Hartsburg Bell Tent & Lookout in Hartsburg
Geo from Bentonville Transplant from Chicagoland on 10/28/2024 04:00 PM:
The Bell Tent and Lookout was Day 3 on the journey. Traveled from New Franklin with a stop in Rocheport for breakfast and a wine tasting. The Bell Tent is obscurely located at the top of a very steep trail climb. It was challenging but doable if you're game and/or fit. I liked the challenge of finding the secret entrance, locking my bike up on the rack and climbing the hill to the top of a ridge that overlooked a large farm/prairie valley. The sunset was amazing from this view! The property is owned by a farming family and a young college student with an entrepreneurial spirit developed the site. It is in the forest away from the trail and very private. Once I settled in, I road into town .5 miles to grab a couple of beers to go with my veggie wrap from the winery. The next morning, I heated my egg sandwich in my cooking kit. The site is reserved through AirBnB. The tent with a Queen-sized memory foam bed was a appreciated and a compromise from sleeping on the ground the first two nights. The outdoor shower was not functioning so I had to forgo a shower until the next day. The water from the pumping sink is not potable and there is no power so be sure your electronics are fully charged and you have a back up. There is a grill, tiki torches and a small fire pit. The host was very responsive to the minor issues I had upon arrival. All in all it was a great night! Very unique and adventurous camping option which I loved!