Some places call to you before you even know their name.

In 2021, we visited Cook Forest for the very first time. We didn't know the trails yet. We didn't know the river bends or the back roads. But we knew something about this place felt different — quieter, deeper, steadier. A few months later, Sara stumbled upon a vague Craigslist ad for "land near Cook Forest." We drove out to look, not expecting anything magical.

Then we turned the curve on Route 66.

And there it was — the old red motor lodge tucked into the pines.

Sara recognized it instantly.

"I've driven past this place before," she said.

It felt less like discovering something new and more like remembering something familiar.

We purchased the land that day.

A few months later, the motel itself came back on the market.

We took it as a sign — a nudge from the forest.

The inn was meant to be ours.

What we bought in 2022 was a shuttered 1970s motor lodge surrounded by nine acres of tall pines. What we saw was the beating heart of a new adventure — a place where nostalgia could meet comfort, where families could gather, where tired people could rest.

We rolled up our sleeves and rebuilt the rooms piece by piece:

• Custom oak and cherry wood vanities

• Vessel sinks with waterfall faucets

• Retro mini fridges

• Nectar mattresses (the #1 thing guests rave about)

• Kantha quilts for color & comfort

• Curated vintage wall art

• Magic Eight Balls in every room

• Forest-inspired details throughout

Two design styles emerged naturally — the moodier Forest Side and the airy Sky Side — each named after the wildlife that lives in the woods around us.

We renovated two cabins as well:

River Otter Cottage, a 1950s riverside hideaway with no WiFi and a porch where you can watch eagles drift by.

Owl House Cabin, a spacious retreat that sleeps 8–10, with a large screened-in porch overlooking a meadow where deer wander at dusk.

Cook Forest Inn is not a corporate creation.

It's not a hotel chain.

It's two people who love this forest, two kids who run barefoot in the summer, and a dog who believes he is head of guest relations.

We built this place so guests could breathe again — really breathe — and remember the parts of life that matter. Fire pits. Hammocks. Morning coffee outside. Deer in the meadow. Stars you forgot you could see. Long talks. Slow walks. The stillness of tall pines.

Our motto is simple:
This land chose us. Now we get to share it with you.

Welcome to the forest.
Welcome to Cook Forest Inn.