September 29, 2009Barkwells: A Doggie Dream Come True

I’ve been a little out of it the past week or so. See, weekend before last, our little family took our second annual trip to Barkwells, and I don’t think my mind has come back home.

Barkwells sits nestled in the mountains of North Carolina, just a few minutes from Asheville and the Blue Ridge Parkway. To say that Barkwells is “dog-friendly” doesn’t do it proper justice: Barkwells doesn’t just welcome dogs, but rather was conceived and designed completely for the enjoyment of four-leggers and their people. Dogs are free to roam every inch of Barkwells’ seven fenced acres, and cozy cabins (each outfitted with a hot tub and doggie beds) provide quiet respite for canines and humans alike.

While Barkwells’ grounds are quiet and secluded, they’re just a hop, skip, and a jump from Biltmore Estate and other neighboring attractions. Quite honestly, though, we enjoy the peaceful escape that Barkwells provides and don’t mind spending the majority of our time there just hanging around the cabin and watching the pups enjoy themselves.

There’s a pond for fishin’, divin’, and fetchin’, but truth be told, our two don’t really get too excited about the water. But seven acres of soft grass for top-speed runnin’? Pure doggy bliss.

This year, our trip was dampened by persistent rain showers, which made for a peaceful weekend but unfortunately meant most of the other pups didn’t come out to play. As you might be able to tell from the photos, though, our two didn’t seem to mind at all.

Dottie briefly considers the water:

Mingus checks out the dock and the chicken coop:

When I tell people about Barkwells, they usually have one of two reactions: they either think it sounds a little bit crazy, or they think it sounds a little bit like perfection. If you think it sounds a little bit crazy? Well, you’ve probably stumbled upon the wrong blog. If you think it sounds pretty perfect, I’ll tell you you’re right — but also that you can’t even begin to understand until you go.

I’d say it’s “doggie heaven,” but that phrase has generally been used, erm, to refer to something else. Instead, I’ll just say Barkwells is a doggie’s dream come true.

You can check out other photos and plan your family’s trip at Barkwells’ web site.