The camp space is primitive and private yet offers gentle vistas upon the surrounding landscape with often both amazing sunrises and sunsets - situated upon the high point of the farm nestled in a young apple orchard. We have a spacious outhouse on site. We feel so fortunate live and farm where we do & love offering the natural beauty it offers to others. Our garden is lush with flowers, herbs and vegetables great for observing our plethora of pollinators. There are so many places to visit within 10 miles of our Campsite. A favorite is Riveredge Nature Center only 9.6 miles offering 3 miles of trails including 1 mile along Milwaukee River. Riveredge Nature Center has vast landscapes with so many lovely native wild flowers.
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
from 
$55
 / night
Site 2

7. Small Orchard on 150 acre Farm

93%
(57)
35mi from Franklin · 5 sites · Tents, RVs · Ixonia, WI
CAMPSITE IS LOCATED IN THE ORCHARD. Please do not enter the main farm driveway. If you are not looking at Apple trees you are in the wrong place. Pets need to be on a leash and cleaned up after. Please do not leave them out of the orchard. My grandfather purchased the property and everything you can see 360° around you in 1953. The orchard was started in 1962 and the large trees date back to that time and still produce apples. My dad took over in 1985 and it has been part of my life ever since. After my dads passing in 2017 the property fell to me. At it's peak there were 85 trees that produced 500 bushels of apples per season. All hand pruned, sprayed and picked. We sold them 5 days a week at local farmers markets. Currently, about two dozen trees are maintained, the rest feed the local wildlife. An orchard is a year round commitment. Enjoy your stay. ~Dale This is a small working family orchard. Sites are rustic. RV and trailers can park on grass or the driveway. Tents ⛺ can set up on the grass. Sites are not marked. HipCamp requires that I list them separately for reservation purposes. The location is not busy. Maybe one or two reservations a weekend in the summer. Pick a spot you are comfortable & enjoy your stay. One picnic table on site. One fire pit. Minutes from the Rock River for paddling and fishing. No bathroom on site. No water onsite. No onsite camp host. My Uncle is your neighbor, so I will hear about any mischief you might get into.
Pets
Campfires
from 
$23
 / night
The Commons Oak Savanna

8. The Commons Oak Savanna

92%
(25)
43mi from Franklin · 2 sites · Tents, RVs · Woodstock, IL
Learn more about this land: (NOTE) Greenwood Rd and Illinois Rt 120 are the same...Google uses Greenwood Rd, and the State prefers Illinois Rte 120) Get away from it and commune with nature in a pre-settlement natural oak savanna with oaks and hickories of 200-400 years. 25-acre woodland completely fenced and surrounded by cropland and woods with no homes or roads within a half mile. Experience the land as the nomadic Indian tribes saw it. Trails cross the property. Hawks, owls, turkeys, and occasional bald eagles, along with finches, woodpeckers, doves, and martins fill the sky; while deer, chipmunks, squirrels, and rabbits roam the grounds. Only two camps are available to keep the setting pristine and primitive and a third site can be used behind the sheds if you encounter unexpected weather.
Pets
Campfires
from 
$45
 / night
Optional teepee

9. Simply Maple Farm Tipi🪶🏕️🛶

97%
(44)
14mi from Franklin · 1 site · Tent, RV · Mukwonago, WI
Peace and quiet served daily-no other tents in sight! This is off the beaten path next to the Fox River with no other campers nearby. You can bring your own RV/tent/campervan or choose to stay in the tipi. There are two kayaks with life jackets labeled for guests to use during their stay. As you drive on the dirt road to the site there are farm fields to your left and the Fox River is straight ahead. If needing to to get groceries, Walmart and Aldi's are about 5 minutes away. Local towns are Mukwonago and East Troy. Chicago is 90 minutes away and Milwaukee and Lake Geneva are 30. Fork in the Road and David Alan Alan's Smokehouse & Saloon are popular restaurants in Mukwonago. Or you can try mead in East Troy at the Hive! The Alpine Valley Music Theatre is 15 minutes away. Location is near I-43 & Highway 83. Summerfest is the world's largest musical festival and it is located 30 minutes away. You can Venmo or use cash while you are at the campsite to purchase wood for one dollar a piece. There is also charcoal available with the site along with a weber grill. Lastly, the river might give you muddy toes-consider it a souvenir! But feel free to bring some water to rinse off and keep things fresh.
Pets
Toilets
Campfires
from 
$72
 / night
The Aloha Ranch

10. The Aloha Ranch

100%
(19)
42mi from Franklin · 10 sites · Tents, RVs · Harvard, IL
We have 26 acres of land to have fun on and enjoy nature! Turtles, rabbits, deer, possums, and snakes are just a few of the wildlife that you may encounter. The Kishwaukee river runs along the property bringing a variety of creatures as well as a nice place to cool off on hot days. You can find wild berry trees and beautiful flowers. Enjoy campfires and gaze upon the vast sky full of stars at night. There are multiple camping sites, some surrounded by trees and others in open fields to suit your preference and camping vehicle. Learn more about this land: Welcome to our 26 acres surrounded by the Kishwaukee River. Small trails, secluded yet near food, shopping and activities. Pet friendly, bon fires, barbecuing, gorgeous sunrises and tranquil sunsets. We are a family run small farm with dogs, horses, ponies and chickens. Only 1 hour 20 minutes from downtown Chicago and 1 hour from Ohare airport.  Near Wisconsin border, Fox River, Lake Geneva, Rush Creek, Volo Museum & Antiques. Look up things to do in McHenry as well.
Pets
Campfires
Trash
from 
$50
 / night
Wisconsin State Fair RV Park

11. Wisconsin State Fair RV Park

9.8mi from Franklin · 51 sites · West Allis, WI
The RV Park at Wisconsin State Fair Park stands out as the only RV park in the Metro Milwaukee area, offering year-round access with full-hookup facilities, even during the winter months. This unique feature makes it an ideal destination for RV enthusiasts seeking comfort and convenience throughout the year. Nestled in an urban environment and conveniently located adjacent to I-94, the RV Park provides easy access to a variety of attractions. Just minutes away, visitors can explore downtown Milwaukee, which boasts an array of museums, vibrant summer festivals, and a diverse selection of dining options ranging from casual eateries to fine dining establishments. Additionally, the Fiserv Forum and UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena are nearby, along with the Potawatomi Casino Hotel, ensuring entertainment is always within reach. Nature lovers will appreciate the proximity to the Hank Aaron State Trail, perfect for outdoor activities. For those looking to venture beyond the city, the RV Park is also close to suburban attractions. American Family Field, home of the Milwaukee Brewers, is just a short drive away, as is the renowned Milwaukee County Zoo. Shoppers will enjoy the endless options available at Mayfair Mall, making this RV park a prime location for both relaxation and adventure.
Pets
Potable water
Toilets

Looking to go camping near Franklin, Wisconsin? Hipcamp has you covered with over 268 options in the area. With campsite prices averaging at $48 per night and options as low as $10, you'll find something that fits your budget. Check out some of the top campsites with rave reviews like The Vaudeville Urban Farm Fun! (136 reviews), Retreat Center Campsites (51 reviews), and Willowthorne (45 reviews). Whether you're into off-roading, horseback riding, or climbing, you'll find popular activities like these to enjoy. Amenities like toilets, pet-friendly spaces, and potable water are also available. So get ready to experience the great outdoors near Franklin, Wisconsin!

98% (716)

Top-rated campgrounds

Purplehaze Acres

1. Purplehaze Acres

98%
(952)
41mi from Franklin · 9 sites · Tents, Lodging · Rubicon, WI
Purplehaze Acres is a 60-acre organic rustic farm in Rubicon, WI and resides at the beginning of the approx. 650-mile Niagara Escarpment--known locally as "The Ledge". We are in close proximity to the Ice Age Trail, and the natural treasures of the great Horicon Marsh, Lake Sinnissipi/Rock River with canoeing/kayaking/fishing, Ledges County Park, and the world-renowned Holy Hill Shrine. Nearby Hustisford ("Husti") offers unique shopping and dining experiences. Need a few organic groceries? Make sure to visit Back To The Best Organic grocer only 3 miles away, featuring food raised on local organic farms including Purplehaze Acres. We offer a variety of camping alternatives, with 7 tent sites, 1 group site, and a cabin. There is potable water, charcoal grills, firepit grates, eggs and, available for purchase, firewood. COMING SOON: Did you forget something? If so, check out our Camp Cupboard Store. Your approach via 1/2-mile dirt drive up the hills and through the woods . . . to not your grandmother's typical house you go. You'll find wonderful vistas, wildflowers, berries, trails up into the woods, a 900' grass runway for aviators on an overall great "peace" of earth. ☮
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
from 
$40
 / night
The resident kiddos in the tent.

5. A Vegetable & Flower Farm

98%
(54)
44mi from Franklin · 1 site · Tent · Fredonia, WI
Our little chunk of paradise is about 8 acres. It is a diverse piece of land allowing for micro environments. A hilltop with an orchard a few terraced garden beds, about an acre or so of wooded area with a waterway down below, and another 1.5 acre of garden, intermixed with pasture, out buildings and our home. The land is surrounded by 120 acres of adjacent farmland. Across our street is wetlands and woods. Adjacent to the 120 acres of farmland is another 80 acres of public hunting land. We are blessed to live so close to nature without a view of a neighbors house. Stars, crickets, frogs, woodcocks in spring, hummingbirds and sandhill cranes in summer, and more all in abundance at our Willoway Farm. We bought our home in 2006. Before then it was in the same family that settled there in 1840s-1850s. At one time there was a log cabin, then they built our cream city brick farmhouse in 1893. The farm in the 1980s and before was a dairy farm. When we bought it half of where you see the garden was either grass or part of the conventional farm adjacent to our property. Our farm logo is taken from the builder of the barn-many pioneer barn builders often signed their barn work with a symbol. We liked the symbol and kept it to use as our own yet honor the builder of our barn. We have great appreciation for those that built with such beautiful large trees and all by hand. The Produce Wash Building is a timber frame built by Dan our farm owner and farm doer. The timber frame was made from reclaimed timbers and reclaimed barn siding, the shingles were made from scratch by Dan also. Learn more about this land: Willoway Farm is a small scale organic vegetable &and flower farm established in 2007, located 35 minutes north of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It's situated upon a glacial hill over looking a Milwaukee river flowage to the south and the kettle moraine state forest to the northwest. Our 8 acre land with cut flower & heirloom vegetable garden is surrounded by over 200 acres of uninhabited land, ( Farmland & state wild land). We are just 5 minutes from hiking trails into the state forest, which is beautiful all times of the year! A 55 acre secluded lake with public access is only 1.5 miles from Willoway - we hear the fishing is good. New now is across the street is a 283 acre land trust- Biehl Nature Preserve on Lake Twelve. The roads near the farm traverse through mixed forest and farm land with only slight traffic offering exceptional bicycling! The camp space is primitive and private yet offers gentle vistas upon the surrounding landscape with often both amazing sunrises and sunsets - situated upon the high point of the farm nestled in a young apple orchard. We have a spacious outhouse on site. We feel so fortunate live and farm where we do & love offering the natural beauty it offers to others. Our garden is lush with flowers, herbs and vegetables great for observing our plethora of pollinators. There are so many places to visit within 10 miles of our Campsite. A favorite is Riveredge Nature Center only 9.6 miles offering 3 miles of trails including 1 mile along Milwaukee River. Riveredge Nature Center has vast landscapes with so many lovely native wild flowers.
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
from 
$55
 / night
Site 2

7. Small Orchard on 150 acre Farm

93%
(57)
35mi from Franklin · 5 sites · Tents, RVs · Ixonia, WI
CAMPSITE IS LOCATED IN THE ORCHARD. Please do not enter the main farm driveway. If you are not looking at Apple trees you are in the wrong place. Pets need to be on a leash and cleaned up after. Please do not leave them out of the orchard. My grandfather purchased the property and everything you can see 360° around you in 1953. The orchard was started in 1962 and the large trees date back to that time and still produce apples. My dad took over in 1985 and it has been part of my life ever since. After my dads passing in 2017 the property fell to me. At it's peak there were 85 trees that produced 500 bushels of apples per season. All hand pruned, sprayed and picked. We sold them 5 days a week at local farmers markets. Currently, about two dozen trees are maintained, the rest feed the local wildlife. An orchard is a year round commitment. Enjoy your stay. ~Dale This is a small working family orchard. Sites are rustic. RV and trailers can park on grass or the driveway. Tents ⛺ can set up on the grass. Sites are not marked. HipCamp requires that I list them separately for reservation purposes. The location is not busy. Maybe one or two reservations a weekend in the summer. Pick a spot you are comfortable & enjoy your stay. One picnic table on site. One fire pit. Minutes from the Rock River for paddling and fishing. No bathroom on site. No water onsite. No onsite camp host. My Uncle is your neighbor, so I will hear about any mischief you might get into.
Pets
Campfires
from 
$23
 / night
The Commons Oak Savanna

8. The Commons Oak Savanna

92%
(25)
43mi from Franklin · 2 sites · Tents, RVs · Woodstock, IL
Learn more about this land: (NOTE) Greenwood Rd and Illinois Rt 120 are the same...Google uses Greenwood Rd, and the State prefers Illinois Rte 120) Get away from it and commune with nature in a pre-settlement natural oak savanna with oaks and hickories of 200-400 years. 25-acre woodland completely fenced and surrounded by cropland and woods with no homes or roads within a half mile. Experience the land as the nomadic Indian tribes saw it. Trails cross the property. Hawks, owls, turkeys, and occasional bald eagles, along with finches, woodpeckers, doves, and martins fill the sky; while deer, chipmunks, squirrels, and rabbits roam the grounds. Only two camps are available to keep the setting pristine and primitive and a third site can be used behind the sheds if you encounter unexpected weather.
Pets
Campfires
from 
$45
 / night
Optional teepee

9. Simply Maple Farm Tipi🪶🏕️🛶

97%
(44)
14mi from Franklin · 1 site · Tent, RV · Mukwonago, WI
Peace and quiet served daily-no other tents in sight! This is off the beaten path next to the Fox River with no other campers nearby. You can bring your own RV/tent/campervan or choose to stay in the tipi. There are two kayaks with life jackets labeled for guests to use during their stay. As you drive on the dirt road to the site there are farm fields to your left and the Fox River is straight ahead. If needing to to get groceries, Walmart and Aldi's are about 5 minutes away. Local towns are Mukwonago and East Troy. Chicago is 90 minutes away and Milwaukee and Lake Geneva are 30. Fork in the Road and David Alan Alan's Smokehouse & Saloon are popular restaurants in Mukwonago. Or you can try mead in East Troy at the Hive! The Alpine Valley Music Theatre is 15 minutes away. Location is near I-43 & Highway 83. Summerfest is the world's largest musical festival and it is located 30 minutes away. You can Venmo or use cash while you are at the campsite to purchase wood for one dollar a piece. There is also charcoal available with the site along with a weber grill. Lastly, the river might give you muddy toes-consider it a souvenir! But feel free to bring some water to rinse off and keep things fresh.
Pets
Toilets
Campfires
from 
$72
 / night
The Aloha Ranch

10. The Aloha Ranch

100%
(19)
42mi from Franklin · 10 sites · Tents, RVs · Harvard, IL
We have 26 acres of land to have fun on and enjoy nature! Turtles, rabbits, deer, possums, and snakes are just a few of the wildlife that you may encounter. The Kishwaukee river runs along the property bringing a variety of creatures as well as a nice place to cool off on hot days. You can find wild berry trees and beautiful flowers. Enjoy campfires and gaze upon the vast sky full of stars at night. There are multiple camping sites, some surrounded by trees and others in open fields to suit your preference and camping vehicle. Learn more about this land: Welcome to our 26 acres surrounded by the Kishwaukee River. Small trails, secluded yet near food, shopping and activities. Pet friendly, bon fires, barbecuing, gorgeous sunrises and tranquil sunsets. We are a family run small farm with dogs, horses, ponies and chickens. Only 1 hour 20 minutes from downtown Chicago and 1 hour from Ohare airport.  Near Wisconsin border, Fox River, Lake Geneva, Rush Creek, Volo Museum & Antiques. Look up things to do in McHenry as well.
Pets
Campfires
Trash
from 
$50
 / night
Wisconsin State Fair RV Park

11. Wisconsin State Fair RV Park

9.8mi from Franklin · 51 sites · West Allis, WI
The RV Park at Wisconsin State Fair Park stands out as the only RV park in the Metro Milwaukee area, offering year-round access with full-hookup facilities, even during the winter months. This unique feature makes it an ideal destination for RV enthusiasts seeking comfort and convenience throughout the year. Nestled in an urban environment and conveniently located adjacent to I-94, the RV Park provides easy access to a variety of attractions. Just minutes away, visitors can explore downtown Milwaukee, which boasts an array of museums, vibrant summer festivals, and a diverse selection of dining options ranging from casual eateries to fine dining establishments. Additionally, the Fiserv Forum and UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena are nearby, along with the Potawatomi Casino Hotel, ensuring entertainment is always within reach. Nature lovers will appreciate the proximity to the Hank Aaron State Trail, perfect for outdoor activities. For those looking to venture beyond the city, the RV Park is also close to suburban attractions. American Family Field, home of the Milwaukee Brewers, is just a short drive away, as is the renowned Milwaukee County Zoo. Shoppers will enjoy the endless options available at Mayfair Mall, making this RV park a prime location for both relaxation and adventure.
Pets
Potable water
Toilets

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Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field
Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field