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Jackrabbit Ranch

94%

· Laytonville, Mendocino, California

590 acres hosted by Heidi W.

1 motorhome/tent pitch

Amazing views

Hipcampers say this spot has amazing views.

Family-friendly

Recent Hipcampers say this Hipcamp is great for families and kids.

All to yourself

100% of recent Hipcampers say this Hipcamp felt private.

Once a remote cattle range and now a ranch and hermitage ranging from 900' to 2800' in elevation over 590 acres of glorious land, most of it untouched by human hands. Wild windblown oak meadows, pine forests and wildflowers, mud and greenery in winter to a lovely dry golden bronze in summer with access to the North Fork of the Eel River if you have 4wd, AWD, horse or a quad of your own to ride. Sites run from car access to 4wd and even quad access only, all of them rustic and primitive perfect for folks who really want a change from technology. Phone service generally will *not* work on site. Prepare to unplug.River View is a group space handling up to 30 people with stunning sunrises and sweeping views of the Eel river valley below. You rent the several acre *entire* space, all to yourself. Perfect for small, remote weddings, tiny rustic reunions or heart-felt gathering of folks who love nature unprocessed. Several oak trees dot the meadow, with choices of flat or sloping campspots according to your preference. We've even had folks camp in a hammock up a tree! A sharp incline leads to an additional super-secluded campspace below (for hikers with amazing leg-strength only!) River View is 45 minutes of dirt road from 101 (30 if you drive like a bat out of hell), so be sure you want a little more solitude than normal and love washboard adventure. This is wild land!! Some of the last wild land left in the world, unpolished and sometimes mischievous with actual wild animals wandering around, bugs and burrs in summer or mud in winter. There might even be dragon flies or poison oak. Put tick preventative on your dogs and good tires on your vehicle 'cause you're going somewhere out of the ordinary. If you want the experience of a manicured state park with paved roads and a visible camp-neighbor blasting their radio 24/7, we can suggest several. To each their own and more power to you. This is not that. Don’t even get me started on the glorious night sky. The Milky Way is stunning! Yes, we are LGBTQAI and BIPOC friendly and have friend-family who live their lives very freely in ways different from our own. We love and accept us all. You are welcome here. A private, AWD road above River View leads to the Eel River for swimming and exploring. The road is exclusive to our ranch and one neighboring family, but every now and again, other guests might pass by on their way to the river. We suggest you wear river shoes when you go, and bring shade! 4/AWD and high clearances required. We're serious about the 4/AWD. If you're a marathoner accustomed to hills, then yes, feel free to walk it. Your own mountain bikes, quads and ATVs are always welcome on our roads. We're a quarter-mile above the site (out of sight and earshot) and will bring firewood for guests, so long as a warming-fire-ban is not in effect. Visit a legal cannabis farm or have a heritage-breed pig roast or ranch-raised brined and smoked chicken during your stay, with prior arrangement. Try the roast pig or smoked chicken. It's freaking delicious. So is the cannabis.

Activities

Biking

Boating

Hiking

Paddling

Natural features

Forest

Swimming hole

Mountainous

Field

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94%

62 Ratings · 43 reviews

Mark C.recommends

September 22, 2024

River View

The views were beautiful. The group fire pit was perfect. Trip to the river was a little harder than expected. All in all we had a wonderful time. Heidi was a great host. Fire wood and toilet paper were very much appreciated.

Joslyn T.recommends

September 2, 2024

River View

For a couple with dogs who love to camp away from it all, River View was an amazing backcountry adventure. Communication with Matt was easy and we had no issue finding their gate; read their instructions and route via Google Maps. The camp sites were spacious and because it was only just us, we utilized a couple sites/views for a sleeping area (the most level), chill area (the most shaded), and then evening stargazing by the fire pit. We were given plenty of firewood and it was nice to have Matt check on us in the morning to ensure we had everything we needed. We preordered the smoked chicken - simply delicious and worth the splurge! For late summer, the river still had an impressive flow and lovely rock pools. We definitely could return here again and it’d be our top setting for a group camp out.

Roque M.recommends

August 16, 2024

River View

Incredible views, very private

This is an incredible spot! The stargazing is unmatched and we had the whole river to ourselves. It feels very private so you get the true camping experience. We had an amazing weekend here and would definitely come back. Also, Heidi is super responsive very friendly. Couple notes, there is a lot of driving on dirt roads to get here. The 4x4/AWD is very helpful for getting to the campsite, but one of our cars was a regular 2WD sedan and managed getting to the campsite (but not without bottoming out a bunch of times). Getting down the river is especially tricky and they're not kidding when they suggest a 4x4/AWD for getting there since the dirt roads are certainly steeper and trickier. We managed it just fine in our Kia Sportage. Also, Google maps had some suggestions that weren't correct - for starters, it suggested a clearly labeled private road to get to the school mentioned in the post, but the private road was very steep so we ended up going a different way which was much easier. Also, we passed the "lock gate" mentioned in the directions so pay attention to people waiting near gates for you since it's likely them picking you up! We knew we had probably passed them when Google, once again, suggested driving private land that looked like a dumping ground lol. It was certainly an adventure getting here, but totally worth it and part of the fun!

Mihyun J.recommends

August 13, 2024

River View

Heidi’s land is amazing! Yes it’s back country and an adventure to get down to the river but that’s what makes her place unique. The river is wild and beautiful. We even got to see a bear run up the side of the hill. You’ll need to bring your own shade to the river as there’s no trees. Be prepared to walk a bit on the train tracks to the steep steps down to the river. There’s lots of animal noises including array of birds. Heidi was super friendly and hilarious! She led us to the site and gave us all the info we needed and let us be duration of our stay.

Rachel Y.recommends

August 2, 2024

River View

This hipcamp is otherworldly. I couldn’t recommend it more. We came with two young kids and they had the weekend to remember! The views and nature are incredible . The hosts are so unbelievably generous and kind. The smoked chicken was to die for! Thanks for a magical weekend and escape from the busy city life.

Sam C.recommends

July 7, 2024

River View

A sweet view worth the bumpy road!

Had a blast on Heidi's property! It's true that you will need an AWD or 4WD vehicle to make it to the camp, or at least to the river, but I would say it was worth it for our group. We went on a 100 plus degree weekend and were grateful for having the entire beautiful river to ourselves. It was also deeper than I was expecting, which was great, maybe 5.5 feet high in the deepest parts and around knee-waist high in others. The campsite was also very nice- great view, some bees and other bugs but not terrible, and very secluded. Heidi was also incredibly nice and helpful. Would recommend for those who won't mind the drive in!

Location

Laytonville, Mendocino, California, United StatesTraditional, ancestral territory of Northern Yuki and Cahto First Nations according to To respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking