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Reviews
87% Recommend160 ratings · 50 reviews
Let me start off by saying that after seeing the pics of Michelle's property we had big expectations of having a great time celebrating my birthday, our expectations were met far past what we envisioned as "a good time" putting this trip #1 on the list of best memories ever. Michelle, Ashley, Haley, and her adorable grandchildren created the most amazing environment for people to bond, relax, and create memories in. This is what i call a true alternative glamping experience and have never experienced anything like it. The best way I can describe this beautiful land is rustic, bohemian, chic. The sites are nestled gently under moss covered old growth forest on a rivers edge. Directions were easy and had no problem finding it as we located it on google maps ahead of time after reading the review about poor cell phone service. I was told that Verizon customers are the only ones who get service in that area so you may want to wrap up work and lose ends before you wander into the thick canopy of the Olympic National Forest because you wont be able to use your phones. You may want to check with Michelle about using her as an emergency contact if you are leaving pets or children with a sitter. The layout was amazing! Everything we needed was provided meaning we over packed. All you really need to bring is food, bedding, lights, toiletries, and hobby equipment. Also it is on the Rain-forest's edge so tarps /canopy is a smart thing to pack even though the tree we were under completely kept our camp dry and it only drizzled once or twice momentarily through out our 4 day adventure. Each huge multi person tent/ yurt/ teepee had beds and air mattresses with a small kitchen set up. There was a pantry with clean dishes, coffee cups, 2 mixing bowls, a whisp, spatula, silverware, cork screw/can opener ect., our camp had fire pits, unlimited firewood supply, and we were offered extra cots to accommodate our guests. We booked 2 separate sites each as accommodating as the next. We scored a BBQ grill, lit the tiki torches, and after eating were hypnotized asleep by the sound of the river streaming through moss covered river rocks, this was some of the best sleep we have gotten in our life, the kind of sleep where wed wake up to the sounds of the river trickling, take a deep relaxing sigh, and go right back into a comatose slumber. We were offered firewood each day. There were 3 porta-potties that were newly emptied and kept clean and tended to. There were 3 outdoor hot water showers but the river was my preferred method for freshening up as it was beautiful, clean, and the perfect temperature to wake myself up. There were so many creative details , I saw something new every time i took a walk with my dog whom they also welcomed with open arms. I could tell that Michelle really pours her heart and soul into everything she does as a host. There is hand crafted furniture and details everywhere you look. The community bar is carved from old tree logs with bar stools to match and at night glows softly under string lights hanging from gigantic old trees. There is a cluster of canopies around the bar area which cover everything you need to keep a camp running in tip top shape, 3 wash basins for cleaning and rinsing, a pantry for kitchen supplies, and a dining area. There were multiple trash cans for dumping garbage that were emptied regularly. At the end of our beautiful journey we were excited that our host and her family joined us by throwing mini led lights down the trail as they came to join us in star gazing to cap off our last night. Michelle has an ever evolving creative vision that she has gracefully invited others to share and enjoy. The only thing I struggled with was the depression of having to leave and go back to "normal life". Please don't miss out on this gem or be discouraged because of the one bad review someone was insane enough to leave. This woman is absolutely one of the most caring, creative, and accommodating souls I've ever met and we can't wait to come back! Thank you Michelle, Ashley, and Haley!! You guys really made our trip something very special! Peace , love, and good vibes,
the Goodsells!
Rochelle G.
6 years on Hipcamp
Surprisingly good and cozy
Natasha K.
6 years on Hipcamp
Definitely not as nice as some of the pictures portray. Easy to find. Cool location right by the river. We got site 7 & 8 which we on the river. Other sites weren't on the river.
Negatives: NOT A GLAMPING SITE. Don't let the nice pictures fool you. When we arrived the host (or I think it may have been her mother?) didn't really know where we should be camping so she let us know to pick any sites we wanted. Awesome!... but first sign for the whole operation being a bit unorganized. Kitchen setups were decent, but didn't have everything we needed. Had to scrap from other unused sites to get enough plates / silverware. Definitely looked a bit rundown. Most likely a site that has been used for some smaller festivals. The large tents at each site looked a little rundown, painted, etc. Also keep in mind only 2 of the sites are on the river. The rest are behind up the hill a bit. All of the sites are relatively close together so not much privacy unless you're in the sites on the river like we were.
Positives: Unlimited firewood. Hosts (when we could find them) were very helpful in taking our trash, and filling up some water tanks. There were quite a few kids running around and helping out to check on the sites.
Overall it worked out well for our large group of 15! But could have been cleaner and more organized. There's one specific review that I read that had very nice pictures of the sites, but those are definitely not accurate at this point.
Mike S.
8 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· August 2019
Group trip ·
Ultimate Camping Trip "it's in'tent
Thanks to Michelle & Emily, we enjoyed our stay and had an amazing friends reunion!
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Supan G.
6 years on Hipcamp
Not recommend
· August 2019
Mechelle and her family were helpful and friendly which we appreciated. Unfortunately the site didn’t quite match expectations and seemed like it needed some up keep. We’d certainly come and stay again if the site received some TLC.
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Matthew H.
6 years on Hipcamp
We loved our stay! The campsite is clean, packed with supplies, and the hosts were so friendly and available! They had everything we could have needed, down to s’more supplies. We will definitely be back!
Maddie O.
2 reviews
Relaxing stay. Lots of fun! Host family is very nice and accommodating, anything you need they will get it to you (within reason.) Even our pet had a good time. There are many beaches near by to visit for a day trip. It was magical tenting by the water, the flow of the current knocked my family out for a very relaxing sleep.
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Felicia B.
6 years on Hipcamp
What a great camp, and a WONDERFUL host. Mechelle was a delight, very very accommodating; the perfect mix of making sure we had what we needed without being intrusive. The most important thing to note about this Hipcamp is this : This IS NOT glamping, AT ALL! This IS camping, without the unfun parts of setting up and tearing down. It's dirty, because camping is inherently dirty, there's bugs, because you are CAMPING outdoors next to the Sol Duc River.
It's the 'ultimate' campground because Mechelle has given her guests the gift of time. Less time setting up and more time doing what we're there to do... Enjoy Nature on Nature's terms.
I feel it was truly a gift to get to meet her and be part of what she is building. I can't wait to go back and see what she's done next.
While everyone may have different definitions of what makes a great camping trip, I think we can all agree that having more time to explore, spend time with our families, and enjoy the great outdoors, is a huge step towards the ultimate camping trip.
If you are looking for glamping, that IS available on hipcamp, this is not it. Period. If you're looking for a great camping trip with all that encompasses, with a great host, and a little bit less work involved, then this is for you.
Thank you so much Mechelle! (And Ashley too)
Juliet F.
6 reviews
Not recommend
· July 2019
Group trip ·
Ultimate Camping Trip "it's in'tent
Not great. no running water available, the outhouses were overused, no kindling, and they were not changed out, they were cleaned but the buckets were very full of excrement the whole weekend. There was no propane for cooking and there was no dish soap. The owner tried to compensate by giving us some salmon which was nice but she sent a child to deliver it. She had too many visitors for a holiday weekend and I think she was overwhelmed.
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Melissa Y.
6 years on Hipcamp
Mechelle was very nice. I did have questions but it seemed hard to get her or anyone else's attention. She did give us a can of smoked salmon when someone forgot to bring us something to get our fire started.
The only real complaints are that they never pumped the porta potties (and they got real nasty) and there was no running water. I did want to ask about that but I never saw Mechelle after the first day.
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Dan R.
6 years on Hipcamp
I really just crashed here and wish I had given myself more time to explore. They were very flexible with my late arrival and I appreciated that. There are lots more tents on the property than what the photos suggest. It’s kind of a tent camp town. I didn’t use any of the services but looked like there were multiple kitchens and showers.
Caylin M.
6 years on Hipcamp
Obsolutely super kool place to relax and campaign. Easy check in , wonderful hosting. Mechelle was very friendly.All the amenities were great for a campaign. I will highly recommend.
Roopesh Kumar C.
6 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· June 2019
We had a great stay at Mechelle's campground. They had everything we needed, and we slept so well with the sound of the river nearby.
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James T.
6 years on Hipcamp
Mixed feelings
· June 2019
We had reserved a specific site only to arrive & have it occupied by other campers. The owners offered us a different location, but it was in a less than ideal spot. The system needs to be followed to allow campers to get what they believe they're paying for. Kindling, wood, & charcoal were damp, so getting a fire started was next to impossible. The Igloo cooler that the charcoal is kept in does not keep moisture out.
Quiet hours were non-existant. A large group of campers were up until close to 2 am with no regard to others in the Campground.
Dishes & utensils were provided, which was an excellent option; however, ours were either dirty or had dead bugs all over them.
We had heard about the linen & sleeping bags before going up there, so we brought our own. I don't believe they clean the linens regularly.
Jay W.
6 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· May 2019
Mechelles was incredible! It is a bit different than expected, as there are more tents than shown, and in general more selection. Ended up in a better tent than we reserved. Mechelle also provided literally everything you could need to camp, so stress free, and a beautiful property on the river. Will 100% be returning.
Jess E.
3 reviews
This is so great. The host has put heart into this place and it's rustic with tents and camp stoves but not with lotsa pillows blankets and hot showers outside!!. Rugged but so comfortable. Friendly quite and fun to make friends and party. They have a beautiful spot on river and we saw deer and drift boats fishing. The host provide everything you need and without being asked. It's a family affair and we absolutely loved the hospitality and the experience. This is a memory worth making!!!!
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Lisa A.
6 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· April 2019
Absolutely incredible gem.
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Hazen B.
7 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· March 2019
Michelle and her nephews were so nice and their service was great..
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Santhosh C.
7 years on Hipcamp
Mechelle's family was very welcoming and greeted me immediately on arrival. They made sure I felt like a king, with tons of firewood and checking that I was comfortable. I was looking for a simple place to stay for the night, and was delighted at how big and comfortable the tent, bedding etc was. A space heater made the December night very manageable. I had the place all to myself, but still felt very safe (within earshot of Mechelle's home). I can imagine in the warmer months a cute little community taking hold on this site, Mechelle has thought of everything; multiple sites intended for medium-large groups, bathrooms, water access, even a tent that looks like a bar in the center of the tents.
Kyle J.
2 reviews
Recommends
· September 2018
What a great spot! I can't wait to come back.
Thank you!
Tiffany
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Tiffany R.
3 reviews
Recommends
· September 2018
We had the most wonderful time! It was so beautiful and peaceful. We saw a lot of wildlife along the river in their natural habit which was so amazing to see.
The campsites were nicely equipped with basic supplies and if anything else was needed it was just a stones throw away. To top it all off the hosts were more than accomodating and welcoming. Our fire was started for us, we shared in some fun stories and they even provided us with fresh coho to grill up on our second night. Hands down it was the best salmon we have ever eaten!
We camp a lot and this was such a different experience. The ease of having things set up and ready to go upon arrival was a pure joy. We can't wait to come back and even want to get married on the property! Yes, thats how much we fell in love with this beautiful piece of property and can't wait to share it with our friends and family.
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Heidi P.
7 years on Hipcamp
Mixed feelings
· September 2018
I have to say that I really like to read reviews and I only saw one red flag but chose to give it a try anyway. I had a feeling that we would arrive late but I didn’t know when so I made the host aware of this both with text and messages to both phone numbers available never received a response. Also, I did have a request before hand and there was no response to it. At that I was not too concerned. Needless to say we did arrive very late and we looked for our tent. We eventually found it and there was someone in it. Apparently there are quite a few more than the six advertised. When I walked up to the one that we had reserved a dog unzipped it and an women inside asked what i wanted. I politely asked if this was tent number five? She asked yes why? I told her we had reserved it over a week ago. She responded that they had reserved it and we’re not getting out of our tent and I let her know that well I didn’t ask them to and she said well you need to go talk to Mechelle. I asked where Mechelle was and she said in the yellow house so I went and knocked on the door and there was no answer. As I had no phone service I went over to another campground and borrow someone’s phone and still got no response. After that point my fiancé was over it first we look for a hotel close and then we drove another hour to Neah bay and stayed at Seukui in our car. We were able to email hipcamp the next day in the morning and Mechelle did say she waited for us but with no message anywhere I believe that clame is null. She also said she had a tent available for us if we wanted to come back but after all of that driving it really wasn’t an option. I really appreciate Hipcamps attempt at finding us another place to stay but by that time I already had found and paid for a hotel. Such a bummer as it looks like a wonderful place to stay. Communication is lacking though. Big time!
Ericka L.
7 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· September 2018
Great spot especially if you nab one of the tents by the river. It's at a perfect jumping off point for exploring the peninsula and the hosts provide everything you could need including healthy amounts of firewood. Only 10 or so minutes to Rialto Beach.
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Sarah J.
3 reviews
Recommends
· September 2018
Great location on a lovely piece of property! Our host was very hospitable! Looking forward to returning!
Brian W.
2 reviews
Not recommend
· September 2018
It seemed like it would be a great spot and the photos looked great, but I don’t think anything at our site was cleaned up before we arrived. On first look the beds and blankets looked fine, but there was no top sheet and it felt like there was a layer of sand in the bed...really glad we had our own sleeping bags and pillows, but given it said you only need to bring food I expected a clean place to sleep. The kitchen area was not clean, we just used the grill and no dishes since we didn’t feel comfortable (empty gallon jug and hydrogen peroxide bottle and cobwebs over the thing that holds the dishes, and grill wasn’t clean, but burning coals got it clean enough). Also there was broken stuff around the site (a broken light on the picnic table, other metal and plastic stuff in the trees). And no one told us about the showers (didn’t use it), and the sink at our site was really challenging to use and the buckets that caught the water were full underneath (more evidence that I don’t think anyone actually cleaned our site). Honestly, they have so many tents and it seems like the kids are doing the cleaning, I think it’s more than they can manage well.
Jenna J.
8 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· August 2018
Was lovely. Hot water, beautiful setting and many amenities! I would definitely recommend! I would just recommend you bring things like a hot water kettle, dish washing tubs, and some lights and be ok with spiders :)
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Eleonor B.
7 years on Hipcamp
Not recommend
· August 2018
Group trip ·
Ultimate Camping Trip "it's in'tent
The experience was VERY different than we expected. To start, the listing gives little to no details about each of the individual campsites. We attempted every avenue at trying to reach Mechelle to ask questions prior to our trip (email, Hipcamp messages, phoning) and were unsuccessful. The communication was non-existent. The tents, tables, chairs and cookware were dirty. The linens, pillows and sleeping bags were all used & abused and are not cleaned in between guests. Suggest bringing most of your own things. There was no running water at our site. We only saw running water being used at campsite #1. There was a shared jug of water for the lower half of sites (there are 13 total sites). The property is beautiful next to the Sol Duc River. Lots of beautiful old growth. Not all campsites sleep up to 30 people like the listing states. Would not return, we were disappointed overall.
Brittany A.
3 reviews
Recommends
· August 2018
Our first stop of our road trip and it was a blast! So close to the river, you could hear it all night. Great location to Forks and La Push. We loved glamping and sitting around the fire - ended up playing fetch with one of the hosts’ dogs well into the night! A great time!
Mandi W.
2 reviews
Recommends
· August 2018
We had a great time at Mechelle's place. The site was right on the river and even more beautiful than the pictures. Mechelle and her family were incredibly friendly and accommodating.
Drake O.
7 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· August 2018
Group trip ·
Ultimate Camping Trip "it's in'tent
Great location for the western Olympic peninsula. Campsite had all of the necessities be it that the site was a little less than expected as far as cleanliness. The site is nice and the bed was comfy.
Justin L.
7 years on Hipcamp
Location
Forks, Clallam, Washington, United StatesTo respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking
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Hosted by Mechelle P.
Joined in May 2018Things to do nearby
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