Stargazer Farm Camp, part 1. - Swift Industries

June 7, 2016

Destination: Stargazer Farm Camp

The lowdown on Portland’s newest bike-overnight sweet spot!

A few weekends back a group of us got together to go bike-camping outside of Portland. We turned to Hipcamp’s landshare community to find a beautiful spot away from the long-weekend crowds and struck gold (actually, lilies, but I’ll explain that later…) when we discovered Stargazer Farm Camp.

Stargazer Farm is situated on a sort of plateau above the confluence of the Sandy and Bull Run Rivers, and was home to a Dutch botanist by the name of Jan de Graaf in the 1920’s. Born into a dynasty of plant scientists, de Graaf’s muse was lilies. He patented over 150 varieties of the flower, and while today Stargazer Farm supplies organic produce to Portland restaurants, the property is still dappled with the beautiful flowers to remind visitors of the farm’s unique history.

Getting There:

Gabriel Tiller, of Limberlost grafted together the perfect exploratory route for our ride to camp. The Springwater Corridor Trail heads right out of town, and as metro Portland gave way to country roads, we found ourselves pointed toward Mount Hood. We paralleled the rivers that feed the Portland watershed, and meandered through farmland and berry fields.

The high spirits in our traveling band couldn’t be shaken by the steady stream of cars and RV’s all vying for a long-weekend escape. We had a blast and took it easy, enjoying the company and scenery.

Around and About Camp:

Our raggamuffin crew is used to sitting cross-legged on the ground when a picnic table is absent, and is happy to make do with down-right basic accommodations (read, “we’re dirtbags and happy as hogs in shit to rough it.”) so it took a minute for the realities of cush camp life to sink in, but I assure you, we had no trouble easing into the relative luxury of Stargazer Farm Camp’s amenities and by night two had modified our menus from rehydrated meals to top-notch culinary exploits.

A Bike Camper’s Highlights

Outdoor Kitchen, (bring your own pots and tableware)
Refrigerator
Covered eating area
Firepit stocked high with wood
Perfect for hammock camping
Spacious enough for big groups and cozy for small gatherings
Close to provisions in Sandy, OR
Perfect for a family bike overnight

Enjoy the welcoming atmosphere at Stargazer Farm and explore while you’re visiting! Walk down to the river and wander the farm grounds, or take a field trip to pedal the stunning roads that radiate from camp! Our group didn’t miss the opportunities to play at and around camp. Jason’s Tenkara Rod made for the perfect set-up on the banks of the Sandy. In true Ed Abbey fashion, Gabe’s constant wanderlust was satisfied by a quick packrat expedition downriver to Oxbow Park, and a handful of us dropped our camp gear and rode feather-light-and-free on Oregon’s beautiful country roads.

With Swift Campout right around the corner, and our first Hipcamp landshare experience in the bag, we are more excited about this summer than ever! Did you know that thousands of bicycle-adventurers are going camping for Solstice in June 25th? The idea is simple: whether you’re in Tokyo or East Lansing just pack up your bicycle with camping gear and head out to pitch a tent. Savor the quiet escape from day-to-day life, and if you look up at the summer night sky remember that hundreds of kindred spirits are out under that celestial banner sharing their love of bicycles and camping too. When you sign up you’ll even get a little gift toward a landshare booking through Hipcamp because we took them bike-camping and they can’t get enough!

Go on, join the Solstice celebration and add to the map of adventurous souls around the world!