We had the best stay with our dog at Buena Vida! Before arriving, Laura provided excellent recommendations for the area, and very clear directions for getting to the farm (which you will need as cell phone reception is virtually nonexistent there.) They have great wi-fi on the property, so you can still connect to look up weather, hikes, restaurants, etc.

Laura greeted us at the barn upon arrival and helped us get a lay of the land. You can set up right in front of the barn if you prefer to be closer to the comforts. Or you have several other really cool spots to feel more secluded. There is a clearing right in the middle of a grove of trees behind the barn that is a little more private and super cool! Or if you’re a ‘hike-in’ type, you can take the roughed in road to the top of the property for total privacy and a gorgeous sunset spot.

The property is very well kept, but still feels like a rural getaway. The bathroom trailer is an AWESOME luxury, very clean with flush toilets and running water. You will hear some road noise in front of the barn, but nothing some earplugs can’t fix.

The location is less than 10 minutes to downtown Murphys, so be sure to explore the cute restaurants and shops. We had a delicious breakfast at the V Bistro. After a big day of hiking on the Arnold Rim Trail (Cougar Rock and Top of the World were incredible autumn hikes!), we stopped for a wine tasting in downtown Murphys at Hovey. Highly recommend!

And of course don’t forget Big Trees Park. The 1/2 hour trek up to Arnold is TOTALLY worth it. The North Grove in Big Trees offers a magical yet easy family friendly mostly flat hike. Be sure to stop at Red Apple Bakery (CASH ONLY) on your way in to Arnold get hot apple Cider donuts, even better than Apple Hill! After hiking, grab lunch or dinner at the Lube Room, a super fun spot but be prepared to wait.

Vide Buena was the perfect homebase to explore the area for the weekend, and we can’t wait to come back!

Jane’s orchard and Christmas tree farm was a fantastic setup for a long weekend. We are a large young family with an 80 pound dog, and everyone has room to roam, run, and explore freely without having to worry about disturbing anyone. Jane and her dog Buster, are very welcoming. The setup comes with a drinking water source, a very well maintained portapotty, a hand washing station, trash cans, and firewood. If you arrive during regular business hours, you can even buy a few treats from the pie shop.

We stayed at Site 1, which is the only site directly on the farm. (The other sites are very nicely situated across the street, nestled in to the tall trees.) You can put your tent directly I. The orchard, which very flat and cushioned by the grass, and shaded by the trees. We opted to place our tent just around the corner in order to have the privacy of the meadow. We have a huge tent and had to place it creatively as there was not much level ground there, but the view was worth it. There are several paths that lead to different parts of the farm to explore. The kids loved meandering to the various meadows, hills, junkyards, tree lots, etc. They also loved seeing the chickens, Turkey, and farm cats. So many fun things to explore!

Due to heat and weather conditions, we had to make our fire in the communal pit at the main house rather than near our tent. It is a very short walk across the orchard, and we found it enjoyable to have the picnic tables for our kids to play games and eat each evening.

Jane also recommended a beautiful bike trail just across the street. The kids walked their bikes the trailhead at the top of the hill (it was a short two or three minute jaunt.) The trail is a canopy shaded dirt path that runs along the irrigation canal and it’s lovely!

Jenkinson Lake is an easy 20 minute drive from the farm and is a must see! (Note that there is a daily fee to enter.) We packed a picnic and our fishing rods and made a day of it. I highly recommend the waterfall trail (go early to beat the heat) and then cool off with a dip at any of the day use areas. This lake is basically an undeveloped Lake Tahoe and is gorgeous.

Placerville is also an easy 15 minute drive if you want to squeeze in some antiquing, shopping, or a meal from a restaurant.

Please note that this property is on well over 100 acres of real farm land, and is surrounded by other farms. If you are sensitive to noise, you should pack ear plugs. The roosters start crowing at daybreak, the birds are singing before sunrise, and the dogs start barking as the whole place comes to life fairly early. We are early risers and enjoyed the sounds of the farm.

Thank you Jane for a lovely stay! We can’t wait to come back in a few weeks to pick blueberries.

Bill was very friendly and responsive. This site is completely sufficient if you want more privacy than a campground, while remaining close to the JT park entrance and modern conveniences. The site is well maintained, has a nice fire pit, and the camp toilet and bathroom tent are more than adequate. It’s a large plot of land with a fun rock pile in the distance where you can hike and catch a pretty sunset. Please note that you will definitely hear road noise (the price of remaining close to said modern conveniences), but it quiets down around 9:30PM, and the neighboring lot of land is not as well kept as this property. So you may want to save your exploring for the park.

This place is absolutely spectacular. No doubt it lives up to it’s name with stunning 360 degree mountain and valley views, incredibly private, and is pristinely kept. Our jaw was on the floor for two days straight as the clouds and the sun put on a show for us with a mixture of sunshine and rainstorms dancing across the valley. I could go on and on, but basically you get to depart from reality while still enjoying the convenience of town only 15 minutes away.

A few things to note:
DO NOT FOLLOW GOOGLE OR APPLE MAPS. Use the hosts directions and you will find it just fine.

The site is very accessible on a well maintained gravel/dirt road. We had zero issues getting to the site in our expedition, and did not even need to turn on 4 wheel drive. If you drive slowly and intelligently, you could get here even in a low clearance sedan. The only sticky spot is the very last turn on to the last road, as it has quite a ditch, but can be circumvented by driving 4 feet past it and taking the edge of the driveway.

While most of the time the wind was merely a gentle breeze, the wind gusts became quite intense during the storms. We were car camping, so not an issue. But might become an issue in a nylon tent.

Anyone used to remote camping will find this little gem to be a total treat. And please remember to take care of the site if you make your way here. Enjoy!