Entire home

Historic Lodge on Private Campground

Photo gallery for Historic Lodge on Private Campground

Exterior
Exterior
Terrace/patio
Interior
Living area

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional
3 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 9

Popular amenities

  • Parking available
  • Fireplace
  • Outdoor space
  • Barbecue grill
  • Kitchen
  • Air conditioning

Explore the area

View map
Athens, TX
  • Henderson County Fairgrounds
    ‪3 min walk‬
  • Athens Fish and Game Club Lake
    ‪2 min drive‬
  • Trinity Valley Community College
    ‪8 min drive‬
  • Tyler, TX (TYR-Pounds Regional)
    ‪45 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 9)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Double Murphy Bed and 1 Single Bed

Bedroom 3

1 Single Bunk Bed and 1 Double Bed

1 bathroom

Bathroom

Spaces

Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Separate dining area
Garden

About this property

Historic Lodge on Private Campground

Come stay in the historic Underwood Lodge, built in the 1920s, and conveniently located outside Athens, Texas, on a beautiful, private, non-profit church camp surrounded by towering pine trees and serene private lakes.

You'll get an excellent opportunity to get away from it all and take a step back in time, while staying close to city amenities.

The Underwood Lodge, built in the 1920s, is full of history and character. Many of the furnishings are original and/or antique and we strive to maintain the charm of the space while providing guests with updated amenities so they are as comfortable as possible. Each bedroom has a window A/C unit, ceiling fan, and space heater and there is a working antique heater in the living room along with the original fireplace.

The home is rustic, antique, and beautiful. We recommend spending the day outside enjoying our private campground. It covers a total of 534 mostly undisturbed acres, so you can expect to see some local wildlife. We routinely see deer, armadillo, opossum, raccoon, and hawk. Be sure to look up on a clear night and you'll get a great view of the stars!

You'll have access to outdoor recreation options within our campgrounds, including covered basketball court, sand volleyball courts, frisbee golf, and hiking trails.

When you're done exploring for the day, settle around the outdoor fire ring (we'll provide fire wood!), or with one of the many board games in our game closet in the living room.

Property manager

TJ Michaelz

Languages

English

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen
Air conditioning
Outdoor space
Parking available
Barbecue
Fireplace

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House Rules

Check in after 3:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 21
Check out before 11:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

No pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
Unregistered guests/visitors are not allowed on the grounds.
Public consumption/display of alcohol is prohibited.

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property

About the area

Athens

Located in Athens, this holiday home is in a rural area. Henderson County Historical Museum and Henderson County Performing Arts Center are cultural highlights, and some of the area's attractions include Henderson County Fairgrounds and Athens Praise & Worship Center. East Texas Arboretum and Athens Bowling Center are also worth visiting. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Map
Athens, TX

What's nearby

  • Henderson County Fairgrounds - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
  • Athens Fish and Game Club Lake - 2 min drive - 1.5 km
  • Athens Scuba Park - 7 min drive - 7.7 km
  • Trinity Valley Community College - 8 min drive - 8.8 km
  • UT Health Athens - 8 min drive - 13.2 km

Getting around

  • Tyler, TX (TYR-Pounds Regional) - 33 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪SONIC Drive In - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪McDonald's - ‬5 min drive
  • ‪Burger King - ‬5 min drive
  • ‪Whataburger - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Mariscos El Rincon Bar & Grill - ‬7 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Historic Lodge on Private Campground pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Historic Lodge on Private Campground?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Historic Lodge on Private Campground?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Historic Lodge on Private Campground located?

Situated in a rural location, this holiday home is within a 15-minute walk of Henderson County Fairgrounds and Athens Fish and Game Club Lake. Lake Athens is 3.1 mi (4.9 km) away.

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 6 out of 7 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 1 out of 7 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 7 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 7 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 7 reviews

9.8/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Lea B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Serene Lake View

We thoroughly enjoyed our time in the woods and the view of the lake and the kids were wanting to stay longer, and come back soon! The historic Lodge has a large room for enjoying games and group time, and the porch was fantastic for sitting quietly and enjoying the lake.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Relaxing stay at The Lodge

We had a wonderful relaxing stay at The Lodge. The property is beautiful and serene. The Lodge is clean and well kept. The property manager is kind and thoughtful and made sure we had everything we needed. Check-in/out was a simple process. We would stay here again. I highly recommend it to anyone visiting the area.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2021

10/10 Excellent

Jason V.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Short overnight stay

We were looking for a quick overnight location in Athens. The lodge didn’t disappoint at all! The lodge was well appointed and offered a great view of the surrounding lake and beautiful property! We had a great time!
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2023

10/10 Excellent

Ramey B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Awesome!

So much fun!!! We were able to gather in the big room together and put little ones to sleep in the bedrooms and enjoy the view!
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2021

10/10 Excellent

Guillaume P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Friend week end

It was really nice ! The check in process was smooth and quick. The property is amazing. It makes you feel like home and the items were great as well. Thank you for the stay
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2021

8/10 Good

Jan J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Week-end

We had a nice week-end and caught some fish. We enjoyed being at this property. The only problems we had were that there was very little water pressure to take a shower and no WiFi or TV reception. Also the Roll-A-Way bed in the middle bedroom is very uncomfortable. It is like sleeping on the floor.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2021

10/10 Excellent

Kevin D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great place to get away

Stayed on the property to fish Lake Athens. It was a great, peaceful place. The property manager was great. She jumped right on every question we had. The small lake was a great place to fish and just watch the wildlife. Highly recommend for quiet getaway.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2021

About the host

Hosted by TJ Michaelz

Host profile image
I am the Director of Guest Services for Disciples Crossing Camp and Conference center. I have a lifetime of experience in the camp industry and love that platforms like vrbo allow us to share our beautiful facilities with individuals and families who may not otherwise discover us! We have 5 other full-time staff who may be your on-site contact but I handle all booking inquiries.

Disciples Crossing is a non-profit campground hosting everything from summer camps and retreats for children and youth, to family reunions, family/individual getaways, private events, outdoor ed, field trips, weddings, and more!

Why they chose this property

Our property was originally a private retreat, Camp Underwood, owned by Arch and Minnie Underwood. Camp Undy, as it was affectionately named, was host to an impressive guest list including numerous state and national politicians and the origins of the Southwestern Conference coaches.

Camp Underwood became The Christian Youth Foundation in 1947 when the property was purchased by several districts of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). In the year 2000, the Board of Directors decided to re-name the camp Disciples Crossing.



We hope you enjoy your stay, and have a chance to experience the peace and respite of our beautiful campground.

What makes this property unique

Our private rooms are nestled among the pines on over 500 acres of mostly undisturbed private campground featuring multiple lakes, walking trails, outdoor recreation options, and plenty of opportunities for nature watching. You'll feel secluded, yet close to the dining, shopping, and entertainment amenities of Athens (or Canton, Tyler, and DFW for a bit more of a drive!).

Languages:

English