The Enthusiast Journal

Stories from the Collection

Field notes, slow mornings, and the small adventures that make each of our properties worth the journey. New stories every week.

Wellness · Mental health · August 6, 2026

Forest Bathing at Tapoco Lodge: What the Science Says the Woods Do for You

At Historic Tapoco Lodge, the forest isn’t the view. It’s the address. Our 1930 lodge sits on 120 acres deep in the Nantahala National Forest, on the banks of the Cheoah River, an hour and a world away from the nearest city — surrounded by some of the oldest, most biodiverse woodland in the eastern United States. Guests come for the river and the mountains. What many don’t realize is that simply being here, among the trees, is doing measurable good for their bodies and minds.