They have cozy beds. They have home-cooked breakfasts. But this sweet spot just south of Clark Fork, Idaho isn’t what you’d expect from a bed and breakfast. Huckleberry Tent & Breakfast is a camping experience that takes you beyond tents and campfires and offers a unique, upscale outdoor adventure, just minutes from Sandpoint, national forest and Lake Pend Oreille.
Owners Timothy and Christine Dick moved to the Clark Fork area 20 years ago and lived in a tent themselves while building their solar-powered homestead and farm. After settling in and starting a family, they were inspired to open their own rustic retreat by the country’s first wall-tent B&B at MaryJanesFarm in Moscow, Idaho. They began with their Nona site, which was where they had initially established residence. The Cedars and Mountain View sites came soon after.
Although my husband and I visited early in the season, the weather was perfect for camping. Small signs guided us along the dirt road and right up to the Dick’s homestead porch. We were greeted by Christine, her daughter Mary and an enormous tom turkey marching around the yard. Soon, we were depositing our bags in the Nona bedroom, a heavy canvas tent fixed atop a sturdy wooden platform. Inside was a comfortable iron frame bed piled high with pillows, quilts and a down comforter. A small table in the corner displayed a few board games, and the wood stove warmed us when we went to bed. Like the other two sites, Nona also features a screened kitchen, complete with camp oven, cookware, water pump and every cooking convenience. We also discovered a can of s’mores ingredients.
A pristine, stink-free outhouse, roomy camp shower, and Bear Creek Canvas 2-person tent for kids or guests completed the tidy site. We cooked dinner on the stove and sipped wine at the outdoor fire pit, before falling asleep to the sounds of crickets and tree frogs.
The next morning, pancakes, scrambled eggs fresh from the barn, sausage links, homemade huckleberry jam and the Dick’s famous apple cider were served on the homestead porch. We walked off the goodness with a tour of the spacious, just sprouting garden and a trek to the beaver pond. As we followed the walking path back to our site, I felt grateful for the brief reprieve from persistent cell phones and constant traffic, and I started planning our return.
Note: Due to the early arrival of warm weather this year, open campfires may not be allowed at the T&B later in the summer. More info: 208-266-0155 or Huckleberrytentandbreakfast.com. // (S. Michal Bennett)
