Secluded Underground Cabin in Ozarks Wilderness

Wilderness Cabin With Deer Season Hunting Access – Underground Home on 225 Acres

*Deer Season Notice*
Rates are higher during deer season. Booking during this time includes hunting rights on our 225-acre private wilderness for Missouri firearms deer season (Nov 15 – Nov 25 ONLY).
No hunting is allowed on any other dates unless arranged in advance for an additional fee.
Please message for additional information.

Overview

Experience true deep woods isolation while staying in a remarkably unique underground home unlike anything you’ve seen before. This is the perfect retreat for anyone looking to relax, unplug, and immerse themselves in untouched wilderness with virtually no human activity.

Nestled in the foothills of the ancient St. Francois Mountains of the Missouri Ozarks, our 225 private acres are bordered on three sides by thousands of acres of Mark Twain National Forest. The home is built directly into the hillside, giving the entrance a natural, cave-like feel that immediately sets the tone for this one-of-a-kind stay.

The air here is exceptionally clean, and the springs and creeks on the property run crystal clear. With no light pollution, the night sky reveals an incredible display of stars. After dark, the woods come alive with the natural sounds of coyotes, owls, night birds, and insects without the interruptions of traffic, neighbors, or modern noise.

Guests can enjoy peaceful hikes through the forest without encountering another person for hours. It’s a secluded, quiet, and restorative place to reconnect with nature.

TerreHome Underground Style Living

TerreHome is one of the most unique houses anywhere—deeply unconventional, yet practical, comfortable, and fully functional. Designed to blend into the surrounding Ozark woodland, the structure gives the impression of a cave set into a hilltop. Inside, a large bank of windows reveals a beautiful valley framed by wooded hills, creating a naturally calming and soothing atmosphere.

The home was designed and hand-built by an eccentric engineer over more than eleven years, beginning in the 1970s. His vision was to ignore traditional design and create something rugged, overbuilt, self-sufficient, and completely original. The structure is covered with more than five feet of earth, acting as a natural heat sink that keeps the home warm in winter (it won’t freeze even without heat) and cool in summer without the need for air conditioning.

Massive boulders flank the entrance, and a reinforced concrete roof extends over the porch, offering shaded outdoor seating around a teakwood dining table. The fortress-like front door opens into a foyer framed with rough-cut oak timbers in a post-and-beam style, giving the feeling of entering an historic mine shaft.

Inside, antique railroad and nautical lanterns cast soft, warm colored light in the evenings. The living room features a massive stone fireplace with an oversized oak mantle supported by granite columns. The floor is made of hand-laid granite slabs from a local quarry, adding to the rugged underground ambience. Concrete columns line the hallway, textured to enhance the cave-like aesthetics.

A built-in underground ventilation system draws and conditions fresh air through the earth, feeding vents in each room. This is a true underground house—not a home with dirt piled over it, but a structure intentionally built into the hillside from the start.

House Rooms

The home comfortably sleeps six guests across three bedrooms.

Master Bedroom:
Queen-size Sleep Number mattress with individually adjustable firmness on each side.
Two Additional Bedrooms:
Each includes a full-size bed and beautifully preserved 1800s antique furniture.
All bedrooms have cedar-lined closets.

Because this is a true underground house with thick concrete walls, no windows, and over five feet of earth overhead, the bedrooms use curtains instead of solid doors, consistent with the original designer’s vision. The bathroom uses a non-locking wooden door.

There is one bathroom with a large tiled tub area. The shower/tub and toilet each have their own curtained privacy spaces. A washer and dryer are available for guest use, with detergent provided. (The built-in sauna is not currently connected.)

The fully equipped kitchen has everything you need to prepare meals, including an electric stove, microwave, large refrigerator, and coffee & espresso maker (with coffee and supplies). The deep well water on the property is exceptionally clean—we drink it straight. There are no fluoride or chlorine additives.

In the living room, guests can relax on a large sectional sofa with three built-in recliners. The interior décor—artwork, antique furniture, rustic wall treatments, and handcrafted details—creates a warm, inviting country cabin ambience with the charm of another era.

Outdoor Life

The house is perched near the top of a hill overlooking a striking valley surrounded by wooded hills. The property stretches from one hillside to the other and down into the valley floor, with Mark Twain National Forest directly behind the house and along both sides. The result is an unusually secluded landscape where guests can fully disconnect from modern life and immerse themselves in nature.

Multiple perennial springs and creeks run year-round across the land. Deeper in the valley, the hills narrow into a scenic shut-ins area, complete with rock outcroppings and a creek flowing through it. One hillside features a natural cave spring, reachable by a rewarding nature walk from the house.
Guests are free to explore the entire property. Hiking here offers complete solitude—you can walk for hours without seeing another person. We recommend a satellite-based GPS app to prevent getting lost in the deep woods.

Evenings are perfect for relaxing around the fire pit just outside the house. Historical artifacts decorate the property, including an original 1800s dredge bucket and ore mining cart from the gold rush era. A genuine steam locomotive bell adorns the side of the entrance—guests are welcome to ring it.

Along the hillside sits a full-size Atchison Topeka Santa Fe (ATSF) railroad caboose, set on a short section of track. Originally built in the 1920s as a wooden caboose and later refitted with metal siding, it is currently being restored as a future rental unit.

Please excuse any unfinished areas on the property. This land and home are long-term projects and a labor of love. While the house is fully ready for guests, we continue to improve the property and reshape this unique retreat into an even more beautiful and enjoyable destination.

Hunting Season Information

This property offers exceptionally secluded woodland habitat, making it ideal for hunters looking for privacy, natural deer movement, and quiet deep-forest terrain with minimal pressure.

Hunting Rights can be arranged for additional cost.

Guest Access

Guests will have full access to the entire house except for:
One utility room at the end of the hall (locked with a wrought iron wine cellar gate).
A few locked cabinets in the bathroom containing extra supplies and housekeeping items.
Two locked armoires (one in a bedroom, one in the hallway) containing family heirloom linens.
On the property, some outbuildings in the lower valley are marked “Private – No Guest Access.” These areas are small, and guests are free to explore the remaining 225 acres without restriction.

Other Things to Note

Rural & Remote Location

This property is extremely rural and very isolated. The nearest gas station, grocery store, or restaurant is 15 miles away—please arrive prepared.

Accessibility & Terrain

Bathtub/shower sits inside a large sauna structure (sauna not functional) with a high step-over.
Terrain is rugged, uneven, and naturally contoured.
Not ideal for guests with mobility issues.

Cell Service & Internet

Cell service becomes spotty leaving town and nonexistent in the valley.
Wi-Fi calling works throughout the home.
HughesNet satellite internet is provided (works well except during heavy rain).
400+ DVDs available for offline entertainment.
Many phone carriers now offer satellite connectivity (host uses T-Mobile Satellite).
A landline-style satellite phone is available for emergencies or if guests cannot connect via Wi-Fi or carrier satellite.

Property Safety

This is rugged wilderness with natural outdoor hazards. Please explore responsibly.
An ATV is on-site but not included with standard guest use. If you believe it would enhance your stay, message us to discuss arrangements and costs.

We can assist guests unfamiliar with the wood stove operation.