From Falling Trees to Waterfall Tears
Our Unforgettable Women’s Retreat
Last month, eight of us packed our bags, flew into Nashville, rented a car, grabbed way too many snacks, and wound our way through the mountains toward the campground.
We thought we were headed into a simple weekend of nature, hiking, and s’mores.
We had no idea we were walking straight into our own stories that will keep us laughing about for years to come. Stories such as…
The Welcome We’ll Never Forget
We arrived, stretched our legs, and were immediately greeted by our campground host, a lovable character who welcomed us with what felt like the longest campground orientation.
The well-meaning host guided us around the property, pointing out trails, river bends, property yurts, history, legends, and… the campground fairies. (Yes. Plural. He takes his fairies seriously.)
We nodded politely, trying to hold in our giggles, absorbing more about the land and his life story than we ever expected to know.
It was the perfect, quirky start to the weekend.
The “Simple” Hike That Definitely Wasn’t Simple
Once settled, he pointed us toward what he called a “pretty simple river trail.”
Famous last words.
The first day was peaceful as we set up and made introductions. And then first thing the next day we ate a delicioius gourmet breakfast and got ready for our simple river hike.
From the very beginning we took what we thought was a slight turn.
Suddenly the ground dipped. Then dropped some more. We found ourselves scaling down a steep mountainside, grabbing branches, most times, sliding on our butts, laughing, and wondering where we went wrong. Of course we stopped several times for pictures to eventually text our husbands as proof that we weren’t just around the campfire, painting our nails.
By the time we climbed our way back up, sweaty and victorious, we all looked at each other like:
“Okay… that was NOT the warm-up hike.”
The Tree Incident (Bless You, Caroline)
We will be telling this story for the rest of our lives.
We were walking along a trail when Caroline casually grabbed a tree trunk, only for the quite tall tree to start falling.
She yelled, “Girls!” with the urgency of someone being chased by a bear while simultaneously attempting to hold up the falling tree.
And the rest of us?
We froze.
Not one person moved.
We stood there, eyes wide, watching in complete shock, as if our brains forgot how bodies work.
Caroline (and a few potential victims) hopped out of the way unharmed…
and then the laughter exploded. The kind where you’re doubled over, tears streaming, unable to breathe.
It became the signature best story of the weekend. My only regret is that I wish I could have video of each of our frozen faces. Clearly, when in danger, us girls offer emotional support, but don’t expect physical help.
The Great Biscuit Challenge
The next morning, we were determined to make another incredible breakfast.
The fire had other ideas.
It sputtered, smoked, and absolutely refused to light properly.
So we did what midlife women do best:
We improvised.
We strategized.
We eventually created a biscuit-baking system that would make the Girl Scouts proud.
Were they cooked perfectly? Nope.
Were they delicious and earned through sweat, smoke, and creativity? Absolutely.
And truly — they tasted even better because of it.
The Waterfalls Hike - The pinnacle of our trip
On our last day, we attempted another hike. This time, definitely simpler and well marked. After a few ups and downs along the mountain, around a huge boulder, we arrived to a spectacular hidden waterfall that took our breath away.
There’s something about experiencing beauty like that with other women — it softens you.
Those conversations along the trail…
the ones about midlife transitions, marriage, kids leaving home, dreams resurfacing…
Those were the moments that reminded each of us:
We are all reinventing ourselves in this season.
We are all stepping into something new.
We don’t have to do any of it alone.
The Heart of It: Sisterhood
You know what surprised me the most?
Not the falling trees.
Not the mountaineering detours.
Not even our heroic biscuits.
It was the new connections that were seamless.
The way all eight of us arrived a little tired, a little stretched beyond our comforts, carrying our own quiet things…
and slowly, through shared moments and stories and laughter, walls came down.
We left sore, tired, and more alive than when we arrived.
We left as sisters.
This retreat wasn’t about escaping life.
It was about remembering life.
Feeling fully present again.
Stepping into nature to reconnect with ourselves and each other.
And it worked.
More than any of us expected.
Thinking about joining us next year?
Our 2026 Women’s Camping Retreat is already in motion and the priority waitlist is open.
If you want the first chance to be notified when early registration officially opens and grab your spot (these always go fast), join the list below:
👉 Join the 2026 Retreat Priority Waitlist
Stay tuned! You’ll be the first to receive dates, location details, pricing, and early-bird bonuses.
