Campgrounds, RV parks & glamping
Books and taxes for yurt and safari tent camps.
A generator running the whole camp, propane hauled in by truck, a guided sunrise hike sold as an add-on, and a road that washes out every spring. Gus sorts all of it, an accountant checks every transaction, and you get one number a month.
- From $197 a month
- An accountant on every transaction
- Cancel whenever
August came in at $9,700. The generator fuel run cost more than usual this month, so I flagged it in case the delivery schedule needs a second look.
- Airbnb payoutNightly stays
- Sunrise hike bookingsGuided activity fees
- Mountain Fuel DeliveryGenerator and propane fuel
- Backroad Grading LLCAccess road maintenance
- Canvas & Frame RepairTent structure upkeep
Why your books are different
Off-grid tent camp books go wrong around getting there and staying powered.
You are not on the utility grid and you are not always on a paved road. When the books do not know that, fuel and access costs that would sink most businesses look like a normal month, and the season you can actually operate never lines up with the calendar year.
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1
Generator and propane fuel swings hard month to month
A remote camp running entirely on generator power and delivered propane sees fuel costs jump with delivery schedules and weather, not with how many guests stayed, which makes a normal month look alarming if nobody separates fuel from everything else.
What we doKeeps fuel costs in their own line and flags when a jump looks like a delivery pattern rather than a real cost increase. -
2
Access road repair gets filed as general maintenance
A washed-out road after spring runoff can cost more to regrade than a month of bookings brings in, and buried inside a general maintenance line it hides how much just getting to the camp actually costs each year.
What we doKeeps access road and site access costs in their own line so the real cost of remoteness is visible. -
3
Guided hikes and wildlife add-ons blend into the stay
A sunrise hike or a guided wildlife walk sold alongside the tent stay often gets deposited and counted the same way as the lodging itself, making it hard to tell whether guiding is worth the insurance and guide pay it requires.
What we doKeeps guided activity income in its own category, separate from nightly stays. -
4
The season is set by snow and access, not a calendar
A camp that opens when the road clears and closes when the first real snow hits does not follow a normal seasonal pattern, and a generic view of the books can misread a short season as underperformance.
What we doKeeps your actual operating months in view, so a short season reads as expected rather than as a warning sign.
Your categories
The categories Gus keeps for an off-grid tent camp.
Set up once for how you get paid and what you spend. You never pick a category. He does, and an accountant checks it.
Money in
- Nightly staysBookings through Airbnb, Hipcamp, or your own site.
- Guided activity feesHikes, wildlife walks, and other add-on experiences.
- Equipment rentalSnowshoes, packs, or gear rented to guests.
- Retail salesCamp store items and local goods sold on-site.
Money out
- Generator and propane fuelWhat powers and heats the camp off the grid.
- Access road maintenanceGrading and repair for the road in and out.
- Tent structure upkeepCanvas, frames, and wood stove repair.
- Guide wagesSeasonal staff leading hikes and activities.
- Satellite internet and communicationsConnectivity where cell service does not reach.
- Supply haulingThe cost of getting food, linens, and gear in and trash out.
- InsuranceProperty, liability, and guided activity coverage.
What we watch for you
- Fuel cost per guest night
Whether generator and propane costs are keeping pace with occupancy.
- Guided activity margin
What hikes and add-ons earn against guide pay and insurance.
- Access road spend
The real yearly cost of keeping the road usable.
- The set-aside
What you will owe, tracked every month, so tax season is not a surprise.
Ask Gus
Things off-grid tent camp owners ask Gus.
Text him like you would text anybody. He answers in plain English, and when a question is above his pay grade, an accountant looks and gets back to you.
It lines up with an extra delivery, not with fewer guests. I kept it visible so you can watch if the pattern holds next month.
I logged it under access road maintenance so it does not get lost in general repairs. It is worth knowing that cost every year when you set your rates.
If she works your schedule and uses your gear, she is likely an employee even for a short season. Worth a real accountant's look before you set up next year's pay.
The tax side
The tax side of an off-grid tent camp.
Most of what goes wrong here is separating the real cost of remoteness from ordinary running costs, and getting seasonal guide pay classified correctly.
What your return has to get right
Your accountant signs it, so it gets done right the first time.
- Lodging or occupancy taxMost states and many counties tax overnight stays, even at a remote off-grid camp. It is collected from guests and filed separately from your business return.
- Worker classification for guidesA hiking guide who works your schedule and uses your equipment is usually an employee, not a contractor, even for a short season.
- Equipment and generator depreciationGenerators, solar setups, and similar equipment can often be written off, and bonus depreciation is 100 percent for property bought after January 19, 2025.
- Contractor 1099sA road grading contractor or fuel hauler paid $2,000 or more in 2026 who is not on payroll gets a 1099-NEC by January 31.
Deductions yurt and safari tent camps miss
Your bookkeeper knows what to look for in your statements. You never have to.
- Generator fuel and maintenance
- Propane delivery
- Access road grading
- Canvas and frame repair
- Satellite internet service
- Guide gear and safety equipment
- Solar panel maintenance
- Supply hauling costs
- Wood stove upkeep
- Trail and hike route signage
- Business liability insurance
- First aid and safety supplies
General information about 2026 federal rules, not advice for your business. Your accountant looks at your actual numbers before anything gets filed.
All year, not just April
An off-grid tent camp year, kept every month.
Your season opens and closes with the road, not the calendar. Gus keeps the tax side steady no matter how short the year runs. Every month in between, your bookkeeper closes the books and speaks up the moment something looks off.
- January
Plan before the thaw
Last year's return gets started, the guide and contractor 1099 list is ready, and you get a monthly set-aside before the season opens.
- April
Filed and done
Your return is filed and signed before the road clears and the season's bookings pick up.
- July
Midseason check
Where you stand, what you will owe, and whether fuel and access costs are running higher than last year.
- October
Before you close for winter
A look at the season's real numbers and whether the guide program or road maintenance budget needs adjusting for next year.
What you get
What you pay depends on what your business needs, and it does not move after that, busy season or slow. No hourly bills, no surprise invoices, no setup fee.
Book a call- Monthly bookkeeping
Every transaction sorted into categories set up for yurt and safari tent camps. You never categorize a thing.
- An accountant checks every transaction
Real review, every month, before your books close. Not a spot check.
- Your business tax return, filed
Prepared, reviewed, and signed by that same accountant every year.
- The monthly number
What you made, what you spent, what to set aside for taxes.
- Your own bookkeeper
A real person assigned to your business, in the app whenever you need them. No hold music.
- On your books all year
Every month, not just in April. Your team speaks up whenever something is worth your attention.
- Cancel any time
No contract. No cancellation call. Your books are yours.
Straight answers
Questions off-grid tent camp owners ask first.
Our fuel and propane costs swing a lot month to month. Will Gus flag if something looks off?
Yes. He keeps fuel in its own line and lets you know when a jump looks unusual rather than just tied to a normal delivery.
We only operate five months a year because of snow. Does that confuse the books?
No. Gus keeps your actual operating season in view, so the months you are closed read as expected rather than as a problem.
How does Gus handle income from guided hikes we sell alongside the stay?
He keeps guided activity income in its own category, separate from the tent stay itself, so you can see what the guiding program actually earns.
Our access road needed major regrading this year. That was a big one-time cost. How should that be tracked?
Gus keeps it in its own line rather than lumped into general maintenance, so you always know the real yearly cost of keeping the road open.
We pay our summer guides in cash sometimes. Is that a problem for the books?
Send Gus whatever record you have of it. He tracks it as wages regardless of how it was paid, though cash pay still needs to run through payroll correctly if the guide is an employee.
Is a real accountant checking my books?
Yes. You get your own bookkeeper, Gus does the first pass on every transaction, and an accountant checks every one before your month closes. That same accountant prepares, signs, and files your business return. Goatkeeper is not a CPA firm, and we never pretend a person looked when they did not.
What does it cost, and can I cancel?
It starts at $197 a month, depending on what your business needs. No setup fee, no hourly bills, no contract. Cancel any time from the app, and your books go with you.
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What makes a bookkeeper worth paying for Every business we keep books for
Book a call
Pick a time. That's the whole signup.
Fifteen minutes with a real person on our team. They look at where your books are, tell you straight what it takes to get caught up, and get you set up on the spot if it fits.
- $197 a month to start
- An accountant on every transaction
- Cancel whenever