A Quiet Cabin in the Hills: Cherry Ridge Retreat

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NEW PLYMOUTH, Ohio: Some places sell activities. Cherry Ridge Retreat sells the lack of them.

The retreat is eight cabins spread across more than 140 acres of private forest near New Plymouth, at the edge of the Hocking Hills and a short drive from Lake Hope State Park. Each cabin sits on its own site, well off the road, and every one of them comes with quiet as the main amenity: private hot tubs, woods in every direction, and in October, the fall color that draws people to this part of Ohio in the first place.

The cabin guests ask about most is The Observatory, set on a hilltop above rolling pasture. It has private hiking trails, a cold plunge pool and a telescope for the night sky, and it has become a favorite for honeymoons, anniversaries and birthdays. The family behind the retreat says guests use it both ways, out on the trails and in the woods by day, and watching the sky after dark, often with nowhere else they need to be.

The food and extras lean local on purpose. Add-on packages are built from area makers and small businesses: charcuterie boxes, locally made meads, s’mores boxes, celebratory cakes, seasonal flower bouquets, handcrafted chocolates and private chef experiences. The idea, the family says, is that a stay should give guests a taste of Appalachia and introduce them to the people and flavors of southeast Ohio, not just a room in the woods.

The retreat has also been named a nominee for Select Registry honors, recognition the family connects to how they care for the property. They talk about the land the way farmers talk about a home place: the forest, the pastures, the wildlife and the night sky are the product, and protecting them protects the business. Comfort paired with connection, they call it, and hospitality paired with stewardship.

Fall weekends are the busy season, and the retreat fills with couples looking for a romantic escape and families looking for room to spread out. Either way, the routine is the same: soak in the hot tub, walk the trails, watch the leaves, and let the quiet do the work.

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