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Cedar Springs

100%

· Decorah, Winneshiek, Iowa

10 acres hosted by Thais M.

1 lodging site

Thais is a Star Host

Star Hosts are highly rated, responsive, and committed to providing incredible experiences.

Off-leash friendly

Pets can be off-leash at this Hipcamp.

All to yourself

100% of recent Hipcampers say this Hipcamp felt private.

The property has been in my family for over 40 years and was originally settled in the mid 1800's. It is about 10 acres and is primarily wooded with Cedar, Oak, Maple, Hickory and Birch. The topography is diverse, having steep heights, easy flats and everything in between; which makes hiking fun and interesting. The lower College Drive side features a historic limestone homestead and quarry, also a fossil rich creek-bed and rustic (4WD) road to the top. The upper property (Hwy. 52 access) offers a secluded forest as well as a spacious meadow. The woods are filled with birds and many other indigenous wild animals. We are only a half mile from towns edge and two miles from its center (also a five minute drive from Luther College). The Decorah area is well known for its scenic natural beauty and has extensive hiking trails, biking trails, cross-country ski routes, rivers, creeks and hunting areas. People come here year round for our outdoor recreation and beauty. Canoeing, Kayaking, Fishing, Tubing, X-country skiing, and Trail Riding are very popular activities around here. Bring a side-by-side or ATV and have a blast both on the property and around the area. Decorah has several museums, a movie theater, 2 golf courses and bowling alley in addition to dozens of charming shops and several restaurants. You'll never get bored staying at Cedar Springs.The Blufftop Greenhouse is 6'x 10' and has electricity, lights, air conditioning & heat. There is a futon-sofa that sleeps 1-2 people, with an air mattress stowed beneath for more bed space if needed. Linens, pillow and 2 fleece blankets are provided. Coffee is included and set for service inside. The greenhouse sits on a deck with a table and 2 chairs outside, there are two lawn chairs and a fire ring. One bundle of wood is included and more is available. The outdoor cooking area includes 5 gallons of potable water and a few basics for cooking/dining. Right beside the greenhouse is a private outdoor shower and an outhouse is on-site as well. There is room to bring smaller campers or trailers, hammocks or overland vehicles for additional people to camp, one level spot for a tent. The site itself is wooded, with shade and sun, it sits on the rim of an old limestone quarry with impressive views of the quarry cliffs and the rolling greenways of Silvercrest Golf and Country Club. Like golf? You can walk down the trail and be there in a few minutes. Throughout the property are a few hiking trails, with varying degrees of difficulty including a private 4 wheel drive historic road which has access to College Drive. Campers may use the quarry for fires and gatherings. There is a historic limestone house on the lower property which may be used for photo opportunities but can not be explored inside at this time. There is also a limestone creek bed which is rich with fossils and periodically offers up trail treasures such as antique bottlers and cans and square nails. Campers must be 18 and over due to the possible dangers of a natural environment which contains high elevations, cliffs, falling rock and wildlife. There is only one site listed at this time so campers will pretty much have the place to themselves. Hosts are 500 feet from the site, on the other side of the woods so you'll have lots of privacy. Dogs welcome, please keep them close by you at all times.

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100%

6 ratings · 6 reviews

Megan M.recommends

April 1, 2024

Blufftop Greenhouse

Beautiful greenhouse for glamping

The greenhouse was our base camp for a nice weekend getaway. It was tucked back on a private piece of land not far from town but nice and quiet and with killer views of a limestone quarry. I recommend extra blankets this time of year, but the space heater in the greenhouse helps a lot! I would definitely come back in warmer weather :) Thais’s instructions for getting to the sight are easy to follow and the ease of getting more water and wood was great.

Jack M.recommends

December 1, 2023

Blufftop Greenhouse

Super cool spot! Thais was super courteous and responsive. If you stay in the winter, bring a good sleeping bag. It gets cold, even with the space heater, but that kind of added to the charm. Would definitely come back.

Rachel K.recommends

November 24, 2023

Blufftop Greenhouse

I’d recommend this spot to anyone looking for a bit of magic and serenity. Thais was highly communicative before and throughout our stay. The heated greenhouse makes for a creative winter camping solution, though we recommend bringing a second space heater. The outdoor and indoor spaces were both beautifully accommodated. At Thais’ recommendation, we went down and discovered a small treasure trove worth of fossils in the lower creek bed on the property. What an adventure!

Julie C.recommends

November 4, 2023

Blufftop Greenhouse

Perfect glamp

Last minute booking - great choice! Exactly as described. Beautiful! Dark skies. Beautiful bluff views. The green house with a small heater was warm in 40 degree weather. We didn’t use the outdoor shower but it was beautiful in a rustic enchanting way. Host had great communication and the directions were easy to follow and final path was well lit. Lovely glamping experience!

Danielle P.recommends

October 21, 2023

Blufftop Greenhouse

5/5 Review! Incredible site!🤩

Everything here went above and beyond my expectations! The greenhouse is described exactly as it is and they make good use of the space inside. They provide quite a bit of cookware, you just have to bring the camping stove. I brought a lot of my own kitchenware not realizing they’d have as much as they did! Everything was so cute and well organized. They even offer a little cabinet of snacks/drinks for purchase. They provide some firewood and water, and offered to refill it our second day. The portapotty isn’t 100% level but I had absolutely no concerns and it was so nice to have a toilet situation. And they put a little nightlight in there! It just has to be pushed on. The shower looks so neat, I wish I’d tried it! The land is incredible! We unfortunately weren’t able to explore as much as I’d have liked but the opportunities seem endless! They have everything listed out really well where they recommend hiking around and they seem very open to you exploring. It’s so beautiful! Our dogs had the time of their lives. It’s so close to anything to do in Decorah but definitely gives you a perfectly private camping feel. The host(s) were so easy to communicate with! I never met them but they were very friendly and accommodating every step of the way. I would love to come back sometime!

Alex G.recommends

October 19, 2023

Blufftop Greenhouse

Beautiful Bluff Side Getaway

This place is great and very close to Decorah. It's such a pretty site and good for a couples getaway. Private but you do get some noise from the highways. The query is very cool but not be good if you have small kids or dogs that don't listen as it's pretty close to the camp site. The host did a good job of providing amenities and having the campsite ready to go. It stayed nice and warm with the heater provided at 40 degrees overnight temperatures. A few things I would recommend for the host. Cut the tree that is about to fall on where the cars are parked. Level out the porta potty a bit. I would love to see a grill grate for cooking over the fire although there was a handheld one. Host communicated well and I would highly recommend this place.

Location

Decorah, Winneshiek, Iowa, United StatesTraditional, ancestral territory of oθaakiiwaki‧hina‧ki (Sauk) & Meškwahki·aša·hina (Fox), Očhéthi Šakówiŋ, and Wahpeton First Nations according to To respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking

Hosted by Thais M.Joined in July 2023

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