Quiet wooded spot next to a stream in the middle of nowhere

I stayed in one of the campsites in the woods. It was really perfect - easy to find, easy to navigate in and out, completely private, a clearing big enough to turn my car around, surrounded by dense woods. If there were other campers near me I was unaware of them. At night you just heard woodsy sounds. You could very faintly hear I-84 but it is over a mile away in a straight line. I did my own thing away from the farm but there were farm things going on - pigs, chickens, and a huge plot of vegetables.

Storm was an awesome host. He met us at the gate when we arrived, and waited patiently even when we mixed up the address. He had started a fire in the fire pit for us because we arrived after dark. He offered an extension cord from the house. When he saw that we had kayaks, he offered us to use his trailer which made a big difference for us. He also let us use his resident pass code to the private boat launch on Red Cedar Lake, right around the corner.

The camping location itself is in Storm’s backyard. The camping spot was clean, under trees and backed up to woods. We were the length of an extension cord from the house, which appeared to be undergoing construction. If you are concerned about security, you’ll love this spot because the property is gated and there are lights and a camera on the house. Some distance away within sight at the opposite corner of the yard there was a family who appeared to be living longer term in an RV.

The fishing in Red Cedar Lake was awesome! My son and I caught over six fish each day, plenty for dinner. No need to bring bait - we scooped up fistfuls of earthworms from under the leaves along the edge of the woods behind us.

Within a five minute drive there were two farms selling eggs. Storm told us that on Fridays there’s also a full farmers market nearby.

When we arrived Rupert and his family met us and led us to our site. Rupert gave us a choice of sites. We chose the one with the mountain views. The view was stunning from sunrise to sunset and at night. Totally private and safe. Some people might not have liked it because it was being cleared to be a future house lot. There was an earth mover nearby and stacks of uprooted cleared trees visible. Someone seeking pristine natural beauty would have been happier at any of the many other sites on the property we noticed while driving around. There were still plenty of standing trees for shade and the view was worth it. Lots to do... hikers should check out the nearby Luce’s Lookout off the Appalachian Trail. We saved the spot as a favorite in our GPS and will be back!

I arrived after dark and had a tough time finding the spot. I missed the left turn but that was my problem. I had the clearing to myself, which was great. Very remote and good stargazing through the trees.

This campsite is an isolated area, at least 200 yards away and out of sight from the nearest house, a roughly round area a comfortable 10 yards or so across with a fire pit, table and bench. It’s next to a goat pen which was very entertaining with five lively goats foraging all day. The “immersive” part was all the other animals that free range on the farm. My campsite was visited often by another trio of curious goats who were not penned, adorned with little mini cowbells announcing their arrival, several clucking chickens from time to time, a pair of small pigs, and some ducks! If you want a farm camping experience, this is it. If you don’t like animals poking around your campsite, or you are grossed out by occasional animal droppings or farm smells, stay somewhere else. I pretty much stayed to myself, seeking a weekend of solitude, but there was the entire rest of the farm that was there to be explored if I wanted to. Trisha and Bill were gracious hosts. I am eager to return some day soon.

There are two campsites near each other in Carissa’s backyard. We have a tent on top of our car and we were able to carefully make it to the backyard.

The view is amazing - seems even better than the photos because you’re up quite high above the water.

Amazing spot for bird enthusiasts like us. We saw plentiful red-wing blackbirds, a heron, some kind of gigantic raptor, and all kinds of birds we hadn’t seen before. They come up quite close. One even swooped through our site so close we felt the wind. Amazing.

Wonderful shared fire pit. We brought our own stove so didn’t use the grill but it looked great. There were kayaks available too but we didn’t get a chance to use them. We chose to do local hikes instead. Within an hour walk in either direction there are beautiful conservation areas to explore.

Be aware that the two sites are close - you can hear the neighbor’s conversations so it’s not a place for those seeking total privacy (unless you book both sites) - but the description is up front about that.

Carissa and Adam were thoughtful and attentive hosts. We will be back again for kayaking and local biking.

The camping site (#5) was perfect for us. Very natural setting. There’s a clearing big enough for a 4x4 but still total tree cover. Perfect for listening to evening animal sounds and feeling really immersed in nature. (Not a good spot for a stargazer.). We arrived on a night with passing showers forecast so Addison set up a fire in the fire pit, ready to light, and covered with plastic, with a bundle of firewood, also covered and dry, right nearby. It was the closest thing I can imagine to a push-button camp fire. The bundle of wood was $10 and totally worth not having to struggle with a damp fire start. We will plan on returning next time we’re passing through the area.