Earthshine Lodge

What Earthshine Lodge does

Earthshine Lodge is a privately held mountain resort and outdoor education destination situated on a 76-acre property at approximately 3,000 feet elevation in Lake Toxaway, North Carolina, bordering Pisgah National Forest and proximate to Gorges State Park, Nantahala National Forest, and DuPont State Forest. The company was originally founded in 1989 as an outdoor education center, closed in 2018, and was purchased in 2019 by new owners led by Owner & Founder Anna Bracco. Earthshine operates a Main Lodge with 8 queen-bedded rooms (each with loft twin beds and private bath, accommodating up to 6 per room) and a separate Sunrise Cottage with 3 rental units, for a total stated sleeping capacity of 46 guests.

Name

Earthshine Lodge

Legal name

Earthshine Lodge

Website

https://earthshinenc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Earthshine Lodge is a privately held mountain resort on a 76-acre property in Lake Toxaway, NC, offering all-inclusive overnight stays, adventure activities, themed retreats, weddings, and outdoor education programs for families, corporate groups, and schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mountain Lodge and Outdoor Adventure Hospitality

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Mountain & Alpine Lodges (THAGAIAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Snow & Mountain Unique Stays (Chalets, Ski Cabins) (THAMADAL), Mountain & Wilderness Lodges (THAAAHAE), Mountain & Adventure All-Inclusive Resorts (THAGAKAH)

Keywords

• Mountain lodge accommodations
• Outdoor education programs
• Adventure activity experiences
• All-inclusive vacation packages
• Wedding and event venues

Headquarters

HQ city

Lake Toxaway

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. All-Inclusive Stays: Overnight accommodations bundled with meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and activities. Priced per person per night with tiered rates for adults and children. Primary revenue driver during summer months and holiday weekends.
2. Room/Cottage Rentals: Standalone lodging accommodations available during bed & breakfast season (Memorial Day to Labor Day). Main Lodge has 8 rooms; Sunrise Cottage has 3 units. Bookable individually or for exclusive property use.
3. Activity Bookings: Individual activity reservations including llama hikes ($45), blacksmithing workshops ($109+), archery, creek hikes, and day passes. Open to both lodge guests and general public.
4. Event Hosting: Exclusive property rentals for weddings, corporate retreats, family reunions, and group events. Includes venue, catering, accommodations, and optional activity programming.
5. Gift Shop/Certificates: Gift certificates and gift shop products. Certificates available for stays, llama hikes, and blacksmithing experiences in various denominations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Earthshine Lodge operates a 76-acre mountain resort in Lake Toxaway, North Carolina offering overnight accommodations in an 8-room Main Lodge and 3-unit Sunrise Cottage, bundled with all-inclusive meal and activity packages. The property delivers adventure activities (llama hikes, blacksmithing, archery, creek hikes, climbing wall, yoga), themed retreats (writing, fly fishing, wellness, photography, artists residency), outdoor education programs for school groups, and exclusive-use event hosting for weddings, corporate retreats, and family reunions.

Product overview

Earthshine Lodge is a mountain resort offering a portfolio of hospitality services centered around its Main Lodge (8 rooms) and Sunrise Cottage (3 units) accommodations. The core offerings include All-Inclusive Mountain Getaways with themed weekends (Galentine's Day, Firefly Magic, Summer Family Camp, Labor Day, Leaf Lookers, Appalachian Christmas) and Themed Retreats (Writing, Fly Fishing, Wellness, Photography, Artists Residency). Adventure Activities range from Llama Hikes, Blacksmithing & Brews, Archery & Axes, Creek Hikes & Gem Mining, Yoga, Climbing Wall, Paint and Sip, to Pioneer/Cherokee Hands-on History experiences. The property serves as a wedding venue with exclusive use rental for family reunions, corporate events, and retreats. Outdoor Education Programs for school groups include Discovery, Earth Explorers, and Explore Appalachia curricula. Summer Day Passes offer day-time camp experiences without overnight stay. The 76-acre property borders Pisgah National Forest in Lake Toxaway, NC.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Main Lodge Accommodations An 8-room mountain lodge built from original wood on the property in 1990, featuring stone fireplaces, antler chandeliers, and private rooms each with a queen bed, loft with twin beds, private bathroom, and balcony. Each room accommodates up to 6 people and serves as the core overnight accommodation for all-inclusive stays.
• Sunrise Cottage Accommodations A three-unit renovated farmhouse cottage approximately 100 yards from the Main Lodge, comprising East Cottage (2 bunk beds, full kitchen), Center Cottage (pull-out couch, mini kitchenette), and West Cottage (bunk beds, private deck with sunset views). Pet-friendly with a $25 per night fee.
• All-Inclusive Mountain Getaways All-inclusive stay packages including lodging, three daily meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner), and activities. Features themed weekends such as Galentine's Day, Firefly Magic, Summer Family Camp, Labor Day Weekend, Leaf Lookers, and Appalachian Christmas. Adult rates at $225 per night and children (ages 4-18) at $175 per night, with two-night minimum stays and children 3 and under free.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 250 waterfalls accessible within the region
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Headwaters OutfitterscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 April 2026World-renowned fly fishing guide service located minutes from Earthshine Lodge. Partners on Spring and Fall Fly Fishing Retreats providing guided fishing instruction, equipment, and expertise. Guides have 25+ years experience fishing locally and internationally. Ratio of one guide to two guests ensures personalized instruction. Non-fishing guests can enjoy lodge amenities during fishing activities.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Ridgecrest Conference Center: Ridgecrest is a large established retreat and conference facility in Black Mountain, NC, with on-site lodging, dining, and team-building programming. A broader incumbent in the same WNC retreat/conference space, though more focused on faith-based and corporate conferences.
• Old Edwards Inn and Spa: Old Edwards Inn is a luxury mountain resort in Highlands, NC, offering upscale lodging, dining, and curated experiences including outdoor activities. A broader incumbent operating in the same luxury mountain hospitality category across Western NC, though at much higher price point and scale.
• Nantahala Outdoor Center: Nantahala Outdoor Center is the largest outdoor adventure resort and outfitter in WNC (Bryson City, NC), offering lodging, rafting, and multi-activity packages. Comparable as a regional adventure-lodging concept though at significantly larger scale and broader scope.

Direct peers

• Sourwood Inn: Sourwood Inn is a mountain bed-and-breakfast in Candler/Hendersonville, NC, offering rustic-luxury accommodations, on-site dining, and outdoor activity curation. Highly comparable boutique mountain lodging concept in the same WNC region.
• YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly: YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly is a conference and retreat center in Black Mountain, NC, offering lodging, meals, and structured adventure/outdoor education programming. Directly comparable to Earthshine's outdoor education and group retreat model.
• Fire Mountain Lodge: Fire Mountain Lodge is a small mountain lodge in the WNC region offering rustic accommodations and outdoor adventure packages. Comparable as a boutique adventure-focused lodging operator with similar target customer profile.
• The Swag: The Swag is a Relais & Châteaux-affiliated luxury mountain lodge in Waynesville, NC. Comparable to Earthshine as a high-end wilderness lodge in Western NC focused on hospitality and outdoor recreation experiences at premium price points.
• The Greystone Inn: The Greystone Inn is a historic lakefront mountain inn located on Lake Toxaway - the same lake as Earthshine Lodge. Directly comparable as a Western NC mountain inn offering lodging with on-site dining and curated guest experiences in the same micro-market.

Others

• Headwaters Outfitters: Headwaters Outfitters is a fly fishing guide service in Rosman, NC, that partners with Earthshine Lodge on fly fishing retreats. An ecosystem partner rather than direct competitor - comparable only as an enabling regional outdoor recreation operator.

Regional players

• Wildwater Ltd: Wildwater is a long-established WNC rafting and adventure outfitter based in the Chattooga River region. Compares as a regional outdoor adventure operator with lodging-adjacent offerings in the same WNC geography, though more focused on water-based activities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EarthshineNC
• Facebookfacebook.com/EarthshineNC
• Instagraminstagram.com/earthshinelodge
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/earthshine-lodge

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Earthshine Lodge