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Jackrabbit Ranch

93%
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· Laytonville, Mendocino, California
590 acres hosted by Heidi W.
1 RV/tent site
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All to yourself
100% of recent Hipcampers say this Hipcamp felt private.
Once a remote cattle range and now a ranch and hermitage ranging from 900' to 2800' in elevation over 590 acres of glorious land, most of it untouched by human hands.  Wild windblown oak meadows, pine forests and wildflowers, mud and greenery in winter to a lovely dry golden bronze in summer with access to the North Fork of the Eel River if you have 4wd, AWD, horse or a quad of your own to ride.    Sites run from car access to 4wd and even quad access only, all of them rustic and primitive perfect for folks who really want a change from technology.  Phone service generally will *not* work on site.  Prepare to unplug.River View is a group space handling up to 30 people with stunning sunrises and sweeping views of the Eel river valley below.  You rent the several acre *entire* space, all to yourself. Perfect for small, remote weddings, tiny rustic reunions or heart-felt gathering of folks who love nature unprocessed.  Several oak trees dot the meadow, with choices of flat or sloping campspots according to your preference.  We've even had folks camp in a hammock up a tree! A sharp incline leads to an additional super-secluded campspace below (for hikers with amazing leg-strength only!)   River View is 45 minutes of dirt road from 101 (30 if you drive like a bat out of hell), so be sure you want a little more solitude than normal and love washboard adventure.    This is wild land!!  Some of the last wild land left in the world, unpolished and sometimes mischievous with actual wild animals wandering around, bugs and burrs in summer or mud in winter.  There might even be dragon flies or poison oak.  Put tick preventative on your dogs and good tires on your vehicle 'cause you're going somewhere out of the ordinary.  If you want the experience of a manicured state park with paved roads and a visible camp-neighbor blasting their radio 24/7, we can suggest several.  To each their own and more power to you.  This is not that. Don’t even get me started on the glorious night sky. The Milky Way is stunning! Yes, we are LGBTQAI and BIPOC friendly and have friend-family who live their lives very freely in ways different from our own.  We love and accept us all.  You are welcome here. A private, AWD road above River View leads to the Eel River for swimming and exploring.  The road is exclusive to our ranch and one neighboring family, but every now and again, other guests might pass by on their way to the river.  We suggest you wear river shoes when you go, and bring shade!  4/AWD and high clearances required.  We're serious about the 4/AWD.  If you're a marathoner accustomed to hills, then yes, feel free to walk it.  Your own mountain bikes, quads and ATVs are always welcome on our roads. We're a quarter-mile above the site (out of sight and earshot) and will bring firewood for guests, so long as a warming-fire-ban is not in effect.  Visit a legal cannabis farm or have a heritage-breed pig roast or ranch-raised brined and smoked chicken during your stay, with prior arrangement.  Try the roast pig or smoked chicken. It's freaking delicious.  So is the cannabis.
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93%
49 ratings · 34 reviews
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Trevor C.recommends
September 18, 2023
River View
Stargazer paradise
What an incredible stay! The road in definitely has some pretty rough spots between rock and erosion so be sure that everything is strapped down really well. My truck is only RWD but I have some decent all-terrains on it with 350-400lbs over the rear axel and had no problem getting there. Other than that… it’s a beautiful and rowdy ride to the campsite. I can’t even describe how incredible the stargazing is up there… you have to see it for yourself. The river was also such an incredible part of the trip. Up stream from the clearing you walk down from is a killer little 8 ft. Rock jump. The campsite was very clean with plenty of room to set up tables, cooking areas, cornhole, etc. I will definitely be coming back here.
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Tammy W.recommends
August 14, 2023
River View
Heidi's land was absolutely amazing. When you're here, you're committed - bring what you need including lots of water & ice. We stayed here for two nights and it was amazing. The views are beautiful and it's so peaceful. The "peepee teepee" was super clean and well stocked. She left us with plenty of firewood and the firepit was really nice. Stargazing was stupendous. Really, I cannot say enough good about camping here. We were there when it was particularly hot and we didn't find swimming on the river to be ideal. We were very grateful that we brought a shade with us while we hung out at the campsite. There were also several nice shade trees.
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Will M.recommends
July 22, 2023
River View
Wild & Hot Mendocino!
Heidi is a great host! The property was as advertised.... a solid one hour drive on a dusty and wash boarded dirt road, east of 101. Once you drive up to the peak and drop down on to the other side into the Eel River valley, you feel like you are a long way from civilization. It was incredibly quite and peaceful. The property is completely off-grid as are the other homesteads and "farms" in the area. The camp site was large with plenty of room for our three families to spread out. It was really hot so the big oak trees were our saviors! The view from camp was incredible. The pit toilet was in great shape. The ride down to the river is about 15 minutes as you drop about 2,000 feet. You're not getting your full-size truck all the way to the bottom unless you want some new pinstripes! Otherwise, the road was in great shape. The river was fantastic, especially for our young kids. Getting to the water involves a little trek along the rail-road tracks and down the embankment. We had 4x4 jeeps so we could get as close as possible. As I mentioned at the beginning, Heidi is a great host. The campsite is private and you are welcome to make as little or as much noise as possible. It was great learning about the history, trials and tribulations of "farming" in the area and everything that comes with full-time off-grid living. This is a rough and ready part of the world. Not for camping beginners! Plan accordingly, bring a lot of water (or beer!) and you'll have a great time!
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Tara B.recommends
July 12, 2023
River View
Heidi is not only an amazing host, but an amazing person for sharing her pristine land with the public. Be mindful that you have to come prepared to be in remote land - bring plenty of water, limit your trash because your packing it out, make sure your car can handle off road for some miles, and plan to enjoy nature in its fullest. We loved the views, hearing the coyotes at night, stargazing, the solitude at camp and being at the river by ourselves! Seriously, no one around for miles!! Thanks Heidi for sharing your land and we hope to come back next year.
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Jackson M.recommends
April 25, 2023
River View
Amazing spot! Definitely need a 4x4 with clearance to get in and out but my Subaru handled it fine. A friend with FWD struggled and almost didn't make it out. Besides that, AMAZING VIEWS and river access after a short hike. Heidi was very welcoming and made sure we had our privacy. We made a ton of noise and it was no problem. Would definitely recommend it.
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Rebekah J.recommends
April 23, 2023
River View
Heidi is such a great host! The space is beautiful, clean, and a great private piece of land. If you are looking for a remote camping spot for a large group, this is it.
Location
Laytonville, Mendocino, California, United StatesTraditional, ancestral territory of Northern Yuki and Cahto First Nations according to To respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking
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Hosted by Heidi W.Joined in February 2018
Response rate: 80%Response time: Within 12 hours
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