Hip camp super star
M M.recommends this listing.
Great spot, exactly the kind of place I come to Hip Camp to find.
We had booked "Nature Camp" but ended up at another site that we liked better. I'm not sure of the name but let's call it Tire Swing Site. Nature Camp comes with amenities like an electrical outlet, private outhouse, wifi, and water spigot at the site, but we decided to forego the amenities in order to be right next to the creek and farther removed from the other structures and activity on the property.
Nature Camp is in its own area. The other area includes 2 other sites in addition to Tire Swing Site, though they are well spaced. These 3 sites share an outhouse, which is no big deal. They also share a water access area, which is not centrally located. It is nearby one of the sites and a bit of a walk from Tire Swing and the other. One other site beside Tire Swing has its own creek access too. Pretty cool that each of those 2 sites has its own little beach.
Each site comes with a fire pit and picnic table; also a large amount of level ground so that tents don't need to be crowded. (We noticed that the tent area at Nature Camp is small and would have necessitated putting our 2 tents right next to each other.)
We visited in early July and the water level in the creek was just high enough for us to enjoy. I can imagine that by mid July it might be too low. This is definitely a place to visit in early summer (or even spring) to experience it at its best.
For a few hours in the afternoon we had full sun that was pretty intense. If you have a pop up shade structure, bring it. Also, there was a period of time each day when the wind kicked up pretty strongly. This was my first time I have ever had to stake my tent. It was crucial. Definitely would have blown away!
We made some last minute changes to both our party and our site and Stephen was very accommodating.
A few suggestions for upgrades/improvements: It would be great if there were trash cans and water spigots at the sites. Also, little signs labeling the sites, even if they're just numbered, would be helpful. Maybe handing out maps of the property would be good too. We were shy about walking around because it wasn't completely clear which areas were off limits and which were ok. We didn't find the water access until Stephen came to our camp and showed us around.




Past trips
Site 5 - Sugarloaf Moringa Farm
in Sugarloaf Moringa Farm LLC, CaliforniaA nice set up. Good spacing between sites. Shade from trees at each site. Love having access to a real bathroom. We had a great time.
Pearl Hart
in Coyote Mynt Ranch, Paso Robles, CaliforniaThis was our first time doing vintage RV glamping, so we had no frame of reference going in. The property is really nice, perfect temperature in April but I imagine it gets pretty hot in the summer. There are multiple walks you can do and we enjoyed them all. The outdoor area of the site is set up really well -- a bunch of different options for sitting, eating, warming by the fire -- and ample shade. The animals were a totally awesome bonus. They were friendly, fun, and entertaining. Highlights of the Airstream are the full bed and the fun decor. One thing we didn't anticipate: An RV from the '70s will tend to have some issues. There was a lot of trouble with the toilet and the handle to the door of the RV (on the inside) broke, making it impossible to shut the door completely (without being locked in). The hosts were responsive and have some ideas for resolving these issues. The lesson for me was that if you want the cool vibe of a restored classic, you should probably expect that a few things might not function perfectly. On balance, we had a great time.
Nature camp
in Lightworks ranch, CaliforniaHip camp super star
Great spot, exactly the kind of place I come to Hip Camp to find.
We had booked "Nature Camp" but ended up at another site that we liked better. I'm not sure of the name but let's call it Tire Swing Site. Nature Camp comes with amenities like an electrical outlet, private outhouse, wifi, and water spigot at the site, but we decided to forego the amenities in order to be right next to the creek and farther removed from the other structures and activity on the property.
Nature Camp is in its own area. The other area includes 2 other sites in addition to Tire Swing Site, though they are well spaced. These 3 sites share an outhouse, which is no big deal. They also share a water access area, which is not centrally located. It is nearby one of the sites and a bit of a walk from Tire Swing and the other. One other site beside Tire Swing has its own creek access too. Pretty cool that each of those 2 sites has its own little beach.
Each site comes with a fire pit and picnic table; also a large amount of level ground so that tents don't need to be crowded. (We noticed that the tent area at Nature Camp is small and would have necessitated putting our 2 tents right next to each other.)
We visited in early July and the water level in the creek was just high enough for us to enjoy. I can imagine that by mid July it might be too low. This is definitely a place to visit in early summer (or even spring) to experience it at its best.
For a few hours in the afternoon we had full sun that was pretty intense. If you have a pop up shade structure, bring it. Also, there was a period of time each day when the wind kicked up pretty strongly. This was my first time I have ever had to stake my tent. It was crucial. Definitely would have blown away!
We made some last minute changes to both our party and our site and Stephen was very accommodating.
A few suggestions for upgrades/improvements: It would be great if there were trash cans and water spigots at the sites. Also, little signs labeling the sites, even if they're just numbered, would be helpful. Maybe handing out maps of the property would be good too. We were shy about walking around because it wasn't completely clear which areas were off limits and which were ok. We didn't find the water access until Stephen came to our camp and showed us around.
The Bluff at Curtis Creek
in Curtis Creek Canyon Ranch, CaliforniaThis place is awesome. It's exactly the kind of place that I come to Hipcamp to find. My three criteria when I look for spots are: privacy / space between sites, dog friendly, and water to swim in. The Bluff met all my criteria. We went in early April, which was a bit of a gamble, but we got lucky on the weather. Hot enough the first day to swim in both of the swimming holes. (Note that to get down to the swimming holes takes a bit of climbing.) Mild weather the second day meant less swimming but we found other ways to entertain ourselves. The setting is beautiful and you can tell that the owners have put a lot of thought into the details. They have a number of upgrade projects underway that will just make it even better. The two things that get my vote for most important upgrades are the toilet and clearing a bit more of the site space to remove hazzards. I vastly prefer the self-composting pit toilets that I have encountered at some other camp sites to a port-a-potty. Boulders, plant & tree stumps, and poison oak all take a lot of work to remove, but it's worth the effort. We found ourselves tripping, stubbing, and getting minor gouges througout our stay. I was the only one to get poison oak, even though we were warned and I did watch out for it. All in all, this place rocks. I'm looking forward to going back again in early summer or early fall, when the temperatures rise (but aren't too hot).
Site 5
in Maple Creek Ranch, CaliforniaWe enjoyed out camping trip here and would probably go back (though perhaps not in the middle of the summer heat). The owners were friendly and accommodating. It's definitely nice to be at camp sites that are far apart, giving that peaceful feeling of privacy. We spent a lot of time at the main pond which was good for swimming and rowing. I would not recommend the walk down to the creek on their property. It's a pretty long walk for a small pay-out. There was not enough water to wade in. It was just over ankle high. There are port-a-potties stationed near the sites but I walked every time down to the nicer bathroom by the pond/common area. I can handle a rustic "pit" style toilet (which is a type you encounter often at state parks) but port-a-potties don't fly with me. Excellent star gazing. Plenty of fire wood. Great place to camp with your dog. The number of mosquitoes was close to the line of unbearable, but that's hard to avoid in the summer. Overall, a fun time.