8 family-friendly hike-in lodges for a digital detox
Amanda Luhn, Food Drink Life
Americans spend an average of 5 hours and 16 minutes per day on their phones. But there’s no cell service at Charit Creek Lodge in Tennessee, and that’s exactly the point. As more families seek meaningful connections away from screens, slow travel and digital detox vacations become the trend.
Hike-in lodges combine both of those. They’re rustic, hard to reach and off the grid. For many families, that’s not a downside; it’s the draw.
Why families are logging off
According to a 2024 Pew Research report, 90% of adults in the United States own a smartphone, and roughly 4 in 10 say they are on their phone constantly. In response, a rising number of parents embrace digital detoxes and analog travel as part of the growing wellness travel movement.
Luxury home accommodation guide Plum Travel reports a 22% increase in requests for digital detox-friendly homes and a 17% increase in bookings for remote, rural properties. Pinterest reported a 50% increase in searches for quiet places in 2024, as well as increases in searches for national parks and cabins in the mountains. June, officially recognized as Great Outdoors Month, is shaping up to be a peak season for these types of unplugged escapes.
What is analog travel?
Within the overall wellness travel movement, analog travel refers to using pre-digital tools on vacation to help you relax. Think books, arts and crafts projects, vinyl record players, puzzles and board games. The Global Wellness Summit identifies analog travel as a rising trend in 2025 as people continue to look for ways to disconnect from their devices.
8 family-friendly hike-in lodges perfect for a digital detox
More accessible than many remote backcountry huts, these 8 lodges offer a slow-paced and intentionally unplugged vacation in the great outdoors for families. Many provide basic linens as well as dinner and breakfast, making it easier for busy parents to plan and pack for the trip. In addition to hiking, reading and campfire stories, most also stock board games and puzzles for entertainment, fitting in perfectly with the analog wellness trend.
LeConte Lodge, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
Celebrating its 100th birthday this year, LeConte is the only lodge located within the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and is the highest guest lodge in the Eastern U.S. With no electricity and unreliable cell signal atop Mount LeConte, it offers stunning views and space to disconnect.
The 5-mile-long Alum Cave is the shortest of the five trails up to the lodge and is the most popular route, especially for families. Dinner and breakfast are home-cooked and generous, courtesy of the famous llamas that deliver supplies to the lodge three days a week. Get up early to watch the sunrise over the Smokies from Myrtle Point near the lodge before you hike back down.
Charit Creek Lodge, Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, Tennessee
Located in the heart of Big South Fork, Charit Creek Lodge is known for its delicious meals and its peaceful, creekside setting. There is no electricity and no cell signal in its valley location, reached by a short but steep 1.1-mile hike. Efficient wood stoves heat the log cabins in the winter, and the oil lamps provide a welcoming glow for meals. Hike the nearby 4.6-mile Twin Arches Loop Trail to see one of the largest rock arches in the eastern U.S., play in the creek or spend the day relaxing in the screened-in porch of your cabin.
Hike Inn, Amicalola Falls State Park, Georgia
Reached by a 5-mile hike from the trailhead at Amicalola Falls, this eco-friendly lodge features composting toilets, hot showers, family-style meals and breathtaking views. While some visitors might get a cell signal, staff ask visitors not to use phones in common areas to preserve the unplugged atmosphere. Instead of doom scrolling, hike to nearby Springer Mountain, the official start of the Appalachian Trail, or grab a board game or puzzle in the Sunrise Room.
Lakes of the Clouds Hut, Mount Washington, New Hampshire
Operated by the Appalachian Mountain Club, this backcountry hut sits 3 miles up Mount Washington and is reached by a short but strenuous trail. The views are spectacular, with nearby alpine lakes and trail access to the summit. Meals are cooked by the famous croo staff, who also host daily programs. Warm blankets are provided, but you’ll need your own sleeping bag and be prepared to pack out your trash.
Opus Hut, San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Perched in the San Juan Mountains, Opus Hut is a solar-powered, European-style backcountry hut. It provides breakfast and dinner, plus limited solar electricity. In winter, it’s popular with backcountry skiers. In summer, families hike to one of four alpine lakes within 2 miles. Best of all? The hike to Opus is just a quarter-mile from the parking area during the summer months.
Sperry Chalet, Glacier National Park, Montana
Of the two backcountry lodges located in Glacier National Park, Sperry Chalet is the more full-service option. Rebuilt after a 2017 fire, the lodge serves three meals to its visitors and affords panoramic views from its mountain-top perch. It is 6.7 miles and 3,300 feet of elevation gain from the trailhead to reach the lodge, but it is doable for families with older kids. The rooms have no heat or electricity, but bed linens with plenty of warm blankets are provided. Most people spend their time out on the trail or in the toasty dining room with its wood stove.
Paradise Lodge, Rogue River, Oregon
The only lodge on this list that you can also reach by river travel, Paradise Lodge is a secluded retreat on the Rogue River. Paradise offers solar-powered electricity in their cabins, chef-driven meals and a solid Oregon wine selection. Get there by foot on the 4-mile-long trail, book a river raft adventure or a jet boat ride with a local outfitter. Wi-Fi is limited, and cell service is almost nonexistent, which is just the way guests like it.
Muir Trail Ranch, Sierra Nevada mountains, California
Located along its namesake trail, Muir Trail Ranch has natural hot springs, plenty of hiking trails and a nearby river to explore. This horse ranch also offers pack trips through the surrounding Sierra Nevada mountains. To reach the lodge, a ferry takes you across a lake to a 5-mile hike. There is no cell service in this remote spot, just mountains, trails and total unplugging. Bring your own sleeping bag, but pillows, quilts and hearty meals are provided.
Conclusion
Step away from the screens and into an adventure in the great outdoors this year with a trip to a family-friendly hike-in lodge. Spend your time connecting with each other while you disconnect from the hustle and bustle of daily life at a unique, off-the-grid escape.
Amanda Luhn is a nationally syndicated travel writer living in East Tennessee with her family, where hiking, kayaking and camping are some of their favorite activities, besides watching the Vols play. She writes about their adventures in her blog, Knoxville Backyard & Beyond.
Originally Published:
link
