While the cabins themselves are full of charm and comfortability, guests of The Village have access to a multitude of beautifully landscaped common areas. Directly over the river is a large riverside dock, riverside pavilion, and small bathhouse with toilets.The dock and riverside pavilion are both very popular with guests, as they offer a serene open-air environment, tucked away in the forest, where guests can relax, drop-in tubes, swim, fish, etc. The riverside pavilion is can be rented out for private events like weddings & family reunions.
Welcome Valley is nestled at the gateway of the Great Smoky Mountains, so the area boasts the outdoor wonders of the Southern Appalachian Mountains, but is perfectly accessible to people in nearby cities like Chattanooga, Atlanta, Knoxville, etc. By being located in Benton, TN, the Woodlands is bordered on all sides by state parks and lakes, yet it encompasses prime real estate, right alongside the area’s most illustrious attraction, the Ocoee River.
The Cherokee National Forest, where Benton is specifically located, is made up of a concentration of state parks and lakes. Parks and lakes will always attract tourists of all ages, but the Ocoee river offers something truly special. The Ocoee is known far & wide for its 3 mile stretch of world class rapids, partly because of the international attention it received during the 1996 Olympic Canoe and Kayak competition. Outdoor enthusiasts, families, and various groups flock to the Ocoee every year to traverse its class 2-4 rapids.There are only four destinations for white water rafting in the Southeast and the next closest is in Western North Carolina, which is another 1.5 hours down the windy roads of Hwy 74. The immensity of the Ocoee river as a local and regional attraction is evidenced by the sheer concentration of rafting companies located off Hwy 74. The nearby Hiwassee is a milder mountain river, perfect for younger adventurers who are not yet ready to graduate to the Ocoee, and again, just up the road is the popular Nantahala river for more leisure paced rafters.
