On the Edge at The Retreat at Deer Lick Falls

On the Edge sits exactly where its name suggests - at the edge of the woods, at the end of the trail, with nothing behind it but trees and the sound of the creek. It is the quietest home we manage. Guests tell us they sit on the back porch and cannot see a single neighbor; what they hear instead is birdsong, wind through the canopy, and water moving over rock. If what you want from the Cumberland Plateau is stillness, this is the one. Inside it is simple and very well kept. Two bedrooms and three beds sleep four, with a private master suite, a loft, a fireplace, and a well-appointed kitchen stocked with what you need - linens, towels, soap, dishes, a Brita in the fridge. The bed is a good one, and the water pressure is better than you would expect this far up the mountain. Outside, a fire pit sits tucked down its own path through the trees. This is a gated community, with walking trails, playgrounds, waterfalls and campfire areas inside it. The hike to Deer Lick Falls starts nearby, and the streamside paths around it are, in one guest's words, even more peaceful than the waterfall itself. Foster Falls and the Fiery Gizzard Trail are a short drive, as is the golf course at Sewanee. Dogs are welcome - please let Guest Services know before you arrive. Four guests, one bath, and no one looking in.