7 acres hosted by John F.
4 RV/tent sites
Family-friendly
Recent Hipcampers say this Hipcamp is great for families and kids.
John is a Star Host
Star Hosts are highly rated, responsive, and committed to providing incredible experiences.
Private sites
97% of recent Hipcampers say the sites felt private.
Activities
Biking
Boating
Horseback riding
Wildlife watching
Natural features
River, stream, or creek
Field
Farm
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RV/tent sites 4 sites
Reviews
98% Recommend138 ratings · 76 reviews
Camping at this site offers a mix of solitude and social space, with sites spaced 50 feet apart. Guests often appreciate the warm welcome from John, who sometimes starts a campfire for late arrivals, and the beautiful, well-maintained grounds with amenities like a trampoline and a shooting range. However, some have noted noise disturbances from neighboring properties and issues with the bathroom facilities. Overall, visitors enjoy the natural beauty and find the hosts accommodating, though a few have experienced disruptions.
Summary AI-generated from real reviews
We loved camping here! John had a fire started when we got there and gave us some great recommendations in the area. Campsite 3 had beautiful views and very easy to get to. Everything was well marked and we knew exactly where to go. We travel with two doggos and they loved running in the open land. Would definitely stay here again. Thanks John for making it a home away from home
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Logan M.
1 year on Hipcamp
Several camp spots with easy to follow signs to find them the moment you pull into the driveway. We felt isolated and alone, which was nice. John stopped by at some point to make sure we had everything we needed
A
Alex K.
2 reviews
Such a nice couple! They really introduced us to the American culture and we’re helpful in any way. Nice surroundings, would defo stay here again.
Celine W.
2 reviews
Beautiful site, very private. Large, gorgeous trees. The host started a campfire at my site as I was arriving after dark.
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Tabitha T.
4 reviews
Mixed feelings
· September 2024
I wanted to love it, but not for us
Tent · Group trip ·
Site 3 - Gun Smoke Ranch
Stayed for a quick one night at campsite 3, it was as described. All three campsites are about 50 feet apart so if there is more than one guest, you are going to see and hear them. It is advertised to have a portable toilet available but we were informed by the host at 5pm on the night we were arriving that it wasn’t available and to use his campers bathroom instead. The portable toilet was one of the main reasons we selected this HipCamp so this would have been nice to know at the time of booking as we would have probably stayed elsewhere. The provided camper is pretty rundown and there is no water for flushing or washing. There were a couple gallon jugs with a couple inches of water in them, that I assume were for that purpose but definitely not enough for maybe one use. The ladies in our group took one look at that camper and said “nope”. We were the only people camping that night so initially it looked like it was going to be a good night despite the bathroom situation but just after dark the neighboring property got loud, atv’s, sxs, open header farm truck, loud music, and what I can only describe as explosives. Definitely not just fireworks, much louder that that. This went on till after 2am. The last straw for us was the load explosion at 2am that frightened our dog to the point she busted out of the tent and we had to run after her and try to calm her down. Nobody got much sleep that night. I wanted to love this place but, not a good experience for us.
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Jeff A.
1 year on Hipcamp
Recommends
· August 2024
14 ft travel trailer ·
Site 3 - Gun Smoke Ranch
Great convenient location. Very private. John the host was super nice and gave us travel suggestions. Didn’t use their camper toilet, so no input on that. The site could be tidied a bit (worn out lawn chair, cable spools in our site) to make it more attractive. Overall we enjoyed our stay.
A
April S.
5 reviews
We enjoyed our stay at Gun Smoke Ranch. The camp grounds were well maintained and mowed. There were both Frisbee golf and a trampoline available, to entertain ourselves. John and his wife were super nice hosts. We recommend their Hipcamp to other campers as a great place to stay.
Betsy R.
2 reviews
A great property about an hour away from Chicago with plenty of amenities for a comfortable stay. The directions are clear and the property is very nicely maintained. I enjoy coming here at least once a year and will definitely be back soon!
M
Manuel P.
2 reviews
Recommends
· August 2024
Quiet place near Chicago
22 ft travel trailer · With pets ·
Site 3 - Gun Smoke Ranch
Very peaceful and quiet place. Absolutely love it. John, the host, is super responsive, he provided us help and tips about what to do and see. My kids loved trampoline and disc golf. The camp is around 1 hour away from busy Chicago downtown. We will definitely recommend this camp to our friends.
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Evgeny R.
2 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· August 2024
Tent ·
Site 2 - Gun Smoke Ranch
I had a wonderful tent camping experience on John’s land! The site is easy to find and very well kept. John is super accommodating, kind, and available for anything you need. Cannot recommend this site enough. Hopefully I can stay here again some time!
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Laura L.
4 reviews
Our second time here. Camp sites are clean and private, a good 400’ behind the main house. Fire wood is right there 15 feet from the fire pit making starting a fire super easy. The gun range is a perfect activity to keep everyone busy! John is super nice and accommodating.
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Kimberly G.
4 reviews
Great property with large campsites. Homeowner was very responsive. Site was stocked with firewood for a couple of nights! It was a very tight squeeze for my 23foot double axle Coleman camper. I would not recommend anything double axle, or 10 feet tall lol.
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Cj L.
1 year on Hipcamp
Small private camp ground about an hour south of Chicago.
I reached there late in night and was confused about my camp site but finally found it. It was raining all night so had to sleep in my car the first night. Second day and night were great weather and loved the privacy as there was no one else there.
Camp grounds are just a few acres, but well maintained with few trees at the camp site which was well stocked with wood, chair, tables, 2 fire pits.
There is a jumper and kids slide too.
Bathroom is about 200 yards from camp site,. Bathroom is in a trailer which was empty all day but a bunch of young guys were using it in the night which made it awkward. These guys also made too much noise late into the noise. There is also noise from neighbors doing farming with big tractors. So overall a nice place close to the city, but wish it was less noisy and had better bathroom set up.
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Ravi B.
1 year on Hipcamp
I stayed at campsite #3 (of 3). The campgrounds are extremely well-maintained. Lots of grass so it doesn’t get muddy, even after some rain. The picture shows two Adirondack-like chairs but these were not at the campsite so be sure to bring your own chairs. The firepits are good and there are various large wooden spools which double as tables and chairs. John provides plenty of firewood and is very friendly and helpful. There is a lot of room to roam around and it is quite peaceful! I enjoying coming to this campground and look forward to future visits! Toilet is in the camper and very usable.
Felix L.
3 reviews
Recommends
· June 2024
25 ft pop-up camper ·
Site 2 - Gun Smoke Ranch
John's property is fantastic. Sites are great, with shade and ample space. Firewood was stocked upon our arrival and everything was clean. Sites were well marked and easy to access with our small pull behind travel trailer. It's all at the back of the property so lots of privacy from the main house and roadway.
We didn't use the shooting range, but there is one on site. Also a small creek at the very back of the property. Facilities if you need them. John was very communicative and answered all questions we had.
We would (and definitely will) stay here again. Thanks John!
C
Chris W.
1 year on Hipcamp
Had a great time, John is great and we will be coming back very soon.
M
Manni H.
1 year on Hipcamp
Overall we had a nice stay. It was easy to find the address and site. The property has a beautiful assortment of trees. The grass was very lush and well maintained which created a nice soft surface under our tent. Communication was great. John informed us that he wouldn't be home during our stay but that his wife would be available if we needed anything. When John arrived home, the last day of our stay, he introduced himself and also offered to take our trash. We had a nice conversation and he really seems like a great guy!
Suggestions:
- Move the spool tables leaving one or two for campers to use so the site doesn't look crowded.
- Move the generator out of site so it doesn't distract from the beauty of the site.
- Use cameo, grass green, or brown colored tarps to cover items instead blue so they blend into nature and don't stand out so much.
- Keep dogs on a leash. We were charged the first time we walked to the bathroom which was very scary! The young lady, that we believe is a tenant, apologized but didn't get her dog under control. We didn't feel safe walking to the restroom after that encounter so had to drive.
- If you offer a restroom ensure it's clean before campers arrive. We had to clean it before use.
- The adjacent property started running their trackor at dusk which disturbed the pease and quite we were seeking. If this is normal, I would mention it in the description so campers are aware.
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Gemini H.
1 year on Hipcamp
Nice camp sites far enough apart for privacy.
Fire pits, tables, firewood and a few extras at the site
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Richard V.
2 years on Hipcamp
We really loved this property, lots of mature trees offer shade, well manicured field offers tons of space for activities. The shooting range was pretty nice. John was very polite, kind and accommodating. The sites were far behind the house and offer tons of privacy. The driveway to the sites is a bit tight, I have a 12’ trailer and a 4door 1500 pickup. We made it without issue but anything larger may need to be guided through. Overall great experience-We will be back!
K
Kimberly G.
4 reviews
Great location even better host! John is great and super inviting!
Would highly recommend all three sites!
P
Perry M.
1 year on Hipcamp
Recommends
· April 2024
Tent ·
Site 3 - Gun Smoke Ranch
I slept like a princess. It was so beautiful here I hated that I had to leave the campground Thank you John for letting us stay in your campground!! Yay 🏕️
Bella A.
1 year on Hipcamp
Recommends
· October 2023
Tent · Group trip ·
Site 3 - Gun Smoke Ranch
This was a beautiful property and the camp sites are really nice. We had the whole place to ourselves and loved it. It was spotless and well maintained, and the sites had seating and tables available to use. GPS takes you exactly to the address, and the directions on how to get to the campsites from the road are written accurately. It’s impossible to get lost as long as you get to the address and then read the directions the host wrote.
I will 100% be coming back here in the future.
A
Alex K.
2 reviews
Recommends
· October 2023
Tent · With kids ·
Site 1 - Gun Smoke Ranch
This is our 2nd time. The 1st we stayed at site 3, this time site 1. John is awesome… fresh eggs at site, plenty of fire wood. The property is beautiful. John checked to make sure we had everything we needed. Will be back!!!!
J
Jamie B.
1 year on Hipcamp
Recommends
· October 2023
Tent · Group trip ·
Site 3 - Gun Smoke Ranch
Gun smoke range was the perfect find for my boyfriends birthday! From the host John being so accommodating with anything we needed, to the spacious campsite and friendly neighbors we met! Camping & a shooting range?! doesn’t get much better than that! Would have stayed an extra day but got called into work. Will definitely be back again to our favorite new camping spot! Thanks again John!
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Susan G.
2 reviews
Beautiful place. Its was the peaceful stress free weekend we needed.. John is an amazing host..
D
Dan W.
2 reviews
Recommends
· September 2023
Wonderful weekend!
22 ft travel trailer · Group trip ·
Site 3 - Gun Smoke Ranch
Awesome as always! John the host was wonderful! Always a good time! Thanks John!!
Heidi H.
10 reviews
Recommends
· September 2023
22 ft Class B ·
Site 3 - Gun Smoke Ranch
Lovely property and a very responsive, accommodating host. Had a fire ready for us after a last minute booking. Highly recommended.
J
Jamie G.
2 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· September 2023
12 ft travel trailer ·
Site 2 - Gun Smoke Ranch
My dog and I had a great night at John’s place. We chose site 3, because it was shaded, but next to a big open meadow. Nobody else had booked that night, so we had the place to ourselves. Impeccably mowed grounds, nice big trees, free camp wood, and John even brought fresh eggs in the morning for breakfast. It was totally peaceful and lovely.
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Liza S.
7 reviews
Recommends
· September 2023
Tent · Group trip ·
Site 1 - Gun Smoke Ranch
Loved spending the day at Gunsmoke ranch! Very clean and beautiful property with clear directions, lots of fun activities, and great accommodations! John was very welcoming and helpful I will definitely be back soon!
M
Manuel P.
2 reviews
Great private space and John was awesome checking in on us and very nice. Thanks for the fresh eggs sir! Went to Island park which was great for the kids with some perfect fishing for them. The shooting range was awesome for us as well. Would recommend a couple port-o-potty’s would be my only suggestion but all in all we’d highly recommend this place and look forward to coming back sometime
Tim S.
3 reviews
Location
Grant Park, Will, Illinois, United StatesTo respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking
Hosted by John F.
Joined in April 2021Things to do nearby
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