One of the main reasons we like having a four-wheel drive vehicle – with a rooftop tent – is so we can get away from the crowds and find free camping spots on public land. As for our home state of Texas, finding these free or cheap camping spots can sometimes be a challenge. We decided to give Hipcamp a try on a recent trip out to west Texas. Here’s how it worked out…
What is Hipcamp and is it Legit?
Hipcamp in an online site where private landowners offer tent camping, RV parking, cabins, treehouses, and even glamping, in a similar way that Airbnb is used to book lodging stays. Hipcamp currently has a 4.5 (excellent) rating on Trustpilot, along with many positive reviews.
How it Started – Hipcamp was started in 2013, when avid campers Alyssa Ravasio and Eric Bach began working on a website to help “solve the camping problem”. Since then it has grown into one of the largest online platforms for booking private camping spots.
Our First Hipcamp Campsite Booking
We first tried Hipcamp when we were searching for a place to camp in west Texas for a couple nights, before heading out to Big Bend Ranch state park to do some remote camping off the 4×4 roads. Our first Hipcamp camping spot was located in the Davis Mountains, not far from McDonald Observatory – which we could see from our campsite.
Our campsite was described as having a great view and requiring four-wheel drive to access. The latter part of the description proved to be very accurate, as we found the road up the hill to the camping area to be quite steep and narrow. The views and the late-night stargazing didn’t disappoint either, as the location was at 6,100′ and had amazingly clear skies.
What Amenities Do Hipcamp Camping Sites Offer?
Our first Hipcamp camping site was very basic, with no bathroom facilities or water. It did have a nice elevated camping platform and a hammock, but little else. Some Hipcamp sites are fully furnished cabins, others are simply a GPS location in the woods. Just like Airbnb, the types of property you can rent spans a very wide spectrum.
When booking your stay on Hipcamp, be sure to use the site’s filters for things that matter to you, such as pets allowed, campfires allowed, etc.
Hipcamp Tip – For finding the more remote sites, we tend to use the map and look farther from urban areas, and also try filters such as “farm”, “desert”, “OHV” and “wildlife watching”.
How Much Does Hipcamp Cost?
The cost of a campsite booked on Hipcamp can run anywhere from $10 to over $100, depending on what amenities are offered and how popular the area is. For the sites we’ve stayed in, the cost was between $20 and $30 per night.
The Bottom Line?
Hipcamp is definitely legit and is a great way to find camping spots in areas where public ones aren’t available. Since camping at our first Hipcamp site in the Davis mountains, we’ve stayed on the banks of the beautiful Llano River and on a 1,000 acre ranch in west Texas, where we were the only campers around for miles.
Keys to Having a Great Experience Using Hipcamp
- Pay attention to the feedback other campers leave – read between the lines if necessary.
- If you like privacy, first check the number of other sites the host is offering.
- Leave no trace – better yet, “leave it better” which is the Hipcamp motto.
- Make sure to promptly write a review of the property after you leave.
- Follow all the host’s instructions to the letter.
- Be sure to ask your host about “gray areas” – such as if flying drones is OK.
- Know the boundaries and don’t trespass on adjacent property – close all gates behind you and lock them if necessary.
To learn more you can visit the Hipcamp website, where you may use our code A8A46B to get $10 off your first booking.
(Full disclosure: You get $10 off your first stay, we also get $10 for referring.)
