Skamania's treehouse getaway offers easy escape

A 'refined rustic' adventure in the gorge awaits visitors

My boys are fascinated by treehouses.

Since they were little, they’ve been constructing forts and hideouts out of cardboard boxes, PVC pipes, pillows and blankets, tents and anything else they can string together. I’m surprised they haven’t suspended a tent in a tree yet.

We’ve also seen almost every episode of the popular show “Treehouse Masters,” in which treehouse expert Pete Nelson and his Fall City, Washington-based crew travel across the country building jaw-dropping custom treehouses that double as spas, kitchens, studios, guest houses and other playhouses for the adults who are reliving their childhood dreams.

So when I heard that Skamania Lodge had opened two new treehouses as an extension of their guest experience, I jumped at the chance to visit.

My boys, now 8 and 11, hardly knew where I was going as I hightailed it out the door, no chance for them to whine about getting left behind on a school night (with their dad).

Skamania is the iconic Pacific Northwest lodge 45 minutes east of Portland in Stevenson, Washington (just over the Bridge of the Gods in Cascade Locks), that rivals any other scenic drive on Earth, along the majestic Columbia River Gorge.

Built 23 years ago, the lodge just completed a major renovation that includes more modern and comfortable updates to the guest rooms, conference room, dining room, spa and other spaces.

The bed was plush, the view from the room was grand, the fireplace was roaring, and the Adirondack chairs on the deck and encircling the firepit were hard to leave.

But then there were the treehouses.

Just a short jaunt downhill from the main lodge, these two structures are not isolated by any means. They’re in a forested area, but just steps from the parking lot, the gravel path leading up to the cluster of structures that includes an automatic start firepit, overlooking part of the lodge’s golf course.

The treehouses are nestled among the trees, but not suspended in them. They’re about 20 feet off the ground on stilts, one of them with an ADA-accessible ramp.

But why aren’t they actually up in the trees? The Douglas firs here are about 450 feet tall, and will likely grow another 100 years, the builders learned as they consulted with Nelson, the Treehouse Master, as well as other experts. If any of the trees were diseased, it could pose a problem for a hotel; it’s also a windy section of the gorge, so they had to worry about risk in their $600,000 investment.

In the end, the decision-makers at the lodge and their parent group, Pebblebrook Trust, decided that suspending the structures in the trees simply was not prudent.

The public hasn’t seemed to mind.

The treehouses opened to their first guests Sept. 7, and there’s been such a buzz that they’re now booked for several months. “The biggest challenge we have is everybody wants to see the doggone thing,” says Todd Gillespie, marketing manager for the lodge. “We’ve had people come up at night and knock, ‘Can I come and check these out?’”

Designed for two people (with one king bed, plus small cots for children that can be rolled out), each treehouse is a spacious 750 square feet, consists of a large room, an enormous bathroom with a spa-like shower, and an outside covered porch with an electric fireplace and seating that overlooks either the meadow or the golf course.

At $399 per night per treehouse, they are spendier than the average hotel room, but are meant for the destination traveler — the bridal party, perhaps, or the corporate retreat, or the couple who wants a unique experience that’s a bit rustic but still very accessible.

After all, there’s no ladder climbing involved, no one need worry about their fear of heights or even being in a remote location. Visitors may order the lodge’s Green Apron service for quick-delivery food and beverages from the dining room during their stay.

“Our goal was to create a special environment,” says Ron Mitchell, the lead architect, who’s designed hotels in 28 countries. “There’s no gingerbread, or little gnomes. It’s simple elegance.” The natural wood frame, black posts (to look like tree trunks in the winter) and dark green roof (to look like a canopy) were thoughtfully chosen.

Inside, Portland-based Ankrom Moisan Architects designed the space with dark painted walls, a faux curtained headboard, Pendleton blankets and a wooden mantel over the fireplace to mirror the coziness of home. When you get tired of gazing out the window, there’s a widescreen TV, a mini fridge for beverages and crystal-clear Wi-Fi to keep on top of world events.

This is hardly roughing it.

And yet — there’s something magical about sleeping amid nature — the crickets singing, the train whistles blowing, and the stars twinkling — no matter whether you’re backyard camping or treehouse glamping.

The lodge plans on adding at least seven more treehouses in clusters around the same part of the property, possibly starting as soon as next spring. Each will take on the feel of a little village, with its own firepit and gathering space, some of which could be dog-friendly and have other unique features like connecting bridges or an outdoor bath.

While you’re here, or anywhere in the gorge, don’t miss out on the hiking, biking, golf, river activities and the Skamania Zip Line, which stretches up to 900 feet throughout the rainforest canopy.

If they’re lucky, visitors to the lodge may even catch a glimpse of Fabio — yes, the long-maned international male model from the 1980s and ‘90s — who purchased 500 acres of land adjacent to the lodge last year, with plans to spend half the year here.

How much more romantic can it get?

For more: www.destinationhotels.com/skamania/accommodations/tree-houses/tree-houses.

@jenmomanderson