Spring!

We thought winter's rain and gloom would never end, but this weekend there have been a few warm surprises.


To find out about the property click here. To find out about the house click here. To find out about staying on the property click here. To contact us click here.

CampDude is situated on five secluded acres 20 miles from the west entrance to Yosemite National Park. Your hosts Lucky and Jeff offer a comfortable escape for special people.

The Camp Dude Compound

Camp Dude is situated off of Highway 140, 7 miles east of Mariposa (map). Another 20 miles and you are at the west entrance to Yosemite National Park. The 5 acre property sits at around 3,000 foot elevation. It is set back via a 1/2 mile drive and is surrounded on 3 sides by federal land, ensuring a pretty darn private experience. The acreage tiers down to a vortex where the original gold mine is located. The gold fevered original owner claimed the mine as The Spanish Bit. We don't know if he ever found any gold but maybe someday we'll stumble across a nugget. There is a quartz vein bubbling from the earth leading to the mine.


As you come onto the property you'll see the building site for the pool house. We decided that it made sense to build the pool first, and we were right. We had a blast swimming and playing music up there last summer in the midst of the construction. The structure will take a couple more years to complete.


About another 2 acres down the drive is the Camp Dude residence. It's a late 50's cement block number that we have nearly completely remodeled - from collapsing ceilings and missing windows to a comfy country home.


Behind the house is a great outdoor slate patio and barbeque area. In the summer the back acre is busy with grapes, pears and apples. Down below is an old barn with a loft that Eddie the cat hangs out in when the world gets too busy. Finally, below the barn is the old mine.


The terrain here is rugged. There are plenty of old oaks, manzanita and pines. The soil is a rich red with chunky rock outcroppings. We get 4 full seasons: Winter is cold with occasional snow; Spring comes in big bursts with crisp to warm weather and a parade of over 400 bulbs and wildflowers; Summer is hot hot hot and the pool is the savior; Autumn is wildly colorful and the weather perfect for harvesting the fruit trees and the ritualistic blackberry jam making.

Contact Us

Drop us a line. We'll get back to you as soon as possible. If you're extra eager for your CampDude experience just give us a call at 209-966-7100

Your Email Address

Message

Thanks!

Testimonials From Our Satisfied Guests

Marilyn Pittman - "Serenity, stillness, comfort, privacy, spa tub, sun. Everything I needed and wanted I got at Camp Dude." - Listen to Marilyn on Out in the Bay.






Jason McCloskey - Florida
"An artist, I spent three weeks at Camp Dude last summer, and it was as if I'd landed in Eden. The beguiling gorgeousness of Yosemite -- a mere skip & hop down the road -- needs no hyping. But the commodious comforts of Camp Dude, with everything you could ask for at your fingertips, along with much urban weirdness happily left behind, were flawlessly splendid. Listening to the wind rustling through the tall pines under a billion stars made the nights as glorious as the serene sun-drenched days. HIGHLY recommended."

Sign Me Up

We're kind of particular about who comes here. But for very special people we have very special arrangements. Requirements include a sense of humor and open mind and general low maintenance.


Contact us or give us a ring at 415 265 3037 for more information.

Jeff and Lucky

Hi, We're Jeff and Lucky, the proprietors, sometime residents, and masterminds behind the Camp Dude experience. This is our second venture into the holiday rental business. We spent 3 years on Kauai operating Aloha Dude Vacation Rentals and The Aloha Dude Internet Hut. It was a blast and when we set to work on this remote mountain retreat we kept the remodeling of the existing house and the "in process" creation of a pool house with visitors in mind.
We love the mountains and Yosemite. Lucky spent 15 years working in the park, including the beautiful Ahwahnee Hotel, and Jeff worked for the Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite Village.
When we're not in the mountains we're in San Francisco wreaking havoc on the local population.

Yodelley-ho,

Jeff and Lucky