Barnardsville, NC · 5 sitesThe soak-and-plunge ritual of a hot-springs getaway — reimagined as a primitive forest camp. Emerald Oasis is a members' wellness camp on 67 acres of organic forest farm bordered on three sides by Pisgah National Forest, 25 minutes from Asheville. Hot cedar sauna, cold plunge in Mineral Creek, living spring water, and miles of trails to a hidden waterfall — all included with every stay.
Every guest joins Emerald Oasis Club before arrival (free — 3 minutes). Your booking includes the $20/day Oasis All-Access Pass for every person, every day of your stay:
🔥 Creekside cedar sauna & cold plunge — open daily, INCLUDED
💧 Mineral Creek swimming hole + unlimited living spring-water fills
🥾 2+ miles of forest trails, boulder fields & a hidden waterfall → Pisgah
☕ Zen Lounge — creekside tea house (self-service) & co-working with fast Wi-Fi
🛁 Bathhouse — outdoor showers + flushing toilet
🌿 Picnic terrace gardens
No schedule and nothing to book — the day branches from your tent flap. Sauna-and-plunge before breakfast, the waterfall trail after lunch, a rainy-afternoon shift of tea and Wi-Fi in the Zen Lounge, or a hammock and the creek doing the talking. Everything's included, so nothing needs deciding in advance.
HOW WE KEEP THIS PLACE CLEAN
This is an organic forest farm, farmed without chemicals, and the 43 springs that rise here feed the creek you'll swim in and the water you'll drink. That's why we ask for mineral sunscreen and DEET-free repellent, why chemical soaps and sprays stay off the land entirely rather than just away from the water, and why nothing but you goes in the creek. Pack it in, pack it out — there's no trash service. If you're shopping on the way up, organic if you can; the farm stands around Barnardsville are part of the regenerative economy we're building here.
This is still primitive tent camping on a working farm — creek crossings, composting toilets, star-filled skies — with the amenities of a wellness club layered in.
EXPLORE THE AREA
Big Ivy (Coleman Boundary) — 30+ miles of Pisgah National Forest trails start 15 minutes from your campsite. Hiking, biking, and horseback riding through one of the richest forests in the Southern Appalachians.
Douglas Falls (70 ft, walk-behind) and Walker Falls (45 ft, roadside) are up FS 74 — a scenic gravel road with 10+ cascades along the way. Note: FS 74 is seasonally gated Jan–Apr.
Asheville — 25 minutes. 100+ craft breweries, River Arts District, Biltmore Estate.
Craggy Gardens & Mt Mitchell — via the Blue Ridge Parkway (~80 min / ~2 hrs). 360° views, June rhododendron blooms, the highest peak east of the Mississippi. Parkway sections close in winter — check NPS road status before planning.
KNOW BEFORE YOU BOOK
🏕 Members' camp on a working organic farm — not a resort. Uneven terrain, wildlife, weather-dependent conditions.
🕐 Check-in 2:00–9:00 PM (aim to arrive before dark) · Checkout 12:00 PM (noon) · Quiet hours 9 PM–9 AM
🌊 Footbridge creek crossing — carry-in only, no vehicles beyond the creek. Rolling gear carts at the campground entrance; water runs 3–6" by season.
🎟 Self check-in: grab a wristband at the base of the Zen Lounge (chalkboard sign) and write your checkout date on it.
🚽 Flushing toilet + outdoor showers at the base-camp bathhouse; pit toilets on the campsite side of the creek for nighttime; composting toilets — nothing non-organic.
🧺 No laundry on site — bring towels for sauna & creek (clothesline for drying; always sit on a towel in the sauna).
🚭 Substance-free — no alcohol, smoking, or vaping.
🐕 Dogs leashed at all times. Resident farm dogs roam freely.
♻️ Pack in, pack out — no trash service on site. No single-use plastic.
🌿 No chemical sunscreens, bug sprays (DEET), or soaps anywhere on the property — nothing but you goes in the creek.
🔇 No amplified music — sound carries in the valley. Acoustic instruments welcome.
🏔 We share the valley — neighboring homesteads are visible or audible from some sites.
📱 Everyone joins Emerald Oasis Club before arrival — free membership & waiver; details sent after booking.