College retreats and club trips
Department retreats, student leadership weekends and club trips, 40 minutes from Roanoke. Meeting rooms when you need them, and trails, ropes and the creek when you don't.
Somewhere to work, ride and talk
A college department retreat needs a quiet room for the planning session and something that gets faculty and staff talking outside of it. A student organization needs a weekend that turns a list of names into a team. A club needs trails, beds and a kitchen that stays open. We do all three on one property.
Fall is when college programs come to us, alongside school groups. Tell us what you want the weekend to do and we'll help you choose activities around it.
- Lodging for 100-plus, from lodge rooms to the campground
- Three break-out rooms for 10 to 20 people, and a dining room that seats 75
- More than 10 miles of trails, a mountain bike skill park and bike rentals
- Dragon's Tooth and McAfee Knob about half an hour away
Room for the planning session
Cell reception is very limited and there's no high-speed internet, so plan sessions that don't depend on video calls.
-
Main dining room
Seats up to 75 for meals or a full-group session.
-
Break-out rooms
Three smaller rooms for 10 to 20 people each.
-
Open-air pavilion
Roughly 100 people, covered, and the wet-weather backup.
-
The gazebo
A quiet spot for 15, out by the pond.
Activities for colleges and clubs
Guided or unguided, included in your program or added on.
- High and low ropes courses, run by trained instructors
- Team development games, raft building and adventure races
- The 50-foot climbing wall and the Giant Swing
- Mountain biking on the skill park and more than 10 miles of trails
- Caving with our instructors
- Canoeing, kayaking and tubing on Craig Creek
- The 18-hole disc golf course and beach volleyball
Want to climb real rock? See private rock climbing in the Jefferson National Forest.
Photos from group days
Departments, student groups and clubs
A few of the groups this page is for.
- College departments: faculty and staff retreats with a working session in the morning and the ropes course or the creek in the afternoon.
- Student organizations: leadership weekends for officers and new members, built around team challenges and a closing session to plan the year.
- Cycling and outdoor clubs: trails on the property, bike rentals and the Jefferson National Forest on the doorstep. Riders already know us from the Appalachian Mountaineer.
- Hiking clubs: a base for Virginia's Triple Crown: Dragon's Tooth, McAfee Knob and Tinker Cliffs.
Lodges for the group, tents for the rest
Put the group in the Main Lodge and Sly Lodge, then let anyone who'd rather camp pitch a tent. Mixing lodge rooms with camping can bring the cost per person down.
Groups of eight or more get home-style buffets for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with vegetarian options, and packed lunches for a day on the trail.
- The Main Lodge sleeps 56, with a stone fireplace and a long covered porch
- Sly Lodge sleeps 33, with a full kitchen and a patio with a grill
- The Sneaky Cabin sleeps 8 and the Old Homestead, an 1800s log cabin, sleeps 6
- The campground always has room for more tents, and glamping tents can be set up on request
A weekend retreat
Every group is different, but this shape works for many.
- Friday evening: arrive, settle into the lodges or the campground, and meet your host. Dinner together, then the fire pit.
- Saturday morning: breakfast, then your main working session in the dining room and break-out rooms, or an early start on the trails.
- Saturday afternoon: a guided challenge such as the ropes course or raft building, or a hike or ride. Dinner and an evening by the fire.
- Sunday: breakfast, a short closing session to agree what happens next, and home by the afternoon.
Planning a college or club retreat
Can we run our own sessions?
Yes. We can adapt our level of involvement: run your own program and use our spaces, or hand the activities and meals to us.
Can club members bring their own bikes?
Ask your coordinator when you book. If riders don't bring bikes, mountain bike rentals with a helmet are $25 for a half day and $50 for a full day.
How far are the Triple Crown hikes?
Dragon's Tooth and McAfee Knob are both about half an hour away, near Catawba. Read our guide to Virginia's Triple Crown for distances and parking.
Will our group have the property to ourselves?
Groups that book exclusive use will be on their own. Otherwise other groups may be on site, so ask your coordinator when you inquire.
Is the property accessible?
Sly Lodge, the bathhouse, the gazebo and the pavilion are wheelchair accessible. Tell us about any needs when you book so we can plan activities that include everyone.
Can you handle allergies and dietary needs?
Yes, with notice. Tell us about allergies and dietary restrictions at least two weeks before you arrive and we can guarantee alternatives at every meal.
Is there cell service and WiFi?
Cell reception is very limited and high-speed internet is not available. The lodges have limited WiFi. Let people know in advance how to reach the office in an emergency: 540-864-6792.
Who looks after us while we're there?
Every group of eight or more is assigned a host, and at least one staff member is on duty day and night.
Plan your college or club retreat
Call the office or send an inquiry with your dates and numbers, and a coordinator will put together a pricing proposal. Once you approve it we send a reservation agreement to sign, then an invoice with a 30% non-refundable deposit. A payment plan is available.
Have questions about group retreats?
Tell us about your group, dates, and activities.
Prefer to call? 540-864-6792.