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Gilles Family Dairy & Woodland

100%

· Houston, Winona, Minnesota

100 acres hosted by Mike And Joan G.

3 lodging sites · 1 RV/tent site

Amazing views

Hipcampers say this spot has amazing views.

Family-friendly

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

Best in Minnesota: Finalist

Named one of the best Hipcamps to visit in 2024.

Staff verified

Accuracy verified by Hipcamp's on-the-ground team.

Welcome ; Located in southeast Minnesota's Driftless region of hills, valleys, fields and forests, we are a grass based working dairy farm with over 100 acres of woodland, including an extensive trail system and campsites in our wooded acres. What makes this woodland special is it's quiet, secluded setting and over 6 miles of hiking / skiing trails. Our farmstead sits three quarter of a mile off the paved county highway on our well maintained gravel driveway. Each of our campsites are secluded from the others with their own sawdust compost toilets, picnic tables, fireplaces, and firewood. Two of our sites require 4WD with a minimum of 6 inches ground clearance to access, and two are accessible with 2WD. If you do not have 4WD we can help transport your gear while you enjoy the walk in. There are plenty of woodland birds, deer, turkeys, raccoons and squirrels sharing the woods with you. At night it is common for owls to visit the campsite area to say hello, and coyotes talking in the distance. The winding trails through 100 acres of woodland offer a variety of woodland habitats, from Old growth Maple to mixed hardwood, to dense brush, to the edges of open pastureland. Bring your fat bike or mountain bike for an enjoyable ride. For winter users there is a mix of easy, moderate, and challenging winter cross country skiing or snowshoeing / hiking on the property. However the Rock Bottom Cabin is our only heated and insulated site and is available for winter booking. Winter access is walk in only with snow on the ground or in the forecast. We can help transport gear. This property is part of a working pasture-based dairy farm and guided tours of the dairy and cattle are available when scheduling allows. Children 12 and younger are free at our campsites. No need to be counted as guests , but please let us know when requesting to book. We do not allow non-booked visitors to our campsites due to the secluded, remote location, and accessibility.

Activities

Biking

Hiking

Horseback riding

Snow sports

Natural features

Forest

Farm

100%

418 ratings · 362 reviews

Alan R.recommends

September 8, 2024

ROUND MOUND CAMPSITE

Worth the trip

I really liked camping there. Mike was very friendly. The campsite was very nice with many furnishings including everything needed to build a fire. I would definitely go there again.

Glen L.recommends

September 3, 2024

ROUND MOUND CAMPSITE

Gilles Dairy and Woodland is a spectacular experience. The landscape is such a restorative place. Hikes are on easy to medium trails. Plenty of wildlife and natural beauty. Treat yourself and go!

Linh D.recommends

September 1, 2024

ROCK BOTTOM CABIN

One of the best places on earth!

This was our fourth year in a row visiting the Gilles family farm. It is now a tradition we look forward to every year. The rest of the year is spent telling all our friends and family about this place. Finally, this year we took along two friends. To say they fell in love also is an understatement. It was so fun to experience our friends discovering just how special this place is. Mike and Joan take such good care of you. It's got everything you could need, to know they built this with their own hands, put so much care into providing the smallest details. Mike is always there to warmly greet us, and if you don't have a car that can make it down to the campsite he will drive you down in his tractor. Watch out, my friend drove his RAV4 and he did scrape his bottom quite a few times! Feel free to ride on the tractor if you don't want to worry. The cabin is also so well ventilated and stocked. There is always enough drinking water and water to wash hands/dishes. They also make sure you have plenty of firewood to cozy up and cook! What an amazing feeling to be able to disconnect and feel so private and isolated, but know that you are also in such a cared for and taken care of spot. I have a feeling that Mike and Joan do not do this just for the pocket money. They have put their souls into this place, and simply want to sprinkle a bit of joy into others' lives, and I have definitely benefitted from this over the years! Thank you!!!

Jesse D.recommends

August 21, 2024

ROUND MOUND CAMPSITE

Wonderful private experience

My wife and I thoroughly loved every second at the round mound site. We were spoiled with privacy and appreciated the bonus amenities provided like the nice outhouse, cleaning water, separate good drinking water, sink and table. Our experience on the land was similar to being at a park reserve except you have the entire park reserve to yourself! We only seen one other campsite occupied while hiking for a couple hours but didn’t even see them - nor did anyone see us. Absolutely amazing! We had dry campfire wood and cooked on the provided steel grates. So peaceful and Mike and Joan are happy and welcoming. Don’t see how any bad review is even possible. I am so grateful they’ve chosen to open their property to share with the lucky few that enter. Highly recommend this experience. Please note I look for opportunities to camp self-sufficiently. The round mound campsite exceeded my expectations and hope to get back to that special place.

Jesse U.recommends

August 19, 2024

ROUND MOUND CAMPSITE

Beautiful property! It was close to I90 making it a perfect stop on our road trip but zero road noise. I wish we would have had more time to explore the trails will definitely be back.

Rama H.recommends

August 18, 2024

ROCK BOTTOM CABIN

Amazing hosts and stewards!

The care and connection that Mike and Joan have to this land is apparent. It’s so generous of them to share these beautiful woods and land. We had a sweet overnight at Rock Bottom Cabin. 2 adults and 2 kids. We were grateful for the tractor trailer ride down to the cabin. We saw so many lightning bugs which are a good indicator of a healthy ecosystem! Super quiet all night. It was pretty warm in the cabin, but having all the vents open helped some with that. Mike and Joan have worked out so many details! Everything was super clean and fresh. There was a well stocked wood shed, drinking and washing water. In the morning we went on a beautiful hike on the well maintained and labeled trails. We definitely hope to visit again soon and would love to stay longer! The cows at their grass based dairy look so beautiful and healthy! Thanks Mike and Joan for being such great stewards of the land and hosts!

Location

Houston, Winona, Minnesota, United StatesTraditional, ancestral territory of oθaakiiwaki‧hina‧ki (Sauk) & Meškwahki·aša·hina (Fox), Očhéthi Šakówiŋ, and Wahpeton First Nations according to To respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking