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The Old Rugged Barn

Hosted by Jo · Towanda, Illinois
16 sites · RV, Tent · 3 acres
96%
·
75 reviews
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Accuracy verified by Hipcamp's on-the-ground team.
I grew up on a farm and thrilled to be enjoying country living once again! We are not annual campground, but we have space on the property for travelers needing an overnight or two. We can be found on HIPCAMP listed under OLD RUGGED BARN. We are in central IL near Historic Rt 66, minutes north of Bloomington-Normal with easy access from I-55. The property is a small 3.5 Acre farmstead that includes our event venue, space that can used for campers, and my home. We offer space for Campers through Hipcamp. We are NOT a campground per se. We do have space on our property to comfortably accommodate up to 8 spaces for Overnight guests. I moved to the farm in 2010 with the intent to simply enjoy the peace And quiet of country living. Then I realized we Could create a place that could serve as a place for community to gather for special events. We are making constant strides to utilize Our 3.5 acres highlighted by the Old Rugged Barn venue and welcome the opportunity to host any kind of public and private event! The Old Rugged Barn..... where happy happens!!
from
$40
/ night
16 sites

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2 sites
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The Old Rugged Barn Campout!

97%
(86)
RV/tent site · Sleeps 8
Come pitch your tent near the Old Rugged Barn! We are on a quiet country road, a small 3.5 acre farmstead in central IL about a mile from historic Rt 66. Take a hop/skip/and a jump and you will land in Towanda IL We are just minutes from Bloomington-Normal with numerous amenities and entertainment. Think of this as a farm stay; a place to pull off the road, relax awhile, stay over and regroup, wash your vehicle, enjoy some peace and quiet. There is plenty of pasture space; sites are first come/first serve. We are NOT your typical campground! We have privacy behind buildings, shade under our huge trees, or out in the wide open space! We have limited electricity. I am listing this as an outdoor stay and it will be priced accordingly. There is space in the barn (NO NO NO smoking or fires!!!) for an additional fee., so we can provide you a place even when it is getting chilly.
Campfires allowed
Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
Electrical hookup
Water hookup
from
$40
/ night
for NaN guests
  • Picture of the site
  • Picture of the site
Instant book

The Old Rugged Barn Camp Out!

67%
(3)
RV/tent site · Sleeps 4 · Vehicles under 35 ft
We are a small 3.5 Acre farmstead just outside Towanda in central Illinois.   We are ideally located minutes from town as well as the Interstate, historic Rt 66, and Bloomington-Normal.   We are not a campground and sites for hipcampers are what they consider dispersed.  That is, we don't have spaces numbered or measured.    Hipcamp Host Jo is typically on the property to greet you at your arrival.  She will let you know if there are other campers or just your group.   After a brief intro about sites,  you can look around and determine a site you would like that best meets your needs.    It is typically first come/first served.  Let us know if you need to be near electric outlet.  Sometimes there may be only one site occupied.   The property consists of our personal area, space for hipcamp, and the Old Rugged Barn which is an event venue where we host weddings and just about any kind of gathering imaginable.  Because it is a venue and to provide for everyone's safety, there are several dusk to dawn lights in operation.   When selecting your site, you'll select those with light or those with darkness. My 4 doggies get very excited for new friends and will chirp away as long as they can see you!   They are fenced in their yard so not to worry.   We try to have sites that are out of their site or far enough away so you are as comfortable as they are.  Your pet is welcome as well!   There is plenty of space so that each group has privacy from others.   We are minutes from town in case you need anything.  Swimming, fishing, boating, hiking, golfing are not on our property but can be found nearby.   We have small firepit and wood but you'll need to bring your lighter.   Camp sites are plenty big and secluded from other campers.  We have the best sunsets!
Campfires allowed
Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
Electrical hookup
No water hookup
from
$50
/ night
for NaN guests
from
$40
/ night
16 sites

Reviews

96% Recommend89 ratings · 75 reviews
Recommends
· September 2025
19 ft campervan · With pets ·
The Old Rugged Barn Campout!
It was easy getting to this hip camp from the interstate and very comfortable sleeping weather! There was a wedding in progress but there was very little noise as I was on the other side of a barn from the crowd! I enjoyed running my dog around the property chasing her ball.
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Susan B.
36 reviews
Recommends
· September 2025
Cute farm buildings
18 ft campervan ·
The Old Rugged Barn Campout!
Jo’s farm was the perfect overnight stop for me while driving through Illinois with my camper van. Free firewood was included with the fire pit. Jo was incredibly responsive when I booked my stay late in the evening. Highly recommend. It looks like a super cute place for events as well.
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Madelon S.
6 reviews
Recommends
· July 2025
Beautiful, quiet, property
Tent · With pets ·
The Old Rugged Barn Campout!
We got here after 10pm which normally would have been awful to set up the tents in the dark. However, there were spotlights that made it perfect for seeing in the dark. With that said, there were plenty of dark spaces so the light wasn't an issue. Slept great; nice and quiet..When we woke in the morning, we were pleasantly surprised with the beauty of the property. There were also plenty of fun spaces to take pics. I would definitely recommend and would love to stay again!
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Michelle W.
17 reviews
Recommends
· July 2025
As advertised!
Tent ·
The Old Rugged Barn Campout!
Jo is a fun host and the barn is a neat place to camp. Directions are CLEAR and it's easy to find. People like this make hipcamp WORK!
F
Flippy W.
2 reviews
Recommends
· June 2025
Camping at the Barn!
Tent ·
The Old Rugged Barn Campout!
Jo’s land was so beautiful and taken care of, and so quiet and peaceful. Jo welcomed us when we arrived and showed us where firewood was and our options to camp, and was so friendly. We set up camp, caught some fireflies, and fell asleep to our crackling fire. Everything went very well, definitely will be back!
S
Savana J.
2 reviews
Recommends
· May 2025
Tent ·
The Old Rugged Barn Campout!
I enjoyed the tent camping with room for multiple groups. The host was wonderful and friendly.
J
Jason W.
4 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· March 2025
32 ft campervan · With pets ·
The Old Rugged Barn Campout!
Great and peaceful place close to highway as well as rte66
K
Kevin K.
9 months on Hipcamp
Recommends
· December 2024
15 ft campervan ·
The Old Rugged Barn Campout!
Super nice hosts, beautiful property, quiet, easy and non congested drive to Bloomington.
K
K Z.
1 year on Hipcamp
Not recommend
· September 2024
Do not book this site
Tent · With pets ·
The Old Rugged Barn Camp Out!
This is not an appropriate place to advertise on Hipcamp. I reserved this 1 month in advance and when I arrived, there was a wedding on the 3 acre property. I called the host 6 times and finally was able to speak to her. She led us to a far 0.25 acre part of the property next to the cornfield but very much next to the wedding reception. We were also expected to share this small corner with another camper. The owner was curt when I told her she should have disclosed this event to me. She asked me if I had a problem with the wedding. She also said if we wanted a fire we could go get the fire pit stored near the barn and carry it back to our corner. There were kids running around everywhere and it was awkward being at a private party. The owner did not apologize or offer a refund. It was already 8pm so we had to travel 30 more minutes to find a hotel. I have a video of the wedding next to my “camp site” and screenshot of my attempts to contact the owner. She should not be allowed to advertise this on Hipcamp. I’ve booked through Hipcamp several times and had a great experience. This by far is the worst property and host I’ve had with Hipcamp. I hope this review prevents others from having a terrible experience as there are so many other great hosts to choose instead.
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Tara F.
3 reviews
Recommends
· September 2024
Great stay
19 ft campervan ·
The Old Rugged Barn Campout!
Great stay. Lots of corn. Bring your own water and be willing to use a port-a-potty.. Would stay again
D
Dylan P.
2 reviews
Recommends
· September 2024
Enjoyable location. Funky twists
Tent · With kids ·
The Old Rugged Barn Campout!
Finding the right spot to camp was tricky. Pitch your tent behind the large red barn in back left corner of the property. There are 2 very bright flood lights back there, but pine trees provide 100% shade from these for about 1/3 of the camping area. The camping area is a nice soft flat grass yard. Firewood was free, but it's just old cut boards you have to dig out of an old bin 60 yards away. Toilet was porta potty. Not clean, no TP. The property hosts events, and there was a wedding the night we were there. It was far enough away not to bother us. Could just faintly hear the music. Jo was helpful and kind. Don't bother stopping at the house, just set up your tent.
B
Boone H.
2 reviews
Recommends
· September 2024
Cute and quiet spot
24 ft campervan ·
The Old Rugged Barn Campout!
Lovely spot among the 9’ high corn! Everything was as promised. Very cute
D
David D.
9 reviews
Recommends
· July 2024
Tent · With kids ·
The Old Rugged Barn Campout!
We loved camping here! Very safe and quiet. Perfect for our family with three little ones. There was a porta potty on site which also made life easier. We met our lovely host last night who helped us out with extra water since the other water sources are temporarily not accessible. Would recommend bringing in your own water just in case. We absolutely fell in love with the property and would highly recommend camping here!
T
Tara H.
5 reviews
Recommends
· July 2024
Tent · With pets ·
The Old Rugged Barn Campout!
Jo was so kind, I went solo camping for the first time with my dog and felt VERY safe ! Beautiful and very clean space.
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Kaitlyn G.
6 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· June 2024
25 ft campervan · With kids ·
The Old Rugged Barn Campout!
I loved the place , quiet , beautiful sunset !! But the only negative comment is that the host didn't even come to see us , no chat , nothing, didn't even how they looked !!!
B
Brian L.
2 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· June 2024
Great spot! Safe and picturesque!
17 ft campervan · With kids ·
The Old Rugged Barn Campout!
This spot was perfect for our vintage rig and three kids under 10. It was quiet and safe. Jo is super friendly - felt super safe and it was nice knowing she was on site in case we needed anything. I didn’t see any potable water - hose water was available but not convenient. Porta potty was fine - also put less stress on our on board toilet. We were the only campers on a Tuesday night so it was spacious. With other campers I imagine it could be a little crowded.
M
Megan F.
1 year on Hipcamp
Recommends
· June 2024
15 ft campervan ·
The Old Rugged Barn Campout!
Jo was amazing and the campground was beautiful! One of the buildings had a power outage and she was very quick to respond and help us with a solution to get our air and electric back on. 10/10 recommend staying here!
R
Rori F.
1 year on Hipcamp
Recommends
· June 2024
16 ft car · With pets ·
The Old Rugged Barn Campout!
The old rugged barn was a delightful place to stay. There is so much love And care put into this place and it really shows. I felt very comfortable where I camped. It was very peaceful. I loved walking around and looking at the murals on the old buildings. It was absolutely magical looking over the cornfields at the ocean of fireflies at night. I would love top stay here again!
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Molly H.
24 reviews
Mixed feelings
· May 2024
16 ft car ·
The Old Rugged Barn Campout!
The porta potty was in serious need of being emptied. Possibly the worst outdoor toilet I have ever experienced. I expected basic hand sanitizer to be provided. After using the facility I definitely needed it.
K
Kris T.
3 reviews
Recommends
· April 2024
Tent ·
The Old Rugged Barn Campout!
Quick trip in/out. Very well kept. Beautiful farm setting. Close to interstate. Easy access
D
Drew S.
2 reviews
Recommends
· September 2023
Perfect spot
Tent ·
The Old Rugged Barn Campout!
Jo was AMAZING and the ORBarn site is just gorgeous. We’ve stayed 2x and will stay again when we are back through! If you are traveling solo this place feels so safe! Thank you Jo!!!
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Fischer S.
3 reviews
Recommends
· August 2023
Tent ·
The Old Rugged Barn Campout!
Wonderful peaceful stay. Great communication and easy access. Thanks for having us!
H
Hannah H.
2 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· October 2022
Tent · With pets ·
The Old Rugged Barn Campout!
The camp area was super clean and pretty
B
Brittney H.
3 years on Hipcamp
Mixed feelings
· September 2022
Tent · Group trip ·
The Old Rugged Barn Campout!
Jo couldn’t have been more accommodating as a host. The only thing I have to let be known is if one doesn’t want to camp where outdoor lighting is plentiful I wouldn’t recommend. The grounds are set up to be a venue for special events and it would be awesome to me to go to a wedding there or any other event for that matter. I certainly would camp there again if it was in my path but if I wanted a wilderness camping experience I would look elsewhere.
S
Steve P.
30 reviews
Recommends
· September 2022
16 ft car ·
The Old Rugged Barn Campout!
What an amazing place with so much more potential. Pretty this place is in constant evolution. Loved my short stay of one night.. it was perfect
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Chantal T.
4 reviews
Recommends
· August 2022
Tent ·
The Old Rugged Barn Campout!
It Is such a unique place! Lots of beautiful, personal and large barn art. Jo was very hospitable and accommodating. Wish we had more time just to chat with her.
P
Peg F.
3 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· August 2022
Tent ·
The Old Rugged Barn Campout!
Beautiful, clean and very quiet. The camping zone was very well maintained and very accessible. The barns themselves were like work of art, and worth the visit.
G
Ghofran C.
3 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· August 2022
Wonderful Stay! Field of Dreams❤️
19 ft campervan · With pets ·
The Old Rugged Barn Campout!
Old Rugged Barn is a gem! Gorgeous lawn overlooking corn fields and several beautiful barns! Barns have fun murals painted on them and if you are a Field of Dreams movie fan- you should put this on your list! Jo was a wonderful host…I would definitely come again!
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Jennifer C.
26 reviews
Recommends
· July 2022
Tent · With kids ·
The Old Rugged Barn Campout!
It was the perfect location for the 3rd of July fireworks. Barns were beautiful and the campsite was quiet.
A
Amanda B.
5 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· July 2022
AMERICAN DREAM
Tent ·
The Old Rugged Barn Campout!
Peaceful and Safe, we felt comfortable staying at Jo’s place and it was so beautiful with the red barns. The American Flag and Coca~Cola murals were great to look at on the morning of July 4th, it was even better waking up on a farm in the middle corn fields ♥️
M
Mason M.
3 years on Hipcamp

Location

Towanda, Mc Lean, Illinois, United StatesTo respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking
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Hosted by Jo M.

Joined in September 2017

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        1. United States
        2. Illinois
        3. Towanda

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