1860's Botanical Homestead
Hosted by Jessica · Bellevue, Iowa
2 sites · Tent, Lodging · 2 acres
Best Hipcamps in Iowa
Named one of the best Hipcamps to visit in 2025.
Amazing views
Hipcampers say this spot has amazing views.
Best in Iowa: Finalist
Named one of the best Hipcamps to visit in 2024.
Jessica is a Star Host
Star Hosts are highly rated, responsive, and committed to providing incredible experiences.
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Woodsy Campsite
94%
(40)Campfires allowed
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Bunkie
98%
(119)Campfires allowed
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Reviews
97% Recommend165 ratings · 134 reviews
I wish we could have stayed a bit longer. The town was lovely; the room was sweet; the property was fascinating; and Jessica could not have been kinder. I’d love to stay there again if I get the chance. Highly recommend.
M
Margaret B.
3 months on Hipcamp
Recommends
· October 2025
We really enjoyed our stay at the Bunkie! The homestead is lovely and the room was cozy and comfy!
M
Megan R.
3 months on Hipcamp
This place is everything. My friend and I booked with Jessica last minute for a night after getting rained out of our original site, and our only problem is we wish we could have stayed longer. Cozy campsite, Jessica is an INCREDIBLE, generous host (with great soaps), and what an amazing, magical piece of land to be on. Also- world’s cleanest porta potty. Had to say it. If you’re thinking about it and you’re not sure - book it. 🤍
G
Grace G.
2 months on Hipcamp
Recommends
· October 2025
Jessica greeted us when we arrived and gave us a short and sweet tour and made sure we had what we needed. The Bunkie was super thoughtfully stocked and Jessica and her family were very hospitable.
K
Kitty R.
1 year on Hipcamp
Amazing little place to stay- private little sitting area with firepit, small frog pond, and room for tent camping right up the hill for bigger get togethers. Lovely big windows looking out on the sitting area, and nice outdoor shower. We are recommending to friends already!
B
Barry B.
1 year on Hipcamp
Recommends
· August 2025
This is a wonderful little hideaway on a beautiful property. Lots of nearby hiking trails. I really enjoyed the apothecary and chicken classes. Jessica is a fantastic host.
E
Eric M.
5 months on Hipcamp
Recommends
· August 2025
Lovely space! Bunkie was cozy and had just enough for me to get by and be comfortable. The space is quiet and beautiful And the hosts are so wonderful and welcoming!
K
Kylie F.
2 reviews
Recommends
· July 2025
With pets ·
Bunkie
We loved staying in The Bunkie! We visited with our dog and we all enjoyed our stay. The property is gorgeous and the room is cozy and clean. We enjoyed the outdoor seating areas also. We even took quick showers in the outdoor shower and found it to do the trick! We LOVED the tea from the owner and had everything we needed for our stay. It was hot outside while there but the room stayed comfortable the whole time. It also rained and we loved listening to the rain. It was a lovely stay!
J
Jen D.
2 reviews
Recommends
· July 2025
Tent ·
Woodsy Campsite
Host was extremely friendly, and the garden and farm was beautiful
A
Aericke K.
5 months on Hipcamp
Recommends
· July 2025
Tent ·
Woodsy Campsite
Laid back and accommodating hosts! Loved talking about plants and seeing the way they’ve carved out a niche in a beautiful part of Iowa.
E
Eric V.
2 reviews
Recommends
· July 2025
Spent my birthday weekend here with my chosen family (husband, best friends, and thier kids) and we had the tent site and the bunkie.
The site was perfect. It was a little uneven as explained in the description but for it having to be cut into the hill we were impressed with how flat it was. Even with it raining alot it didnt get alot of pooling water. The tree cover was great so even when it got heavy we were still able to walk to the cars or the bathroom without getting soaked.
The bunkie was clean and very comfortable and had a ton of things that people might forget like garbage bags and flashlights
There are alot of stairs and they are handmade so you have to be careful but I appreciated that thier were handrails pretty much everywhere.
The property is beautiful. I loved seeing all of the plants. Im a forager so I loved juat walking through and identifying the different plants. They had rented goats to clear alot of the brush on the hill and we got to watch them the first night while they were working which was awesome to see.
Jessica is an amazing host and was super sweet with the kids. She let them help her feed them and check for eggs and showed them all the art and work she does.
Also, I've never used a porta potty that smelled that good before and showering in the outdoor shower surrounded by nature was honestly magical. 100/10 will come again.
Stephenie C.
3 reviews
Spent my birthday weekend here with my chosen family (husband, best friends, and thier kids) and we had the tent site and the bunkie.
The site was perfect. It was a little uneven as explained in the description but for it having to be cut into the hill we were impressed with how flat it was. Even with it raining alot it didnt get alot of pooling water. The tree cover was great so even when it got heavy we were still able to walk to the cars or the bathroom without getting soaked.
The bunkie was clean and very comfortable and had a ton of things that people might forget like garbage bags and flashlights
There are alot of stairs and they are handmade so you have to be careful but I appreciated that thier were handrails pretty much everywhere.
The property is beautiful. I loved seeing all of the plants. Im a forager so I loved juat walking through and identifying the different plants. They had rented goats to clear alot of the brush on the hill and we got to watch them the first night while they were working which was awesome to see.
Jessica is an amazing host and was super sweet with the kids. She let them help her feed them and check for eggs and showed them all the art and work she does.
Also, I've never used a porta potty that smelled that good before and showering in the outdoor shower surrounded by nature was honestly magical. 100/10 will come again.
Stephenie C.
3 reviews
Recommends
· July 2025
Very pretty piece of land. Loved the variety of vegetation and foliage. Jessica and her family was very nice. The eggs and sausage are very fresh and delicious.
D
Dipali B.
2 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· July 2025
I stayed in the “bunky.” A lovely room with lots of natural light and a sweet little area to sit and enjoy tea or the birds. Jessica was a welcoming host, she even made me strawberry tea and lent me a cooler since I had forgotten mine. Even on a 90 degree day, the room stayed cool with the fans going and windows allowing for a cross breeze.
B
Bonnie T.
3 reviews
Recommends
· June 2025
Nice place 2 camp the park is amazing staff was super nice . Wud deff go back . Highly recommend
A
Amie H.
3 reviews
Recommends
· June 2025
Super great experience. I stayed in Bunkie. There is no AC BUT a nice fan and windows that open. I was there during the heat advisory and was comfortable.
Fresh coffe made by the host, Jessica. Get some eggs while you are there as they are amazing. Would definitely stay again.
Maria H.
3 reviews
Recommends
· June 2025
The Bunkie was comfortable and cozy with beautiful views of ferns and cedars! The path to the outside was well lit at night, and the new outdoor shower had great hot water and pressure! I loved touring Jessica’s gardens and learning more about how she preserves and uses plants in her apothecary and soap making too! Jessica is kind, hospitable, and generous with her time and resources and made me feel at home. You can tell how much time and care she and her family put into the homestead.
Barbara S.
7 reviews
Recommends
· May 2025
Jessica and the family were great hosts. She was very responsive and helpful with our questions and went above and beyond to make sure we had what we needed. The room and property were beautiful and she was very knowledgeable about all of the plants and animals around the area. Highly recommend would go back again.
J
John O.
2 years on Hipcamp
My wife and I chose this gorgeous spot to spend our 12th wedding anniversary. At first we thought to ourselves “is it safe for a lesbian couple to spend their anniversary, six hours away from Sioux Falls…in eastern Iowa…a place we have never been?”…but after reading reviews , we went for it and were so so happy we did.
First and foremost, Jessica was an amazing host! She was so welcoming and equally brilliant (do yourself a favor and take her classes, we learned so much in just one day about running a homestead) . She welcomed us with champagne soap that she made to celebrate our anniversay and offered To make us tea! Her property was gorgeous and also a product of her family’s incredibly hard work . They have built something so unique and needed in this world.
My wife and I felt so welcomed and loved on! We explored the adorable town and talked to Jessica frequently (she is absolutely an artist and caretaker) . We were also given all the privacy we needed.
The bed in the bunkie was incredibly comfortable and waking up to the sounds of nature and fresh air was rejuvenating.
Stay here, it’s incredible!
M
Melly P.
9 months on Hipcamp
We loved our stay at the Bunkie! The site was beautiful and we had everything we needed. The room was exactly as described on the website. Our experience was 10/10.
A
Ayşe O.
1 year on Hipcamp
Recommends
· April 2025
A cozy place to stay the night! Jessica was a wonderful host. We enjoyed our stay and got some of Jessica’s herbal infused goat milk soap and locally made sausage. I’d definitely visit again 😊
J
Julie T.
10 months on Hipcamp
We loved camping here! Wonderful hilltop spot with an overlook view. We also loved getting to see the chickens and baby chicks. Jessica was so kind and hospitable. We can't wait to come back!
J
Jordan A.
1 year on Hipcamp
Nice stay! Love the view looking over the church and the town. Had a great time watching the birds and 5 little chicks. So cute. The bunkie is beautiful and the bed is so comfortable. I will definitely come again. The drive nearby is so beautiful!
A
Alison C.
4 reviews
Staying on Jessica’s land was one of the single best getaways either I or my partner have had in recent memory! We initially took a trip away from home to alleviate burn out early in the working year and returned home even more refreshed than anticipated.
The Bunkie was perfectly cozy for me, my partner, and our pup. The view was rejuvenating, and we had access to whatever we needed to keep comfortable. We did a lot of reading and board games when inside, and did our cooking on one of the many fire pits outdoors.
Jessica has a wealth of knowledge and earnest love for the land she stewards, and we had a great time learning about the local flora and fauna. She kindly walked us through foraging, apothecary processes, artisanal soap-making, and her husband taught us how to keep our knives razor sharp. Beyond the knowledge we were gifted, we made sure to also leave with a lot of amazing smelling soap and bath salts.
Outside of the space, there’s a lot of beautiful and reasonably accessible hiking in the vicinity. If you’re not one for cooking each night, there’s also a number of good spots in town to get some coffee/tea, food, and beer.
We’re excited to tell everyone back home about the beautiful time we had, and we’re hoping to come back soon to see how the space is during other seasons. Thank you so much, Jessica!
A
Alejandro R.
9 months on Hipcamp
Wonderful place with a fantastic host. Made me and my pup feel so welcome, next level soaps, and a pet skunk!! Got to take a soap making class and learned so much! Very peaceful atmosphere with good vibes.
S
Stephanie R.
2 reviews
Recommends
· March 2025
Me and my pup had a wonderful time in the bunkie! Jessica is a fantastic host and truly went above and beyond to make sure that me and my dog were comfortable. She had great recommendations for stuff to do around the area and taught me how to make soap! Her soaps are truly next level and it was so cool to see all of her wonderful art! We also had some of her amazing tea!! It was delicious! She also has a pet skunk that was too adorable! Thanks for hosting us Jessica!
S
Stephanie R.
2 reviews
The bed was extremely comfortable. The set up was cute and cozy. Everything I needed for the morning was there,ground coffee, coffee maker, water, creamer and sugar. The whole vibe was cozy. 10/10 would reccomend.
C
Christina D.
9 months on Hipcamp
Staying at Jessica’s Bunkie was a wonderful experience. The design of the room was so cute and cohesive. Truly felt like a little cabin even though it was functionally a sunroom off the side of the house. The bed was great and views even more beautiful. What was even better though was getting to explore the property. There’s some trails out back that allowed us to climb up the mountain and the hobbit house was so cute. It felt like we could be at home there. When swinging on the swing Jessica invited us inside to meet her pet skunk! She showed us the room where she creates and stores her art (soaps and terrarium like frames). We got to see the birds out her window, so many! And talking with her sun was quite fun, learning about bees. She was so hospital and really made the experience magical. The only thing that could have been better was that the room was quite cold despite the little heater and we didn’t have water till we asked in the morning. But I think some of that had to do with how we didn’t let her know our ETA and arrived quite late! The bathroom was also a decent walk from the room. Maybe 100ft? But felt long cause of the cold. That’s typical hip camp though, right? Overall, would 100% recommend and go back as well!
J
Jordan M.
2 reviews
This was a lovely stop-over on our way to family Christmas - even with snow and slush on the ground, she met us in the dark after we arrived with smiles and warm greetings!! Free firewood for our campfire (which is right outside the window of Bunkie) was a bonus. Even though it was a chilly night and we didn't stay outside too long, we could easily see it from the window when we were inside. A wall of windows was perfect to make the smaller space seem even larger. And if it had been summer, I'm sure the flowers and wildlife would have been a lovely sight!! Even in winter, we could see Christmas lights outside the town.
Jessica had tea waiting for me (I ordered it), allowed our pets to stay with us (wonderful to be able to sleep in comfort with our dogs), had a coffeemaker, supplies to shower (if it had been warm enough to do so), extra blankets and a space heater to warm our little private space.
Yes - you must go up and down stone steps to access the parking area and the bathroom, but all you need is shoes and it's totally possible. While this would not be a location for accessibility (for those that need that), if you are able, it's a great little experience. The town is absolutely gorgeous on the Mississippi River with little shops, and a few restaurants.
I'd highly recommend if you want a creative little place to stay, don't mind a gorgeous view, want free firewood with your campfire ring and want to meet a real life pet skunk - yes - that's right :)
Amy G.
6 reviews
Recommends
· December 2024
Best host ever! Attentive and caring! I had a great time and plan to visit again! Beautiful property as well!!
Cody E.
2 years on Hipcamp
Location
Bellevue, Jackson, Iowa, United StatesTo respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking
Hosted by Jessica O.
Joined in May 2021Response rate: 100%Response time: Within an hour
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