A childhood dream was finally coming true. Rising before me was The Gathering Tree, one of four arboreal abodes at Ella’s Enchanted Treehouses, a wooded getaway in Grantsville, Maryland. That night, I would sleep in a treehouse, just like the characters in The Swiss Family Robinson.
Climbing the wooden stairway to the front deck, I paused to take in the view of the surrounding forest, all sleeved in green in celebration of spring’s unfolding. I went inside, pinching myself as I crossed the threshold.
The cabin’s surprisingly spacious main floor, with its high ceilings, combined a living room and dining area, a small kitchen, a bathroom and a bedroom with a queen-size bed. A spiral staircase with a rustic, hand-hewn railing led to a cozy L-shaped loft where a pair of double beds snuggled under the eaves.
With its backwoods-chic aesthetic, the structure seemed straight out of Johann David Wyss’ classic castaway saga of a family shipwrecked on a remote island, where they learn to live off the land and thrive as rulers of their own wild kingdom. As a kid, I always loved the idea of a home cradled by the limbs of a tree, closer to the sky and the stars.
Granted, I never felt like I was marooned on a deserted island at The Gathering Tree. The place is outfitted with modern living in mind. Its compact kitchen includes a microwave, toaster oven, small fridge-freezer, coffee maker, dual hot plates, a few pots and pans, and serving ware. An outdoor firepit is ideal for roasting s’mores or maybe doing some cooking on the coals. This is not the place to whip up grand feasts, but it has everything you need to create a simple, satisfying meal.
I was happy I brought a book since there are lots of nooks that beckon for a good page-turner. If you want to watch a movie, a combo TV/DVD player is accompanied by a small selection of family-friendly titles. (Sadly, The Swiss Family Robinson was not among them.)
Not that I had any interest in resorting to screen time. When I wasn’t enjoying my leafy accommodations, I headed out to explore Garrett County, the 656-square-mile stretch of Appalachian mountains and forest that make up Maryland’s westernmost corner. The county’s glimmering crown jewel, Deep Creek Lake, is the state’s largest freshwater body, covering 3,900 acres, ringed by 65 miles of shoreline and plunging as deep as 72 feet.
Though the region is most active from Memorial Day through Labor Day, it aims to be a four-season destination. The annual Autumn Glory Festival (happening Oct. 9-13 this year) draws tens of thousands of visitors, and Wisp Resort’s 33 slopes are thronged with ski bums during the snowy months.
I visited in late May, just in time to bask in the start of the sunny weather, but ahead of the summer crowds.
Check-in at Ella’s wasn’t until 4 p.m., so at lunchtime on my first day I made a beeline for Ace’s Run in nearby Oakland, where large picture windows offered gorgeous views of cotton ball clouds reflected in Deep Creek Lake’s placid waters. The walk-ins-only restaurant features a large menu of American standards: indulgent starters (think a giant pretzel topped with crab dip, or fried cheese curds), burgers, salads, sandwiches and surf ’n’ turf.
I ordered a righteous fried chicken sandwich on a brioche bun piled high with cabbage slaw and a monstrous slice of tomato. Having opted for a side salad rather than fries, I felt I deserved a treat and ambled down the road to Lakeside Creamery, where summertime memories are served a scoop at a time. Grabbing a seat at one of the waterfront picnic tables, I savored a thick peanut-butter-and-chocolate milkshake, soaking in the sun and riding the sugar rush.
The neighboring town of McHenry is packed with bric-a-brac shops geared toward the tourist hordes. I enjoyed poking around Bear Creek Traders, a colorful emporium brimming with country kitsch, tacky souvenirs and an endless array of bear curios.
To spare myself the chore of cooking dinner, I popped into FireFly Farms Market in the town of Accident, just a short distance away, where you can put together an impressive grazing board of cheese and charcuterie, find gourmet snacks galore and pick up fantastic cheese-centric sandwiches.
In the afternoon, I hiked Deep Creek Lake State Park’s Meadow Mountain Trail, a 5.5-mile loop through verdant forest that was coming alive in the spring. Its hilly terrain was punctuated by giant boulders, fuzzy with moss and splattered with lichen.
By evening, I was happily worn out and ensconced in my treehouse, my belly growling for sustenance. I dug into a baguette stuffed with goat cheese, fig jam and prosciutto, and listened to the sounds of the forest—the rising, falling insect orchestra; gentle breezes rustling the leaves; the lonely call of an owl. It was the epitome of tranquility. Sleep came easily once I tucked myself into the big bed.
The next morning I was up at 5 a.m. to kick-start my day and savor as much time as possible in the treehouse before 10 a.m. checkout.
After brewing a pot of strong coffee, I headed out to the side porch and sipped my caffeine as I watched birds flitting among the trees. Soft beams of golden light signaled the gently rising sun. A rooster crowed somewhere nearby. The air was redolent with the smells of spring: the damp following the thaw, the arrival of fresh growth, the remains of autumn leaves giving up the ghost as they disintegrated into the woodland floor.
The raw beauty and decompressing calm reminded me of a line from The Swiss Family Robinson: “It was one of those happy days that God grants us sometimes on earth to give us an idea of the bliss of heaven.”
My inner child beamed, and so did I.
Nevin Martell is a food and travel writer in the DMV.
If You Go
Ella’s Enchanted Treehouses (1218 Frank Brenneman Road, Grantsville, Maryland) has treehouse rentals starting at $315 per night; two-night minimum usually required.
Ace’s Run (20160 Garrett Highway, Oakland, Maryland), a family-friendly lakeside restaurant, serves stick-to-your-ribs American fare, including burgers, steaks, seafood, pasta and shareable appetizers.
Bear Creek Traders (24586 Garrett Highway, McHenry, Maryland) is a souvenir shop stocked with country kitsch, T-shirts, hats, outdoor gear and too many bear curios to count.
FireFly Farms Market (309 S. Main St., Accident, Maryland), a charming roadside market, stocks an impressive selection of cheese and charcuterie, gourmet snacks and sandwiches.
Lakeside Creamery (20282 Garrett Highway, Oakland, Maryland) offers a dozen different flavors of ice cream as the basis for shakes, cones, floats, smoothies and sundaes.
More Treehouse Getaways
If you love the idea of escaping to a wooded hideaway with birds-eye views, consider these destinations, too.
Overlooking Virginia’s picturesque Kibler Valley near the North Carolina border, these adults-only luxe treehouses are built of cedar and perfect for a romantic getaway. The 450-square-foot Mountain Top Tree House offers a king bed, fireplace, and large deck with a hot tub and outdoor shower. Rates for treehouse lodging at Primland start at $1,200 per night. 2000 Busted Rock Road, Meadows of Dan, Virginia
The Treehouse Camp at Maple Tree Campground
The star of this whimsical collection of treehouses is the Dragonfly Fairy House, a two-story cabin for up to 10 guests with a sweeping deck, covered porch, and tower with stained glass windows. There’s no electricity, but cooking can be done on the woodstove or outdoor grill. Rates for the Dragonfly Fairy House start at $150 per night. 20716 Townsend Road, Rohrersville, Maryland
Notched between three trees, this gnome-worthy cabin looks like it was transported from the pages of a Tolkien tale. With room to sleep four, the glamping-style structure features battery-powered lighting, a gas stove for cooking and heating, and a small deck. There’s a composting toilet in an adjacent outhouse. Rates are generally $202 a night. Linden, Virginia (full address provided at time of booking)