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Foothill Ridge

97%
·
· Somerset, California
20 acres
1 site
1 RV/Tent
Home of Mama Earth Farm, this 20 acre foothill property offers a rural but accessible location to connect with nature.  Enjoy a simple place to call home after exploring the many nearby activities such as swimming in the local rivers, rock climbing, bike riding, hiking and wine tasting.  Learn more about this land: Pitch your tent under the shade of an old walnut tree.  Clean, level, soft tent spaces are maintained and the meadow grasses are trimmed.   Enjoy easy access from the road and the serenity of the night in the foothills.  No lights, just a dark sky of stars.  Enjoy the sunrise and sunset from this spot with a huge canyon overlook a couple hundred feet away from your tent.  Organic produce is available from the farm (like you can walk out and pick something yummy in your bare feet)  Visually private, pretty quite, and simply beautiful. 
Activities
Biking
Hiking
Horseback riding
Off-roading (OHV)
Natural features
Forest
Swimming hole
Available sites
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Location
Somerset, California, United StatesTo respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking
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Hosted by Ben W.Joined in March 2018
Response rate: 100%Response time: Within 4 hours
97%
134 ratings · 89 reviews
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Miguel A.recommends
July 31, 2022
The Shaded Walnut
It was good for our needs. Location was good as we live in the Central Valley and wanted to hike bassi falls and visit Tahoe. It was a good safe fun location especially since we had our 7 year old sister. She enjoyed the swing/trampoline and making s’mores. We were only there for a day but so recommend it to those who use Hipcamp or want a unique experience.
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Courtney L.recommends
July 24, 2022
The Shaded Walnut
We enjoyed the one night at Bens property. Was unfortunately a little more weed ridden in the campsite area then I would prefer but we had a great time. Kids loved exploring the property, picking fresh berries and the trampoline. Us adults loved the quiet and secluded area. Ben told us about a great little watering hole area for us to go enjoy the afternoon (directions could have been a tad better). Overall we would recommend Bens camp and would keep in mind if we were ever heading back this direction.
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Nistara R.recommends
July 17, 2022
The Shaded Walnut
Another lovely stay at the shaded walnut! It's a convenient distance from nearby lakes and recreation, and just a great place to camp. Beautiful stars at night too. Thanks Ben!
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Kate A.recommends
June 13, 2022
The Shaded Walnut
Great spot to camp, quiet and a very cool location amidst a functioning organic farm. Would visit again!
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Nistara R.recommends
June 13, 2022
The Shaded Walnut
Ben's place was gorgeous. We had a lovely camping experience and woke up to the sound of so many birds, including woodpeckers on the tree nearby. The night sky was beautiful, the wildflowers gorgeous, and it really felt like a special retreat. It rained the morning we were there but the picnic table + umbrella helped us stay dry while getting our breakfast. Highly recommend!
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Kara M.recommends
May 30, 2022
The Shaded Walnut
Ben’s property was exactly what we were looking for. It was scenic, peaceful and great for stargazing. The campsite was thoughtfully laid out with leveled spot for a tent, fire pit and picnic table. We found a few great spots to swim and hike nearby. Definitely recommend!
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Christel M.recommends
May 17, 2022
The Shaded Walnut
This was our 3rd time here. Ben and family are excellent hosts.
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Brooke M.recommends
July 31, 2021
The Shaded Walnut
The Shaded Walnut was so lovely, we had the best time! Ben was fabulous; we were able to pick strawberries (which were delicious!) and he told us about a swimming hole where we spent the day swimming. The camping spot itself was perfect… we will definitely be back!
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Tex L.
July 25, 2021
The Shaded Walnut
Good, if you like to rough it a bit
This is a great place to stay. As there is only one site, you don’t have to worry about disturbing, or being bothered by, any other campers. We never did meet Ben, but one of the workers there was friendly and helpful enough. The outdoor shower was cool, but welcome since the days were quite hot when we were there. The pit toilet was a bit primitive, just a hole in the ground that you throw dirt in after doing your business. The water from the on-site well was cool, crisp and tasted wonderful. The campsite is on an organic farm and we were allowed to pick some of the crops that were ripe enough. We treated ourselves to a few different kinds of Cherry Tomatoes and some Strawberries and they were absolutely delicious! We saw quite a bit of wildlife while we were there. A couple of deer frolicking just outside the gardens, quite a few families of quail, and in the early morning hours, we even had a young mountain lion trot right by the campsite! The road is near enough that you can hear cars going by, but it’s not very busy at all so it was pretty much a non-issue. There was also a raised platform that you could get to through a gate and down a path that, once you climbed up the stairway/ladder had a terrific view down into a canyon and up the mountains on the other side. All in all, had a great time and enjoyed how secluded the site was. Already thinking about going back to this site.
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Lillian T.recommends
July 20, 2021
The Shaded Walnut
What a fun place! Ben was a wonderful host and made our trip super easy. He gave a great swimming hole recommendation and told us about all the work his farm does. The weather was beautiful and the area was perfect for our 5 person group. Definitely would recommend this place to other folks :)
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Wendy L.
July 5, 2021
The Shaded Walnut
Nice little campsite at a farm
Nice host and beautiful farm you can walk around and look at the veggies with. It got nice and cool during the night and we could see lots of stars all around. The only two things that were bothersome was there were about a dozen yellow jackets and some flies that swarmed our table whenever we ate so we had to keep everything covered and eat quickly. I’d suggest setting up a wasp catcher to keep the numbers down. We’re pretty close to the road and although it’s the countryside we heard a bunch of people racing their cars nearby at night. Still overall a nice stay and I’d come back if the yellow jackets went away.
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Marshall L.recommends
June 21, 2021
The Shaded Walnut
The perfect country getaway
Ben has an incredible farm and the most wonderful camp site. Highly recommend staying here :)
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Jennifer K.
June 9, 2021
The Shaded Walnut
Beautiful property
We had mixed feelings about our stay at the shaded walnut. The property is absolutely beautiful. Ben was a wonderful host, responded in a timely manner and had great recommendations. The site itself is shaded completed by trees which was wonderful. At the back of the property Ben built a raised deck that you can climb up and see the most beautiful views of the valley and sunsets. The things we didn’t enjoy: The site is advertised as private, yes it is the only site on the property but it is far from being completely private. Keep in mind that this property is on a working farm so there are frequent workers and guests in the fields picking vegetables. One of the days a woman and 3 small children came down to swing on the rope swing and jump on the trampoline which happened to be directly behind our site. The only reason that we didn’t enjoy these things is because we have a dog that is high anxiety and doesn’t play well with others so we specifically camp in private locations. This site just didn’t work as well for us. But I want to stress that overall the property and site itself is beautiful and we had a great time!
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Brett O.recommends
June 2, 2021
The Shaded Walnut
Dappled sunshine on the farm
Wonderful site on the edge of the small farm. Our choice of sunny or shady spots on level ground. Our hosts were very friendly and provided great guidance on local sites and trails. We bought delicious veggies and fruit from their farm-stand.
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Megan M.recommends
May 23, 2021
The Shaded Walnut
Enjoyed staying at this farm- Ben was very welcoming and a great host. He had plenty of firewood - which was perfect for campfires and s’mores. The property is close to trails. You can also buy produce from his farm stand. Would be a great spot to stay at if planning to do wine tasting.
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Marcia S.recommends
May 20, 2021
The Shaded Walnut
It was a true pleasure to stay here in this farm setting . Ben was the perfect host and provided me with two awesome places to run / hike . Fresh strawberries this morning and so interesting to see the daily operation of an organic farmer .
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Marie E.recommends
May 18, 2021
The Shaded Walnut
Five Stars
This spot was a dream! So peaceful and beautiful. The host Ben recommended a swimming spot on the river that was a 10 minute drive from the farm and it was just stunning. I will definitely be going back to his farm and that river!
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Karl H.recommends
May 10, 2021
The Shaded Walnut
Lovely spot on a quiet farm, it was a lovely little get away for a couple of days.
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Walker S.recommends
April 21, 2021
The Shaded Walnut
Lovey spot! Very quiet with a lovely view and a sweet dog.
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Jacob R.recommends
April 12, 2021
The Shaded Walnut
It was a great campsite with lots of privacy and easy access to hiking near Tahoe!
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Alissa J.recommends
March 7, 2021
The Shaded Walnut
My favorite thing about this spot was the privacy. Most campgrounds host many people, including RVs. It was great to pitch our tents and have a fire without the noise of a generator in the background. The site itself is secluded and clean, and theyve built a deck that looks out over the trees and valley, which was a great place to stargaze. I also appreciated the firewood bundle Ben brought to us when we checked in. We really had no complaints, it was a great time.
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Emily M.recommends
February 19, 2021
The Shaded Walnut
Nice site with a great host!
Phenomenal host, nice site on the farm with enough space for a few tents and a fire. Best if your car has 4WD but there is alternate parking if unable to make it down to the site. Ben was very welcoming, helpful, and checked on us to make sure we had enough firewood! Heard some cars at night but otherwise a quiet site and would definitely recommend and visit again in the future!
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Hacer A.recommends
January 18, 2021
The Shaded Walnut
Great campsite and hosting
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Sarah H.recommends
January 18, 2021
The Shaded Walnut
No frills site that meets your needs for the night. Ben was very responsive and our booking was accepted quickly. Pretty easy to find and he let us know in advance that the GPS would take us one house too far. He described the entrance well so we knew what to look for upon arrival. It was quiet besides occasional road noise. I liked that it felt private since there were no other sites near-by. No farm animals meant that it was pretty quiet, although if your up early enough have good hearing you can hear neighbors roosters in the distance. Dark enough at night to see plenty of stars which wad a nice break from the city lights. Would recommend and would stay again.
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Joshua S.recommends
November 29, 2020
The Shaded Walnut
My girlfriend & I wanted a peaceful & relaxing getaway after the chaos of the holiday, and we found exactly that. Ben was awesome. He was very friendly & knowledgeable. His property is tucked away in the hills & surrounded by beautiful pines. We also went into Placerville & hit a few breweries. All & all It was the perfect getaway & we plan on coming back again. Highly recommend!
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Viddu D.recommends
November 22, 2020
The Shaded Walnut
Very accommodating host, I bought firewood on both nights, which was delivered promptly. The site itself is basic with a pit toilet, which is really just a pit dug out in one corner of the farm away from the site (sufficiently private, no problems there). The water spigot is accessible and near by. I did not use the shower because it was too cold. The highway is close by and you will hear the traffic often especially closer to dawn. All in all nothing exceptional, everything was as described in the site posting, except the highway noise.
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Daniel A.recommends
November 19, 2020
The Shaded Walnut
Tent camped at this wonderful site for three nights. The host was friendly, allowed us access to firewood (which we purchased), and told us about local trails to explore. It was interesting to be on a working farm, and the strawberries were delicious :-)
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Zachary P.recommends
October 30, 2020
The Shaded Walnut
Excellent stay. I arrived late at night, and everything was set up to let myself in. Nice secluded camp site on a working farm. There’s a trampoline too. Hosts are very friendly and accommodating.
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Jesse K.recommends
October 12, 2020
The Shaded Walnut
Beautiful area
Beautiful area. Host Ben was accommodating and provided good local knowledge of hikes.
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Wayne W.recommends
October 5, 2020
The Shaded Walnut
Thanks so much for the great spot, Ben! My group and I stayed for three nights and had no problem finding the spot, communicating with Ben or navigating the area. What we loved most was the working farm where the site is located. There were tons of veggies growing all over with some for purchase at the farm stand. I am super grateful to Ben for helping us with an air pump, too! To campers: This location has cell reception, close-ish to Placerville for extra supplies and lots of activities all over the area.
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