I couldn’t believe it: A childhood dream was finally coming true.
Before me was The Gathering Tree, one of four adorable arboreal abodes at Ella’s Enchanted Treehouses, a magical getaway nestled in the woods of Grantsville, Maryland. That spring night, I was going to sleep in this fetching treehouse, like I was in The Swiss Family Robinson.
Eyes ablaze with childlike wonder, I climbed the wooden stairway to the cabin’s large front deck, which offered an immersive view of the surrounding forest, all sleeved in green in celebration of spring’s unfolding. After pausing to appreciate the stillness, I entered the treehouse, pinching myself as I crossed the threshold.
The surprisingly spacious main room, with a ceiling two stories above, combined a living room, dining area and kitchen; the master bedroom, with a queen-size bed, and the bathroom completed the first floor. Spiral steps led to the cozy L-shaped loft, home to a pair of double beds snuggled under the eaves.
Constructed almost entirely of wood with a backwoods-chic aesthetic, the treehouse felt like it was straight out of Johann David Wyss’ classic castaway saga of a family shipwrecked on a remote uninhabited island, where they learn to live off the land and thrive as rulers of their own wild kingdom. Their homestead is a surprisingly luxurious treehouse, a proverbial castle in the clouds. As a kid, I loved the idea of a home cradled by the limbs of a tree, closer to the sky and the stars, creating the sensation that you were floating between the heavens and the earth.
I never felt I was marooned on a deserted island at The Gathering Tree, because it’s outfitted with modern living in mind. There is a compact kitchen with a microwave, toaster oven, small fridge-freezer, coffee maker, dual hot plates, a few pots and pans, and serving ware. There’s also an outdoor firepit that’s ideal for roasting s’mores or maybe doing some cooking in the coals. This is not the place to whip up grand feasts, but it has everything you need to create simple, satisfying meals.
I was happy I brought a book to enjoy since there are lots of nooks inside and out that beckon for a good read. If you want to watch a movie, there is a combo TV/DVD player accompanied by a small selection of family-friendly titles. Sadly, The Swiss Family Robinson is not among them.
Not that I had any interest in resorting to screen time. When I wasn’t marveling over my treehouse accommodations, I explored the surrounding Garrett County. Forged from the 656-square-mile triangular northwestern corner of Maryland, a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Bethesda, it’s the state’s youngest county. The glimmering crown jewel is Deep Creek Lake, Maryland’s largest freshwater body, sprawling across 3,900 acres, ringed by 65 miles of shoreline, and plunging as deep as 72 feet.
The county aims to be a four-season destination. The region is most active from Memorial Day through Labor Day, but it draws tens of thousands of visitors for its annual five-day Autumn Glory Festival (happening Oct. 9-13 this year), 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 crowds.
Check-in at Ella’s isn’t until 4 p.m. (and checkout is at 10 a.m., which made my single-night stay feel a bit truncated), so at lunchtime I made a beeline for Ace’s Run in nearby Oakland, perched on the shores of Deep Creek Lake. At my table alongside the wide windows, I was treated to gorgeous views of blue sky and cotton ball clouds reflecting off the placid water. The walk-ins-only restaurant features a large menu of Americana standards:
indulgent starters (think a giant pretzel topped with crab dip, or deep-fried local cheese curds), burgers, salads, sandwiches, and surf ’n’ turf entrees.
I ordered a righteous fried chicken sandwich on a brioche bun piled high with cabbage slaw and a monstrous slice of tomato. Since I opted for a side salad rather than fries, I felt I deserved a treat. So I ambled a short distance down the road to Lakeside Creamery, where summertime memories are served a scoop at a time. I savored a thick peanut-butter-and-chocolate milkshake at one of their picnic tables overlooking the water, 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, naturally, an endless array of bear curios. To spare myself the chore of cooking dinner, I popped into FireFly Farms Market in Accident, just a short distance away, where you can put together an impressive grazing board punctuated with 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 rising and falling 5.5-mile loop through a verdant forest coming alive in the spring, its hilly terrain punctuated by giant boulders, fuzzy with moss and splattered with lichen. By the time I was ensconced in my treehouse for the evening, I was happily worn out, my belly growling for sustenance. As I noshed on a toothsome baguette brimming with goat cheese, fig jam and prosciutto, a requisite pack of salt ’n’ vinegar chips on the side, I listened to the sounds of the forest—the rising, falling insect orchestra; gentle breezes flickering through the leaves to create a soothing shooshing; the lonely call of an owl. It was the epitome of tranquility. Later, cuddled into the big bed, sleep came easily.
I was up at 5 a.m. to kick-start my day and savor as much time as possible in the treehouse before checkout. After brewing a pot of strong coffee, I headed outside to the comfy side porch off the main bedroom. Settling into one of the two chairs nestled against a small side table, I sipped my coffee as I watched birds flitting among the trees and flickering through soft rays of golden light from 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, the decompressing calm and the potential of the day yet to unfold 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.
More treehouse getaways:
The Treehouse Camp at Maple Tree Campground
The crown jewel of this bewitching collection of magical treehouses is the Dragonfly Fairy House, a whimsical two-story cabin for up to 10 guests with a sweeping deck, covered porch, and tower bedazzled 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 for up to four people. 20716 Townsend Road, Rohrersville, Maryland, thetreehousecamp.com
Primland Resort
Crafted from gleaming cedar and tucked into the trees overlooking the picturesque Kibler Valley, these three adults-only luxe treehouses are perfect for a romantic getaway. The 450-square-foot Mountain Top Tree House offers a king bed, fireplace, and large deck featuring a hot tub and outdoor shower.
Rates for the Mountain Top Tree House start at $2,300 per night. 2000 Busted Rock Road, Meadows of Dan, Virginia, aubergeresorts.com/primland/stay/treehouses
Trillium Treehouse
Notched between three trees, the gnome-worthy cabin looks like it was transported from the pages of a fairy 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 where one might enjoy a morning coffee or a glass of wine in the evening (there’s a composting toilet in an adjacent outhouse).
Rates are generally $202 a night. Linden, Virginia (full address provided at time of booking), airbnb.com/rooms/13493938
This story appears in the March/April issue of Bethesda Magazine.