A 5,200-acre Smoky Mountains retreat of stone cottages and treehouses, built around trails, recovery and a summit restaurant in a restored fire tower.
Blackberry Mountain in Walland, Tennessee, is a luxury adventure resort in the Great Smoky Mountains, from the family behind Blackberry Farm, one of America's most celebrated country hotels. It spreads across 5,200 acres of forested ridges, and more than half of that land is protected for conservation. It is a place built around being outdoors, hiking, climbing, biking and breathing deeply, then coming back to stone cottages, treehouses, a beautiful spa and some of the best food in the American South.
Location: Walland, Tennessee, USA
The resort rises above Miller's Cove in Walland, East Tennessee, on the edge of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park in the United States. Its sister property, Blackberry Farm, is about seven miles away. Knoxville's McGhee Tyson Airport is roughly half an hour by car, making it surprisingly easy to reach for such a secluded spot.
The Smokies are among the oldest mountains on Earth, rounded and densely forested, famous for the blue haze that hangs over their ridges and for some of the richest biodiversity in North America. In spring the forests fill with wildflowers; in autumn they blaze red and gold.
Rooms and suites at Blackberry Mountain
Accommodation is spread across the mountain, so guests rarely see one another, and the resort hosts only around 130 guests at a time.
The Stone Cottages, in two styles called Thunderhead and Clingmans, are built with materials from the mountain itself: stacked-stone archways, iron-framed windows, reclaimed oak floors, white rough-sawn walls and lime-washed oak ceilings. Each has an outdoor patio with a wood-burning fireplace and a soaking tub, and some have a separate spa room that can double as a second bedroom for children.
The Watchman Cabins sit near the summit, steps from the Firetower restaurant, with floor-to-ceiling windows, scenic outlook decks, wood-burning stoves and access to a 20-foot outdoor heated soaking tub. The newest category, the Treehouses, appear to float among the forest canopy, with king beds facing wood stoves, floor-to-ceiling glass and private decks. Larger groups can book multi-bedroom Mountain Homes.
Facilities at Blackberry Mountain
The Lodge is the resort's hub, home to Three Sisters, the flagship restaurant, which serves breakfast, lunch and an ever-changing four-course dinner built around local and foraged produce from East Tennessee. Wine, as at Blackberry Farm, is a serious affair.
Nest, the spa, is built partly into the mountain and designed for calm. It has treatment rooms offering holistic therapies, including acupuncture, aromatherapy and Ayurvedic-inspired treatments, plus a tranquillity lounge, saunas, steam showers, a salon and a heated outdoor pool with an infinity edge overlooking the Smokies.
Activities are at the heart of the experience. Miles of trails for hiking, trail running and mountain biking wind through the property, and guests can try rock climbing, paddleboarding, fly fishing, yoga, fitness classes and guided nature walks. A fleet of Lexus SUVs ferries guests between cottages, the Lodge and the summit.
The mountain moment
The signature experience is the Firetower. At the very top of the mountain, the resort has built a restaurant around the base of the historic Millstone Gap fire lookout tower, which once guarded these forests against wildfire. The views stretch for 360 degrees across the Great Smoky Mountains and the valleys of East Tennessee.
The moment to savour is an early-morning hike up to the summit, arriving in time for breakfast at the Firetower as mist lifts from the ridges and the famous smoky blue haze settles over the forest below. Return at dusk, and the hills fade layer by layer into the twilight.
Why Blackberry Mountain is one of the best mountain hotels
Blackberry Mountain earns its place because it brings genuine adventure and genuine luxury together in one of America's most beautiful mountain landscapes. Its commitment to conservation means the land feels wild rather than developed, and the accommodation, from stone cottages to treehouses, is designed to let the forest in.
It is a Relais & Châteaux property with the food, wine and service to match, yet it never feels stuffy. It suits active couples, families and friends who want to spend their days on the trails and their evenings by the fire, and it offers a very different, very American take on the mountain retreat.
When to go to Blackberry Mountain
Blackberry Mountain is a year-round resort, and each season has its own appeal. Spring brings wildflowers across the forest floor and mild hiking weather. Summer is warm and green, ideal for paddleboarding, climbing and long evenings on the patio. Autumn is the showstopper, when the Smokies blaze red and gold, and it is the busiest and most sought-after time to visit, so book well ahead. Winter is quieter and crisper, perfect for fireside evenings, soaking tubs and long walks without the crowds. Whenever you come, reserve spa treatments and Firetower meals when you book your stay.
Questions, answered
- How far is Blackberry Mountain from the airport?
- Knoxville's McGhee Tyson Airport is roughly half an hour by car.
- What is the Firetower at Blackberry Mountain?
- A restaurant built around the base of the historic Millstone Gap fire lookout tower at the summit, with 360-degree views over the Great Smoky Mountains.
- Is Blackberry Mountain the same as Blackberry Farm?
- No. They are sister properties about seven miles apart. Blackberry Farm is the country estate; Blackberry Mountain is the more adventurous, outdoors-focused resort.
