Although a great loss Has been experienced since the

November 28th fire in the Smokies. 

Buckberry Lodge is very fortunate to have The Woods building to share with our guests until a new rebuild of the restaurant and other buildings lost is complete.

Below is some history about Buckberry – where it all started and what once was. 

For three generations the McLean family owned this beautiful property which consisted of 90 pristine mountainside acres located next to The Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The uninterrupted views of Mount LeConte are breathtaking! Members of the family have enjoyed the sights, sounds and allure of the property for over 70 years and have always wanted to share the natural beauty of their mountain paradise with others.

Over the years, they studied various ways to develop the property while keeping much of the land in its natural state, including the rushing waters of Buckberry Creek, which runs through the property. After having spent time in upstate New York and enjoying the classic “great” lodges in the Adirondacks, as well as the Smoky Mountains’ own Elkmont Community, it was decided to build a small group of buildings reminiscent of the rustic, yet elegant, “Great Camps of America”.

Thus began a labor of love, transporting logs, other structural components and authentic Adirondack antiques from upstate New York. The McLean brothers along with Jeanie Johnson went to great lengths to improve the property, but not take away from its original beauty. The Lodge at Buckberry Creek now sits on 26 of the original 90 acres.

The Lodge at Buckberry Creek has brought the elegance of the “Great Camps” of the Adirondacks

to the pristine beauty of the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. Designed to reflect the retreats created in the Adirondack Mountains over 100 years ago by some of the East Coast’s wealthiest families, Buckberry Lodge pampered guests with the true natural grandeur of the Adirondack architectural style. The Adirondack style that gave birth to the “Great Camps”, involves utilizing unique building materials, such as roughhewed logs and native stones, to create structures that exist in harmony with the surrounding natural environment. In addition, unique and authentic Adirondack-style antiques and design elements graced every suite to surround guests in true rustic elegance. The Lodge at Buckberry Creek was also built with great respect to complementing and preserving the natural beauty of the surroundings, which include views of Mount LeConte and Buckberry Creek.

Interior layouts and decor were developed under the direction of noted designer Jeanie Johnson of Housebones. Buckberry features a host of materials, antique furniture and artifacts gathered from numerous trips to upstate New York, many imported antiques and other items found in North Carolina and Tennessee. New furniture and adornments were commissioned from a variety of respected artists and furniture makers, including Gary Hurd of Blue Mountain Lake, New York and Old Hickory of Shelbyville, Indiana; Old Hickory, in fact, has produced a line of Buckberry furniture designed by Mrs. Johnson. Signature architectural design features include unique fireplaces and gables, plus the Lodge’s dramatic front door treatment, which was considered the crown jewel of Buckberry. The Main Lodge decor was especially notable for a large collection of Scottish memorabilia dating back to the early 1800s, which had been gathered by the McLean family over many generations. Displays included traditional clan dress and military items, keepsakes reflecting the McLean family lineage, plus a Boardroom featuring a heavily carved, Jacobean-style dining set including table, chairs and sideboard – a McLean heirloom going back three generations.