Salt & Yarrow Soul Sanctuary
Hosted by Amelya · Big Lake, Alaska
2 sites · Tent · 5 acres
Best in Alaska: Finalist
Named one of the best Hipcamps to visit in 2023.
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100% of recent Hipcampers say the sites felt private.
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Tent camping, kayaking, Alaskan fun
100%
(8)Moderate walk to site
4WD required
Campfires allowed
Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
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Summit Studio
100%
(1)Moderate walk to site
4WD required
Campfires allowed
Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
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Reviews
100% Recommend11 Ratings · 8 reviews
This is such a cool property! The cabin was cozy and warm on some very cold nights. It’s a short walk from parking and to the lake super convenient location to truly experience this part of Alaska, hole still being a short drive (across a frozen lake!) from the small town of Big Lake and about 30 min from Wasilla for restaurants, groceries, and some incredible local breweries and pizza! Amelya and her family are super welcoming and have carved out an incredible place here. While it is hard off the grid, they’ve maintained a very homey, familial feeling that’s something you can’t just manufacture. The scenery is beautiful and the Northern Lights made an appearance. Amelya and her husband Wyatt (and even their two cool sons) were super responsive and just a short walk away, willing to help out with any needs during the stay and great suggestions for activities and food. We were even included in a NYE celebration bonfire on the lake! Can’t wait to return to Alaska and will definitely be staying here if available!!!
J
Joel S.
2 reviews
Recommends
· July 2024
Tent · Group trip ·
Tent camping, kayaking, Alaskan fun
Emelya was super helpful and kind! We didn't arrive till late which was unexpected but she didn't seem bothered by it. She gave us a tour of the campground and told us a little about each spot. The campground was very spacious and accessible. The sights and sounds were so pretty. Definitely worth it!
Otter W.
1 year on Hipcamp
We had the most amazing couple days on Wyatt and Amelya's homestead! They were amazing at communicating with us, and even sent over a couple videos showing the ins and outs of the property since they weren't able to meet us when we arrived. We were able to park and sleep in our van, but the property has so much to offer you will never want to leave! The tent spot looks like its out of a fairy tale, nestled amongst mushrooms in a grove of cottonwoods, with a pit toilet conveniently located in a private little alcove nearby. We picked cranberries along the bog path, did a quick workout in their outdoor gym, marveled at their rich garden, played with their kittens (Granola almost became a van kitty!), paddled on their private lake, and cooked dinner on the fire overlooking the Alaskan sunset!
Just Another V.
6 reviews
Honored I got a chance to stay with Amelia & her wonderful family on their land near Big Lake. If you're a regular camper you'll appreciate the stunning beauty, remote location and diverse flora & fauna of the site. On 5 acres Amelia & Wyatt live in a converted school bus at the front of the property with their two extremely sweet and respectful sons. They've built from scratch a series of trails, covered areas, a fire pit, organic garden, outdoor composting toilet and boat dock. The campsite is towards the lake and right next to the toilet which is extremely clean, well maintained and peaceful. Walking toward the lake the landscape changes from forest to bog and you emerge on a private lake dock with kayaks, safety gear and flippers to use at your leisure. My friend and I soaped up and took a refreshing dip in the lake since it is a dry property with no shower. We saw loons, muskrat, Sandhill cranes and birds of prey flying overheard. They get frequent moose but have never seen a bear; their neighbor has only seen a black bear once 14 years ago. To get to the property you must drive up a dirt road with hilly parts so make sure to bring an all weather vehicle. Amelia & Wyatt went above and beyond to make us comfortable in so many ways like rigging a tarp over our tent, bringing us hot homemade soup and building a roaring fire every night. Ask them for area activity recs and off grid living advice, or just hang out and chat by the fire with these lovely Alaskan folks!
Hannah S.
4 reviews
Recommends
· July 2022
Amazingly beautiful and rustic!
Tent · With kids ·
Tent camping, kayaking, Alaskan fun
We would ABSOLUTELY recommend going to this site. Amelia and her husband were so very helpful and nice, they helped us with moving all of our items to the campsite and pointed out all the edible berries and gave us a complete walkthrough of the area, and made us feel very welcomed and safe. The land is beautiful and peaceful and was so quiet and nice. The area for burning wood was perfect and we were able to cook our hotdogs with no issue. The bathroom they provide was also very clean and sanitary and they provided clean drinking water. The lake is amazing and they also provided life jackets and kayaks for us to use which were great. The only downside to the whole experience was that our son got ill and we had to leave early. We wanted to stay a few more days but because our 14-month-old son had gotten ill we had to leave which made us very sad because we didn't want to leave this beautiful place. Amelia and her husband were wonderful people and made us feel so very welcomed and we appreciated that so very much. Even when we left early we were totally fine with paying the full fee and we had no intentions of asking for reimbursement but Amelia did do so. Even though we didn't stay the entire time we totally would have been ok with her keeping the fee because it was very much worth it even for the time we were there. We definitely plan on going back and we for sure recommend anybody wanting to camp in a beautiful, rustic, peaceful, and quiet area to go to this spot!
S
Savana C.
3 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· June 2022
9 m campervan · Group trip ·
Tent camping, kayaking, Alaskan fun
Amelia was the most hospitable host. The family is kind and generous. We truly felt at home here
Megan L.
3 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· September 2021
Beautiful Homestead -Perf For Camp
Group trip ·
Tent camping, kayaking, Alaskan fun
Beautifully positioned homestead in the making - was truly wonderful to get a peak into the lives of those devoted to natural living. The lake is quiet and perfect for a swim, kayaking or fishing.
The campsite was perfect, easy to pitch a tent and start a fire. Plenty of space for my hammock. Amelia and family were great - I greatly enjoyed my several conversations. They were kind and friendly, but gave space to chill.
Hope to come back next year and check in on the progress!
B
Benjamin C.
4 years on Hipcamp
We camped with Amelia and her family on our way to Fairbanks. It was superb. Their hospitality was genuine. They have really created an awesome space in the wilderness. Do yourself a favor and book a stay!
B
Brian Paul P.
8 reviews
Location
Big Lake, Matanuska Susitna, Alaska, United StatesTo respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking
Hosted by Amelya R.
Joined in March 2021Response rate: 100%
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