Viewer Retreat · Columbus Day Weekend 2027

A long weekend at Maple Fork Lodge.

The New River Gorge, the range, and the porch.

October 8–11, 2027 Mount Hope, West Virginia Couples from $1,145 · Singles from $575
Reserve Your Spot — $200 Deposit Not ready? Join the Waitlist
Now booking · $200 deposit holds your room

Room is limited to 8 couples and up to 9 singles, and rooms are assigned in the order deposits come in. The deposit is fully refundable until August 1, 2027. Reserve your spot →

The Idea

Come spend the weekend with us.

Connie and I have taken a lot of you overseas. This one is closer to home. For Columbus Day weekend 2027 we're opening up Maple Fork Lodge, our place in the hills of southern West Virginia, to a small group of Hot Zone viewers.

The plan is simple. One day out in the New River Gorge, right as the leaves turn. An afternoon on the range here on the property for some firearms training, whether you've never fired a pistol or you've been shooting for forty years. The rest of the long weekend is yours: the porch, the fire pit, good meals, and real conversation with people who watch the same news you do.

No agenda you can't skip. No sales pitch. Just a weekend in the mountains.

— Chuck

The Basics

Everything at a glance.

When
Friday, October 8 to Monday, October 11, 2027, Columbus Day weekend. Arrive Friday afternoon, head home Monday morning.
Where
Maple Fork Lodge, Mount Hope, West Virginia, a short drive from the New River Gorge
Hosts
Chuck and Connie Holton
Group size
8 couples and up to 9 singles
Lodging
The main lodge plus the Apple Tree and Acorn cabins, all on the property
Activities
A day in the New River Gorge, firearms training on the property's range, and plenty of downtime
Nearest airport
Charleston, WV (CRW), about an hour's drive
Pricing
$1,395 per couple (private room or cabin) · $1,145 per couple (private room, full-size double bed) · $675 per single · $575 per single in a top bunk. Details below.
Included
Three nights' lodging, every meal at the lodge from Friday dinner through Monday breakfast, firearms training, and the Gorge day
Airport pickup
Optional: $100 per party each way from Charleston (CRW)
To book
Pay your $200-per-person deposit, or join the waitlist if you're not ready yet.
Where You'll Stay

Maple Fork Lodge.

The main lodge is a 9-bedroom, 5-bath log lodge with a two-story stone fireplace, a big open kitchen, and a covered porch that looks out over the pond and the pasture. It has been hosting family reunions and group retreats for years. In October the hills around it go red and gold.

Aerial view of Maple Fork Lodge in autumn: the log lodge, red barn, pond, and surrounding West Virginia hills in fall color
The property in October: lodge, barn, and pond, with the hills turning.
The great room at Maple Fork Lodge: log walls, skylights, exposed beams, and the staircase up to the loft The two-story stone fireplace, dining table, open kitchen, and loft inside the lodge The covered porch with rocking chairs looking out over the pond, pasture, and hills at sunset The open pasture on the property, ringed by hardwood forest

Apple Tree Cabin

A two-bedroom cabin on the property with a mountain view, a full kitchen, and two rockers on the front porch. It sleeps four, so it suits two couples who'd like a little more quiet than the lodge offers.

Apple Tree Cabin lit up at night under a moonlit sky Inside Apple Tree Cabin: the kitchen, living area, and dining table under a pine ceiling The upstairs bedroom at Apple Tree Cabin under the sloped pine ceiling

Acorn Cabin

Our tiny cabin: an 8-by-12 hideaway for one couple, tucked in the trees near the pond. Kitchenette, its own bathroom with a shower, and a double bed in the loft. Fair warning: you reach that bed by ladder.

Acorn Cabin, a tiny wood cabin with a small front porch, surrounded by fall trees The loft bed inside Acorn Cabin, reached by a wooden ladder

Rooms and rates

Prices are for the whole weekend and cover three nights' lodging, every meal at the lodge, firearms training, and the Gorge day.

Couple · private room or cabin
$1,395 per couple. A queen room in the lodge, a bedroom in Apple Tree, or Acorn to yourselves. 6 available.
Couple · private room, full-size double
$1,145 per couple. Your own room downstairs in the lodge with a full-size double bed. 2 available.
Single
$675 per person. A double bottom bunk or a twin in the singles-only loft bunkroom, or a twin in the downstairs twin room. 6 available.
Single · top bunk
$575 per person. Fine with climbing up to a top bunk in the loft? Save $100. 3 available.
Airport pickup
$100 per party each way from Charleston's Yeager Airport (CRW), about an hour from the lodge. We'll set pickup times so you can book flights around them.
Deposit
$200 per person holds your room. Fully refundable until August 1, 2027. Balance due September 1, 2027. Pay your deposit →
Not included
Travel to West Virginia, Saturday lunch in Fayetteville, Bridge Walk tickets, and ammunition for your own firearms

We'll assign rooms and cabins once the group is set. If you have a mobility or health need that affects where you sleep (stairs, ladders, a ground-floor room), tell us on the waitlist form and we'll plan around it.

Draft Schedule

A rough plan for the weekend.

Tentative. We'll firm it up before we open booking. Nothing is mandatory. If you'd rather sit on the porch with a book, do that.

FRIOct 8

Arrive and settle in.

Check in during the afternoon, find your room, and walk the property. Welcome dinner at the lodge, then the fire pit.

SATOct 9

A day in the New River Gorge.

The Gorge is a national park and one of the oldest river valleys on the continent, and mid-October is usually close to peak color. We'll head out together for the day. Options we're looking at include the Bridge Walk on the catwalk beneath the New River Gorge Bridge, the overlooks at Canyon Rim, and lunch in Fayetteville. Back to the lodge for dinner.

SUNOct 10

Church, then the range.

Sunday morning, anyone who'd like is welcome to join us for church. Not coming? Sleep in and enjoy a slow breakfast on the porch. After lunch, firearms training on the range here at the lodge: safety and fundamentals for beginners, drills for the experienced. Group dinner Sunday night.

MONOct 11

Breakfast and the road home.

One more breakfast together, then check out. It's Columbus Day, so most of you won't have to burn a vacation day to drive home.

On the Property

There's a range on site.

  • Training for every level. Never shot before? We'll start with safety and fundamentals. Been at it for years? Bring your gear and we'll run drills.
  • Bring your own firearms if you'd like. Range rules are in effect the whole time.
  • Eye and ear protection required. We'll send the full gear and ammunition list with booking details.
  • Shooting is optional. Plenty of people skip it for the porch, and that's fine.
Reserve Your Spot

Book your room.

We have room for 8 couples and up to 9 singles. A $200-per-person deposit holds your spot, and rooms are assigned in the order deposits come in. Pick your room type at checkout. The deposit comes off your retreat price, is fully refundable until August 1, 2027, and the balance is due September 1, 2027.

Pay Your $200 Deposit

Not ready to commit? Join the waitlist below. It's free, and we'll keep you posted.

Maple Fork Retreat Waitlist

October 8–11, 2027 · Maple Fork Lodge, WV

Questions

Frequently asked.

When is it, exactly?

Friday, October 8 through Monday, October 11, 2027, which is Columbus Day weekend. Plan to arrive Friday afternoon and leave Monday morning.

How much does it cost?

$1,395 per couple for a private room or cabin, $1,145 per couple for a private room with a full-size double bed, $675 per single, or $575 for a single who's fine with a top bunk. That covers three nights' lodging, every meal at the lodge, firearms training, and the Gorge day. A $200-per-person deposit holds your room. It's fully refundable until August 1, 2027, and the balance is due September 1, 2027. Pay your deposit here.

What isn't included?

Getting to West Virginia, Saturday lunch in Fayetteville, Bridge Walk tickets if you do it, ammunition for your own firearms, and the optional airport pickup.

Does joining the waitlist commit me to anything?

No. It's free and you can drop off any time. When we open booking, we'll email you in sign-up order and you decide then.

Can I come by myself?

Yes. There's room for up to nine singles. Singles sleep in the singles-only loft bunkroom or the downstairs twin room. Take a top bunk and you save $100.

Do I have to shoot?

Not at all. The firearms training is there for anyone who wants it. Everything on the schedule is optional.

How do I get there?

Most people drive. If you're flying, the closest airport is Charleston, WV (CRW), about an hour away. We offer a pickup for $100 per party each way, on set pickup times we'll send with booking details. Tick the box on the form if you're interested.

I have a mobility, health, or dietary need.

Put it in the notes on the waitlist form. Some rooms involve stairs, and Acorn's bed is up a ladder, so we'll match you to a room that works.