Rusty Ranch Tree Farm and Forest
Hosted by Scott · Bellingham, Washington
6 sites · RV, Tent, Lodging · 110 acres
Best Hipcamps in Washington
Named one of the best Hipcamps to visit in 2025.
Best farmstays in the US
Named one of the best Hipcamps to visit in 2025.
Farm store
Offers products directly sourced or produced on the farm.
Family-friendly
Recent Hipcampers say this Hipcamp is great for families and kids.
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Reviews
100% Recommend427 ratings · 371 reviews
Rusty Ranch is a beloved destination for families and groups who appreciate a well-maintained, peaceful camping experience. The property offers expansive trails, clean facilities, and thoughtful amenities, making it a favorite spot for repeat visitors. The presence of a playground and various outdoor games are a hit, especially with kids. While some visitors noted the lack of fresh water on site, the overall sentiment is overwhelmingly positive, with guests valuing the privacy, cleanliness, and welcoming nature of the host.
Summary AI-generated from real reviews
Recommends
· August 2025
Tent · With pets ·
Misty Meadow Group Camp
Wonderful camping site and wonderful hosts. The Misty Meadows group site was quiet and private, with lots of things for the kids to do. Cleanest bathrooms I've ever seen at a camp ground. We'll be back!
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Brian H.
11 months on Hipcamp
Beautiful property and we had a wonderful time camping here . Cannot wait to go back someday!
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Amy M.
1 month on Hipcamp
Taking the boys here was quite literally the best decision I’ve made all summer. I have two young boys and one is very sensitive. The little cabin we rented was made for him! He mentioned over and over how safe he felt and how much fun he was having. The best compliment a mom can get is “this is the best day ever”.
Margaret was a dream. She welcomed us like family and gave us lots of local tips. On the property, there’s a little mini golf setup that we had fun playing, two playgrounds, two game shacks, lots of clearly carved out trails, TONS of artistic details around the property to find, and we ended every night with a treat at the snack shack. We spent the whole ride home, planning our next visit to the tree farm. Margaret, thank you for providing this beautiful space to create memories. I’ll fall asleep tonight with a full and happy heart ❤️
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Kristine F.
2 months on Hipcamp
Thank you Scott and Margaret for another wonderful stay!!
This is our second time staying at the Painted Pony site. Our large family (2 adults and 5 children) had so much fun exploring and relaxing. Margaret is the sweetest!
The toilets are cleaner than any outhouse I’ve ever been in!!!
We will be back soon 🤍
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Nora B.
1 year on Hipcamp
Recommends
· August 2025
Tent · With kids ·
Creekside Tent Site
I can't thank Margaret and team enough for the amazing camp experience. We loved every minute of it. My son played in the creek a lot, we hiked the trails, and were able to see some of the animals on the farm. We'll be back and I can recommend you book a stay. You won't be disappointed.
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Zach P.
11 months on Hipcamp
A wonderful 1-night stay in the rustic cabin, enjoying the farm and sunset on day 1, and the forest trails on day 2. Pleasantly surprised by the horses and an up close meeting with an owl. The hostess was super friendly and responsive to a few questions as I got settled in. The outhouse was spotless and the self-guided trails on this tree farm spot on for kids to weekend explorers. Have already talked this little gem outside B'ham up!
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Kimberly T.
2 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· August 2025
Tent · With pets ·
Creekside Tent Site
This was a wonderful camping experience! They’ve thought of so many thoughtful touches and amenities and the campsite was beautiful and pristine! Highly recommend!
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Lindsay H.
6 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· August 2025
16 ft car · With kids ·
Alder Meadow
We had an amazing time! So much fun stuff to explore and we definitely recommend the add ons - fun getting fresh made cinnamon rolls delivered to our site in the morning.
Everything is well kept, clean and beautiful! You can tell the amount of work they put in keeping this place pristine!
Great for families! We will be back!
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Suzie B.
2 reviews
We had a mini family reunion and this was the perfect place for it! Very well kept grounds, awesome playground for younger kids, and the composting toilets are kept in amazing condition. The trails were great and the grandkids loved spotting different wildlife and fish in the streams. I’m not sure I believe our youngest grandkid about a polar bear, but hey….Awesome and accommodating hosts make this a top place to visit.
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Jeremy R.
4 months on Hipcamp
Our group had a wonderful time on Margaret’s beautiful property. The kids spent hours on the rope swing and exploring the trails. Site was very well kept and private. Margaret was attentive but not intrusive- it was perfect. 10/10.
Kyla B.
6 months on Hipcamp
The area is so beautiful and we loved our site! We loved walking the trails and being by the creek. The whole campground is very comfortable and private and tucked away. Would totally recommend it to someone looking to camp near Bellingham or lake whatcom!
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Shane H.
3 months on Hipcamp
Margaret & Scott’s campgrounds on their ranch is meticulously maintained, well laid out, and full of unexpected surprises! The views were amazing and my dogs and I enjoyed the hiking trails. Great place for families! Margaret was kind and very accommodating. Definitely recommend!
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Marci M.
3 reviews
Hawthorne Loop was our paradise for three nights. Lounging in the sun or shade as the mood called for we were fortunate to have an early week window with the place to ourselves. We got out on the Rusty Ranch trails one day, and visited Bellingham - the WWU Sculpture Garden and Big Band Monday at Boundary Bay Brewing on anothet. Bird song filled morning and glowing sunsets
Thankful for the amenities of the on site supplies in the Farm Stoee-Shack.
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Jimmy Jet K.
10 reviews
Rusty Ranch exceeded our expectations! It's private, clean, beautiful and the hostess thought of everything. She has lights in the outhouses, soap at the water pumps, an info board with local information infomation including the nearest vet hospitals and the camps address if there was an emergency, maps of the tons of trails on the property. We went for a 2 mile hike on the property, some of the trails had a good incline and we got a great workout. There are also trails in the fields that are much flatter as well. We will be going back!
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Chad & Jennifer G.
3 months on Hipcamp
Recommends
· July 2025
Tent · With kids ·
Painted Pony
We had a great time! We had four adults and three kids in our party on the painted pony site. Our young kids loved the three mini golf holes to play, and the kids play area, and playing soccer in the volleyball area. They loved seeing the horses and ponies that other campers brought. The composting toilet outhouse was very clean, we loved the covered picnic table area and campfire area. Even though there was a fire ban in the area we still sat around the "campfire". Margaret was very helpful with places to go. I loved the Lake Whatcom trail along the water that was a 15 minute drive away.
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Lori S.
2 months on Hipcamp
We booked the Misty Meadow group camp at Rusty Ranch towards the end of July. We had a 26 foot camper trailer, a truck with a bed camper, and several tents. All in, there were probably 20 of us at times. We had so much space, the covered picnic area with wind screens was perfect for meals and card games. We had a dozen teenagers and 9 horses in tow. A blast was had by all. The accommodations for our horses were wonderful, they were secure and comfortable the entire time. Margaret has thought of everything, this property is so special, we can't wait to return next summer. Highly recommend!
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Amy G.
2 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· July 2025
With kids ·
Rustic Bunkhouse & Corral
Beautiful site and land! The host was super responsive and helpful. We will be back!
B
Blair W.
1 year on Hipcamp
Rusty Ranch has a place in my family’s heart after this summer (our third summer at the Alder Meadow site). As always, impeccably kept-up and maintained and each year it’s fun to see a handful of improvements. Such a great spot - we love it!
Adam B.
2 reviews
Recommends
· July 2025
Tent · With kids ·
Misty Meadow Group Camp
Site was great spacious and quiet. Playground and tree swing big hit with kids. Host was great.
D
Danielle G.
5 months on Hipcamp
Recommends
· July 2025
Group trip ·
Rustic Bunkhouse & Corral
Cutest little bunkhouse! Lovely farm setting. Great for kids. The outhouse is actually delightful, which is unexpected! The only downside is no fresh water, but it’s no big deal to bring your own.
Rebecca H.
14 reviews
Recommends
· July 2025
27 ft travel trailer · With kids ·
Painted Pony
Lovely farm setting, great for kids, close to fun stuff like Fairhaven and Larrabee SP. Only downside was no fresh water, but we’re used to dry camping so no big deal.
Rebecca H.
14 reviews
Recommends
· July 2025
Tent · With kids ·
Creekside Tent Site
We had such a wonderful experience at rusty ranch! There were so many beautiful trails to explore, the playground was one our kids favorite, and the books and games left in the game shack were such a sweet touch. We took the maple tapping course and it was so informative and fun! We will definitely be back again, this is now one of our favorite spots.
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Kathleen F.
1 month on Hipcamp
Recommends
· July 2025
16 ft travel trailer · With pets ·
Hawthorne Loop
Awesome grounds and well thought out amenities! Would recommend!
T
Tim T.
3 months on Hipcamp
Recommends
· July 2025
Tent · With pets ·
Misty Meadow Group Camp
We had a wonderful experience at Rusty Ranch! This was my family's second trip here and this time we stayed at the Misty Meadows Group Site. The site was set up wonderfully for our group with lots of little kiddos. It was easy to see the kids playing from wherever we were at and the playground was so great for them. I appreciated that there were some games for adults in the game shed and the playground had some cars and trucks for the kids to drive in the dirt so we didn't have to pack those things. There is creek access from the group site but it is pretty steep to get down to with little ones. We tried to use the other access point by the other sites because it was easier for our little ones to get to but unfortunately we were told that we had to go way around because here was a group in those spots. That was a bummer for us but didn't ruin our trip. The trails were all clearly marked and the little store was nicely stocked with items that we may have forgotten or needed more of. The whole ranch is peaceful and quiet and the camp sites feel private. The staff was very friendly and checked in here and there to make sure we had what we needed. We will definitely be back in the future!
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Katie P.
2 reviews
Recommends
· July 2025
With kids ·
Rustic Bunkhouse & Corral
Our stay was wonderful! Margaret was friendly and helpful. Our toddler had a blast with the meadows and play areas, as well as picking wild berries. Would go back if ever in the area again. I wish we scheduled for more time there.
Sonali P.
2 months on Hipcamp
We absolutely loved this place! We booked last minute and they were so accommodating! On top of that, their place is an absolute gem! So family friendly. She mentioned that there was a playground for kids, and I assumed it would be for smaller children, but they had tether ball, croquet, and horseshoes that my boys (15 and 18) and husband had a blast with. On top of that, we could have taken advantage of a few other perks, but with our late check in, it just didn’t make sense at the time. If we are ever back in Washington, we would definitely stay here again!! Such a wonderful place! No wonder they have won the title of best farm on hipcamp!
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Jennifer P.
4 reviews
We really enjoyed the time here. The spot was level, well groomed, very clean outhouse, and a covered picnic table. The covered area was large enough that woe could have pitched our tent under it, and still had room for the table.
The host was very friendly, and made sure we had everything we needed. There is a snack shake at the main building to buy snacks, firewood, water, sweatshirts, and the like.
We barely heard our "neighbors" at the other campsites, and only saw a few people. It felt like having the place to ourselves.
We saw lots of eagles and hawks, and even had an owl land on my son's camera tripod when he was standing 3 feet away. That was a once in a lifetime experience.
We would recommend this spot happily.
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Frank R.
3 reviews
Recommends
· July 2025
With pets ·
Rustic Bunkhouse & Corral
Great place to spend a few nights with the kiddos. The bathrooms were clean and the campsite well maintained!
S
Stephanie W.
2 months on Hipcamp
Recommends
· July 2025
Tent · With kids ·
Creekside Tent Site
This is our fourth year camping at Rusty Ranch. Never disappoints. Margaret is a FANTASTIC host-lovely to be around and has new amazing add-on options each year. We will return!
L
Lauren H.
7 reviews
We had a great experience tent camping here! We loved the site, the availability of a composting toilet and non-potable water. The shed and picnic tables were so nice and a camping luxury. The playgrounds and hiking trails were great too! Overall a great experience with our toddler!
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Anna C.
2 reviews
Location
Bellingham, Whatcom, Washington, United StatesTo respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking
Hosted by Scott & Margaret H.
Joined in March 2021Response rate: 100%Response time: Within an hour
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