National

Host of ‘Treehouse Masters’ designs Gatlinburg rentals for Smoky Mountains visitors

Visitors to the scenic Smoky Mountains can go to sleep high above the forest floor, thanks to unique retreats planned for the area.

Pete Nelson, host of the Animal Planet show “Treehouse Masters,” is bringing his designs to a vacation spot in the Tennessee wilderness, the Norton Creek Resort posted on his website.

The Gatlinburg resort borders Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which is along the North Carolina-Tennessee border. Wildlife officials say it is the most popular national park in the country.

Norton Creek’s eight tree houses will be suspended off the ground and have porches with views of nature, according to recent photos on the building project’s Facebook page.

So when can you stay at the creekside getaway?

The properties should be posted on the rental websites Airbnb and VRBO by the spring, WVLT and other news outlets reported Tuesday.

Nelson is known for creating structures with unique features, including zip lines and secret entrances, the Animal Planet website says.

The TV host’s new floor plans come in six styles that seem a bit more tame, according to renderings from Norton Creek.

This story was originally published December 11, 2019 at 9:36 AM with the headline "Host of ‘Treehouse Masters’ designs Gatlinburg rentals for Smoky Mountains visitors."

Simone Jasper
The News & Observer
Simone Jasper is a service journalism reporter at The News & Observer in Raleigh, North Carolina.
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