LAUGHING WATERS RETREAT CENTER

LAUGHING WATERS RETREAT CENTER

Host your event or vacation at our beautiful retreat center

WEDDINGS

WEDDINGS

Plan a special retreat, a wedding, event, or your own personal get away

HICKORY NUT FOREST

HICKORY NUT FOREST

A Sustainable Community surrounded by “forever-wild” mountain forests, soaring cliffs and pristine, cascading streams.

GREEN BUILT HOMES & LOTS

GREEN BUILT HOMES & LOTS

Come build your eco-friendly home in beautiful Southern Appalachians.

HIKING TRAILS & RECREATION

HIKING TRAILS & RECREATION

Enjoy hiking, mountain biking and seasonal activities

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WELCOME TO HICKORY NUT FOREST

Sustainable Living in a community of ​forever-wild ​lands, green-​solar ​homes, ​organic gardens/orchard, and renewable energy from solar and water. Nestled in the beautiful Southern Appalachian Mountains near Asheville, North Carolina.

Green Built Homes & Available Lots

Green Built Homes & Available Lots

Live in a unique sustainable community close to Asheville, NC that combines land conservation, green-built homes, organic gardening and renewable energy from solar and water power.

Gardens & Orchards

Gardens & Orchards

Enjoy our organic gardens and heirloom orchard with 75 old-time apple trees.

Weddings

Weddings

Celebrate your wedding in the gorgeous mountains of Southern Appalachia at the beautiful Laughing Waters Retreat Center.

Renewable Energy

Renewable Energy

Hickory Nut Forest is a Net Zero Energy Community, making more energy from renewable sources than is used.

Recreation

Recreation

Enjoy hiking trails, mountain biking, swimming, herb walks and numerous outdoor activities.

Forever Wild Lands

Forever Wild Lands

Forever wild, protected land surrounds Hickory Nut Forest. We have kept the most special places wild for all to enjoy: the cascading streams, tumbling waterfalls, sheer cliffs, and distant vistas. With over six miles of hiking trails, residents and visitors enjoy the adjoining 800 acres in both Little Bearwallow Mountain and Florence Nature Preserves.

Featured Videos

Laughing Waters

A Bird's Eye View

Spring Flowers

VISITING THE AREA

Hickory Nut Gorge

Hickory Nut Gorge

Hickory Nut Gorge is a magnificent jewel in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Over the eons, the winds and waters have carved this 10-mile granite gorge through spectacular, sheer cliffs. Starting at the Eastern Continental Divide, the tumultuous waters of Hickory Nut Creek cascade for miles over small, beautiful waterfalls and merge into the powerful, boulder-strewn Broad River, before finally coming to rest at Lake Lure.
When in Asheville

When in Asheville

Asheville, one of the most popular towns in the country, is only 25 minutes away. Asheville has become the mecca for arts, music, crafts, and theater. It also has a wonderfully friendly, laid-back, diverse population of people of all ages from all over the world. Here you can find everything you could want in terms of restaurants and dining, culture and arts, a wide variety of entertainment and excellent health care.

RECENT BLOG POSTS

  • It is with a heavy heart I share that the Hickory Nut Gorge has lost its greatest treasure of all: John Myers. A conservationist, rock climber, landowner and dear friend to me and so many, Myers passed away last month at the age of 66......

    29 March, 2018

  • Two local articles were published about Hickory Nut’s new place to hike and climb in Hickory Nut Gorge. At a ceremony Dec. 14 hosted by Conserving Carolina at Myers’ and Lawson’s Laughing Waters Retreat butting up against Bearwallow Mountain, about 130 people turned out to celebrate......

    15 January, 2018

  • Want to live close to nature, eat good food, and live a healthy life? Check out this article in the Vegetarian Times feature Hickory Nut Forest… vegetarian times HNF 2016    ...

    22 August, 2016