Outdoors Latest

Wunderland Resort opens in Old Fort

The Wunderland Resort is an eco-friendly lodging desination. Fiasco Media photos

On the outskirts of downtown Old Fort, along the quaint Curtis Creek Road, is the entrance to Wunderland Resort — a brand new “immersive nature retreat” for folks passionate about the outdoors and wellness.

“These days, [I’m] asking these kinds of things — how can we have a deeper appreciation for life, unplug from our ‘connected’ world, get and stay healthier and generally feel more alive?” said Wunderland owner Shawn Verbrugghe. “Mine is simple, to create amazing experiences and promote sustainability to make our world a cleaner, safer and more enjoyable place to be.”

The 35-acre property houses an array of lodging options, from themed glamping pods to villas, van/RV pads to primitive campsites. All of which is alongside several amenities: spring-fed swimming pond, cold plunge, sauna, community kitchen, fire circle, event space, private family-style bathrooms and much more. Group offerings also can include yoga classes, guided hikes and off-site excursions.

“My hope is that our guests literally feel a sense of wonder when they arrive. My goal is to invisibly guide them —through intentional art and spatial design — to more deeply connect, play and feel more alive while they’re with us,” Verbrugghe said. “I hope people walk away with a renewed sense of well-being, a deeper appreciation for staying in nature and maybe even a notion to live a simpler, more sustainable and unplugged life.”

With a “pick your own adventure book” kind of mentality, Wunderland provides a seemingly endless platform for disappearing into all aspects of Mother Nature here in our backyard of Western North Carolina — whether on the property itself or merely wandering around to nearby havens for hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, trail running and more.

“We’re coining it ‘Nature’s playground for your soul,’” Verbrugghe said of the resort’s appeal. “My biggest takeaway right now is that people truly love it. Our story and the intentionality that’s gone into the design and build has literally brought people to tears right in front of me.”

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For Verbrugghe, Wunderland is the culmination of “a lifetime of learning and trying to understand how the world works and really getting to know myself.” Over the last 15 years, he has worked professionally in areas aimed at reversing climate change. On the side of all that, he has continued to develop unique experiences for people, including The Conundrum, a former immersive escape room in Asheville, and also the Amazing Pubcycle tours in the city.

“When we moved to Asheville, I knew I would someday create a sustainable community. [But, I] just wasn’t sure how or when — it always seemed overly daunting to me,” Verbrugghe reflected. “Then it happened, a week before we knew what COVID was, the big corporation I worked with for six years canned half our team, including me. It was a blessing. I knew I wouldn’t go back into that world, but I had no clue what I was going to do.”

Thus, Verbrugghe began a deep dive down the rabbit hole of sustainability practices. Regenerative agriculture. Septic/waste composting. Syntropic food forestry. Conscientious land development. AI-based industrial energy solutions. Commercial heat recapture systems. Hydrogen battery solutions. On and on.

“While looking carefully for the right one to plug into that fit my lifestyle, experience and interest, I built energy efficient houses and learned a good bit about the short-term rental market here. All the while I continued learning, teaching and promoting the awareness of sustainability for businesses,” Verbrugghe said.

At that juncture, Wunderland started to come into focus, this avenue of possibility that would finally bridge Verbrugghe’s varied passions, skillsets and experiences. In 2025, the hopeful vision has become a tangible reality.

“This process has been completely transformational for me and quite humbling. I could think of no better way to melt my passions and drivers into something that gives back in a major way,” Verbrugghe said. “The fact that I get to utilize my love and understanding of sustainable building, experiential design, outdoor adventure, preserving nature and its resources is an honor. This project [is] something truly unique. I feel blessed for this opportunity.

With “Phase One” of Wunderland completed and booking now underway, there are two more phases soon to come to fruition. “Phase Two” will be a ridge-top overlander sit with mountain views “designed for off-road vehicles [incorporating] an optional bouldered access road for true 4x4 enthusiasts.” For “Phase Three,” a handful of “hobbit style” villas will be constructed.

Fiasco Media photo

“I spent two years researching the industry to find out what the gaps were and what people are seeking — privacy, unique stays and improved sustainability were the top three,” Verbrugghe noted. “The bolt-on to those was to have an outdoor event space that can accommodate overnight stays, like weddings, retreats and business meetings. [And] we’ve done our best to shine on all of these and will continue to make [it] more accommodating for larger groups. ”

As a long-time tour operator, Verbrugghe is well-versed is “going above and beyond” when it comes to someone’s immersion in a unique, enriching experience. For him, it’s not only about the notion that “a place or experience heightens people senses and [creates] deeper emotion,” it’s also about having a genuine attitude of gratitude and a pure intent of self in doing so.

“Watching people interact with the space and each other on the property is utterly surreal,” Verbrugghe said. “It’s such a gift to see and honor to be part of. I’m truly grateful that our work here is translating into something people can actually feel.”

Want to go?

An immersive nature retreat featuring upscale lodging, wellness amenities and sustainable adventure, the Wunderland Resort is located at 448 Curtis Creek Road in Old Fort.

Wunderland offers luxury forest villas, element glamping pods, as well as tent and vehicle campsites. Onsite amenities include an outdoor fireplace, fitness center, bathhouse, picnic area, bicycle rentals, high-speed Wi-Fi, sauna, locker rooms, minimarket/convenience store and much more. The property also has accessible parking and wheelchair access.

For more information and/or to book your stay, visit wunderlandresort.com, call 828.419.4632 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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