This was such an experience!!! When you camp on Patrick's land, you absolutely MUST book a tintype with him. Not only is Patrick a wonderful steward of the land, but he is a steadfast steward of a recently revived artform within photography. He walked us through the process of creating a tintype portrait - styling and posing, the science behind what happens in his mobile darkroom, the process of setting up his field camera and nailing focus, and how to finish and display the final heirloom.

I might be biased because I'm a portrait photographer myself, but I found the entire process and experience fascinating. Patrick's energy in sharing his vast knowledge was infectious and we left with a keepsake that our children will treasure forever.

As far as camping goes, Patrick's land was beautifully manicured. The drive getting in is a little steep - nothing crazy, but if you have a Class A or trailer, it's going to be a little tricky getting down there. But once you get down, there's plenty of room to spread out. These aren't private sites - they're a chill place to lay your head down at night. We had two neighbors our first day, but we were spread out and everyone was quiet. Perfect for base camp while you bike outside of Boulder, or a stopping place while traveling through. We even saw an elk in the morning!

There's a creek up closer to Patrick and Brooke's house that's cool and refreshing - our pup LOVED it (and getting scritches from our hosts!)

HIGHLY recommend!!!

We love coming back here time and time again!

One of our favorite sites. Rode out a thunderstorm with 45mph gusts and our site didn't flood at all (some standing water, but nothing our tent couldnt handle). We hooked an extra night because we love it so much, and now we're hanging out with some locals.

Pay attention to the map! Google sent us the back way, which is 4wd/high clearance mandatory, and barely a road at all! Thankfully we had our Jeep Cherokee, so we had fun navigating up, but we were very concerned we were on the wrong road. We got to the top and realized we went the wrong way!
Go up through Madrid, and the road is much, MUCH more manageable - smoother than other roads I've taken to hip camps in Madrid for sure.
The top of the mesa is GORGEOUS. Kim was kind and checked in on our puppy after he had some big bites. We appreciate the cinnamon left out to guard against pests and rattlers. 360 desert views, we wish we could've stayed another couple nights.

What a cute little getaway! Had very cool retro summer camp vibes. We picked a hot, hot weekend to stay at Sundance, and the AC kept us nice and cool for our entire stay. We were thankful for the mini fridge and microwave, real luxury in a tiny cabin!

The cabin is surrounded by lots of trees - perfect for the included hammocks! The straps don't have daisy chains, so it does take a little trial and error to find the right spot, but was definitely worth it. Hammocking at sunset was pretty magical.

There is plenty to explore at camp - lots of trails to the lake edge from the primitive camping sites, the lakeview from the wedding chapel, and enjoying the beach access at the end of the road. Even the walk to bathhouse is a lovely stroll. There are painted rocks tucked away all over the property too!

The host was very kind and quick to respond to any messages. They light up the paths at night, which is a huge help when trying to find the bathhouse at night! The showers and toilets were clean and well stocked.

The cabins are very close together. Thankfully, all of our weekend neighbors were quiet and respectful. This would be a really cool place for a small wedding get-together. The commons area is pretty wide with a big firepit and string lights, very pretty at night! Unfortunately, it was just too dang hot for a big fire.

What an amazing camping experience! All the comforts and amenities of glamping, while enjoying outdoor activities. The comfort station is a brisk walk up a hill, but there is a well-maintained privy next to the campsite as well. There is an electric hookup if you have an RV or need to charge your phone.
We visited for Mothers Day weekend and the entire ranch was very quiet. Our neighbors were all respectful and chill. The ranch managers, Carol and Dom, met us at the site and gave us a grand tour of the ranch. WOW, the amount of work that Jim+Co. have put into this land is well worth it.
There are miles of winding hiking trails with mile markers with plenty of topography - one of the best you can get in North Texas! We also rented a canoe for the weekend, and spent lots of time floating on the lake. They also have plenty of kayaks, paddleboards, and paddle boats available, with lily pads floating in the middle of the lake.
It gets a little windy at the top of the dam, but thankfully there is a windbreak made of stone. It also made for a nice perch to play ukulele and star gaze. Unfortunately, it was way too windy to have a campfire, but the fire pits are huge and would've been perfect for roasting the big bag of marshmallows we brought.
Hands down, one of our favorite sunsets ever. The stars were gorgeous and Jim has thoughtfully placed solar lights around the sites. What a wonderful Mothers Day Weekend camping trip!

Camping amongst the llamas was a dream come true! It was everything we hoped for - and more! You can tell Judy does this for the love of llamas. We got a tour of the pasture, and met all of the llamas by name. We got to feed the llamas, and they hung around our camp for almost our entire visit. We. Had. A. Blast.
Multiple fire pits and picnic tables per site. Big, shady trees to escape the beating Texas sun. And we felt safe enough to let our boys camp in their own tent for the first time. Not too far from the city, but definitely feels like you're in the middle of nowhere. Tent sites aren't secluded, but they aren't close-by either, and our neighbors were never bother.
10/10 we will definitely be back.

After two years, we made the drive back to Arkansas for a backpacking trip along the Womble. Unfortunately, due to inclement weather in the forecast, there weren't any suitable campsites along the stretch of trail we hiked, and we were left without a place to eat and sleep with about 2 hours of daylight left.
Fortunately, I remembered Charles' charming campsite, and he accommodated us last minute! We absolutely couldn't believe he had a vacancy so last minute - we had tried to book last year, but the entire summer was booked up! The site is just as gorgeous as the last time we visited, though we didn't get to trek down to Kitty or Bennett cove this time. Charles brought us some cherry wood for a relaxing fire, and we had a great night's sleep.
Thanks, Charles, for another great stay!

This was hands down one of the nicest camp spots we've ever visited! Virginia was waiting to welcome us as we pulled up, and she brought us to our secluded little spot down the bluebonnet trail. What a treat! Well maintained, clean commode, and what Virginia calls "barefootable".
My shoes came off as soon as camp was set up, and stayed off the entire stay.
Everywhere you go, the property is magical. The private creek was sparkling, the bamboo forest was winding, and the birds were always singing. There is tons of plant diversity, and delicious wild onions all over. If you come during wildflower season, this is a darling place for your annual bluebonnet photos! Bring chairs to sit in the spring-fed creek while the little ones splash in the water and count dragonflies. There's even a swing that was perfect for (5'2") me. I felt like a little kid again, tucked up with my book, swinging, and listening to the babbling creek. After our dip in the creek, we were able to take refreshing showers!
The site is off of a country road, but felt very secluded and quiet. We lost service about 10 minutes from the site, but if you forget any provisions, the convenience store is less than 15 minutes away. We were under a burn ban, so we couldn't use the (incredibly clean and maintained!) fire pit, but we had plenty of space to set up our stove and cast iron to cook a healthy meal. We can only imagine how magical the stay would've been with a fire!
Thank you so much, Steve and Virginia!!

We had so much fun camping on Tommy's land! Waze sent us to the wrong road, but Google maps did the trick after we called him for specific instructions. Tommy was incredibly accommodating and kind.
Yes, the road in is bumpy and can be kind of rough. We came during a dry spell, and the Prius did just fine going in and out. Just gotta take it low and slow. You'd probably need a high clearance 4wd to make in out of the lower campground after a rain.
The RV spot was cute and had hookups that we were welcome to use as tent campers - but the real beauty was the lower campsite by the river. Holy moly, it was so lush and green. As soon as we saw it, we knew we had to sent up camp by the river.
There were tons of wild onions growing on property. We had fun hunting for them, and discovering all the hidden "trails" in the lower campground. We had been excited to dip in the river, but the water level was a little high for us. Next time we travel this way, we'll bring kayaks and float down to the public access.
The fire pit was very well contained, and there was no shortage of spots to relax and watch the river. The sunlight was absolutely gorgeous a couple hours before sunset.
If you come in the early spring, be sure to prepare for caterpillars! So many caterpillars. They were very fun to watch and play with on sticks, but we spent half an hour knocking them off our tent in the morning and still ended up inadvertently bring some home. Definitely not a deal-breaker, just be aware!

We had so much fun camping on Elizabeth's land! It's not too far from the city, but feels very secluded! After taking a walk around the property, we pitched our tent in a secluded spot tucked into the woods by the creek, and had lots of space to spread out. The chickens and geese roam freely, and there are rabbits tucked in the back that are fun to watch.

There is a huge main area with horseshoes and darts, a giant fire pit, and tons of swings and benches. There are also other smaller fire pits sprinkled among the RV spots. We were the only campers, so we parked our camper Prius in an RV spot and made smores over the campfire. This is VERY nice for RV/van camping - full hookups and extra lines if needed!

There is a stocked pond with a fountain and fishing poles. My son was a little afraid of the water, so we stuck to blowing bubbles and watching them pop over the fountain.

We had so much fun hunting for the fairy dwellings. There are so many little details hidden around the property. Elizabeth and Alan clearly love and care for the land.

We had perfect weather for camping, so we left the rain fly off of our tent. We fell asleep listening to the water and watching the stars, which are pretty clear for as close to Dallas as we were! The roosters started crowing around 6am. Definitely didn't bother us, as we're early risers. Alan told us there were lots of deer that live in the woods where we were camped, but we didn't get to see any. Perhaps you'll have better luck :)