The Treehouses at Dawson Lake offer a focus on nature. PETER PICHLER ARCHITECTURE
Look up! There’s a new resort that’s ALL treehouses!
A whopping 80 % of West Virginia is forested—making it the third most woodsy state in the nation. It’s wonderfully suited for treehouses. So it’s no surprise that several lodging communities in the Mountain State offer tree house accommodations, including a new resort going up in Greenbrier County that’s composed solely of tree houses.
Ranging from rustic tree huts to contemporary tree hotels with hot tubs, air conditioning and kitchens, these diverse, high-in-the-trees West Virginia properties allow guests to relive the magic of childhood memories while catering to grown-up tastes. Big windows provide opportunities to stargaze or bird-watch from bed. Satellite television is available in some treehouses as well.
Wild and Wonderful Treehouses at Dawson Lake. A new eco-luxury resort full of diamond-shaped treehouses is set to open on a 100-acre tract of Greenbrier County forest in fall 2021. The Italian architect whose studio designed the resort, Peter Pichler, recently earned the title of Treehouse King from a major European design magazine, UBM. Pichler’s creations are no ordinary treehouses, resembling sparkling crystals sprinkled above the treetops around Lake Dawson.
Nicknamed “Wild and Wonderful,” the collection of modernistic treehouse suites is a great place to escape reality. The project is conceived as a “slow down” form of tourism, where guests experience living among the trees with a concentrated focus on nature.
The two-story treehouses feature a lounge area on the lower level with an internal stair leading up to a sleeping area with spectacular views from its floor-to-ceiling windows. The structures will supplement an existing hotel and are expected to meet net-zero energy and environmental impact guidelines. (peterpichler.eu/projects-item/26-tree-houses-dawson-lake-united-states)
Country Roads Cabins Treehouses. While the Dawson Lake treehouses earn the moniker because they jut above the treeline giving guests a bird’s eye view of the forest, the treehouses at Country Roads Cabins in Hico are actually built into trees.
Building an old-fashioned tree house supported by trees is no easy undertaking, according to Paul Breuer, who’s built two such houses at his Country Roads Cabins near New River Gorge. Everything must be tested and retested to ensure it’s light enough to be supported by trees and strong enough to withstand some flexing in a storm.
“Oh yes, they can sway a little in a wind,” said Jennifer Breuer, who with her husband owns more than 20 cabins and treehouses on their 109-acre property. “We give everyone the option of switching to a cabin if the movement scares them, but that’s happened only once. Most people who rent treehouses are sort of adventurous.”
After identifying spots for each of Country Roads’ tree houses, the Breuers called in an arborist to confirm the health of support trees. Nothing about the construction of treehouses is easy. The builders had to track down lightweight building materials and an equally light heating and cooling system. The 750-foot steel main beams were zip-lined in place from a hill. Wooden blocks were installed to protect the growing trees.
No climbing is necessary here. Both Holly Rock and Tuscany treehouses are accessed by bridges from nearby hillsides. The houses feature deck hot tubs as well as kitchens and are open year round. Prices range from $175-$325 a night. (Wvcabins.com)
Cabins at Pine Haven. The two treehouse-style cabins at Pine Haven in Beaver, WV, sit high in the trees on thick stilts and have trees growing up through their decks. These are comfy treehouses that have electric heating, AC, kitchens, hot tubs and television—a far cry from your childhood tree platform.
While the treehouses are handy to Winterplace skiing and New River rafting, they also offer diversions onsite. Guests enjoy disc golf, flight golf, volleyball and snookball, which is a bit like playing pool with your feet.
The tree houses can sleep up to six and rent for $119-$229 a night. (Cabinsatpinehaven.com)
Buffalo Trail Cabins. The treehouses at Buffalo Trail Cabins in Bluefield offer a surprising extra—a resident buffalo herd that visitors can observe. Four of the stilted cabins come equipped with kitchens, WiFi, cable, heat, AC and bathrooms. The 11 rustic treehouses are a fun way to go camping and still sleep in a bed. They don’t have kitchens or heat and rely on a nearby bathhouse for showers and toilets. Each comes with a fire pit, picnic table, two bunk beds and an outdoor water source.
The Buffalo Trail resort makes hunkering down in the woods easy with its restaurant, brewery and camping areas. It is especially popular with ATV riders and is located a few miles from a Hatfield-McCoy trailhead. Prices are generally $45 a night for the rustic treehouses and $145 for full-service treehouses. (Buffalotrailcabins.com)
The story above appears in our January/February 2021 issue.
