As someone who claims to be “outdoors” until the first moment a bug gets a little too close for comfort, I think staying in a treehouse is a HUGE achievement…and so am I would go back anytime!
Nestled in Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains is Treehouse Grove at Norton Creek Resort. After exiting the entertaining chaos of Pigeon Forge’s Parkway, we drove up a tree-lined road with shady streams on each side. Just when we were beginning to think we were lost, we came across the following:
Phase I Treehouse Grove consists of eight single-family treehouses.
Yes, we gasped audibly because as soon as we saw the treehouse “village,” our inner child was ready for a relaxing night in the woods and, of course, s’mores by a fire pit surrounded by Adirondack chairs. Each luxurious treehouse (emphasis on luxury!) features a full bathroom, kitchenette, large lanai, and two bedrooms, one of which is perched in the home’s A-frame structure. Trust us, it’s not like that flowers in the attic how it looks. Oh, and yes, there’s AC and Wi-Fi, so the excuse of not being able to unplug is invalid here.
Just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, we were given a tour of Treehouse Grove’s latest additions by Animal Planet’s host Pete Nelson tree house master. It’s safe to say we’ve never met anyone as excited and passionate about life under trees as Pete.
With a fast, steep ride and a brake from a wild turkey that drew some attention, we reached Phase II of the resort, where the tree houses somehow managed to get even more luxurious. With more room for additional guests, unobstructed mountain views, and communal hot tubs, we couldn’t think of a single reason to leave the treehouse at all.
During the tour of the new properties, Pete highlighted the diverse designs as well as the sustainable efforts behind the luxury experience. “Our real mission in building these tree houses is to bring people back to nature, and with that we hope they fall in love with these places – these sacred places,” he said tree house master host said.
“My hope is not to scare everyone with the crazy complex treehouses and somehow remember the roots of it being one of the biggest amateur projects. Going into your own garden with no experience and creating your own space is something we do across cultures and I don’t want to lose that.”
Overall it was a 10/10 weekend. Now please excuse us while you go through our calendars to plan our next visit!
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