Cherokee Lodge in Crossville, Tennessee

[Camper]

Trip Report from Summer, 2010

Cherokee Lodge and Resort in Crossville, Tennessee has been my favorite summer escape since I attended my first nudist gathering there several years ago.  Since then, Cherokee has constructed new facilities, hosted regional and national conventions and experienced its fair share of ups and downs, including a short-lived change in ownership and a brief closure. Rather than evidence of instability, the ongoing evolution of Cherokee is a testament to the resilience of authentic nudist values and the possibility of expansion to new and diverse audiences. Many resorts seem to stagnate, the established members defining the club so rigidly as to inadvertently exclude newcomers and stamp out fresh growth.  Other resorts surrender to financial considerations and quietly (or openly) welcome swingers and host sexually-titillating activities.

Owner Danny Davis and wife Donna have always been reliable champions of the family-oriented nudist ideology, quietly maintaining their club's commitment to traditional nudism with little regard to the temptation to make more money or build larger crowds by altering their ideals. As a result, there is something quite interesting happening at Cherokee, a subtle trend that may be overlooked by the casual observer, but a development that is quite profound for anyone concerned about the future of the nudist movement: Cherokee is becoming a destination for first-time nudists.

This summer's crowds have been extraordinarily different than any I have encountered at this or any other club. Young families and students seem to blend effortlessly with the retirees. A twenty year-old and an eighty year-old exchange college experiences. An elderly couple passes by a young woman pushing a stroller. There are fresh faces and first-time visitors every weekend. Each of these newcomers to nudism appears to have sought out Cherokee as a means of escaping the technology and the gadgets and the traffic jams and all the other complexities of everyday life that rob us of our humanity. No thrill seekers.  No hidden agendas. These are people who simply needed to walk around lakes and swat away mosquitoes and experience something real in a world that is becoming increasingly "virtual."

After being out of operation for a couple of summers, Cherokee is back, and it is most definitely rebuilding, attracting a entirely new set of members with the same old-fashioned ideals that made it a great club to begin with. When you visit Cherokee, you aren't simply paying to use the grounds for a day, you are being welcomed into a terrific and fascinating family, a family that is always open to new members.

[Bobbert]

They are on Facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cherokee-Lodge-Resort/142004509152309?sk=info

[Baseballfan]

No website aparently.

[Camper]

I'm actually working on that...

[Camper]

The all-new Cherokee Lodge website is up and running.  I'm still working out a few bugs, but...

http://www.cherokee-lodge.com

[katamari22]

I am thinking about having a trip there one weekend this summer. Is there any events that you recommend that I should visit for?

Also do you have any info on the rental bikes?

[Camper]

Memorial Day weekend is usually the biggest weekend of the season.  Most Saturdays are pretty busy.  I'll ask about the bike rentals.  I'm there all the time, so let me know if you need more info!

I'm helping them find some bands to play on weekends, so I hope it will be a fun summer.

[rarivera]

This looks like a great place. I'm planing to move to Nashville Tennessee after I graduate in 2013, so this would be great to check out. I really like their professionalism and rules of conduct. Thanks for the great find and post.

[Camper]

It's really a labor of love by a neat Native American family.  (Hence the name.)  They are very welcoming of young folks and singles, because they know the future of nudism depends on bringing in new blood.  This weekend should be a lot of fun.  I hope some of you all can make it!

[katamari22]

Sadly I wont be there this weekend but I am planning to visit for a weekend in June(11th or 18th). Thanks for the info.

[Camper]

Here are some upcoming Cherokee Lodge events, including what may be the only Nude Recreation Week event that includes both a pig roast and an Elvis impersonator.  I'm a vegan, but hey.


June 11: Crawfish & Shrimp Boil
 
The crawfish boil is a traditional southern Louisiana social event!  Our crawfish and shrimp will be boiled outside in a large pot and served with new red potatoes and corn on the cob.  There will be plenty of cold beer and Zydeco music, and a themed DJ dance will follow.
 

June 18-19: Skinny Dipper Weekend
 
Challenge your friends to a game of water volleyball.  Relax by the pool or lounge by the lake.  Every day is an adventure at Cherokee!  We’ll have music and dancing at the pavilion Saturday night. What are you waiting for?
 
 
June 25-26: Trailblazer Weekend
 
The World Naked Bike Ride will take place in major cities across the northern hemisphere in June. It seems like the perfect time to bike Cherokee's 9-mile trail! We even have a couple of rental bikes. If exercise isn’t your thing, you can always work on your tan by the pool! There will be a dance in the lodge on Saturday night.
 
 
July 2: Elvis Tribute Show
 
Now in its 36th year, Nude Recreation Week™ is an annual celebration sponsored by The Naturist Society. We’ll celebrate Nude Recreation Week with a traditional Cochon de Lait festival, featuring a Cajun pig roast.  The pig is roasted in the ground and served with baked beans, potato salad and cold beer.  The big event will be a live show by one of the nation's premier Elvis tribute artists!  Norm performed at Cherokee in 2007 and has performed at Elvis Week in Memphis and at Elvis tribute shows in Las Vegas!
 
 
July 30: Catfish Fry
 
The legendary Cherokee Catfish Fry is back!  We’ll fry catfish outside in a cast iron kettle, and serve it up with hush puppies, cole slaw, French fries and cold beer.  A DJ dance will follow.
 
 
August 4-7: World's Longest Yard Sale
 
Stretching from Hudson, Michigan to Gadsden, Alabama along the Highway 127 corridor, the World’s Longest Yard Sale is headquartered right here on the Cumberland Plateau.  We’re minutes from Highway 127 and a perfect place to stay for a weekend of antique hunting! 
 
 
August 20: Country Vittles Cookout
 
Your choice of fried chicken or meatloaf, served with mashed potatoes, green beans, pea salad and corn bread.  We’ll have bluegrass music and a DJ dance.
 
 
September 3: Old Timers Day
 
Grind corn with a hit and miss engine and enjoy soup beans cooked outside in a cast iron kettle, along with corn bread, corn fritters and onions.  A DJ dance will follow.  Overalls are optional!
 
 
September 24: Cherokee Chili Cookoff
 
Bring your best recipe to Cherokee’s annual Chili Cookoff.  We’ll be cooking chili and cornbread outside in a black kettle.  Best recipe wins two weekends of free ground fees, and the runner up wins 1 free weekend.  A DJ dance will follow.

[katamari22]

I am planning to visit the weekend of june 25-26. fun fun fun!

[Camper]

I met with the owners today, and they have a cool offer for newcomers- a free one-day pass for first-time visitors.  This doesn't include lodging or food, but you can visit all day for free if you've never been to the resort before.

[Danee]

It's really a labor of love by a neat Native American family.  (Hence the name.)  They are very welcoming of young folks and singles, because they know the future of nudism depends on bringing in new blood.  This weekend should be a lot of fun.  I hope some of you all can make it!

Then, they get something most AANR clubs do not.  I bow to them!

[Camper]

I think a lot of clubs make the mistake of growing comfortable with their existing membership, wrongly believing that newcomers will somehow disrupt the club’s integrity.  Rejecting young people or singles based on stereotypes and misconceptions is little better than an employer making hiring decisions based on gender or skin color. 

I think my support of this club began the moment I nervously pushed the intercom button at the gate years ago.  There was no interrogation, no warnings about what would get me kicked out.  The smiling office manager welcomed me, handed me a map and told me to enjoy my day.  Perhaps more clubs could thrive if they took such an approach…