Mansion in the Woods

Summary:
The Mansion in the Woods is in a hardwood forest 20 miles west of Nashville. It is the perfect getaway for your private family gathering or corporate meeting. 4 porches stimulate creativity and collaboration. Many hiking trails. Nearby non-profit runs organic farm, friendly farm animals, and watercraft. NO PARTIES. THE BASE PRICE IS FOR SIX (6) PERSONS. $40/person/night charge for the number of persons over six. NO PETS

The Space:
The Mansion is set in a hardwood forest. There are five bedrooms upstairs: 1) Master Bedroom with king bed and adjacent walk-in closet that can hold two single beds; 2) Balcony Room with king bed (room for add'l queen); 3) GardenView Room with king and two single beds (Rooms 2 and 3 share a full bathroom); 4) Spring Room with queen bed and private bathroom; 5) Parquet Room with king bed and NO bathroom; the main floor below has two bedrooms; 6) Downstairs kids room with 4 single beds arranged as two trundle beds) and 7) library room wth queen sofa couch. The upstairs huge closet off the master bedroom, has its own entrance and can be used as an eighth sleeping space with two single beds. This last room has an entrance to the second floor foyer so one does not have to pass through the master bedroom to access the 2nd floor landing.

The Mansion has three bedrooms with their own full baths. So full privacy can be granted to only three couples. Guest living in the Balcony Room and Garden View Room must share the full bath between them (with two sinks). Five couples may enjoy their own room upstairs. There are three full bathrooms upstairs and two half baths downstairs. Guests staying in the Kids Room (4 twin beds downstairs) have a half bath without tub or shower. Extra one time $40/bed fee if additional beds need to be brought in because guests would not like to share king/queen beds.

The mansion comes with 12 beds (sleeps 16). Six additional beds may be added ($40/bed) to accomodate up to 22 persons.

Library/Salon, formal dining room, living/entertainment room, massive outdoor & screened patios, four fridges. Six guest minimum.

Great for Events, but you must get permission FIRST.

The Mansion is surrounded by biodiverse nature including spiders, insects, mice, venomous insects and snakes, poison ivy and all things natural. All guests acknowledge that these risks are an unavoidable part of this location.

The price quoted is for Lodging only. Non-lodging visitors are not permitted without permission of owner.

Please note that use of the nearby Center for Sustainable Stewardship is not included in your lodging fees. Please contact cssfamily.org for access to their organic farm, farm animals, hiking trails , and adventure center's watercraft and bicycles.

We generally greet our guests, but leave them alone during their stay unless they need assistance with anything.

The Mansion lies just above a pristine creek within a gorgeous valley. 20 miles from downtown Nashville and 8 miles from historic Franklin and light years away from the stress of city life.

The Lake Gratitude Natural Area , located just down the hill is part of a 1400 acre Conservation easement and features a 6 acre lake as well as Love More Cafe and live music venue. Big East Fork Farms, just downstream, provides organic produce and hosts various friendly livestock.

Guest Access:
Guest have access to the two huge main floors of the Mansion. The basement is used for storage an is not part of this rental. Surrounding mowed areas, the trail to the hidden pond and Big East Fork Farm are also available to our guests. Nearby trails are maintained by the Center for Sustainable Stewardship (CSS, mi 0.0).

There are several ways to get wet in Big East Fork Valley.

All registered guest may visit Lake Gratitude and, by appointment, use watercraft provided by staff of CSS.For donations they supply canoes, kayak, paddleboards, paddle boats, oars, lifejackets, and even bicycles. Please make an appointment with them for entry and obtaining equipment. Support their mission of stewardship education and help preserve the natural treasures of this gorgeous valley and similar ones near your own community.

Fork Inn guests have access to one or more of the large hot tubs at The Retreat, Southern Hospitality Ranch, or the McPherson Farmhouse. These can serve as pools for 4 to 6 people. The hot tub at The Fork Inn is always available to our registered guests. The sauna and hot tub at the Retreat are available by appointment when the Retreat is not being rented by a private party. For those hankering for an authentic country experience, we have four 300 gallon mobile stock tank pools which can be filled with sweet (or even sulphurous) spring water. Pools can be set up at any property (aaah the fun!) as well as at the Overlook or a private pasture/forest clearing (aaah the romance!).

The Big East Fork Valley is a unique watershed and there are several unique areas for dipping in the natural waters of our Creek. Love Shack Falls runs best after a good rain. A short steep trail begins at mi 2.4 SE. The upstream dipping hole is located along the Upper Creek Trail behind the Retreat (mi 0.2 S) and the downstream dipping hole is a short walk from the bicyclist parking lot (mi 0.1 S). Several sparse rocky beaches for sunning and catching crawfish, small fish, and other creek critter lie along the creek. Poisonous critters (water moccassins, cottonmouths, bees and wasps) and obnoxious plants (poison ivy, thorny, greenbriars) are present so do take necessary percautions. Thin rocky beaches are McPherson Beach (mi 1.9 N), Flatrock Beach (mi 2.0 N), Hemp Beach (mi 2.4 N), and LeeAnnes Beach (mi 3.0). Walking along the creek is a very special experience for a couple or the entire family. Bring your creek shoes!

The Neighborhood:
The Mansion lies just above a pristine creek within a gorgeous valley. 20 miles from downtown Nashville and 8 miles from historic Franklin and light years away from the stress of city life.
Big East Fork Retreat, located just down the hill is part of a 1400 acre Conservation easement and features a 6 acre Lake Gratitude and many hiking trails. The adjacent non-profit Center for Sustainable Stewardship offers bicycles, farm tours, adorable farm animals and nature experiences to members.

Getting Around:
Uber and Lyft serve us. There is also a local limo service. There is ample on-site parking. The property sits on a ridge adjacent to Natchez Parkway which is accessible to bikers via a short shortcut through the woods.

Other Things to Note:
The price quoted is for Lodging only. If you wish to invite non-Lodging guests you must send a message to receive details and pricing. Events and Parties may not be booked through Airbnb.
Because we are in the middle of the country forest, shy country mice may visit you and they can become a problem if you leave crumbs or do not secure food in refrigerators or plastic containers. Please keep our house rodent free by securing your food. (By the way, mouse-borne illness is not a problem in Tennessee). We can bring a house cat or traps if you let us know there is a problem.

Interaction with Guests:
At Mansion in the Woods, you will be tucked away among the trees, but should you wish to meet new friends, The Fork Inn Office is close by and always looking for new friends! We generally leave our guests alone, but may visit at appropriate time to say hello.