Courtney L.recommendsSeptember 1, 2024
Bell Tent Rustic Hike-in - Carya
We were so grateful for the spacious tent, mattresses, and bedding! We slept great at the site. The hike in was strenuous, but our family is fit, including our seven-year-old and ten-year-old, so we made it work!
Star gazing was awesome! Definitely the highlight of our stay.
Chelsie is a great host and was very responsive. The bathhouse at the bottom by the parking lot was very nice and clean, and we were grateful to be able to shower after a day of hiking and swimming at nearby Whitewater State Park.
There is a nice big skillet and a cooking grate at the fire, and that was great! I wasn’t sure if there would be both at the site (I was worried they were only available at the community area), so we packed in a cast iron skillet. It wasn’t needed! :)
The biggest challenge was packing in our water, as there is no potable water at the top. We also wish the fire pit area at Carya was a little flatter, but it wasn’t a big deal.
We recommend bringing your own lantern and flashlights to supplement the light on site. There is a lantern in the tent that provides adequate light for the tent, but you may want a brighter lantern for cooking outside in the dark. We brought ours along and were grateful we did. If you can pack battery or solar string lights, they would work great as there are plenty of trees on which to string them!
We recommend the site overall but know that the trail in is wide and just goes up! I had imagined a winding trail with switchbacks. It’s not. ;)
Tim L.recommendsAugust 6, 2024
Outdoor Bed Hike-in Camp - Celtis
A quiet, remote bed in the woods
Celtis was wonderful and everything we expected. It's located in a beautiful part of Minnesota bluff country between Winona and Rochester. The hike up the hill is not for the faint of heart, but worth the trip. We felt like we had the whole area to ourselves. The coyotes sang us to sleep. The bugs were not a problem and even though it rained super hard the second night, we stayed dry without bothering to lower the flaps on the bed frame. The shower rooms are modern and very nice. Chelsi was great and extremely responsive.
Anna A.recommendsJuly 27, 2024
Outdoor Bed Hike-in Camp - Ostraya
Chelsi communicated promptly and provided a detailed map to our site. The amenities and comfortable bed were well received after a long day of hiking. A thunderstorm hit during the night, but we stayed safe and dry inside our site.
Jane S.recommendsJuly 2, 2024
Bell Tent Rustic Hike-in - Quercus
Wilderness magic with amenities :)
We loved the setting! Beautifully set up, secluded sites with proper glamping amenities that keep it comfortable yet rustic. Chelsi was great to work with - very prompt in responding, sharing helpful information about the area, answering questions, and very accommodating.
Our group stayed at the Quercus, Carya and Celtis sites and really enjoyed our time at Aefintyr. The hike up could be called challenging, but it's not too long and definitely makes the experience more authentic :). We had two 3-year olds along with older kids, and they all fared quite well up and down the bluff. Despite the (convenient) proximity to the town, the sites feel like they are in the middle of the wilderness - the fireflies, the birds, the star-studded sky at night, and the sounds of animals all around are what made this trip truly special for us. It's a quick drive to the Whitewater State Park from there, and the absence of mosquitoes is a huge plus!
Kathryn B.recommendsJune 23, 2024
Bell Tent Rustic Hike-in - Carya
Chelsi was a great host. She always got back to messages quickly and kindly. Her space here is very unique and we very much enjoyed our time here. She’s not kidding when she says for the hike-in sites to pack light and it’s not for the weak hearted. It’s a pretty steep about 10 minute rocky incline up to the camp sites. But once you’re up there it’s such a cool place. Little trails to wonder through, star gazing over the corn fields, lots of privacy between sites and really just feeling submersed in nature with some creature comforts like a mattress and sheets waiting for you. Bugs honestly weren’t that bad even with heavy rain a couple days. And the showers down at the base of the hill was very nice after hiking all day or to freshen up. Overall very cool experience and would recommend if looking for an alternative to big campgrounds and a good blend of glamping and off grid camping.
Jacqueline S.recommendsJune 17, 2024
Bell Tent Rustic Hike-in - Betula
Tree house camping
It was great! We requested betula but due to weather conditions we switched to a tree house and Chelsi was great with helping us change to it last minute. Everything was super clean. Despite the weather many things too do. Good amount of blankets and towels incase you miss anything. Love the fact there was a microwave in the tree house as well as a coffee maker. Great experience over all recommend!