Much of the wilderness feeling has remained despite the construction of some 900 houses. There are no sidewalks or street lights. Everything is up a hill, down a hill, or on a curve. Deer, bears, geese, wild turkeys, chipmunks, and other animals roam freely. Drivers even have to look out for the occasional turtle crossing the road.
Residents like to tell visitors that no two houses in Smoke Rise are the same.
There are about as many house styles as there are tree varieties. In the eastern section, where the bulk of the houses can be found, colonials, split levels, and ranches nestle neatly amid elm, maple, pine, and other varieties. Each situated on a minimum of 1.3 acres, many of the homes are natural dark colors to better blend in with the surroundings. You drive by and see the gate, or hike around it, but when I went inside, it was not as rich as I thought. It looked like a nice middle-class area that isn't much different than other lake communities, except that it's got the gate.