Big Meadows Lodge offers naturalist activities and a children's playground, and Byrd Visitor Center, where exhibits illustrate the park's history and the folkways of its former inhabitants, is nearby. The retreat is open from early May through October. Rates are slightly higher in October. For a tranquil experience, you can spend the night in one of the cabins on Lewis Mountain, where rooms have no phones or televisions to disturb the peace. The heated cabins have furnished bedrooms and private baths, with towels and linens provided.
Cooking is done in connecting outdoor areas equipped with fireplaces, grills and picnic tables.
The cabins are open from mid-May through October. Rates are slightly higher in October. If you're game for a bit of backpacking, the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club maintains six cabins and seven three-sided shelters in the backcountry of the park. The shelters, which provide protection from the elements, are along the Appalachian Trail at intervals of 12 to 20 miles. You must have a valid backcountry camping permit for three or more nights.