Camp Buckwood - The All male campground resort in the rolling hills of central Indiana
Camp Buckwood
The All male campground resort in the rolling hills of central Indiana
By Steven Skelley and Thomas Routzong
Indiana has been known as the Hoosier State, the Land of the Indian and the Crossroads of America. For more than 15 years, it has also been home to the clothing optional, all male campground and resort Camp Buckwood.
We asked Camp Buckwood co-owner Darrell Gill to tell us more.
How would you describe Camp Buckwood in one sentence?
CampBuckwood is an extremely friendly, fun, all male campground and rustic resort serving men 18 and up in the rolling hills of central Indiana, drama and attitude free.
What can you tell us about the history of Camp Buckwood?
Ben & I got the idea for CampBuckwood while visiting Timberfell Lodge in Tennessee many years ago. During our camping outings there, we often made friends with other guys from the Midwest / Great Lakes regions who stated a wish for an all male campground closer to where they lived.
That sparked the idea. We loved the camping environment and started talking about what we would want in a campground that we would own.
Three things were vitally important to us in creating a campground: always stay true to what a campground really is, provide a friendly place where everyone is equal with no drama nor attitude and make it fun.
In 1999, we started looking in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana for just the right fit. We wanted to be as centrally located to major metropolitan areas as possible to draw a good mix of guys.
In the grey cold of January in Indiana 2001, driving around Brown County, we happened upon what immediately felt like the perfect space, it was a space that found us. Driving down the lane that led to the farm house was excitingly hair raising.
Although we looked in other areas, we had always had a desire to find the right fit in Brown County Indiana. Brown County is the home of Indiana’s largest state park and has over 300 tourist homes and B&Bs. We knew that the county administration as well as the citizens in Brown County were comfortable with and depended on tourism.
The property had 50 acres and is located 45 minutes south of Indianapolis, 1.5 hours from Louisville, 2 hours from Cincinnati and is within a 4 hour drive from Chicago, St. Louis and Nashville. We knew this central location would be an important part of our success.
The property was a single family residence. We believed that we could convert it into a B&B. At the same time, the property had enough necessary flat land to create a campground. We knew that this could work.
We closed on the property in July 2001 and immediately went to work on securing all of the state of Indiana and Brown county zoning and health department requirements and licenses.
A big part of that required updating and converting the big house into a B&B as well as building a large shower house, installing water and electric for rv & tent sites, putting in a new gravel lane and adding a pool. We literally did all of the infrastructural additions, B&B updates and zoning ourselves. This had become our passion.
Brown County suggested that once all of the state and county infrastructural requirements were completed for a B&B that we apply for our B&B license first and then at a later date return to apply for our larger, recreational development campground license.
This wasn’t exactly how we wanted to approach starting our dream but we knew that going with their approach would likely lead to quicker success. We completed the necessary things and obtained our B&B license.
We operated that Fall of 2003 as a main stream family oriented B&B. Our B&B is called 4 Seasons. Fall in Brown County with the changing colors of the leaves draws great crowds. We did well. This also helped to put us into a better light if you will with our immediate neighbors. Some of them began to see us as more “normal.”
Once we completed all of the necessary installations of tent and rv sites, the camp lane, the pool and built the shower house and had operated a full Fall/Winter season as a B&B, we returned to the zoning board and applied and received our campground license.
We opened in May 2004 as an all male clothing optional campground with a B&B. We were the first in the history of Indiana to be legally licensed and sanctioned to do this type of business.
Our first weekend we had one client. That first year was exciting and a learning experience for us as well as what would become our client base. We opened with 5 RV sites, 20 tent sites, a 5 bedroom B&B, a pool, small hot tub, some trails, a couple of outbuildings, the shower house, a 2.5 acre fishing pond and an pole barn for karaoke.
We also opened with a no drama no attitude, everyone is equal, policy that we strictly enforced by turning away anyone with attitude. And yes, that did happen several times that first year.
The word got out and a friendly stress free zone was created. We have been blessed in many ways, staring with our great men that support us. Each year even through the recession our business has increased. We draw from all over the midwest and great lakes and frequently get guys just passing through while traveling about the country.
We now have 105 tent sites all with electric, 65 rv sites, 10 cabins, 2 shower houses, a large pavilion, lots of trails and a huge in ground hot tub. We are open from mid April through the end of October each year and draw a few hundred men every holiday.
One of the most important things that we have done since our inception is become good neighbors. Brown County Indiana has one free store food bank and soup kitchen, Mother’s Cupboard. Feeding the hungry is important to us and our clients. Because of our great clients, for the past 10 years we have been Mother’s Cupboard’s number one private donor.
Who visits Camp Buckwood? All ages and body shapes?
We literally get guys from 18 up to 80, thin to pleasantly plump, bare to bears, feminine to masculine, married, straight, bi and gay. Everyone is made to feel welcome.
What can you tell us about the guest rooms and lodgings of Camp Buckwood?
Our five bedroom B&B has:
* Two suites with king size comfortable beds, private entrance, spa tubs and showers in their private bathroom, fridge, micro wave, coffee maker, satellite tv and a couch
* Two private rooms that share a bath, 1 has a comfortable queen sleeper 1 has both a comfortable king and a queen sleeper, both have a fridge, additional seating and satellite tv.
The B&B has central AC/Heat, all rooms include a home cooked fresh food breakfast and dinner, not GFS food, as well as linens and towels.
The Cabins have a king size bed, a full size futon sleeper sofa, tv, microwave, coffee maker, fridge, linens included, fire pit, outdoor table/chairs and they use one of the two shower houses for comfort.
What can you tell us about the amenities of Camp Buckwood?
Camp Buckwood amenities include: Large in ground hot tub and a pool open 24 hours, large open air pavilion, in door event space for parties, karaoke, bingo etc. two shower houses, a coin operated laundry room, vending machines, a camp store, a 2.5 acre fishing, swimming, paddle boat pond and lots of trails. Oh, and if you get your car or rv stuck we pull you out for free within reason.
What are some of the events held at Camp Buckwood?
Every weekend, we have events, theme weekends. Of course, holidays are off the hook especially 4th of July when we do a fireworks show that rivals many small towns fireworks show across America. All of our Bear weekends are big draws.
Our annual Squirt Party is a must do.
Our wig party is a big laugh, Latin Fest spices things up big time and our Fall chili cook-off contest has been a hit since year one.
We have events for everyone and everyone is welcome at every event.
Lifelong friendships are made at Camp Buckwood.
Conclusion
Camp Buckwood is located at 8670 Spearsville Road, Morgantown, Indiana.
For more information, visit their website at www.campbuckwood.com
Visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CampBuckwood
Phone 812-597-2450.
The All male campground resort in the rolling hills of central Indiana
By Steven Skelley and Thomas Routzong
Indiana has been known as the Hoosier State, the Land of the Indian and the Crossroads of America. For more than 15 years, it has also been home to the clothing optional, all male campground and resort Camp Buckwood.
We asked Camp Buckwood co-owner Darrell Gill to tell us more.
How would you describe Camp Buckwood in one sentence?
CampBuckwood is an extremely friendly, fun, all male campground and rustic resort serving men 18 and up in the rolling hills of central Indiana, drama and attitude free.
What can you tell us about the history of Camp Buckwood?
Ben & I got the idea for CampBuckwood while visiting Timberfell Lodge in Tennessee many years ago. During our camping outings there, we often made friends with other guys from the Midwest / Great Lakes regions who stated a wish for an all male campground closer to where they lived.
That sparked the idea. We loved the camping environment and started talking about what we would want in a campground that we would own.
Three things were vitally important to us in creating a campground: always stay true to what a campground really is, provide a friendly place where everyone is equal with no drama nor attitude and make it fun.
In 1999, we started looking in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana for just the right fit. We wanted to be as centrally located to major metropolitan areas as possible to draw a good mix of guys.
In the grey cold of January in Indiana 2001, driving around Brown County, we happened upon what immediately felt like the perfect space, it was a space that found us. Driving down the lane that led to the farm house was excitingly hair raising.
Although we looked in other areas, we had always had a desire to find the right fit in Brown County Indiana. Brown County is the home of Indiana’s largest state park and has over 300 tourist homes and B&Bs. We knew that the county administration as well as the citizens in Brown County were comfortable with and depended on tourism.
The property had 50 acres and is located 45 minutes south of Indianapolis, 1.5 hours from Louisville, 2 hours from Cincinnati and is within a 4 hour drive from Chicago, St. Louis and Nashville. We knew this central location would be an important part of our success.
The property was a single family residence. We believed that we could convert it into a B&B. At the same time, the property had enough necessary flat land to create a campground. We knew that this could work.
We closed on the property in July 2001 and immediately went to work on securing all of the state of Indiana and Brown county zoning and health department requirements and licenses.
A big part of that required updating and converting the big house into a B&B as well as building a large shower house, installing water and electric for rv & tent sites, putting in a new gravel lane and adding a pool. We literally did all of the infrastructural additions, B&B updates and zoning ourselves. This had become our passion.
Brown County suggested that once all of the state and county infrastructural requirements were completed for a B&B that we apply for our B&B license first and then at a later date return to apply for our larger, recreational development campground license.
This wasn’t exactly how we wanted to approach starting our dream but we knew that going with their approach would likely lead to quicker success. We completed the necessary things and obtained our B&B license.
We operated that Fall of 2003 as a main stream family oriented B&B. Our B&B is called 4 Seasons. Fall in Brown County with the changing colors of the leaves draws great crowds. We did well. This also helped to put us into a better light if you will with our immediate neighbors. Some of them began to see us as more “normal.”
Once we completed all of the necessary installations of tent and rv sites, the camp lane, the pool and built the shower house and had operated a full Fall/Winter season as a B&B, we returned to the zoning board and applied and received our campground license.
We opened in May 2004 as an all male clothing optional campground with a B&B. We were the first in the history of Indiana to be legally licensed and sanctioned to do this type of business.
Our first weekend we had one client. That first year was exciting and a learning experience for us as well as what would become our client base. We opened with 5 RV sites, 20 tent sites, a 5 bedroom B&B, a pool, small hot tub, some trails, a couple of outbuildings, the shower house, a 2.5 acre fishing pond and an pole barn for karaoke.
We also opened with a no drama no attitude, everyone is equal, policy that we strictly enforced by turning away anyone with attitude. And yes, that did happen several times that first year.
The word got out and a friendly stress free zone was created. We have been blessed in many ways, staring with our great men that support us. Each year even through the recession our business has increased. We draw from all over the midwest and great lakes and frequently get guys just passing through while traveling about the country.
We now have 105 tent sites all with electric, 65 rv sites, 10 cabins, 2 shower houses, a large pavilion, lots of trails and a huge in ground hot tub. We are open from mid April through the end of October each year and draw a few hundred men every holiday.
One of the most important things that we have done since our inception is become good neighbors. Brown County Indiana has one free store food bank and soup kitchen, Mother’s Cupboard. Feeding the hungry is important to us and our clients. Because of our great clients, for the past 10 years we have been Mother’s Cupboard’s number one private donor.
Who visits Camp Buckwood? All ages and body shapes?
We literally get guys from 18 up to 80, thin to pleasantly plump, bare to bears, feminine to masculine, married, straight, bi and gay. Everyone is made to feel welcome.
What can you tell us about the guest rooms and lodgings of Camp Buckwood?
Our five bedroom B&B has:
* Two suites with king size comfortable beds, private entrance, spa tubs and showers in their private bathroom, fridge, micro wave, coffee maker, satellite tv and a couch
* Two private rooms that share a bath, 1 has a comfortable queen sleeper 1 has both a comfortable king and a queen sleeper, both have a fridge, additional seating and satellite tv.
The B&B has central AC/Heat, all rooms include a home cooked fresh food breakfast and dinner, not GFS food, as well as linens and towels.
The Cabins have a king size bed, a full size futon sleeper sofa, tv, microwave, coffee maker, fridge, linens included, fire pit, outdoor table/chairs and they use one of the two shower houses for comfort.
What can you tell us about the amenities of Camp Buckwood?
Camp Buckwood amenities include: Large in ground hot tub and a pool open 24 hours, large open air pavilion, in door event space for parties, karaoke, bingo etc. two shower houses, a coin operated laundry room, vending machines, a camp store, a 2.5 acre fishing, swimming, paddle boat pond and lots of trails. Oh, and if you get your car or rv stuck we pull you out for free within reason.
What are some of the events held at Camp Buckwood?
Every weekend, we have events, theme weekends. Of course, holidays are off the hook especially 4th of July when we do a fireworks show that rivals many small towns fireworks show across America. All of our Bear weekends are big draws.
Our annual Squirt Party is a must do.
Our wig party is a big laugh, Latin Fest spices things up big time and our Fall chili cook-off contest has been a hit since year one.
We have events for everyone and everyone is welcome at every event.
Lifelong friendships are made at Camp Buckwood.
Conclusion
Camp Buckwood is located at 8670 Spearsville Road, Morgantown, Indiana.
For more information, visit their website at www.campbuckwood.com
Visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CampBuckwood
Phone 812-597-2450.
Article by Steven Skelley and Thomas Routzong
Copyright 2017 Sunny Harbor Publishing
Sunny Harbor Publishing, PO Box 560318, Rockledge, FL 32956
Phone: 321-446-7552
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.SunnyHarborPublishing.org
Copyright 2017 Sunny Harbor Publishing
Sunny Harbor Publishing, PO Box 560318, Rockledge, FL 32956
Phone: 321-446-7552
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.SunnyHarborPublishing.org
