Mount Franklin is located 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) northeast of Arthur's Pass, and is the second tallest of the New Zealand mountains with this name.

As such, it is located close to the border between the Canterbury and West Coast regions.

Rising to a height of 2,145 metres (7,037 ft), it is located within Arthur's Pass National Park.

[5] Prevailing westerly winds blow moist air from the Tasman Sea onto the mountain, where the air is forced upwards by the mountains (orographic lift), causing moisture to drop in the form of rain and snow.

The months of December through February offer the most favourable weather for viewing or climbing this peak.