Creek View Cottage at Happy Camp

Take it easy at this unique & tranquil getaway. Nestled in the sleepy little town of Hematite, Missouri, Creek View Cottage is located within a 10-acre property known affectionately by the owners as Happy Camp. Stretched out beside almost a mile of shoreline on the spring-fed Joachim Creek - nature lovers will want to explore! Cool your feet in the creek while soaking up the sun in an Adirondack chair on a gravel bar, Campfires, BBQ Grills, Kayaks, Cooler, - come Relax & get your 'Camp' on! Happy Camp is a Hobby Farm for the Joy of it! Empty nesters decided to rewrite their lives and move out to the county on the water and raise chickens, guineas, dogs, and rescue barn cats. Once a residence, then a chicken farm turned private mobile home park, the property is now being refreshed into a park-like camp with unique overnight stays to check off your bucket list. This property offers the opportunity for getting back to nature with limited electronics, almost no wi-fi ;), plenty of fresh air, BBQ’s available for use, incredible water view and access, and the chance for a cozy, nighttime campfire. (There’s also an outdoor shower and Porta-potty for the full experience! - this is not required - there is all the normal plumbing inside the cottage :) Plenty of space to park you personal vehicle or rental car. Our guest interaction depends on the guest. We are available by text, call, and many times in person as we live on the property.... our farm animals are also available in person and many times, without having to ask, they will 'host' guests that happen to be outside ;) The little town of Hematite would probably be referred to as a 'one horse town' , if one still rode a horse to town. (Hidden by Airbnb) maps refuses to acknowledge it, and instead says Festus when doing a search, so you know you're off the beaten path. Marked by a Church, a part time post office and a railroad crossing, one might miss the place if blinking too long. All that aside, it's only a short hour drive south from St. Louis, yet really feels like getting out into the country. The property itself is 'landlocked' and accessed via an easement over another parcel of land, sitting way back on its own. With the driveway being 1/2 a mile long it is a world away from the everyday hustle,... yet Festus and Crystal City are only a few miles away with a cute main street shopping district and all the normal conveniences (gas stations, restaurants, pharmacies, and big box stores). A mile up the road is a local winery, 4 miles away (in opposite directions) are two different movie theaters - an historic old timey one in DeSoto, and a newer B and B in Festus, and just 7 miles away is Crystal City Underground for the adventuresome who want to kayak in total darkness inside a cave. Venturing a little father out is Washington State Park, The Big River, The St Louis Zoo, Botanical Gardens, Grants Farm, Forest Park, The Butterfly House, Elephant Rocks state park, the Meramec Caverns, Johnsons Shut-ins State Park, Crown Ridge Tiger Sanctuary, Mina Sauk Falls, Onondaga Cave, and many other places of interest. There is ample parking available on site for your own vehicle or rental car. If celebrating a special event and in need of car service, we can recommend a local vendor (this would have to be planned in advance to get on the schedule for a driver). Kayaks are available for use with overnight stays. Shuttled Kayak trips are additional - reservations required in advance, message for questions/details. The animals on the farm are friendly and free range, so there will be fur and feathers along with the normal great outdoors experience. We are out in nature and this is a "Glamping Experience" - so the occasional fly, spider, insect, or other bug may get in the cottage, especially when the door is left open for extended periods of time. Promise we are not So Far out, there will be absolutely No Velociraptors or T- Rex on property or in the cottage during your stay ;)