When she invites you to explore Glamping Wild – tucked away amid the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains – Founder and Owner Debby Hanley is welcoming you to share her own passion for disconnecting in nature amid functional, yet luxurious, accommodations!
Last year, she completed a two-year development process to the property, originally discovered and purchased by her father in the 1970s. She has honored his memory by building a destination that would make him proud! The 40-acre property is a scenic escape for sure and turned out to be picture perfect for setting up geodesic dome tents and introducing guests to the popular concept of “glamping!” Creating your own luxury space right in the wilderness has turned into a popular pastime, and Debby loves sharing her family’s somewhat hidden gem with nature enthusiasts from across the country.
The always active and persistent Debby will tell you she fully recognized the time and effort that building this outdoor dream of hers would take, and she’s never been shy to accept a challenge. Even after Hurricane Helene ravaged the area in October of 2024, she was thankful for her manageable damages – compared to so many – and quickly adapted her focus by collaborating with an amazing charity called Lansing’s Bridge to Recovery to make lodging space available for volunteers.
“This organization was formed by an incredible couple who are still working to rebuild driveways and bridges impacted by the storm in Ashe County,” she shares. “They were kind enough to send one of their contractors out to make our gravel road passable again. Debby has been using that downtime to make Glamping Wild an even better experience for guests and plans to introduce a self-guided forest bathing trail, certified by the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT), as part of her upper trail clean up. The first phase of the certified forest bathing trail is expected to open before summer. She’s also working on a collaboration with a local chef to offer a Wilderness Tea Experience to guests, combining the luxury of afternoon tea service with a touch of nature and local flair. Debby hopes to have that guest experience online before the end of Summer 2025.
Debby is beyond grateful and knows the damage she incurred at Glamping Wild was minimal compared to many residents of the area.
“We lost all of our stream work and beach features, our road was flooded out and you couldn’t drive up to the domes,” she explains. “Then we lost a lot of trees on our upper ridge – giant oaks, for example, that were hundreds of years old. Those downed trees are littered along the north side of the upper ridge but, luckily, the domes and decks suffered minimal damage.”
Debby also endured another emotional setback in the weeks prior to Hurricane Helene, losing two beloved pups who were by her side all through the building process. But always maintaining her resiliency, she’s still going strong while she prepares to reopen Glamping Wild this month. In other wonderful news, Debby is excited to introduce a new rescue pup! Sure to instantly become the “mascot” for this dog-friendly glampground, sweet “Ziggy” will be spending lots of time onsite this spring, and he’s sure to greet you with lots of wiggles and cuteness if he’s in residence during your visit!
Located in an area affectionately known as the Flatwoods, Glamping Wild is less than an hour drive from Boone and West Jefferson in NC and Mountain City in TN. As a “glamper,” you will enjoy lush hiking and walking trails, relax while sitting by a stream or savor a chance to explore the wetlands preserve.
Each Glamping Wild geodome features a kitchenette and cookware, and there are private fire tables on each deck, as well as a communal fire pit at a stream-side beach, charcoal grill and picnic table. Both indoor games (board games or cards) and outdoor games (corn hole and spike ball) are available for downtime, or simply borrow binoculars or the telescope from the Well House for bird watching or stargazing!
For more information on making this incredible experience your own, visit goglampingwild.com, call 954.261.4352 or email hello@goglampingwild.com. Be sure to follow them on Instagram @glampingwild for updates and plenty of nature photos! Glamping Wild is located in Ashe County at 1421 Flatwoods School Road, Creston, NC. For more information on Lansing’s Bridge to Recovery, please visit their website at lansingbtr.org.
