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Sycamore Lake Elk Ranch

100%

· Ohio

105 acres

3 sites

3 Tent

I’ve had the pleasure of having this land as my playground for many years. My grandparents purchased the property after WWII. Initially, it began as a dairy farm and a few years later they opened Sycamore Lake Campground, one of the very first public camping spots in the U.S. I grew up fishing, hunting, riding tractors and horses here. Years later I had a vision of starting my own elk ranch and what better place to do so than on my family’s property. I brought my first load of elk here on my grandmother's 95th birthday in 2010 and in 2014 I was able to purchase the property from my her. She left us days away from her 101st birthday. I now reside here at the ranch and the herd has grown to over 50 head. The ranch is a work in progress and if you become a regular visitor, you will notice changes between each visit. I'm proud to be able to keep this land in my family and I’m excited to able to share it with all of you. I truly hope you can come and enjoy the natural landscape; of a place I hold dear to me. Learn more about this land: Pitch a tent on a bank of a winding creek or along the private lake. Abundant wildlife to admire. Bass fishing and boating steps away from your site. Small boats along with fishing poles and gear are available for rent. Enjoy roasting your hotdogs and marshmallows over a campfire at night. Firewood is for sale. This is a working elk ranch and tours are available. Lake Erie is a few miles away. Wine country and Geneva on the Lake are just moments down the road.

Activities

Boating

Fishing

Wildlife watching

Natural features

Lake

River, stream, or creek

Ranch

Available sites

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Location

Ohio, United StatesTo respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking

Hosted by Scott D.Joined in August 2021

100%

27 ratings · 24 reviews

Simon B.recommends

October 5, 2022

Site 1 - Elk Ranch

Scott was a great and accommodating host. The campsites were beautiful, clean and well cared for. We enjoyed listening to the elk calls as we built a fire and cooked dinner. Highly Recommend.

Mike C.recommends

September 25, 2022

Site 1 - Elk Ranch

Great host - great tent camp!

Scott was an awesome host and has a great property. Our site was secluded, easily accessible and perfect for a car camp. The lake is a blast - we caught a few bass and it’s very serene. The elk are very impressive creatures! Overall, this was an awesome weekend.

Daniel W.recommends

September 19, 2022

Site 2 - Elk Ranch

Awesome place to camp. Very private and spacious. The elk bugling this time of year was awesome. Scott was a great host and we look forward to going back.

Nicole M.recommends

September 12, 2022

Site 2 - Elk Ranch

Awesome Experience

What an awesome property! Scott showed us around the farm which we really enjoyed learning all about the Elk he had. Where we camped was beautiful. I would highly recommend this stay!

David L.recommends

September 11, 2022

Site 1 - Elk Ranch

Scott is a great host. Seeing/hearing the Elk with Scott is such a unique experience and something you cannot get at any other camp site. We even got to pet one of them. We stayed at site 1 which overlooks the creek and has great flat ground for campsite. Plenty of privacy from other sites. Highly recommend!

Shay E.recommends

September 4, 2022

Site 2 - Elk Ranch

Scott was incredibly accommodating. The campsite we stayed at (2) was giant and provided a ton of shade seclusion. The area was beautiful and it was peaceful listening to the elk as the sun went down.

Brianna E.recommends

August 30, 2022

Site 3 - Elk Ranch

Camping with Elk!

We had so much fun tent camping on Scott’s land. He was extremely welcoming and helpful. He took is for a tour of the elk and was very patient when answering all of our questions! He let us choose the campsite and made sure we had everything we needed. We also got to go on the row boat on the lake! It was so pretty and peaceful!

Catherine M.recommends

August 21, 2022

Site 1 - Elk Ranch

I camped on the bank of the creek. Being single and camping alone, I felt very safe. It is primitive camping but I was very well prepared which made my stay more enjoyable. It was everything I was looking for. I wish I would have brought a kayak to paddle the beautiful lake. Scott is a great host. Do not pass up the opportunity to camp here.*****

Maureen J.recommends

August 16, 2022

Site 1 - Elk Ranch

2 boys who love the outdoors!

Site number 1 by far met our expectations. The land was clear, private, peaceful, and tranquil by the creek. My boys loved walking through creek with their nets catching the crayfish! We had so much fun fishing off the boat in the pond, even though dad was the only one who caught a fish! We saw beavers swimming around in the other pond. And of course the main highlight was walking along side the elk pasture. You have to see it in person to believe how big they are! We had so much fun during the day, and relaxed by the fire at night. It was so cool to hear the elk bugle too! Scott was very responsive, friendly, understanding, fair and easy to work with! We will definitely be back, can not wait until next time!

Claire M.recommends

August 8, 2022

Site 2 - Elk Ranch

We loved camping at Elk Ranch! Scott was great when we got there later than expected and gave us a wonderful tour of all the elk. We’ll be talking about that tour for a long time. Campsite was spacious and clean. Plenty of twigs and wood to make great campfires. We would definitely recommend and would consider staying again.

Jeremy R.recommends

July 25, 2022

Site 2 - Elk Ranch

It was everything you would think and more!! First let's talk the camping. In the woods away from everything but easy to get to. It created the perfect sense of escape. Scott has lots of land to explore and walk around from woods to creeks to ponds. We had a great time. Then you throw in a working elk ranch! Such beautiful and amazing animals. To see them for the first time we were amazed. Scott was a wonderful host very communicative and helpful. We would highly recomend a stay here!!!

Tiffany O.recommends

July 20, 2022

Site 1 - Elk Ranch

This was my first hipcamp experience and the Elk Ranch was perfect. Very private and secluded.

Andrew F.recommends

July 19, 2022

Site 3 - Elk Ranch

The camping was amazing and peaceful. Well maintained property. The owner was a verry coutious and kind gentleman and overall the experiance and serenity for the trip was amazing. Highly would recomend this spot for someone wanting to get away and relax

Jennica R.recommends

July 4, 2022

Site 1 - Elk Ranch

We loved our stay, thanks! Beautiful and super quiet. Clean camp site.

Maya C.recommends

June 23, 2022

Site 2 - Elk Ranch

Wonderful camping if ur looking for a more rugged experience. Water features were 10/10.

Charcol B.recommends

June 14, 2022

Site 1 - Elk Ranch

Remote, scenic, and fun!

We loved our stay at Scott's Elk Ranch in Jefferson! We popped a tent up at Site 1 and it was wonderful. This site is fairly flat, very close to the river, and the coverage from the trees was perfect for the light rain we got during our stay. There was an outhouse at the site but it has been claimed by some mice. We have a portable potty that worked perfect instead. There was no picnic table but thankfully there was a glass table for us to use. This really came in handy because we forgot a table! I really appreciated how private the site was too. I couldn't even tell you if anyone else was staying at another site while we were there, it was so quiet! My favorite part about our stay was how close this site was to the river! We spent a good amount of time walking up it and exploring some more of the land around the site. We really loved our stay here and are already planning for another trip back!

Randall L.recommends

June 3, 2022

Site 2 - Elk Ranch

The beauty of the escape

Beautiful lands, great host, and a wonderful retreat. These are the things that you will find when booking at this beautiful working elk farm. The owner is communicative and helpful. The on site lake is filled with fish, turtles, frogs, and gets visitors like blue heron, beaver, and even otters. If you are willing the get out there, tough it, and be a part of the wonderfully natural world then you should strongly consider this location for your next adventure. So pack your tent, sleeping bag, some food, and get over to the Sycamore Elk Ranch to enjoy a world away from the rest of the world.

Jessica E.recommends

May 30, 2022

Site 3 - Elk Ranch

This was a beautiful spot to camp! Scott showed us several locations on the property and let us pick. He checked in several times if we needed anything. Would recommend

Robin S.recommends

November 5, 2021

Site 1 - Elk Ranch

Unique campground , enjoyed the elk noises at night

Travis M.recommends

October 12, 2021

Site 3 - Elk Ranch

My teenager and I enjoyed our stay. It was primitive, which is what we wanted. Scott led us back to our site and was very accomodating. We fished in the pond, had a nice campfire and listened to the elk bugle. We never saw or heard the other campers (also what we wanted). It was lovely.

Kerry P.recommends

September 20, 2021

Site 1 - Elk Ranch

Amazing rejuvenating weekend

The stay here was amazing. It's very peaceful with the joy of listening to the else bugle. Cute little chipmunks running around. Scott is an amazing host that is very attentive to your needs and helpful with everything. The outhouse is a great feature to have and is nice. This will definitely be our family spot from here on out! The pound is beautiful with lily pads and lots of shade. The lake is gorgeous and fun to explore. You will not regret this camping area!!!

Alyssa M.recommends

September 19, 2021

Site 3 - Elk Ranch

My boyfriend and I came to camp in this area to pick grapes, check out wineries, and hike. Scott was so responsive and helpful. The property is beautiful! We saw so many species of plants, birds, and amphibians along with the impressive elk. It was so neat to hear their calls and we’ll definitely be back because the hospitality and location are perfect.

Ann B.recommends

September 12, 2021

Site 1 - Elk Ranch

Work's been nuts. School's been nuts. So my family and I were looking for a quiet place to unplug and camp. Scott's place delivered! We enjoyed the solitude, fishing in the pond, playing cards and reading by the firepit. We really appreciated the alternative to busy campgrounds and felt super rested by the time the weekend was over. Scott was also such a gracious host. He met us upon arrival and gave us a quick tour of the grounds to get our bearings. The kids have already asked if we can return sometime :) Highly recommend!