The Rest at Firecreek

Vol. 002

We are living in wild times. Times that keep our nervous systems on high alert. While we want to stay informed and active as conscious, caring world citizens, we recognize that rest is one of the most vital components to a balanced, resilient, and impactful life. Nature, as always, teaches this lesson every year: if we want to blossom, create, and make meaningful change, we must honor, appreciate, and savor nourishing rest.

We enjoyed a lovely, quiet holiday season at Firecreek with some cozy snow days and plenty of long sleeps, warming meals, and simple gatherings with friends and family. The recent ice storm, Fern, graciously spared us the worst of its effects, so we are breathing a sigh of relief and continuing to hunker down, stay warm, tend to projects around the property, rest, and dream up ideas for spring, summer, and fall.

As we approach mid-winter, we are building upon what we learned from a 2025 full of beautiful retreats, pop-up farm dinners, visitors, and whole-compound rentals, in order to curate an exceptional year of experiences, and hoping you will come join us. Some things on the horizon are the addition of a new barndominium and wood shop, new tiny houses, and a wide variety of retreats, such as Sourdough in the Smokies, Radical Rest, Embracing Transitions, and even a Family Summer Camp.

RETREATS AND EVENTS

Our 2026 retreat schedule is nearly full, with winter and spring options outlined below.

All of our retreats are nature-based with a focus on well-being. These can include somatic and healing practices, leadership, women’s and men’s work, learning an art or refining a craft, growing food, and culinary-focused retreats. What unites them all is the experience of coming home to yourself by slowing down, cultivating a sense of well-being, and carrying that energy out into the world.

If you, or someone you know, is interested in hosting a retreat, family gathering, or wedding here, please reach out. We would love to create collaborative art on the canvas of this enchanted land of Firecreek.

INQUIRE ABOUT HOSTING

UPCOMING RETREATS

Radical Rest Retreat

February 12th-16th |Christy McKenzie

Internationally recognized yoga teacher, death doula, and breast cancer thriver, Christy McKenzie, will lead a four-night retreat for attuning to earth’s wintertime wisdom, refining our inner listening, and crafting personal practices for lasting well-being, healing, and resilience far beyond the container of our gathering.

The recently released insightful and best-selling book by Elena Brower, Hold Nothing, will focus our time together and support earnest inner endeavors. Sweaters, soups, stews, saunas, sacred movement, simple meditations, sound baths, sitting fireside, sweet sleeps, self-care rituals, stillness, and silence will nourish our bodies, minds, and souls in profound ways.

Sourdough in the Smokies

with Jonathan Stevens

We’re in the final stretch for these back to back retreats, and we have just two double rooms remaining for session 1, March 19–23, 2026, and one double room for session 2, March 26-30, 2026. If you’ve been dreaming about slowing down, baking beautiful bread, and spending a few restorative days in the mountains, this is your moment.

Embracing the Art of Transition

Spring 22nd - 26th | Heather Berg + Margit Bisztray

Immerse yourself in a restful and rejuvenating experience this spring with a 4-night, 5-day retreat designed to awaken your senses, spark renewal, and honor the tender beginnings of a new season. As the forest comes alive with fresh growth and birdsong, you’ll explore how your own inner landscape mirrors nature’s emergence.

Breaking Up with Burnout

May 21-24 | Kelley Snyder and Maddy Rose

Maddy and Kelley will serve as your trusted guides for this soul-nourishing retreat where women gather to breathe deeper, laugh louder, move their bodies, and reconnect with the version of themselves they’ve misplaced under the to-do lists. This isn’t a retreat where you “do more.” It’s a retreat where you finally get to be—supported, nourished, and reminded of your own inner steadiness.

Returning to Wholeness

June 18th-22nd | Kelley Gardner

Ayurveda is an ancient science that teaches us how to know and to take care of ourselves. It teaches us to listen to the body’s wisdom and respond skillfully to life’s inevitable stressors.

Through simple, powerful practices, Ayurveda helps us feel more grounded, resilient, and whole. Somatics is a body-based practice that guides us to track, sense, and work with our nervous system states. Parts Work invites us to gently befriend the fears and coping strategies that once kept us safe, but now keep us playing small. Together, these practices create safety in the body while we build capacity for resilience and growth.

LIFE ON THE HOMESTEAD

Northern Lights

We had a real treat earlier this winter, the Northern Lights. We had back to back nights of some spectacular colors, creating some incredible moments of awe and wonder.

While seeing the aurora borealis is not common in WNC, it does happen, and when it does, it’s magnificent.

Sitting Ducks No More

At last, we have duck eggs. On a cold winter morning, walking in to the duck pen, in order to open their door so they can go play in the pond, a single, large, white egg appeared. The joy and gratitude overflowed. It appears the simplest of things are the most satisfying these days .

Raising these ducks has been more work than advertised, with learning lessons abound. We are looking forward to including these protein bombs into our culinary rotation here for our guests.

Interested in simply visiting or renting 1, 2, or more dwellings…

We rented 3 dwellings for a lovely large family gathering here over the holidays. If you are interested in visiting Firecreek outside of a retreat, please reach out. We’d love to have you here, and you can create your own, mini-retreat.

Book Now

FLORA, FAUNA, AND FOLKS

STAY IN TOUCH

@FIRECREEKRETREAT