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One-of-a-kind house on 240 acres w/ prairie, woods & trout-stream - pet-friendly

One-of-a-kind house on 240 acres w/ prairie, woods & trout-stream - pet-friendly

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Living Room
Dalsoren House
Living Room from Balcony
Toy Corner
Living Room into the Kitchen

Overview of One-of-a-kind house on 240 acres w/ prairie, woods & trout-stream - pet-friendly

Reviews
10 out of 10 Exceptional
2 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 6111 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Pet-friendlyPet-friendlyPet-friendly
  • Free WiFiFree WiFiFree WiFi
  • WasherWasherWasher
  • DryerDryerDryer
  • KitchenKitchenKitchen
  • Barbecue grillBarbecue grillBarbecue grill

Enjoy the area

Map
Hollandale, WI
  • Popular LocationCave of The Mounds National Natural Landmark20 min drive
  • Popular LocationBlue Mound State Park21 min drive
  • Popular LocationNew Glarus Brewing Company29 min drive
  • AirportMadison, WI (MSN-Dane County Regional)58 min drive

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 6)

Living Room

1 Double Futon

Purple Bedroom

2 Single Beds and 1 Double Futon

Yellow Bedroom

1 Queen Bed

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Garden
Dining Area

About this property

One-of-a-kind house on 240 acres w/ prairie, woods & trout-stream - pet-friendly

Welcome to Dalsoren House!

Located in Wisconsin's Driftless Area on 240 acres of conserved prairie and woodlands, Dalsoren House offers a tranquility you will not find anywhere else. As a guest of Dalsoren House, you will be able to explore and enjoy restored grassland prairies, oak savannas, a pine relic, and a Class I-II DNR Trout Stream (Gordon Creek)- all without leaving the property! You can observe a wide variety of native species including red-headed and pileated woodpeckers, sandhill cranes, badgers, bald eagles, red-tailed hawks, rusty patched bumble bees, hill thistles, compass plants, and much, much more. After a day of exploring, you can relax around the firepit to the sounds of the spring peepers while watching a beautiful sunset. Once the sun has set, the rural night sky offers wonderful stargazing opportunities away from city lights.

We have mowed paths around the farm for you to explore nature, and we also recommend you bring hiking boots/shoes, rain jackets, hiking pants, insect repellent, and sunscreen so you can enjoy the great outdoors comfortably. Conservation efforts on the farm are ongoing on the farm, and we partner with local, state, and federal organizations to carefully plan efforts from prescribed burns to plantings. Let us know if you have any questions about the conservation work being done.

WI DNR Fishing Licenses are required to fish in Gordon Creek. https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Fishing/outreach/FishingLicenses

Hunting, target shooting, and ATVs (and similar motor vehicles) are not permitted. Please contact us with questions.

Dalsoren House was built in 1975 by Mary and Steve Thompson when they returned to the family farm to take over the dairy operations from Steve's parents. Mary and Steve used the barn as inspiration for the design of Dalsoren; they harvested the lumber from the farm and employed all local contractors and did a lot of the work themselves. They incorporated a variety of unique features - such as stained glass - to create a truly one-of-a-kind home for their family. In 2020, the Thompsons did a complete restoration of Dalsoren House - again, using timber sustainably harvested from the farm and employing local contractors. The restoration was carefully planned to keep the original character of the house. The Thompson family (including a very friendly Labrador named Ole) still lives on the property today in the original family farmhouse.

As of 2021, Dalsoren House has a new kitchen, bathroom, roof, windows, and sidings, as well as new furnishings and appliances. Dalsoren House can sleep 4-6 people comfortably. There are two bedrooms (1 queen bed and 2 twin beds) as well as 2 twin roll-away beds.

Accessibility: There is a poured cement sidewalk to the house. There are three steps up to the front porch - the porch has railings. The ground floor has a bathroom (accessible), rollaway twin beds, living room, and kitchen. Please contact us for more information.

The Driftless Area of southwestern Wisconsin has a great deal to offer visitors. Spring Green, New Glarus, Mineral Point and Mount Horeb are all an easy drive from Dalsoren House. These small towns have outdoor theaters, museums, festivals, state parks, cycling, shopping, wineries, breweries, and restaurants for you to enjoy.

We hope you come visit us and enjoy the tranquility of Dalsoren House and the natural beauty of the farm and the Driftless Area of Wisconsin! Please let us know if you have any questions.

With warm wishes and thanks,
The Thompson Family

Property manager

Thea Sophia Thompson
Premier Host
Premier Host

Languages

English

Amenities

Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Pet-friendly
Free WiFi
Outdoor space

House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 25
Check out before 10:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

Events

No events allowed

Pets

Pets allowed: dogs (limit 2 total)

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
Guests agree to follow house rules as posted.
Guests agree to follow preserve rules as posted.
Pets must be kept under control at all times. Guests are responsible for any and all damage and harm done by their pets.

Damage and incidentals

You will be responsible for any damage to the rental property caused by you or your party during your stay.

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock

About the area

Hollandale

Located in Hollandale, this vacation home is in a rural area and on a river. Nick Engelbert's Grandview and Swiss Historical Village are local landmarks, and some of the area's attractions include Maple Leaf Cheese and Chocolate Haus and Swissland Miniature Golf. Mineral Point Railroad Museum and Verona Ice Arena are also worth visiting. Be sure to check out the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Map
Hollandale, WI

What's nearby

  • Cave of The Mounds National Natural Landmark - 20 min drive
  • Blue Mound State Park - 21 min drive
  • Swiss Historical Village - 26 min drive
  • New Glarus Brewing Company - 29 min drive
  • University of Wisconsin-Madison - 47 min drive

Getting around

  • Dane County Regional Airport (MSN) - 58 min drive

Restaurants

  • Stroz Inn - 12 min drive
  • Squeaky Wheel Saloon - 12 min drive
  • Botham Vineyards & Winery - 20 min drive
  • Murphy's Log Cabin - 12 min drive
  • Doran's Pub - 12 min drive

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
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Rating 10 - Excellent. 24 out of 25 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 1 out of 25 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 25 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 25 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 25 reviews" "

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Dan H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Dalsoren is amazing!!
Possibly the best VRBO property I've ever stayed at. Quiet, peaceful, fantastic trails to walk. Yet convenient to Madison. A house with great history and wonderful people that maintain it. I can't wait to return
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Anni P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Perfection!
If I could just move in here, I would. That’s how lovely the home and location is. I already miss being there and can’t wait to return. It was perfect for my dogs, too. If you need a getaway to the country side and have dogs or kids (or neither), I can’t recommend this place enough. The work being done to take care of the land, the gorgeous woodwork and artwork in the home, the family history, and plenty of trails to ground your soul… perfection.
Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

CHUCK H., CRYSTAL LAKE,IL

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
FALL BEAUTY
Great place to be surrounded by the Fall woods. Wonderful color in every direction! Second time here and will be back in the Spring.
Stayed 6 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Anna Lee Q., Chicago IL

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
A dream home away from home!
This property is incredible! We are very much city/suburb folk and it's hard for us to unplug and unwind. There were many fun family things to do close by. Cave of the Mounds, House on the Rock, a winery, even apple picking. We could have also just enjoyed the property itself on its own. So pretty. It was easy for my hubby, myself, our 5 year old twins, and my mother to stay comfortably! Thea our host was very attentive whenever we had a question. Would love to come again! :)
Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Becky and Paul F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Beautiful property in the Driftless Area
Thea was a great host for us; she responded immediately whenever we had questions. The property is beautiful! The views from the large 1st floor windows were fabulous and changed over the course of the day from morning to dusk. We hiked the trails, enjoyed the wildflowers and birds, and the quiet of the country. It was a good home-base to explore the area. Thank you Thea!
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2023

About the host

Hosted by Thea Sophia Thompson

Host profile image
Hello!

My name is Thea Thompson. Thank you so much for your interest in Dalsoren House! This farm has a special place in my life and in my family's history and we would love to have you come visit.

Dalsoren House is my childhood home and is located on my family's farm. My parents still live on the farm in the 1901 farmhouse. My family has cared for the farm since 1854 - my brother and I are the sixth generation of my family to grow up here. In 1974, my parents returned to the farm so they could take over the the dairy operation from my grandparents. Mom and Dad took inspiration from the 1890s barn and, utilizing the cherry and oak lumber from the farm, they designed and built the house now known as Dalsoren. It was a wonderful place to grow up!

In 1998, my parents began conservation projects on the farm, and the conservation efforts became our primary focus in 2008 when my father retired from farming. It has been amazing to see the transformation from the corn fields and cow pastures of my childhood to the prairies and oak savannas of today. It has been a labor of love and dedication, and the work is ongoing. We partner with a variety of local, state, and federal organizations and entities to plan our ongoing conservation projects. You will see us out working on the farm. Please feel free to say hello and ask what we are working on - we may put you to work!

I hope you come visit us and enjoy calm peace on the farm that my family has enjoyed for generations. We look forward to meeting you and hosting you at Dalsoren House!

All the best,
Thea Thompson

Why they chose this property

Our family matriarch, Torbor Ellfsdatter Thompson, was born on the Dalsøren Farm in southern Norway and the house is named in her honor. Torbor and her family immigrated to Wisconsin from Norway in 1851. They purchased our farm in 1854 and the Thompson family continues to steward the land to this day. Until 2008, the farm was in dairy and crop production - there was a small herd of 40 Holstein cows and fields of corn and alfalfa (if you ask a family member, they each will tell you who their favorite cow was - ask Steve about Rowena!). At that point, the Thompsons focused on the conservation as a new way to care for the land for the next generations.

The Thompsons are dedicated to the stewardship of the farm and are excited for the chance to share this special place with you and your family!

Languages:

English

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