Foothills Getaway
This is a Boondockers Welcome host in Columbus, NC
Max Rig Size
< 25 (ft)
Parking Spaces
1
Same Day Requests
No
Just to make sure you see this info first, the ideal RV is a Class B or truck camper. Travel trailers of any type must be 18 feet or shorter to fit. Class As and Class Cs can certainly be up to 30 feet. I only have one spot available. However, if you're traveling with a friend in a separate camper, it is possible to get both in. That second person will also need to be a Boondockers Welcome member and will need to make a request. (I'll explain that when the situation comes up.) The second RV will have to be the same size RV. I only have one 30 amp receptacle. I do have a nearby 15 amp receptacle that the second RV can use. No smoking on the property unless it's in your camper. Now that the not-so-fun news is stated, keep reading if you're still interested. I live on a non-working ten-acre farm. It's not a show place but you'll certainly find a welcome. Fence rails are likely to be down, the grass needing mowing, and the pastures bush hogged. But I'm retired and have other things more important to do. I'm always wiling to toss back a beer or two. Or, a cup of coffee is good. The barn next to where you will park does have a flush toilet, sink, and mostly-hot shower that you are welcome to use. (See notes above about leaving it clean.) You are also welcome to set up a table and chairs under the breezeway at the barn for shade and to be out of the rain. And in colder weather, you can also use the inside of the barn (the tack room) for socializing, eating, etc. It's kept relatively warm in the winter. The biggest downside to my property is the amount of traffic on the road that goes by my property. When I moved her nearly 40 years ago, it was a quiet country road. It's still a country road (that hasn't changed), but I have no clue where these people are going to and coming from. It does get very quiet at night. Suggested Local Attractions: FENCE - Foothills Equestrian Nature Center is about ten minutes away. It has hiking trails and public programs. TIEC - Tryon International Equestrian Center is about 15 minutes away. Lots to see and do there with places to eat and shop. Good restaurants, bakeries, and coffee shops within a few minutes. Community Dog Park in Landrum, SC about 5 minutes away. Hardware store with basic camping & RV supplies is in Landrum (four minutes away) as well as a large super market (Ingle's), restaurants, and shops. Other small towns surrounding us include Tryon, Columbus, and Saluda, NC. There are several wineries just minutes away and a brewery in Columbus that's located in an old NC Prison. It's called Iron Key Brewing Company. Asheville, NC and Greenville, SC are about 45 minutes away in opposite directions. Hendersonville, NC and Spartanburg, SC are about 25 minutes away in opposite directions. There is a Camping World location this side of Spartanburg, SC about 20 minutes away. Guests will receive a printed list of area attractions and services. To get a head start on visiting, check out this website about local attractions: https://firstpeaknc.com/ For extra credit, check out my YouTube channel, The Country Life with ColumbusMark. There are some videos related to RVing and some where the RV just took me to the location where I was making a video. It's my studio on wheels. For bonus points, watch a video or two. To win the lottery, subscribe to my channel: https://www.youtube.com/thecountrylifewithcolumbusmark
Vehicle Suitability Information
Pets Welcome
Water Hookup
Separate Tow Vehicle Parking
Outdoor Cooking Allowed
Electric Hookup: 30A
Wifi
Slideouts Allowed
House Rules
Please give me a heads up as to your estimated time of arrival. I am usually around but also run errands here and there. It's best if I'm here when you arrive to give you a proper welcome. You should make plans to arrive before dark. We're on a country road. There are no street lamps. We don't have one of those high intensity lights at the barn. It's dark. It's dark...did I mention that? Arriving after dark is treacherous and if you go off the road, you are likely to cross over an old pirate cemetery. It is sacred ground and we occasionally hear noises at night. Now what pirates were doing a few hours away from the ocean I haven't a clue. Just the same no digging for pirate treasure...or if you do find some...we'll split the booty. If you absolutely must arrive after dark, like in the winter when it gets dark before I go to bed, I'll do my best to help you. But just stay off the pirate cemetery. It's for your own good. Well behaved pets must be on leash at all times. I have one dog who will bark at yours, but he's friendly. He will either be with me on a leash or in the fenced-in back yard. There are also wild animals including feral cats that frequent the barn and property. Please do not bother them. They are our friends...but also don't attempt to pet them or eat them. It's best not to let them in your RV. They might not want to leave. However, you are welcome to keep and take home any feral cats, raccoons, or possums you do catch. It's our little way of saying thank you for staying. No smoking on property. You may smoke all you want in your RV. I love to chat but not about politics, religion, or Duke University. Generators are not necessary as you can plug into my 30 AMP RV plug. Please leave the place cleaner than you found it. That won't be hard. You're welcome to use the toilet, sink, and shower in the barn, but please clean up even if it's not clean when you get there. You will need to provide your own towels and soap. Remember, those facilities are in the barn. It's a barn, not a luxury hotel. If you wish to leave a day's worth of trash, no problem. Quiet time starts at 10 PM. My dog might bark at your rig when he sees it...even if he has seen it all afternoon. Eventually he'll come in the house to sleep. Often he'll go outside in the backyard in the morning and start barking again. It's usually at squirrels or those cats or possibly a pirate. Check-out time is 2 PM, though just let me know if you want to stay longer. It's not going to be a problem. I hope these rules haven't scared you off. I'm kidding about that pirate cemetery thing, but it sounded good at the time.
Location
Access Road Conditions: Please Note. I've just made adjustments to the size of rigs that I can accommodate. This is based on watching various folks attempt to get bigger rigs into my parking area. While I've always thought I had plenty of room, it isn't so. Ideal Rigs will be: Class B vans or truck campers of 24 - 25 feet or less. Travel Trailers like a tear drop or mini that's just 18 feet or less. Class A or C rigs that are 30 feet or less. These rigs will need to park in a different orientation and will probably need a small amount of leveling. What will not work is a long"ish" travel trailer pulled by a 20 ft. truck. There is just not room to safely get it situated without either tearing up my grass or gravel, tearing up a fence or two, or tearing up your camper/truck. So NO TRAVEL TRAILERS longer than 18 feet. I'm sorry for the inconvenience. We have a gravel driveway which has a couple of water break cutouts. (You could call them ruts.) They're no problem if you drive up slowly. Class B RVs will have no problem getting up the driveway. It's not steep. There's plenty of room to back in a Class B or a small travel trailer (18 feet or under), but you might need a spotter to keep from hitting the fence or the barn. Actually, you should have experience backing your trailer before attempting to back into my premier spot. Tow Vehicle Parking Details: There are several areas where a tow vehicle could be parked.
Parking Surface
Gravel
Hosted By ColumbusMark
Age:
65+
I bought my first RV, a used Class B in 2020. Details: Teacher for most of my life. Retired in 2017. Have made a few extra bucks as a photographer, videographer, musician, author, camp director. I just started For fun I have a Youtube channel, "The Country Life with ColumbusMark." And I do a podcast with a friend of mine I've known for over 50 years. Home Town: Columbus, North Carolina. Skills or Expertise to Share: Ummmm. I like to talk, but we'll not be talking politics or religion!
Availability for RV Camping
References for this location from other RVers
Cottagegirl
3 weeks ago
This was my best BW stay yet. Mark was a wonderful host. He is thoughtful and was very quick to communicate and keep me updated. The property was ideal and I had electricity, water, a heated space to relax in and a hot shower even though the Temps got down to the 20s! I would highly recommend staying here and hope to come back in the summer!
cindyanddavid
1 month ago
we truly enjoy our time here and spending time f with Mark, who is a wonderfull host full of information and history of the area.
Donna_Advintr
2 months ago
With more time to do Mark justice, I am leaving another reference. Mark is a gem. Kind, generous and you will be able to tell he truly enjoys sharing his little piece of this big world. I cannot even decide if the location or the host contributed more to the fantastic experience. With great restaurants, wineries, breweries, farmer's markets and homestead farms.....this area of NC was a foodie's dream and Mark is excited to share his time and knowledge! I am already trying to figure out when I can make it back. Not only to enjoy the local community, but to visit with Mark as well!
WayneAnne
2 months ago
This is such a great place to spend a night, or longer, which is what we were able to do through Harvest Host. The setup was fantastic, with access to electric and a barn, an open sitting area, and a nice shower and bathroom area. The best part of our experience with the visit was spending time with our host. What a sweet and considerate gentleman Mark is!. He has a good sense of humor and truly cares that your visit is going well. We would love to visit again when we are in the area. Thank you.
Donna_Advintr
2 months ago
Mark is an amazing human sharing a beautiful home and delightful community.
