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THE BACK OF BEYOND

Horace Kephart, a renowned outdoor author of the early 20th century, had a breakdown on a stressful city job, quit his job and set off to find himself in a quest for what he called "the back of beyond." His quest landed him in Bryson City, which backs up to the highest concentration of the tallest mountain peaks in the Eastern US, and he spent two years in a remote hamlet called Hazel Creek, now in the National Park. His realization that people needed to reconnect with the outdoors and passion for the mountains pushed him to use his influence, lobbying, and journalistic skills to bring people together and form the Great Smoky Mountain National Park! The first deed given to form the park was on Lands Creek, near our property, and, ironically, over 100 years later, the quietest and most serene entrance to the park is still the path Horace would have taken to reach Hazel Creek preserving his path to rejuvenation for others to experience. Our Retreat is situated at this birthplace and serene entrance to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park at Lakeview Drive.

 We have close to 50 acres with cabins, lodges and other structures purposefully put together to allow people to reconnect with nature and each other, and we are 5 minutes to downtown Bryson, Deep Creek, the railroad and many other fun activities. Bryson City is a quintessential mountain town remaining much the way it was when Horace lived here and has the best to offer for those wanting to visit the Smokies with cute shops, breweries, and local restaurants as well as all of the outdoor activities of hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, white water rafting, horseback riding, tubing, and more.