Mountaintop Retreat - central hiking & activities

Summary:

* beautiful 20 minute drive to downtown Chattanooga *



Come as a group & get some breathing space!



The neighborhood is a cluster of 4 cabins centered around a community pavilion. Guests can spend time together, cooking, eating, playing, and relaxing & then retreat to the privacy of their own cabin to recharge.



Between funky design choices, deep colors, and lots of greenery, Talking Water will lift your spirits and bring you back to the basics - friends & family



The Space:

The Songbird Neighborhood is our first social cluster of cabins at the newly created Talking Water Nature Retreat. Talking Water is a family-run business set on 82 private acres, including a mile of creek frontage along Suck Creek.



Since April 2022, our family has been working tirelessly to heal damage caused by decades of irresponsible logging and restore the land better than ever. Part of this effort includes rebuilding hiking trails throughout the property and planting hundreds of native trees to control soil erosion. We love when returning guests notice the thoughtful improvements we’ve made between visits - it’s all part of our commitment to making your stay even better each time!



Our main focus is hosting large groups of up to 26 guests for weddings, family reunions, friend getaways, business retreats, religious or club gatherings, and more. We’ve designed this space to bring people together while still respecting privacy.



The Songbird Neighborhood includes four cabins: Chickadee, Whippoorwill, Goldfinch, and Blackbird. Every cabin features:

- Sleeping for 6-7 guests

- Full indoor bathrooms

- Outdoor hot-water showers (Whippoorwill's shower is available yearlong and the other 3 are available from last frost to first frost)

- Full kitchens with apartment-size fridges and stoves (no dishwashers)

- Outdoor campsite grills with picnic tables

- Comfortable outdoor lounging on patios, porches, and/or decks

- Modern comforts like electric fireplaces, TVs, & Wi-Fi



At the center of the neighborhood is the Songbird Pavilion, a welcoming shared space featuring:

- Outdoor kitchen cabinets

- Electric griddle

- Cold-water Sink

- Firepit with chairs & benches

- Picnic tables

- Nearby kids’ slide and tetherball



Just steps away is the start of our trail system, which winds past the bluffline and leads north to Suck Creek blue holes and south to Prentice Cooper State Forest.



Laundry Room is conveniently available in the nearby garage and is even stocked with board games and puzzles for leisurely recreation.



Guest Access:

Rental of the Songbird Neighborhood includes:

- all four cabins (Chickadee, Whippoorwill, Goldfinch, & Blackbird)

- the community pavilion, including firepit

- the laundry room

- the recreational spaces (hiking trail, slide, tetherball, children's climbing structures)



The Neighborhood:

Talking Water is a dream-turned-reality created by the Sonner-Such family (John & Karen Sonner, Ken Sonner, and James & Bobbie Such).



Together, we’re transforming an 82-acre mud-pit atop Suck Creek Mountain into an evolving sanctuary of living earth, eclecic creativity, and human connection.



We’re nestled in the rural Suck Creek Mountain community surrounded by nature’s best:

🌲 Prentice Cooper State Forest borders our southern end

💧 One mile of Suck Creek flows through our land to the east

🌊 The Tennessee River runs along our road at the base of the mountain



We’re doing our best to honor this powerful land with restoration, quirky charm, and a deep love for people and place.



Getting Around:

You will want a car - or at least a bicycle! It is a 10-12 minute car ride down the mountain to get groceries.



Other Things to Note:

🛏 Sleeping Arrangements – Up to 26 guests

The Songbird Neighborhood can accommodate up to 26 people total. While that’s a snug fit for 26 adults, it works beautifully for families with children or adult groups of 2–4 guests per cabin.



Chickadee Cabin

- King bed (sleeps 2)

- Full futon (sleeps 2)

- Eno hammock hooks for 2 hammocks



Whippoorwill Cabin

- King bed (sleeps 2)

- Full-size sleeper couch (sleeps 2)

- Eno hammock hooks for 2 hammocks



Goldfinch Cabin

- King bed (sleeps 2)

- (2) Full-size sleeper couches (sleeps 2)

- Twin sleeper chair (sleeps 1)

- Eno hammock hooks for 2 hammocks



Blackbird Cabin

- Queen bunk beds (sleeps 4)

- Daybed on the screened-in porch (sleeps 1)

- Eno hammock hooks for 2 hammocks



🐾 Pets

- Pets are welcome with prior approval from the hosts. A pet fee applies per pet per cabin.

- Guests are responsible for any damage and must crate pets when unattended (crates available upon request).

- Please keep pets under control at all times and clean up all waste.

- Note: Pets are not allowed in Blackbird Cabin at this time.



Interaction with Guests:

We, the Sonner-Such family members, work out of the garage office during the day and do most of the cabin cleanings (or, more realistically, we are around the property working on another project). Feel free to say hi or to keep to yourself!