There's a new form of agri-tourism: Farms are using their pastures and parking lots for commercial camping, Ashley Stimpson reports for Offrange, which bills it as "a new way to hit the hay."
Several start-ups specialize in connecting farms with people looking for campsites. One is Harvest Hosts, which also connects campers with vineyards and breweries. "In lieu of a site fee, guests are required to make a minimum purchase of $30 from the business where they’re bunking — a bottle of wine, a bag of apples, maybe a gunny sack of pecans," Stimpson reports. "The host can charge a small fee for electricity or water hook-ups." Other firms include Hipcamp, Harvest Hosts, The Dyrt and Farmstay.
The demand for campsites is increasing, Stimpson notes: "More than 53 percent of campers nationwide had trouble finding an available campsite in 2025. Five years earlier, that number was only 11 percent."
Chaffee County, Colorado, has the nation's first ordinance governing commercial camping on farmland, "crafted with input from groups like the Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Trust, the U.S. Forest Service, and local recreation outfitters," Stimpson reports. "When it was adopted at the end of 2024, more than 250 Chaffee County landowners became eligible to apply for a permit, and now stand to make anywhere from $5 thousand to $25 thousand in additional income, according to internal data provided by Hipcamp, which advocated for the legislation." So far, though, only a few ranchers have applied for or obtained permits.
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