Wilderness Lodge Resort - Lesterville

I just spent three days at Wilderness Lodge with my the sisters and our 89 year old mother. All in all, we had a wonderful time. Our mother has mobility issues, and getting in and out of our cabin was a bit of a challenge... I don't know if other cabins had easier access, but ours required bringing her up/down 9 steps any time we left the cabin. Getting her to the waters edge near our cabin was out of the question, but all Wilderness guests can get a parking pass to Rivers Edge campground, which is much more level. Our mother was not really excited about actually being by the river, so we stayed close to our cabin and just went in shifts, with someone keeping her company in the room while the others enjoyed the water. The setting was very pleasant, we set our beach chairs and floaties in the water under a canopy and we would visit with other tourists as they floated by. The first night we ran into an issue with our sleeping arrangements, due to a housekeeping oversight. It was too late that evening to work it out, but we were able to make due. The housekeeper promptly dealt with it as soon as we made them aware, and the owner went above and beyond to make sure we had no more issues and were satisfied with the rest of our stay. A full breakfast and supper are provided with the reservations, along with a sack lunch. The hot meals were delicious, although some of the portion sizes were impractically large! You definitely get your money's worth of food. Concerning our cabin, it all depends on your expectation. This is a river cabin, not a hotel or spa.The entry which joined the two cabins in our building was quite dark and musty, but when you remember this is a cabin made of reclaimed wood located in the woods on a gravel road next to a river, a little musty and a little dusty is just going to be part of things. Once through the door to our individual cabin, it was acceptably fresh. The decor is cute, we had both a full and a queen bed in the bedroom with vintage quilts, along with other antique furnishings. The living area had a sink, microwave, coffee pot, and mini fridge, a bookcase type cabinet with some books and games, dinette table and 3 chairs, rocker, loveseat/hide-a-bed, leather sofa (this was quite uncomfortable) and coffee table. Some of the furniture was really past it's prime, and had seen better days. A couple pieces really needed replaced. The lighting was very dim in the evenings, brighter bulbs in the ceiling fixtures would have been better for us. There were big windows filling two sides of the room, looking out over the foliage. With the leaves filled out, it was almost like being in a tree house. I would love to see it in the fall. There was a large deck, shared with the other cabin. The resort has an in ground pool that we did not utilize, and they have all the traditional outdoor games expected at resorts. It is my understanding that this resort is under fairly new ownership. While there are many little areas that could be tweaked here and there, overall they are doing a great job. They are very attentive to their guests and I would definitely recommend this resort to anyone looking to unplug and enjoy some peace and quiet. I would visit again.

This was our 2nd time at the Wilderness Lodge resort. Both times our room was clean, the staff were super helpful and friendly, and we enjoyed our time. I have to say that this is definitely the place to “disconnect” from tech (no TV, spotty service) and it’s worth it! We spent several days fishing the Black River, playing games outside or in the rec room, and enjoying nature! Our visit this time was made even more special by Blaine! He talked with us about fishing and even caught some crawdads for us to use as bait! As we found last year, the rooms are not fancy, but they are clean. This year the new mattresses were a big plus—super comfy! We also enjoyed the food at breakfast and dinner as well as the bagged lunches! The Black River cake is delicious!! If you are expecting luxury service and accommodations, this probably isn’t the place for you; however, it is VERY family friendly and most of your time is spent outdoors—fishing/swimming/floating on the river, hiking/walking, or just enjoying nature! We’ll be back for sure!!!!

The cabin was very expensive and not taken care of well. Felt like I was staying in a run down hunting cabin. Definitely not worth the price. The staff was nice and the food was good.

Our Wilderness Weekend couldn’t have gone better! Perfect weather, beautiful scenery, fun outdoor activity, fire pit time, and best friends in the world. There was a big open space where people could set up their own activities or throw ball or frisbee, within sight of the main building or fire pit if parents want to watch kids. The meal times were very comfortably managed and the food was delicious, with the bar/lounge to gather afterwards, warmed by fireplace and friends. Really enjoyed the river, kayaking was my choice but others chose canoes and inner tubes were available for anyone looking to let the river do all the work. The staff was very friendly and responsive to requests. The whole experience was secluded enough to help us unplug from our individual worlds, but comfortable and welcoming enough that we weren’t really “roughing it.”

Great fall weekend at the Wilderness Lodge. Enjoyed the river activities (kayaking swimming), and the outdoor gathering spots were awesome. Everyone who served us meals drinks was super welcoming. Look forward to coming back again.