Sky Bear Lodge

Sky Bear Lodge at 3 Little Bears Retreat

Disconnect & Reconnect to nature & your group in this elegant, authentic and historic luxury lodge on 3 Little Bears Retreat with views of the Smoky Mountains and the nature amenities of our resort adjacent to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.

• Soaking bathtub
• Outdoor Swings
• Hot tub
• Onsite Manager
• Game Room
• Trails & Creek
• SOLO firepit
• NEW! SOLO Gas Pizza Oven
• Massage Chair
• Paved Drive & Parking for motorcycles, luxury cars & trailers
• No Cleaning Fees!
• 3% fee for the Mountains contribution (see below)

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The Retreat

Welcome to Three Little Bears Retreat, THE only place to disconnect to reconnect, relax and experience great adventures with your family and friends! You’ll feel like a new person the moment you arrive at this view! Come retreat, renew, and refresh at our regenerative nature resort.

Social

Follow us on social @3littlebearsretreat

5 Cabins to Choose From
Copy these links to view our other cabins.

3 Little Bears Cabin https://t.vrbo.io/WdTfO19xeTb

AirBear Airstream Treehouse: https://t.vrbo.io/Y438LhmyeTb

Poppa Bear Cozy Cabin: https://t.vrbo.io/Fnl26uLyeTb

Smoky Bear Lodge: https://t.vrbo.io/rjKycLXyeTb

Nuwati Hall & Spa - weddings, retreats, reunions, groups and spa services inquire for more information.

Location

This cabin is located 5 minutes away from a variety of breweries, restaurants, the train, downtown Bryson City, and 2 entrances to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, where you can hike, bike, fly fish, paddleboard and kayak to your heart's content.

And only 3 hours from Atlanta, 3 hours 20 min from Charlotte, and 2 hours from Greenville, SC

Cabin

Elegant and authentic lodge created in the mid 1900’s as a wealthy businessman’s private escape is now yours to experience! Watch the eagles and ravens soar amongst the summits. Hear the many species of songbirds whistling while enjoying outdoor luxuries including hot tub, swings, cornhole, covered dining, and rocking chairs, breakfast bar with a breath-taking view that is hard to imagine until standing there in awe.

Refresh yourself indoors with luxury memory foam king beds, cathedral rough hewn wood ceilings, expansive A-frame windows, natural local stone gas fireplace , and a fully-equipped chef’s kitchen. See your night’s end with a cozy blanket and fire watching a movie with our streaming wifi or commune with friends over smores and a fire.

Nature

Experience nature in a setting that immerses you in the culture and history of the area, the sustainable and regenerative efforts to nourish the environment by the Retreat, along with all the luxuries of the modern world. This luxury alpine lodge is the pinnacle of a mountain vacation where it is secluded and adjacent to the National Park; has its own trails, creeks, and ponds; provides the concierge level services of a resort; and is only minutes from wineries, whitewater rafting, hiking trails, waterfalls, the railroad and downtown Bryson City (the adventure capital of the Smokies!).

Sustainability & Regeneration

The Retreat is also on a constant quest towards not just sustainability, but regeneration of nature. We work with wildlife rehabilitators to heal and release injured wildlife, are actively working on healing our Hemlock trees from the adelgids that are killing them, have implemented our own recycling pickup and transfer program, and also look towards adaptive reuse and consistent modifications in the properties towards better energy efficiency and use of materials. The Retreat wants to be the great national park lodge model for the next generation and is constantly marching towards the Cherokee tradition of ᎣᏍᏓ (Osda) ᎤᏃᏴᏫ (Unolvtanv) "Sacred harmony with all living things" through our own motto of “Beyond Just Right, Be Livin’ Right.” Your “3% for the Mountains” resort fee goes directly to these ongoing efforts, and we appreciate you being a part of our path forward!

Privacy

Every cabin on the Retreat is designed to have incredible privacy. This lodge is at the end of a 1/4mile driveway through the Retreat and sits perched at the top of the Retreat with nothing within several hundred feet of the lodge.

Other things to note

Updates

Winter of 2025, we took on accomplishing the recommendations of our guests and ways to improve our guest experience, which included hiring an onsite guest experience manager, adding in-cabin spa services, new SOLO fire pits and pizza ovens, a greatly expanded common area with the Nuwati trail extending from our activities pavilion closer to the top down to Lands Creek at the bottom giving access to waterfalls, hammocks, a hideaway playground, a stream fed oasis pond and more to come. We also added an event/meeting space/wedding venue, which will open up in Summer 25 for weddings, group retreats, family reunions, and other experiences that we do in common for our guests at the Retreat.

Local Recommendations

Walk around Bryson City. A Hallmark style town that has been featured in several movies and is a quintessential mountain basecamp town. 5-minute drive. Lots of shops and restaurants.

• Our favorite winery is Deep Creek. 15-minute drive with great views.

• Our favorite hangout is Bryson City Outdoors where tourists and experienced hikers gather to buy new gear and share their experiences of the day.

• Our favorite restaurant is Bryson City Brewery. It has a great farm to table menu, excellent beer selection, live entertainment, and a huge yard for kids to play and be free.

• Our favorite Summer hike is Deep Creek Waterfall Loop Trail. 5-minute drive. 2 mile hike with 3 epic waterfalls! If you have little ones or dont want to struggle, skip Juney Whank and all ages can do the hike to see Tom Branch Falls and Indian Creek in an out and back walk along the famous Deep Creek (stay for tubing too)!

• Our favorite Winter hike is Nolands Creek Trail through the National Park entrance by the Retreat. The hike is beautiful down to Fontana Lake crossing several bridges and the water drop in the lake in the winter extends the hike into a lakebed valley that is beautiful with big cascades.

We have many more local recommendations for eateries and activities. Message us to get a link to our guidebook for the area.

House Rules

1) No pets

2) No smoking inside the cabin. No butts, cigars or other in firepits. Dispose in bagged trash.

3) Check-in after 4:00 PM (unless you have arranged for an early check-in of 2pm)

4) Checkout before 11:00 AM (unless you have arranged for a late checkout of 1pm)

5) No parties or events

Pricing

Nightly rates vary based on specific dates. Weekends are priced higher.

Two Night Stays

Two Night Stays are made available during the week and between booking gaps on request, please inquire. Otherwise, a three-night minimum is required.

Early Check-in + Late Checkout

We offer both early check-in (2 pm) and late checkout (1 pm) add-ons for $50. The amount is limited, though, depending on the date. Please message us to add it to your reservation.

Security Camera

There is one security camera at the property's entrance gate facing toward the main road.

Liability Waiver

After booking, you will be asked to complete a Release of Liability Waiver. The waiver is a standard step we ask all guests to take, and it helps us continue offering unique stays in a natural setting.