Yes.
If you can handle a moderately difficult, yet short…read morehike...do this.
Charit Creek Lodge (CCL) is located only a few hours away from Nashville in a section of Big South Fork.
Via I-40, a couple of highways, and some gravel roads, park your vehicle in the trailhead lot and hike 1.1 miles down into the valley where CCL sits.
(Note: There's a porta-potty in the trailhead parking lot. Bring toilet paper in case the park supplied roll is out, and hand sanitizer since there's not a sink.)
Early in the descent, the set of "stairs" on the hiking trail are rather scary for dogs. I'm shocked how incredibly deceptive my photos are; these "stairs" are WAY more steep than they appear in the camera's eye. I'd call it a ladder, really.
My dog (who is too squirmy and almost too big to carry) took a total leap of faith from the "stairs"...literally. I think my heart stopped. Thankfully, this did not end in injury. But I won't take him down those "stairs" again without a better plan in place.
The bridge across the creek freaked him out a little since it sways when you walk on it, but nowhere near the danger those "stairs" were.
I knew there would be a barricade at the entrance since they were only permitting overnight guests with reservations at that time due to the pandemic. The staff greeted us and gave a quick rundown of the layout, rules, and directed us to our cabin.
CCL's layout is rather unique. In a nutshell, there are multiple buildings: one small building is the kitchen...kinda the heartbeat of the place. Directly across from the tiny kitchen is the largest building which houses two "attached" cabins available for rent, the dining hall, and the Manager's Quarters. Here you will also find the site's potable water and rocking chairs on a lovely wooden porch.
If you're facing the kitchen, there are two buildings on the hill to the right that house the restrooms and the showers. I'll go into more detail about those later.
As you walk past the stairs to the restrooms and showers, two detached cabins appear - both available for rent and can house many people.
From there, turning your gaze slightly to your right, there is another small building called the "Corn Crib", which can house up to three people.
Looking sharply to the left, waaaaay off in the distance, is the horse barn, which can house both people AND horses.
Restrooms and Showers:
Up two flights of stairs, you first come to the restrooms; one side for women and the other for men.
The women's restrooms offer two sinks, two mirrors, and three stalls, each with a toilet and a curtain for privacy.
Hand soap, paper towels, and toilet paper are all provided, so no need to bring your own. There are windows and a skylight for lighting during the day, but no lighting at night, so be sure to bring your own!
There was also a bottle of bleach water and hand sanitizer on the counter for use too to make it a bit more safe during the pandemic.
From the restrooms, there's a small stone path that leads up to the shower house: one side for women and the other for men.
The women's showers offer two stalls. Each stall has a dressing area with a shower area connected to it. There are plenty of hooks and bars to hang bags, towels, etc. The water wasn't incredibly hot, but still warm and enjoyable -- definitely NOT cold. Be sure to bring your own soap and a towel.
Like the restrooms, there is a window for natural light, but that's it. So be sure to shower during the day or take water resistant supplemental light!
I'm running out of characters, so I'll end with the food. It was superb. Delicious. Fantastic. Plentiful. Far too much food to consume in one sitting.
Go here if you're physically able. More than worth it.
