What: Hidden Hollow
Where: Chickamauga Valley in North Georgia
Activities: Cabin and facility rentals, hiking, canoeing, fishing and relaxation
For more information visit the Hidden Hollow website or call (706) 539-2372
Set in the woods on the side of Lookout Mountain, Hidden Hollow offers cozy cabin rentals, hiking, lake canoeing, fishing and relaxation for families and individuals in need of a nature getaway. Located only 20 miles down the road in North Georgia, Hidden Hollow remains a little-known outdoor family destination despite its close proximity to town, according to innkeepers Tommy and Bonny Jean Thomas.
The Thomas’ purchased Hidden Hollow over 30 years ago with hopes of creating a relaxing and comfortable getaway for friends, family and guests.
“We like to think of Hidden Hollow as a retreat from the tensions, noise and rush of today’s lifestyles,” says Bonny Jean. “We encourage our guests to take advantage of the peace and quiet here, and to relive the days when families and friends sat on porches and visited.”
The retreat is located on 135 acres in Chickamauga Valley within a section of McLemore Cove Historic District. The cove is named for Robert and John McLemore, the sons of a white trader and a Cherokee mother.
Nine rustic, cozy cabins – all made from the wood of trees from Hidden Hollow’s grounds – can be rented and feature small kitchens, comfortable beds and front porches for relaxing the day away. Most cabins also include a fireplace, and outdoor fire rings are set up for campfires.
Hidden Hollow provides plenty of opportunity to relive the days of old, making available to guests lawn games such as horseshoes, badminton and croquet sets. Canoes and paddleboats are available for use on the retreat’s 5-acre spring-fed lake. Fishing is not only allowed, but encouraged.
In addition to cabin rentals, Hidden Hollow offers facilities for small conferences, weddings and family reunions. A recreation hall, Dancing Bear Lodge, features a large stone fireplace and is available for parties, weddings, workshops and meetings.
The Thomas’ have been active in square dancing, clogging, folk dancing and “calling” dances for many years. The couple enjoys the opportunity to lead beginner folk dancing lessons in the recreation hall.
For two weeks each summer, Hidden Hollow turns into Camp Hidden Hollow, two weeks of Christian day camp for boys and girls ages 6-14 or rising first graders to rising eighth graders. Activities include nature skills, archery, arts and crafts, canoeing, swimming, horseback riding, sports, and other activities such as hiking, fishing and music. A counselors-in-training program is available for eighth graders.
To learn more about cabin and facility rentals, visit the Hidden Hollow website or call (706) 539-2372.
