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BANKS RANCH IN THE REDWOODS

98%
·
· Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California
37 acres hosted by Doug & Denise B.
2 RV/tent sites
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Family-friendly
Recent Hipcampers say this Hipcamp is great for families and kids.
Staff verified
Accuracy verified by Hipcamp's on-the-ground team.
Doug & Denise is a Star Host
Star Hosts are highly rated, responsive, and committed to providing incredible experiences.
Private sites
99% of recent Hipcampers say the sites felt private.
Purchased from the original owner in 1998. Doug has been clearing and improving the ranch for over 20 years. After surviving the CZU Fire in the summer of 2020, the clearing is continuing and the green growth is thriving all over the ranch. Come revive and energize your soul as you experience the the magic of this private redwood forest. Feel the soothing sound and atmosphere of the pristine creek and its' endless flow as it meanders through the ranch. The seclusion and calmness of this place is addicting! PITCH YOUR TENT UNDER THE MAJESTIC REDWOODS ON THE OLDTIMERS SKID LANDING AND ENJOY THE PRIVACY, SERENITY AND THE SOUNDS OF NATURE ALL AROUND YOU. EASY WALKING ON OUR PRIVATE LOGGING ROADS. SEE THE RESULTS OF THE CZU FIRE AS YOUR HIKE DOWN TO THE PRISTINE AND BEAUTIFUL YEAR ROUND CREEK THAT RUNS THOUGH THE RANCH.
Activities
Biking
Boating
Fishing
Hiking
Natural features
Forest
River, stream, or creek
Mountainous
Ranch
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98%
164 ratings · 131 reviews
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Toréa R.recommends
December 5, 2024
Creek Site
Secluded magic
What a special little spot! We had the opportunity to spend a few nights here - the sound of the creek below was magical. Really enjoyed getting to feel like we were away from it all, yet still not that far from town. The walks through the redwoods and mushroom hunting was awesome! I’d say if you visit in winter, make sure you have 4wd so as not to damage the road to camp. It’s a relatively easy road, but if it’s super damp, could be too challenging for 2WD. Doug & Denise are such great hosts! They have a lot of resources for your camp if you need them. Will definitely plan on coming back here!
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C Daniel M.recommends
November 19, 2024
Creek Site
Camping in the trees!
Me and my boys absolutely loved our stay! The camp site was secluded and every bit as gorgeous as the photos made it out to be. Doug and Denise were more than friendly and made the stay extremely memorable. Hope to make it back soon with the whole family!
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Emil G.recommends
November 17, 2024
PEACEFUL REDWOOD LANDING
A lovely place to spend a weekend.
Doug & Denise's ranch is beautifully situated deep in the forest lush with redwood trees and bathing in birdsong. Our site was the one called Redwood Landing which was a bit down the road from their ranch yet it felt perfectly secluded. Even though we were just two people we noted that the site is BIG and could fit a large group of campers, and we've already started planning what friends to invite on our next trip back there. We went on a walk up the road for about an hour and found a winery where we did some wine tasting. A great way to see the surrounding nature combined with an activity. The site offered great tasting potable water, a picnic bench, a fire pit and logs for seating. The toilet comes in the form of a bucket:) Doug and Denise were warm and welcoming and let us meet their horses. I also noticed that they were very quick to respond to both our request to book the site and our messages.
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Scott L.recommends
November 11, 2024
Creek Site
Doug and Denise are fantastic hosts. They are welcoming, friendly, and easy to communicate with. I couldn’t ask for a better experience. The Creek site is secluded and peaceful. About a 15 minute walk away from their home, Doug drove me down with firewood to the campsite. The campsite was clean, spacious, with a trail leading down to a private creek. I’m grateful to Doug and Denise for their hospitality and would love to come back!
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Michael S.recommends
November 9, 2024
PEACEFUL REDWOOD LANDING
Beautiful, private space. Lovely, friendly hosts.
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Sarah S.recommends
November 4, 2024
PEACEFUL REDWOOD LANDING
Excellent Camping Space
I could not have asked for a more lovely spot to camp. This property is tucked up in the Santa Cruz Mountains about 20 min to downtown Santa Cruz. The spot is private with a huge beautiful redwood tree right in the center. We stayed two nights and would like to stay longer in the future. There is a fire pit with 6 stumps around it for seating. A pick nick style table and access to some delicious well water. Doug was very friendly and introduced himself to us but also gave us our space, which we appreciated. Great communication with the hosts. We are already planning our trip back!
Location
Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United StatesTraditional, ancestral territory of Popeloutchom (Amah Mutsun), Ohlone, Awaswas, and Muwekma First Nations according to To respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking
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Hosted by Doug & Denise B.

Joined in April 2021
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