Glamping at Pope’s Creek in Kentucky

Packing up every necessity and moving it all to a campsite, then repacking it to take home, does not appeal to me in the least. Change that to traveling to a campsite where the beds are made, the campfire is ready and room service is an option and now I’m a happy camper. Except I’m not – I’m a glamper.

Glamping is glamorous camping with lodging options that range from teepees to tricked out Air Streams. My first glamping experience was spent in a treehouse at Pope’s Creek Ranch in Lebanon, KY.

Pope’s Creek Ranch is the dream come to life of Doc Bland, a renowned psychiatrist who was born on the property some 80 years ago.   He practiced psychiatry for 54 years and returned to his beloved ranch to build an RV resort and unique campground.

Lebanon, KY has always been different- rogue even- from its surrounding small towns. It has been wet (they sell liquor) for as long as I can remember and the population is predominantly Catholic.  For context, nearby Campbellsville just became moist within the last 5 years (which means you can bring liquor with you to a restaurant as long as you order dinner) and it has dozens of Baptist churches.

Once we arrived at Pope’s Creek, we were greeted by an Amish gentleman who works on the property and a valet who drives a rough open air jeep.  Our valet chauffered us ½ mile into the woods to our treehouse.

The outside port-a-potty, although clean, does not scream luxury but the swing bed and loft in our gorgeous Amish- built treehouse does. Primitive luxury sounds like an oxymoron but it’s accurate.

Weddings, family reunions and hoe-downs are hosted in the Burley Shed and next to the RV park is the Woodlands Ampi-theatre with 425 seats and a stage. The store offers locally made goods and camping necessities.

The ranch boasts 1100 acres of gorgeous knob views, teepees, soft sided cabins, but no electricity or indoor plumbing and nighttime is pitch black. Funny how too much quiet can be as disturbing as too much noise.

I predict that unplugged places like Pope’s Creek Ranch will become the most desired type of vacation and could likely cost more than the most connected destinations.