Treehouses, Trail Games, and a Mountain Vacation
There is a specific kind of quiet you only find when you step away from the daily grind and head up into the Blue Ridge Mountains. Nestled deep in the woods of Zirconia, North Carolina, the trees hold a stillness that makes every laugh echo a little louder and every story hits a little closer to home.
Whether you’re escaping for a long weekend off the grid or just taking a breather off the beaten path, mountain air has a way of resetting your spirit. Here’s a look inside our latest getaway, from high-canopy views and waterfall hikes to a family game night around the fire.
High Above the Pines at Parke’s Stand
If you’ve ever wanted to trade four standard walls for a canopy view, staying in a treehouse is the ultimate mountain escape. For this trip, we packed up and made ourselves at home at Parke’s Stand, a cozy, secluded treehouse hidden away in Zirconia, North Carolina.
Suspended right among the branches, it’s the kind of place that forces you to slow down, unplug, and reconnect with one another. There’s just something about being elevated off the forest floor that gives you a whole new perspective of the woods. It was also the perfect backdrop for Dillon to put “pen to paper”, making some real progress on his upcoming book by drawing deep from the rich folklore and mountain culture that’s found here in the Appalachia Mountains.
Battle at the Campfire: Would You Rather?
Since y'all enjoyed our last Would You Rather episode so much, we decided to bring it back while on vacation, this time using the campfire-themed edition, which couldn't have been more fitting.
With Ayla joining the mic to keep us on our toes, we went head-to-head through six rounds of mountain dilemmas:
What Kind of Camping? (Roughing it vs. glamping)
Eat, Drink, & Camp (Choosing your camping treats and meals)
Camping Games & Activities (Campfire strategy and downtime)
The Wild World (Dealing with critters and mountain elements)
Take a Hike (Trails, gear, and terrain)
Get (Un)comfortable (Pushing your limits in the backcountry)
We won't spoil all our answers here, some debates are better heard live, but let's just say opinions were heavily divided on what actually makes for a "fun" night in the woods! Listen to the new podcast episode of Appalachia Ramblin, available now everywhere you get your podcasts and watch on YouTube.
Join the Ramblin’ Community
Want to see a full tour of the Parke's Stand Treehouse? Follow us @stonewall828 across all social channels for behind-the-scenes video footage, mountain adventures, and updates.
Got a wild story, local lore, or a Would You Rather question for our next round? Send your trail tales over to appalachiaramblin@gmail.com, we might just read yours on the air!
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Until next time: don't whistle in the woods at night, and go touch some grass!
