Events

 


Overview:

At our launch in 2022, we started offering individual campsites through Hipcamp.com.  This has been a tremendous success, and we are thoroughly impressed with Hipcamp and the quality of campers they bring to our property.  We expect our affiliation with Hipcamp to continue for many years to come.

However, our long-term goal is to primarily focus on small group events (up to 100 people and 50 cars) and return campers who share our interests and/or vision for the property.  Over time our goal is to build a community of return clients who come to cherish the land as we do, and actively take part in shaping its future.

We have reached the point where we are ready to start offering the facility to small groups.  We hope to begin discussions with appropriately sized groups who wish to book the facility for 2025.  Please review the below information, and if this sounds like a potentially good fit for your event or group, please contact me via email.


Current Facility:

At present, the only events we are able to host must be those associated with overnight, primitive camping.  We hope to add day use events and other options in the future (see below regarding CUP process).  We currently have 8 standard campsites, each capable of accommodating several tents (and/or a small off grid camper/trailer), and up to 10 people.  Each campsite has an oversized cleared camping area, individual firepit, picnic table, and parking for 2 (in some cases 3) cars at the campsite.  The main group site has space for numerous tents (and/or a couple small off grid camper/trailers), and up to 24 people.  The group campsite has parking for 8 cars, and a lot of other amenities (see below).  In terms of additional parking, there are various locations in the camping area that can be used for overflow parking of an additional 12-15 cars (possibly more), however until significant improvements are made to the entry road, we maintain a maximum cap of 50 cars in the campground area.  


Group Site Amenities:

  • 24 X 24 covered area with an under cover firepit and indoor kitchen.
  • A small solar panel and battery bank sufficient for basic lighting and water needs for a few days (can be supplemented with a generator if required).
  • A large outdoor firepit.
  • 4 Picnic tables to position as desired.
  • DC and AC lighting in the covered area.
  • Running well water
  • Outdoor Kitchen with hot & cold running water
  • Small, countertop gas stove


Plans for 2024:

  • Upgraded bathroom facility (we currently rely on porta potties).
  • More improvements to the roadway (widening, fresh gravel, improved dust reduction, and better turnouts).
  • Expansion of onsite supplies available, possibly to include ice, staple items, and other conveniences.
  • Major upgrade to the solar generation and storage for the group area. 
  • An access point for campers to retrieve drinkable well water from a faucet near the group area.
  • In the winter of 24/25 we plan to go through the CUP process with the county to be able to offer the facility as an event venue and to be able to offer RV sites.  In the meantime, we can only offer primitive campsites (no hookups), and activities associated with camping.  We hope to be able to add more event options by spring of 2025.  Note:  Many of our 2025 (and beyond) development projects are waiting for the successful completion of that process.  

  

Plans for 2025 and beyond:

  • Completion of the bus restoration project, likely converting it into a bunk house, and offering it as an addon option to the group area.
  • The addition of 2 more campsites (likely to be 10 Individual +  Group Area)
  • Acquisition of various pieces of equipment (tents, tables, chairs, camping gear, etc…) available for rent.
  • Sleeper cabins, bunk houses, yurts, etc… to campsites.
  • Recreational activities such as a small kid play structure, maybe some lawn games, or volleyball court of things of that nature.
  • Covered areas and/or outdoor kitchen facilities to some of the small campsites.

 

Vehicle Limitation:

Probably one of the largest limiting factors at the moment is vehicle count.  Though we have many road improvements in progress and planned for the future, for the next few years we plan to limit the maximum car count to no more than 50 (ideally 30-40) in the main camping area.  This is largely due to the fact that the road down is a steep, one lane gravel road with limited turnouts for passing.  We have plans to significantly improve this roadway, but in the interim we must limit the traffic and maximum vehicles in the camping area.  There are other areas of our property (approx. ¼ mile away from the camping area), where we could easily develop ample additional parking with some form of shuffling/shuttling solution.  So, if the 50 vehicle limitation is an issue, we would be happy to discuss alternative solutions with you.

 

The Booking Calendar: 

In my experience the booking process itself (particularly in county and state parks) is one of the biggest frustrations I had when trying to reserve space for ongoing, annual events.  Increasingly they don’t’ make accommodation for large groups who want to rent large portions of, or the entire facilities.  Every year the event is at risk of not getting the week or weekend desired due to unnecessarily restrictive and unfriendly booking policies and procedures.  Based on those past experiences, that is one area I intend to remedy for our campers.  Our annual booking policies will prioritize returning organizations and groups who rent most or all of the facility with priority booking.  The following is how our annual booking calendar works:

1/1 to 1/20:  Priority reservations to returning groups who rent most or all of the facility (for the same week or weekend of the year as the previous year).

1/21 to 1/31: Priority reservations to new groups who rent most or all of the facility on a first come, first served basis.

2/1 to 2/28:  Priority to members to book individual campsites on a membership seniority basis.  

3/1 to 11/15:  Open bookings to fill in the remaining days and weekends to the public who wish to book their sites through Hipcamp.com.  Members may still direct book to reserve space, but on standard “first come first serve” basis in terms of booking priority.