An outdoor enthusiasts dream awaits at Rockhound Hideaway's Sodalite Shasta with opportunities for snowshoeing, skiing, hiking, and ending the day with a steamy sauna. This off grid, cozy 14' trailer is situated on a two acre lot with two other rentals and my full time residence on the edge of the Ottawa National Forest. A short walk to Black River Harbor, the North Country Trail & Lake Superior, this is a perfect getaway for those seeking a rustic yet comfortable stay with a campy feel.
The space
Perfect for adventure seekers looking for a comfortable place to lay their head after a day exploring hiking trails, waterfalls, skiing, snowshoeing, and all the natural beauty the Ottawa National Forest has to offer. However, please read the entire listing before booking to make sure this space is the right fit for you!
Wood-fired Sauna. I am sharing the wood-fired Finnish sauna I built. It is $10 per guest, per use, to help offset the cost of firewood. Sauna use requires reservation outside of the public sauna hours of 4-6pm daily. There is a full sauna instruction manual in the Shasta.
This is a wonderfully cozy off grid unit that offers the comforts of a bed and walls with all the feeling of camping. The trailer has wired lighting from a battery and access to one outlet on a power strip to change phones or other small devices. That means there is no fridge and you will need to bring a cooler and ice for all your refrigeration needs. There is a two burner stove and a wash basin to wash dishes. There is NO running water. You are responsible for bringing your own water from Labor Day until Memorial Day (when the temps are potentially too cold for me to leave water in the unit for you). From Memorial Day to Labor Day, I do provide plenty of potable water for drinking and for your sink station for washing dishes. The toilet is a two stall outhouse shared with my other off grid unit, the Agate Grove Bell tent. It is about a 60' walk from your trailer.
This is a very cozy unit with some tight spaces as follows: door- 5'6"H x 21" w; Ceiling 73". This area is very safe, but there is a chain lock inside to lock the door while inside. The lock on the door knob is non operational, so leave values in your vehicle when you are away if that is a concern to you. Being in such a remote location means the wifi can be spotty and unreliable at times, especially in inclement weather. If you plan to watch movies on a computer, I suggest downloading them prior to arrival. Once the temperature drops below freezing, there will be a small electric heater inside and a propane buddy heater in case of extreme temps or power outages. BYO one pound propane cylinders for the propane heater.
There is a bonfire ring for your use. There is one bundle of firewood under the tarp next to the fire ring for you at no charge . More firewood is available at the common area for $5 per bundle.
Guest access
The entire Sodalite Shasta area is private for your use. You'll enjoy your own private outdoor space, hammock, fire ring and charcoal grill, BYO charcoal. Your rental is right on the road so it has some potential for noise from passing cars, however there is a privacy screen surrounding most of your road visibility for added privacy. There is one bundle of firewood provided next to the fire ring amd more bundles of firewood are available at Kitchigami Commons. I also encourage guests to take advantage of my favorite activity- beach bonfires under the stars on the lake. There is no shortage of driftwood for beach bonfires.
You may encounter other guests on your walk down to the waterfall on the back of the property, or at Kitchigami Commons- a common outdoor space for guests who care to mingle. Kitchigami Commons, is a short walk from your trailer, away from the road. It has a outdoor fireplace, playing cards, yard games and two lake tubes for guests to take out and enjoy on the lake. This is also where I keep extra firewood and extra drinking water during the summer. Please help yourself to the lake tubes, just return them to the Commons when you are done. (Kitchigami Commons is the yellow concrete structure visible east of the road, there is a path from your trailer to it... it is also where we cook down our sap and turn it into maple syrup during mapling season!) I am still making improvements to the Commons to provide a more enjoyable shared space, but you are welcome to use it, explore it and access the floaties and games.
Sauna Hours & Rules:
$10 per guest, per stay charge for the sauna to help offset the time/cost of firewood. Did you use the sauna several times? Or just appreciate the effort I put into building it and splitting wood? Feel free to donate extra to the cause!
Payment via Airbnb app prior to use, or leave cash or check in your rental until upon checkout.
Open 8:30am-10:30pm.
Closed for cleaning from 3-4pm daily.
Open to all guests on property from 4-6pm.
-You may not make a private reservation from 4-6pm, but you are welcome to use it! Other guests may also be using it at that time. Clothing optional during private reservation times, bathing suits required during open hours.
Open for private reservations from 8:30am-3pm and 6pm-10:30pm.
If you would like to reserve a private time for the sauna, please visit the sauna and reserve your time on the reservation calendar.
Please be respectful of other guests and do not overstay your reservation.
All minors under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Use by minors is at the discretion of their guardian.
Each party is allotted 90 minutes for private sauna use per day. 30 minutes to start the fire and heat the sauna, 1 hour maximum in the sauna for safety (this includes your time to dress and exit the sauna). Please be out of the sauna space at the end of your reservation to be respectful of guests arriving for the next reservation.
Use at your own risk.
Consult your physician or do not use the sauna if you are pregnant or have any health condition that could be problematic with high heat.
No alcohol permitted in the sauna. No using the sauna when intoxicated. If you feel dizzy or light-headed, get out immediately.
Drink plenty of water before, during and after the sauna.
ALL surfaces in the sauna will be hot to the touch! Pour water on the benches before sitting down to reduce surface heat. All parts of the wood stove will be EXTREMELY HOT to the touch. Do not touch any part of the wood stove when it is hot. Use the welding gloves provided to open the stove door.
There is paper, kindling, and some firewood inside the changing room. More wood is stacked outside the changing room door under the black plastic. Please keep cover on wood to help keep it dry.
A blue barrel with water will either be outside the sauna entrance or in the changing room, depending on the outside temperature. This water is for your bathing use in the sauna. There are a couple smaller buckets in the sauna you can fill from the blue barrel.
To start the fire, open the drawer under the stove door a few inches before building the fire in the main compartment. That drawer helps allow more air into the fire box. Once the fire is going well, close the drawer most or all of the way. Do not set anything on top of the stove. From my experience, it takes 30 minutes to get the sauna hot. Get the fire going and fill with wood, check it again in 15 minutes to add more wood, then return 15 minutes later to take a sauna, it will be plenty warm to enjoy.
Make sure the door to the sauna room is closed or it will not heat as efficiently.
There is a drain in the sauna under the stove, but with heavy water use, it can pool on the floor. If you notice pooling when you are done, please use the floor squeegee provided to help push it towards the drain.
When you are done using the sauna, please sweep excess water towards the drain, push the stove drawer all the way in, close all doors, and turn out the light on your way out.
Sauna location:
The Sauna is the tall dark brown building with lots of windows on half of it. The windowed side is the sunroom/my office, it is still under construction. The side without windows is the sauna.
To get to the sauna, follow the string of lights, which begin at the common area and end at the sauna. The lights will remain on during open hours and shut off automatically at closing time.
Thank you for enjoying this space and let me know if you have thoughts on ways I can make this more enjoyable or the instructions more clear!
Other things to note
There is no cellphone reception. Some phones can pick up reception 3 miles up the road at the Conglomerate Falls parking area. I do offer my wifi but it is limited and it does not always work so please download videos/music prior to arrival, or just enjoy the lack of communication with the outside world!
Upon check in, please take a moment to read the instructions for further details about the property. There is also a canister in the tote at the foot of the bed with extra batteries, brochures about the area and instruction manuals for items in your trailer you may not be familiar with, if you need assistance with any thing or have questions, please don't hesitate to ask!
All of my rentals are pet friendly. At your private space you are welcome to have well behaved pets off leash as long as they are under your control and in your private area only. Please do not let them bother or approach hikers on the road. When on other parts of the property please keep your pets leashed. Please pick up all poop.
Rockhound Hideaway is 420 friendly for 21 and up. No cigarettes inside. All cigarettes must be disposed of in the provided butt can outside. Woman Owned. LGBTQ+ Ally
