Get Up and Away & Take a Break in the Safety of the Mountains!

Popular amenities

Kitchen

Air conditioning

Check out the area

Gerton, NC

Chimney Rock State Park9 min drive
Blue Ridge Parkway Asheville Entrance21 min drive
Asheville, NC (AVL-Asheville Regional)30 min drive
Biltmore Estate37 min drive

Rooms & beds

4 bedrooms (sleeps 8)

Bedroom 1

1 King Bed

Bedroom 2

2 Single Beds

Bedroom 3

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 4

1 King Bed

4 bathrooms, 1 half bathroom

Bathroom 1

Bathtub · Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 2

Bathtub · Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 3

Bathtub · Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 4

Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 5

Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio

Kitchen

Balcony

Garden

Dining Area

About this property

Safety and Sanitation updates: Our housekeepers use extreme caution and have been provided with a list of supplies that include disposable cleaning materials to prevent any spread of any bacteria. Only CDC approved antibacterial and sanitation products are used and we wear masks and gloves at all times while navigating the property.
All guidelines are being followed to ensure the safety of our staff and our guests.
Thank you for your understanding and for your help in keeping Laughing Waters a healthy environment!
We also give at least 3-5 days in between our guests to ensure safety for housekeeping and for upcoming guests.
This is a beautiful hand crafted lodge with its own private deck overlooking a beautiful waterfall on the cascading Hickory Nut Creek. The lodge is nestled at the base of Little Bearwallow Mountain next to 200 acres of natural forest with five miles of hiking trails. It is located only 25 minutes from downtown Asheville, NC in the heart of the incredible Hickory Nut Gorge. The lodge contains a great room/living room, kitchen, loft, four bedrooms, 4.5 baths, and a large downstairs room for yoga and movement. Laughing Waters is located in the Hickory Nut Forest Eco-Community. It is a very special place for a peaceful, quiet retreat in these beautiful sacred mountains!

WIFI We will do our absolute best to provide WIFI however this a wilderness wedding venue and sometimes coverage is poor.

Our Creekside Cottage located upstream from the lodge overlooks two waterfalls that sleeps two people and can be rented separately. (see listing #3565363)

Property manager

Julia Considine

Premier Host

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Amenities

Air conditioning

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Pet-friendly

House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM

Check out before 10:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

Events

No events allowed

Pets

No pets allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

You will be provided a key to control the thermostats in the lodge, please keep all thermostats within 2 degrees of each other on each floor

You will be provided with a blue key for the downstairs half bath, please follow rules closely posted on the wall above toilet

Follow wood stove rules posted by the woodstove

Damage and incidentals

You will be responsible for any damage to the rental property caused by you or your party during your stay.

Important information

You need to know

This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business or profession.

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy

Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges

Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed

On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited

This property uses solar energy

Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock

We should mention

A car is required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Gerton

Located in Gerton, this lodge is in a rural area and on the waterfront. Biltmore Estate and Pisgah National Forest reflect the area's natural beauty and area attractions include Chimney Rock Gemstone Mine and Chimney Rock Adventure Golf. Lake Lure Beach and Water Park and Justus Orchard are also worth visiting. Fishing offers a great chance to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with mountain climbing, ecotours, and hiking/biking trails nearby.

Gerton, NC

What's nearby

CMLC Florence Nature Preserve - 2 min walk
Chimney Rock State Park - 9 min drive
Lake Lure Beach and Water Park - 16 min drive
Blue Ridge Parkway Asheville Entrance - 21 min drive
Biltmore Estate - 37 min drive

Getting around

Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) - 31 min drive

Restaurants

Turgua Brewing - 16 min drive
The Local Joint - 14 min drive
Point Lookout Vineyards - 22 min drive
Whistle Hop Brewing Company - 14 min drive
Hickory Nut Gorge Brewery - 12 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Get Up and Away & Take a Break in the Safety of the Mountains! pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

9.8

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.

Learn more

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

10/10 Excellent

Neal S.

8 Apr 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect

This was our second stay. All great. The place was clean and well stocked. The grounds are beautiful and well kept. The hiking right outside your doorstep is amazing. Perfect for our family of 5 plus granddad.

Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Frederic S., St Petersburg

26 Nov 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Gateway

Very nice home located on a nice wooded property with a nice stream. Located in a secluded area, walk to nice hiking trails and enjoy the peaceful environment. Our family gateway was very enjoyable! It would be a place to consider for a future family reunion or small wedding.

Stayed 7 nights in Nov 2023

8/10 Good

Jodi L.

7 Aug 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Moms 80th birthday

The property is beautiful - the creek, the porches are all amazing. We stayed for my moms 80th birthday celebration

Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Brian C.

30 May 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

PERFECT Mountain House

This house and property are absolutely amazing, beautiful and stunning. I knew it was going to be a special place for our family trip over Memorial Day weekend. However, it was way better than I expected. The house is really spacious and nice. The beds are the most comfortable you will sleep on. And, the location is private but only 10 minutes from the really cool village of Chimney Rock, 25 minutes from Lake Lure and 25-30 minutes from Asheville. However, the best part was the incredible mountain creek and wilderness right in the backyard! The Hickory Nut creek is literally right off the deck and it is spectacular. We did a family cold plunge in it and it awesome. The sound of the rushing water is beautiful music that you can always hear from the house. The Wildcat Rock trail is off the back of the house as well and is a heck of a hike. It leads to a spectacular rock climbing wall and waterfall and then goes on to another point with a view (we did not go past the first stop as it was a pretty strenuous hike but talked to people who did). Book this house and you can literally not leave the property if you choose and still have a super memorable mountain experience.

Stayed 4 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Cindy M.

21 Aug 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Laughing Waters

Breathtaking. The property is absolutely gorgeous! Wonderful accommodations! We hope to return for another visit. The only suggestion from our group was to either improve internet service or add a landline for emergencies.

Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2022

About the host

Hosted by Julia Considine

Why they chose this property

We don’t feel we 'own' this land. Rather, we feel more aligned as stewards, here to protect it. We are full of wonder and awe at nature’s intricate beauty. Living here is about discovering mysteries and miracles: the springtime sprouting shoots on the forest floor, the blooming of delicate wildflowers, the soaring trees spreading green leaves in a summer canopy, the magical transformation into vibrant fall colors, and the reappearance of the distant mountain vistas in winter.

We have kept the most special places wild for all to enjoy: the cascading streams, tumbling waterfalls, sheer cliffs, and distant vistas. Residents and visitors can enjoy miles of hiking trails on our land, in the adjoining 600 acres of the Florence Nature Preserve, and down the gorge in Chimney Rock State Park.

If you love the outdoors, this is magical place!

What makes this property unique

We are deep in the heart of the Hickory Nut Gorge, a steep valley carved out of the mountains starting at the continental divide dropping down to Chimney Rock State Park and Lake Lure. From your lodge overlooking two beautiful waterfalls, you can hike up to the top of Little Bearwallow Mountain through 200 acres of natural forest with amazing views. The cottage is part of the Laughing Waters Retreat Center in Hickory Nut Forest. This sustainable eco-community includes organic gardens and apple orchard, conserved lands, renewable energy, and solar-green homes. Guests are welcome to hike, swim, bird watch, enjoy the gardens, go mountain biking, or just relax on the deck and listen to the sound of the rushing water. Enjoy dining in Chimney Rock and Lake Lure, or make your own feast in the cottage kitchen. And we are only 25 minutes from all the music, restaurants and culture in Asheville.

Come experience a special place for a peaceful, quiet retreat in these beautiful sacred mountains!