DOME-ESTIC BLISS
Yurts -- circular, domed tents -- combine camping with comfort at Bryson City's Falling Waters Adventure Resort.
Tenting Tonight
I found out about the yurts while planning a whitewater rafting trip with Wildwater Ltd., a rafting outfitter on the Nantahala River. One of the premier adventure operators in the nation (including two locations in Tennessee and one in South Carolina), Wildwater was founded 35 years ago and welcomed its 1 millionth rafter last summer.
Originally published in Our State Magazine
The yurt village began as the brainchild of Wildwater Ltd. founder Jim Greiner, who wanted to expand the outfitter's adventure options. “[The yurt village] is the place for people who like the idea of camping, but maybe not the reality,” says Greiner, who explains that he had been looking for property to set up lodging for several years--and finally found it right under his nose. Falling Waters Adventure Resort is located directly across the road from Greiner's Wildwater's headquarters.
“We wanted a lodging product that was both luxurious and in concert with nature and the outdoors at the same time,” Greiner says. He opened Falling Waters in 1998 with four yurts; demand for the unusual accommodations proved so great, however, the resort now has eight.
Patterned after the time-tested design of nomads in inner Asia and duplicating the innovations of Oregon-based Pacific Yurts, who have been manufacturing the unique structures for nearly 30 years, Falling Waters' yurts are made of vinyl-laminated fabric wrapped around seven-foot Douglas fir lattice walls that include NASA-developed insulation. Tongue-and-groove pine flooring provides a sturdy base from which the walls rise to a roof topped by an acrylic skylight , to allow for maximum light.
Inside, each yurt is individually furnished and thoughtfully decorated by Greiner's wife, Jeanette. The names provide a hint to their theme: Victorian; Orchard; Safari; Country; Southwest; Garden; Waterfall; and Gorge.
Each spacious yurt is equipped with a queen-sized bed and a futon (great for two adults and one or two children), mid-size refrigerator, coffee maker, ceiling fan, CD/cassette player, and space heaters for occasionally cool spring and fall evenings and mornings. Wooden French doors lead outside to a private wrap-around deck, where meals cooked on nearby grills are often enjoyed using a bistro table and chairs.
Set amid native magnolias, Carolina hemlocks, and hardwoods, the yurts take advantage of the resort's beautiful scenery, either overlooking peaceful ponds, tucked into the woods, or perched on a bluff overlooking Fontana Lake in the distance.
The centrally located bath and laundry facility is unlike a large majority of typical campgrounds. Each of the four private bathrooms includes a shower, sink, and toilet. Clean towels in the yurt and a bath mat for each bathroom are supplied daily, as are soap and shampoo. The facility also includes a coin-operated laundry and a sink for dish washing, as well as a courtesy telephone for local calls. Plus, a large hot tub provides the perfect spot to relax and meet other like-minded luxury yurt guests.
Right at Home
A yurt stay can include lots of varied adventures around the 22-acre resort or little more than time in a hammock or on a deck. Once an old homestead owned by Dock Buckner, it now features its own hiking trail and an overlook of the waterfall.
"The road into Falling Waters was part of the original settlers road into Graham County,” Greiner says. “It continues now as a path down the gorge wall to Fontana Lake. The road was cut off 65 years ago, when the lake waters rose.”
Greiner adds that his research revealed that the remains of the old homestead were more than 120 years old. Some of the home was still in place when he bought the property, but it was beyond repair. Greiner left the remains of a chimney, added a descriptive history sign, and left large boxwoods -- in place because the early residents grew landscape plants as a source of income -- to mark the site of old mountain home .
Today, Falling Waters rates start at just $74, double occupancy, with each additional guest only costing $5. Resort management is so confident of the yurt experience that they offer a “100% quality service guarantee”--if the guest doesn’t receive the quality of service Falling Waters promises, they’ll listen to the concerns and make it right.
A yurt stay can be combined with rafting and other outdoor adventures through Wildwater and other outfitters in the area. Activities include the “Classic Nantahala” eight-mile whitewater trip, “express” dinner trips, inflatable kayak and raft rentals, and several combination packages.
For instance, Wildwater’s Raft ‘N Rail Excursion combines a scenic train trip with an easy whitewater rafting route. It begins at the historic Bryson City train depot, with a two-hour ride aboard the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. Guest will head deep into the Nantahala River Gorge and traverse Fontana Lake on a 191-foot trestle on piers 179 feet high. From there, it was a short bus ride to the Nantahala River for a fun-filled two-hour rafting trip featuring small,whitewater waves.
After the train and raft trips, Raft 'N Rail participants head back to the Wildwater Rafting Center, where hot showers, dry clothes, and a warm gourmet lunch all await.
This past summer, Wildwater Ltd. began offering Jeep adventure tours. Using a converted Jeep Wrangler seating five passengers, the 3 1/2-hour trips journeys deep into the forest on dirt roads. Tailored to the specific interests of participants, stops include a trout farm (for grilling back at the yurts), the Appalachian Trail, the Nantahala River, and several waterfalls.
If You're Going
Falling Waters Adventure Resort
10345 US Highway 19
Bryson City, NC 28713
(800) 451-9972
http://www.fallingwatersresort.com/