★ A treetop safari tent built for two, where the fireflies put on a show.
Firefly is a canvas safari tent perched on a private deck in the treetops at Elk Hollow, one of the more secluded spots on the property. In the summer, fireflies drift through the trees at dusk, which is exactly how it earned its name. Birdsong, swaying treetops, and the Smokies in the distance the rest of the year.
This is glamping, not camping. The walls are canvas, but the comforts aren’t: a full kitchen, a spa-style bath, heat and AC, WiFi, and keyless entry. You’ll fall asleep to soft mountain sounds through the screened windows, which is the point.
The bath is the slow-down room. A private hot tub on the deck looks into the mountains, and inside there’s a spa-style soaking tub with a walk-in rainfall shower. Soak under the stars, soak out of the weather, soak twice in a day.
🛋️ INSIDE
➝ Open, airy studio layout with a signature yellow door and playful firefly details
➝ Cozy sitting area, Smart TV, and a dedicated workspace
➝ Glass French doors that open to the forest
➝ Full kitchen: refrigerator, dishwasher, gas range, oven, table for two
➝ WiFi, heat + AC year-round, in-unit washer + dryer
🛏️ WHERE YOU’LL SLEEP
➝ Rustic barnwood king bed with wraparound screened windows
➝ Spa-style indoor soaking tub with a privacy curtain
➝ Walk-in rainfall shower and vanity
★ Guests call the bed and bedding some of the most comfortable they’ve slept in
🌲 OUTSIDE
➝ Expansive wraparound deck, elevated among the trees
➝ Private hot tub with mountain views, open year-round
➝ Fire pit for starlit evenings
➝ Gas grill (steaks-and-stargazing is the guest move here)
➝ Covered seating area, so a rainy evening still works
➝ String lights overhead, and fireflies through the trees in summer
♥ WHO IT’S FOR
Couples. Anniversaries, honeymoons, a fiancé weekend, or a quiet escape off the grid. It sleeps two and is secluded by design, so it’s a getaway, not a party house. First time staying in a tent? Guests tell us this is the one that changes their mind.
🚗 GETTING HERE
The access road is steep with a turn along the way, so we recommend an AWD or 4WD vehicle, especially in rain. Some guests make it in a 2WD, and there’s a lower parking spot with a short uphill walk if you’d rather not drive the top. It’s the trade for how private and elevated the tent feels, and our on-site team is quick to help if the drive gives you any trouble. Five minutes from downtown Bryson City, right by the Deep Creek entrance to the Smokies.
➳ GOOD TO KNOW
It’s a canvas safari tent, so you’ll hear the rain, the birds, and a bit more of the outdoors than a cabin. There are about nine steps to enter, six at the front and three at the back. Below the tent, a trail winds through the trees with swings, bridges, and an arbor to explore. It’s glamping with a full kitchen, spa bath, and heat and AC, not roughing it, but the canvas and the steps are real and worth picturing before you book.
