7 acres hosted by John F.
4 Vehicle/Tent sites
Family-friendly
Recent Hipcampers say this Hipcamp is great for families and kids.
John is a Star Host
Star Hosts are highly rated, responsive, and committed to providing incredible experiences.
Private sites
97% of recent Hipcampers say the sites felt private.
Activities
Biking
Boating
Horseback riding
Wildlife watching
Natural features
River, stream, or creek
Field
Farm
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98% 
134 Ratings · 73 reviews
Tabitha T.recommends
October 2, 2024
Site 3 - Gun Smoke Ranch
Beautiful site
Beautiful site, very private. Large, gorgeous trees. The host started a campfire at my site as I was arriving after dark.
Jeff A.
September 3, 2024
Site 3 - Gun Smoke Ranch
I wanted to love it, but not for us
Stayed for a quick one night at campsite 3, it was as described. All three campsites are about 50 feet apart so if there is more than one guest, you are going to see and hear them. It is advertised to have a portable toilet available but we were informed by the host at 5pm on the night we were arriving that it wasn’t available and to use his campers bathroom instead. The portable toilet was one of the main reasons we selected this HipCamp so this would have been nice to know at the time of booking as we would have probably stayed elsewhere. The provided camper is pretty rundown and there is no water for flushing or washing. There were a couple gallon jugs with a couple inches of water in them, that I assume were for that purpose but definitely not enough for maybe one use. The ladies in our group took one look at that camper and said “nope”. We were the only people camping that night so initially it looked like it was going to be a good night despite the bathroom situation but just after dark the neighboring property got loud, atv’s, sxs, open header farm truck, loud music, and what I can only describe as explosives. Definitely not just fireworks, much louder that that. This went on till after 2am. The last straw for us was the load explosion at 2am that frightened our dog to the point she busted out of the tent and we had to run after her and try to calm her down. Nobody got much sleep that night. I wanted to love this place but, not a good experience for us.
April S.recommends
August 31, 2024
Site 3 - Gun Smoke Ranch
Great convenient location. Very private. John the host was super nice and gave us travel suggestions. Didn’t use their camper toilet, so no input on that. The site could be tidied a bit (worn out lawn chair, cable spools in our site) to make it more attractive. Overall we enjoyed our stay.
Betsy R.recommends
August 13, 2024
Site 3 - Gun Smoke Ranch
Happy camping.
We enjoyed our stay at Gun Smoke Ranch. The camp grounds were well maintained and mowed. There were both Frisbee golf and a trampoline available, to entertain ourselves. John and his wife were super nice hosts. We recommend their Hipcamp to other campers as a great place to stay.
Manuel P.recommends
August 11, 2024
Site 1 - Gun Smoke Ranch
Gunsmoke ranch is awesome!
A great property about an hour away from Chicago with plenty of amenities for a comfortable stay. The directions are clear and the property is very nicely maintained. I enjoy coming here at least once a year and will definitely be back soon!
Evgeny R.recommends
August 4, 2024
Site 3 - Gun Smoke Ranch
Quiet place near Chicago
Very peaceful and quiet place. Absolutely love it. John, the host, is super responsive, he provided us help and tips about what to do and see. My kids loved trampoline and disc golf. The camp is around 1 hour away from busy Chicago downtown. We will definitely recommend this camp to our friends.
Location
Hosted by John F.
Joined in April 2021Things to do nearby
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Hipcamp acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders past, present and future and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.