Rooms are fully paid up front.

If you cancel 14 days before you’re scheduled to be here, you’ll receive a 50% refund. If we’re able to fill that accommodation by the time the program starts, you’ll receive 100% refund.

If you cancel after the program or event begins, there is no refund.

Guest Rooms are rooms that are available in a greater structure like Skyhouse, the Milkweed Mercantile, or Thistledown.

Homes are independent structures that generally only have one living area. Homes may not have a toilet inside of them, but there is often one nearby.

Check-in is between 1 -4 pm and check-out is often at 11am unless otherwise negotiated with your host.

If you need a different arrangement, you can work that out with your accommodation host. If you have such needs, email the Dancing Rabbit Correspondent and they will put you in touch with the host.

There is an extra fee for arriving early to a program due to the required coordination involved. Check with the Dancing Rabbit Correspondent to see if it is even possible for your program. 

We use composting toilets here. At the Milkweed Mercantile, Skyhouse, and a few other homes there are toilets available for use indoors. Other homes have an outhouse nearby.

In general, the Common House has composting toilets available for use. 

Everyone is encouraged to pee outdoors rather than in the composting buckets, but do what you have to do to feel comfortable.

If you are staying at the Milkweed Mercantile or Skyhouse, there is a communal shower available for use.

If you are elsewhere, there are communal showers at the Common House where you are welcome to shower. 

Three meals a day will be provided as part of the program or event you are attending. 

Nope.

Train

Our nearest train stations are in La Plata, MO (LAP) (service from LA or Chicago), Quincy, IL (QCY) (service from Chicago) and Ottumwa, IA (OTM) (service from San Francisco or Chicago).

• Quincy has the most reliable and cheapest service, and though the train times are a bit inconvenient, it is still our most common rail transit stop.
• La Plata’s train has very convenient times and is easiest for us to coordinate ride sharing with so please consider that option as well.
• Ottumwa is useful only if you are coming from San Francisco, Denver or other points on the California Zephyr line west of Dancing Rabbit.

You can book train travel at https://www.amtrak.com.

Bus

We strongly advise people not to take the bus to get to our area, because they tend to run late, and are known to be unreliable in general; dozens of visitors over the years have missed their first program day because of travel complications out of their control caused by bus services. Greyhound is particularly notorious for missing the transfer in Columbia, MO, which is the nexus point most commonly used for folks trying to get to Kirksville, MO.

If taking a bus is your only option, we encourage you plan to arrive in a nearby town a day early and book a hotel room, to allow for more time to cope with unexpected delays.

Flight

The most common path to Dancing Rabbit by flight is to go from your local regional airport to Saint Louis, MO (STL), and then from there to the small airport in Kirksville, MO (IRK) using this service: Cape Air.

Some people fly into St Louis (STL) and rent a car if they are coming just for a few days.

Another option is to fly into Chicago (ORD) and take the train into our area from there; leave at least 3 hours between air and train travel to make your connection.

Biking or Driving

Since you will most likely find yourself without cell phone service in our immediate vicinity, consider downloading an offline map, such as Google Offline Areas or printing out a detailed map, so you don’t miss a turn.

From the EAST and NORTH (Keokuk, Chicago): First, check your map and get to Keokuk, IA (in the Iowa boot heel). Then head west on US 136 through Kahoka. You’ll come to a road on your left called “A”–DONT TAKE IT! A few miles farther along, you’ll come to another road called “A” on your left (this is about 17 miles from Kahoka); take that one. Go through Gorin, staying on A. You will cross a railroad crossing at the end of Gorin where A will make a right turn immediately afterwards. Continue on road A for about 7 miles past Gorin, you’ll cross a railroad bridge and then take a right turn. Unfortunately, right now, this road doesn’t have a sign to label it, so it’s easy to miss this turn. (If you pass it, you’ll go about 300 feet and then there’ll be a road heading off to the left towards Rutledge labeled M. If you get to M, go ahead and make a U-turn around and then take your first left). Go one mile and take a left turn on the first gravel road, indicated with a blue sign that says “208”. Ignore the gravel road that goes off to the right and continue on 0.8 miles on 208 and you’ll see our sign on the right.

Google Map for Driving from the East and North

From the EAST and SOUTH (Quincy, St. Louis):From US 61 near Quincy IL, head west on Missouri 6. Go 32 miles to Knox City and take a right on V (there is a route V after just a few miles on Hwy 6 – DONT TAKE IT). When you come to a tee intersection, take a left on K. Go a few miles and take a right (north) on M–you’ll see a sign that says “Rutledge 5 miles”. Cross the line into Scotland County and go through Rutledge on M. Just north of the town, M comes to a tee intersection–go right (east) on A. Take your first left turn in about 100 yards . Go one mile and take a left turn on the first gravel road, indicated with a blue sign that says “208”. Ignore the gravel road that goes off to the right and continue on 0.8 miles and you’ll see our sign on the right.

Google Map for Driving from the East and South

From the SOUTH and WEST(Columbia, Kansas City): Take US 63 north to Kirksville, where it will turn into North Baltimore Street. Take a right on Missouri 11 (the Hyvee store is a good landmark). After 20 or so miles, you’ll come to a stop sign–go straight, crossing over Missouri 15. At this point, 11 will turn into highway K. Go through Baring on K, and after a 6.5 miles on K, take a left (now heading north) onto M. You’ll see a sign saying “Rutledge 5 miles” or something like that. Follow M all the way through the town of Rutledge until it stops at a tee intersection. Take a right onto A, then take your first left turn in about 100 yards. Go one mile and take a left turn on the first gravel road,  indicated with a sign that says “208”.  Ignore the gravel road that goes off to the right and continue on 0.8 miles and you’ll see our sign on the right.

Google Map for Driving from the South and West

From the NORTH and WEST (Memphis, Des Moines): From Iowa Route 2, head east to Iowa Route 15 and head south. As you cross the state line it will turn to Missouri Route 15. Continue on Route 15 all the way through Memphis. Several miles south of town, take a left turn to head east on M. Careful, it’s easy to miss that turn, especially if it’s dark! Continue on M almost all the way until Rutledge (M will turn and twist a lot, and at one point you’ll come to a full stop and actually have to take a left turn to stay on M). When you see the sign where you take a right turn to stay on M and go into Rutledge, go straight instead, continuing on Route A. Take your first left turn in about 100 yards. Go one mile and take a left turn on the first gravel road, indicated with a blue sign that says “208”. Ignore the gravel road that goes off to the right and continue on 0.8 miles and you’ll see our sign on the right.

If you look at the map you’ll note that we did not send you on the shortest route but picked the easiest.

Google Map for Driving from the West and North

Our GPS Coordinates are:
40 degrees 19.953′ N
92 degrees 5.766′ W