A 16.5-acre parcel of land in Pittsylvania County that has remained largely unused since a house fire in 2015 is being redeveloped into a small, nature-focused lodging project centered on glamping and outdoor experiences. The project, called Echo Valley, is currently in the permitting phase after receiving unanimous rezoning approval from the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors in November.
The land, located in the Dry Fork area, has been in Bethann James’ family for 136 years. James and her family built a home on the property in 2005, which was destroyed by fire a decade later. Since then, the family has continued to pay taxes on the land while considering long-term options for its use.
“From 2015 until now, we’ve just been paying taxes on that property,” James said. “The message I grew up with from my grandparents is that we need to keep the property in the family. But after our house burned, we just didn’t do anything with it.”
Earlier this year, discussions with co-owning family members and her three sons led to the idea of developing a small-scale lodging concept rather than selling a portion of the land. In March, James received an offer to purchase three acres, which prompted further family discussions about alternatives.
“I took it to my kids, and I said, ‘I can’t do in death what I can’t do in life, so if you’re going to sell it when I go, let’s just sell it now,’” James told Cardinal News.
Instead, the family pursued a micro-resort concept, a lodging model that typically features a limited number of units, a natural setting, and amenities distinct from traditional hotels. According to James, research indicated there were no comparable glamping or micro-resort offerings within a three-hour drive of the site.
“We learned, while doing research about micro-resorts, which is sort of a new term, that you need to have views, you need to have water, and you need to have woods,” James said. “We have all three.”
Echo Valley’s first phase includes five dome-shaped glamping units, with two additional phases planned that would bring the total to 15 units. Nightly rates are projected to range from $160 to $225. James estimates the first phase will cost approximately $750,000. The target opening timeframe is May or June, pending permit approvals.
The project is designed to attract guests seeking outdoor experiences combined with modern amenities. “Someone who values nature but isn’t willing to sacrifice modern comfort,” James said, describing the target market. She anticipates many guests will be millennials or Gen Z travelers from higher-income households, including remote workers and retreat groups.
Echo Valley has already received six retreat inquiries for 2026, including one from the Washington, D.C., area. “We’ve already received six retreat requests for 2026, and we don’t even have one shovel in the ground,” James said.
Trail development and land management are underway with assistance from Neal Bowman, a forest ecology professional who began working on the site after learning about the rezoning. He is developing two walking trails and helping plan gardening areas.
“The diversity has surprised me out here,” Bowman said, referencing plant and wildlife species on the property. “The plant species out here, there’s actually a lot of stuff that I see in the mountains.”
James has also outlined plans for vegetable, herb, and flower gardens, as well as potential partnerships focused on health and wellness. Echo Valley is working toward a collaboration with the University of Virginia’s Comprehensive Cancer Center.
“We want to do a cancer prevention garden for foods and produce that are cancer-preventing,” James said. “We also want to offer gardening as an exercise for cancer survivors.”
During rezoning hearings, some nearby residents raised concerns related to traffic and property values. James said the limited scale of the project reduces infrastructure impacts and that research suggests access to green spaces can support property values.
“There’s research that says that nature-friendly assets and access to green spaces are a benefit to a community,” she said. “They increase property value, as opposed to decreasing property value.”
James plans to make certain amenities, including trails and a pool, accessible to local residents and to partner with farmers’ markets and nearby businesses. Once operational, she intends to relocate to Pittsylvania County full-time.
For outdoor hospitality and glamping professionals, the Echo Valley project reflects several broader industry trends, including adaptive reuse of family-owned land, phased micro-resort development, early market validation through retreat bookings, and increased emphasis on experiential amenities tied to wellness, agriculture, and nature.