Road Trips Starting from Milwaukee, WI
Best National Parks Near Milwaukee, WI
Indiana Sand Dunes National Park is located 139 miles from Milwaukee on the southern tip of Lake Michigan. The park features over 50 miles of hiking trails that take you through sand dunes, woodlands, prairies, and wetlands. It is also a bird watcher's paradise as the park is an important feeding and resting area for migrating birds. Visitors can spot hawks, waterfowl, and wetland birds during their stay.
If you are willing to drive a further distance, Cuyahoga Valley National Park in northern Ohio offers many terrific outdoor adventures. The park is approximately 440 miles from Milwaukee and is home to 33,000 acres of land and several waterfalls. Over 125 miles of hiking trails within the park offer various difficulty levels. Some trails require you to cross streams on stepping stones or log bridges, while others are mostly flat and suitable for all visitors.
Another good national park to visit if you don't mind driving a long distance is the Gateway Arch National Park. This park is about 372 miles south of Milwaukee and is home to St. Louis' famous Gateway Arch. When visiting the park, you can take a guided tour of the arch or climb into a 19th-century replica steamboat and float down the Mississippi River. While there is no RV camping available at this national park, several campgrounds and RV parks are nearby.
Popular State Parks Near Milwaukee, WI
Harrington Beach State Park is only 38 miles away from downtown Milwaukee and sits on the beautiful shores of Lake Michigan. This 715-acre recreation area is open year-round and features various outdoor activities such as fishing, hiking, boating, kayaking, and biking. The park has seven miles of hiking trails and one mile of Lake Michigan shoreline. If you hike along the coastline, you will see the remains of a 700-foot pier that was used in the early 1900s for shipping limestone.
Located 57 miles southwest of Milwaukee, Big Foot Beach State Park is the perfect location for a weekend getaway. The state park sits on Lake Geneva and features a swimming beach, playground, fishing, and hiking. As the park is open year-round, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are popular activities in the winter. Visitors will find 6.5 miles of hiking trails that take you through a forest and open meadow. Most of the trails are relatively short, with the longest being the Green Trail, which is 2.9 miles long.
Lake Kegonsa State Park is 78 miles west of downtown and located on the northeast shore of Lake Kegonsa. The 3,200-acre lake offers excellent fishing, boating, and kayaking opportunities, while the rest of the park is perfect for hiking and nature-watching. Visitors can rent a boat and try their hand at catching a walleye or one of the many panfish species that call the lake home. If you are looking for a more strenuous activity, try hiking one of the six trails within the park. The Prairie Trail is the longest at 1.3 miles, features beautiful prairie plants in the summer, and is the perfect spot for birdwatching.
Must-see Monuments and Landmarks Near Milwaukee, WI
The HWY 67 trailhead for the Ice Age National Scenic Trail is located 38 miles west of Milwaukee. This national site consists of over 1,000 miles of trail, allowing hikers to get an up-close view of the landscape formed by the last glacial period. Camping is allowed along certain spots of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, but there is no RV camping. If you are looking to explore this national site in an RV, it is best to map out the route you want to take and stay at campgrounds along the way. This will allow you to get out and hike different parts of the trail and view Wisconsin's scenery.
Located 107 miles to the south of Milwaukee, Pullman National Monument provides a fascinating look at the first planned industrial community in the 19th century. The monument is located in a growing Chicago neighborhood and does not offer any camping. Parking a large RV is a challenge, but there are surrounding parks that may be able to accommodate a larger rig.
If you don't mind a longer road trip, the 437-mile drive to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore will be well worth your time. This national lakeshore is located on the west side of Michigan and provides a different lake experience. Visitors are treated to bluffs as high as 450 feet above the lake and miles of sand dunes that you can climb. RV camping is readily available within the park, with the Platte River Campground being the best option for RVs of all sizes.
RVshare’s Top Picks for Nearby RV Parks & Campgrounds
The Wisconsin State Fair RV Park is the only RV park in Metro Milwaukee. It is located 6 miles west of downtown and is open year-round. The RV park offers several different types of sites for varying rates. A basic site with no utilities is $35 per night, and a full-service site with electric, water, and sewer hookups is $52 per night. The park includes Wi-Fi, laundry, and showers.
Country View Campground is located 29 miles outside of Milwaukee and features a swimming pool, hot showers, playground, petting zoo, and Saturday night hayrides. A campsite with water and electricity costs $42 per night, while a site with full hookups costs $47 per night. If you stay for a full week, you only pay for six nights, and the seventh night is free.
Camping at Timber Trail Campground is open from April 28th to October 15th, and nightly rates start at $44. Visitors will enjoy many amenities at this campground, including a heated swimming pool, dump station, game room, kayak rentals, coin-operated showers, and firewood.
RV Dump Stations Near Milwaukee, WI
If you are traveling through the heart of Milwaukee, you will find the Wisconsin State Fair RV Park dump station about six miles to the west of downtown. The RV park is full of amenities, including the dump station, where you can fill up on water. There is no fee if you are a registered guest; otherwise, it will cost you $10.
The dump station at Pike Lake State Park is located 36 miles from Milwaukee and is one of the better facilities in the area. A Wisconsin State Park System sticker is required to enter the park, and there is a $10 fee to empty your tanks. You can refresh your potable and non-potable water at this location.
The Yogi Bear Jellystone Camp is just 17 miles from Milwaukee and features potable and rinse water. The station is open from mid-April through mid-October and is free to use for guests.
