Sycamore Lake Elk Ranch

100%

· Jefferson, Ashtabula, Ohio

105 acres hosted by Scott D.

3 tent sites

Private sites

100% of recent Hipcampers say the sites felt private.

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

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Tent sites 3 sites

Site 1: One of my personal favorite sites. A secluded flat area with elevated creek view and shaded with hardwoods. No buildings, other campers, or roads in view. This selection and the other sites each have their own outhouse. A table stays here for your use during your stay.

Site 2: Has a large footprint tucked amongst hardwood tree cover. Many flat areas for tents or vehicle camping. Close to the lake and a small walk to one of the two creeks on the property. Very secluded from public access and other camp sites. From a small section of the lake, if other campers are walking around the lake your site may be visible otherwise very private. An outhouse is at this site as well as a small table and a couple fire rings.

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.

300 ft

Reviews

100% Recommend58 ratings · 26 reviews

Scott's campsite offers an inviting and serene escape into nature, where guests consistently praise the beautiful surroundings and the unique experience of being close to elk. The host, Scott, is frequently mentioned for his exceptional hospitality, providing helpful tours and ensuring guests have everything they need. Visitors appreciate the privacy of the sites, the opportunity to explore the woods, and the presence of a picturesque lake. The campsite is described as perfect for those seeking a peaceful retreat with opportunities for fishing, hiking, and simply enjoying the tranquility of nature.

Summary AI-generated from real reviews

Recommends

· July 2024

What a wonderful set up Scott has, very nice getting to see the elk as well, he took good care of us, we will definitely be going back!

Tom C.

10 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· April 2024

Perfect camping site

Our host Scott was incredible. Checked on us once just after the eclipse and also gave us space - the perfect balance of kind and respectful. The site is AMAZING. It is situated off in the woods with a lake in view, firering, level ground for camping and TREES - not just a few trees, you are in the woods. My only thought was that he was not charging enough for what was a perfect camping experience for us with the best host.

Quinton B.

2 reviews

Recommends

· October 2022

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.

Simon B.

2 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· September 2022

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.

Mike C.

2 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· September 2022

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.

Daniel W.

4 reviews

Recommends

· September 2022

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!

Nicole M.

9 reviews

Recommends

· September 2022

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!

David L.

6 reviews

Recommends

· September 2022

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.

Shay E.

2 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· August 2022

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!

Brianna E.

2 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· August 2022

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.*****

Catherine M.

2 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· August 2022

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!

Maureen J.

2 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· August 2022

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.

Claire M.

3 reviews

Recommends

· July 2022

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!!!

Jeremy R.

7 reviews

Recommends

· July 2022

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

Tiffany O.

2 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· July 2022

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

Andrew F.

2 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· July 2022

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

Jennica R.

2 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· June 2022

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

Maya C.

3 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· June 2022

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!

Charcol B.

3 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· June 2022

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.

Randall L.

3 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· May 2022

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

Jessica E.

3 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· November 2021

Unique campground , enjoyed the elk noises at night

Robin S.

3 reviews

Recommends

· October 2021

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.

Travis M.

2 reviews

Recommends

· September 2021

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!!!

Kerry P.

3 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· September 2021

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.

Alyssa M.

4 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· September 2021

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!