Low-impact elegance: rustic retreat, toilet paper included.

"I'd rather turn people away initially than have them come all the way here and be in any way disappointed," announced Michael Lightweaver, the proprietor of the Mountain Light Sanctuary near Barnardsville, NC. Sounds like a strange line for someone running a retreat center, but Michael is the first to admit he never intended to be in the guest service industry.

"Washing dishes and doing laundry isn't my destiny," he quipped. Which explains, in part, why this one-man operation isn't widely advertised. Simplicity is key at the Sanctuary.

The Art of Escapism 

I arrive for an overnight with a small backpack and a supply of bedding. Michael suggested I throw the sleeping bag in the car in case I wanted to try out some of the Sanctuary's "more adventurous sleeping options," and as soon as we meet at the entry gate, we're off on a tour of rooms. Like any good hotelier, Michael knows his clientele's tastes will vary, and Mountain Light offers a wide range of places to hang a hat. Unlike most homes away-from-home, however, these options rarely involve four walls.

I decide to stay in the Heritage, one of the first structures to be erected on the property. It's a two-story building with one small, enclosed room downstairs and a semi-open sleeping loft accessible by a ladder through a trap door. There's a wraparound porch overlooking a rushing creek (and I do mean rushing-I spend much of my stay needing to pee), a hammock, table, hot-plate, and tea kettle. It's the sort of place that offers, in a couple hundred square feet, everything I could possibly need ($35-$75 a night).

This is pretty much the point of this particular building. Michael, who moved onto the property in 1993, constructed the Hermitage as a place for his visitors-personal friends, initially-to escape. "I thought there were people who really needed a place where they could just get away, but they weren't affiliated with any particular religion," So, the two-story Heritage offers what many religious retreats do: basic necessities and lots of time for introspection and relaxation.

Swiss Family Robinson or Robinson Crusoe: You Choose

Michael originally wound up in western North Carolina as part of the group that founded Earthhaven, an eco-village in Black Mountain. After a short communal living stint, he realized that what he really wanted was to be alone-a gift, perhaps ironically, he would come to share with others through the Sanctuary. The one and a half acre property, located about a mile inside the Pisgah National Forest, boasts pristine wilderness, no traffic within earshot, and no street lights. At night, the gardens are lit by moonlight and the Milky Way unfurls overhead. Try to find that in a swanky hotel.

Elfhaven Lodge--the dominant structure at the Sanctuary--was a downtrodden, one-story house. Over the years, it has transformed into a rustic mountain cabin, complete with sprawling deck and upper level. The lodge is where Michael lives (his room is an open-air porch) and where guests can use the modern kitchen and indoor plumbing.

There are a couple of indoor rooms with single beds, but the burbling water, lush gardens, and ethereal decor of the Sanctuary lure visitors outside, I'm reminded of stories of Asheville's heyday when people flocked to the mountains to "take to air"--and I realize how seldom I sleep outside, within earshot of crickets and frogs.

Scattered around the Sanctuary's edge are a series of increasingly whimsical and airy rooms designed to introduce the visitor to the natural world, without going so far as to pitch a tent. There's the Treehouse accessible by rope ladder; the Balihouse enclosed by lattice; and the Hobbit Hut, a squat double bed topped with a wood-shingled roof. At $25 a night (including use of facilities), these options make for an affordable getaway.

Rustic as You Want to Be

It's also like roughing it, at times, and the proprietor is quick to point out that some visitors are put off by the retreat's eco-minded facilities. A composting toilet (relax, guests don't have to empty it) gazes out over green foliage and an outdoor shower (complete with warm water) looks toward the Japanese garden and moss-covered Buddha statue. Even inside, the spring-fed water supply is a low-pressure system and the "if it's yellow, let it mellow" philosophy is in effect.

I fix dinner in the shared kitchen, then eat on the porch as dark falls, catching the last red and orange hues of sunset before making my way back to the Hermitage. It's lit with a strand of electric fairy lights, proving there are no hard and fast rules at the Sanctuary: "Humanure" is hip, but electricity isn't rebuffed.

Sleep is welcome, aided by the crickets and water...and then I wake abruptly at three a.m. to the sounds of a squirrel nesting in the rafters and, yep, my bladder. Ah, nature. But I leave the next morning feeling refreshed, unwound, and happy not to have to pack out a tent.

For more information, visit www.mtnlightsanctuary.com or email Michael at [e-mail].

What to bring to the Sanctuary:

[] Sleeping bag or bedding: For the Treehouse, Balihouse, Hobbit Hut, or Gnome Lodge only.

[] Food: Meals are not provided, but full kitchen with dishes and refrigerator are. Bring all the food you'll need.

[] Sandals: The lodge is a no-shoe zone, so if you're going in and out, slip-off shoes help.

[] Towel and bath items: maybe an extra towel for the sauna.

[] Hiking shoes/gear: The Sanctuary is located within the National Forest-you could hike within 60 miles of Washington D.C. without ever leaving tree cover.

[] Reading material/journal, etc.: There's no TV, so come prepared to chill out.

[] Camera: The Sanctuary is photogenic and pictures often show mystical light orbs.

What to leave home:

[] Cell phones: There's no signal in the forest.

[] Dressy clothes: Accommodations are clean but not fancy and some structures require climbing.