W e l c o m e
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W a s a t c h L a k e R e t r e a t
A multi-cabin, lakeside retreat and wooded event venue .
Every family has that one place where generations gather, where the kids run ahead on the trail, and where the grown-ups finally slow down enough to breathe it all in. At Wasatch Lake Retreat, those moments unfold throughout the seasons.
Grandma and Grandpa might arrive first, stepping out of the car to hear nothing but wind brushing the trees and water lapping the shoreline. Parents often follow, taking in the 400-acre private woodland that wraps the family in quiet. The kids? They’re already racing toward the private dock, wide-eyed at the 50-acre lake waiting just for them.
Wasatch, a Native American word meaning “beautiful vista,” is the perfect name for this hidden corner of Owen County, Indiana just one hour southwest of Indianapolis, yet worlds away from the rush of everyday life. Open year-round, our cozy country retreat includes 7 lakefront cabins, the breathtaking 9,000-square-foot Longhouse Lodge, and 12 miles of winding hiking trails tucked deep in the forest.
Cabins Made for Comfort.
Each cabin is crafted for easy memory-making: a fully equipped kitchen for big breakfasts, a wood-burning fireplace for end-of-day storytelling, a charcoal grill and bonfire pit for s’mores, and a private dock where morning coffee tastes better than anywhere else. No need to pack firewood. Guests can order rings of seasoned, dry wood as needed.
Row, paddle, or glide across the lake in a Wasatch-provided rowboat, canoe, kayak, paddle board, or paddletoon. And for the anglers in your crew, no fishing license needed.
the
Longhouse Lodge
Your Family’s Place to Celebrate
Our 9,000 square foot Longhouse Lodge was designed for the kind of memories families talk about for years. Weddings where the bride walks by the lake while geese skim across the water. Reunions where cousins meet for the first time or reconnect after years apart. Birthday celebrations where generations gather to cheer, hug, and take photos against the shimmering backdrop of the water.
Whether it’s a wedding, family reunion, corporate retreat, or simple weekend getaway, the Longhouse Lodge is the ideal place for large gatherings of family and friends to reconnect, unwind, and root themselves in every season. Click here to learn more about our 9,000 sq ft. event space, the Longhouse Lodge at Wasatch Lake
Days That Fill Themselves.
At Wasatch, every age finds something to love. Spend warm days fishing, boating, hiking, swimming, playing tennis and pickleball, or spotting birds along the trails. Ask our caretakers about the legendary “Faces” challenge. Find them all and earn free Wasatch apparel, and family bragging rights.
When winter drapes the forest in white, the whole retreat shifts into a cozy wonderland. Enjoy snowy walks, cross-country skiing, ice skating, sledding, or long afternoons of billiards and foosball in the Longhouse Lodge. End the evening curled up beside a crackling fire listening to the peaceful silence.
Stay up-to-date with life on the lake . . .
Weddings at Wasatch
Nestled among serene waters and natural beauty, Wasatch Lake offers a private, picturesque backdrop for weddings that are both refined and deeply personal. Whether you’re planning an intimate ceremony or a full weekend celebration with family and friends, our property provides the space, privacy, and atmosphere to make your wedding truly your own. From lakeside vows to candlelit receptions, Wasatch Lake is ideal for couples seeking a wedding experience that feels warm, intentional, and unhurried. Our expansive grounds allow you to gather, celebrate, and linger—without the restrictions of traditional venues.
One of the most unique aspects of a Wasatch Lake wedding is the ability to stay on-site with your closest guests. Our accommodations allow your wedding to unfold over an entire weekend- welcome dinners, rehearsal gatherings, the big day itself, and relaxed mornings afterward spent together by the lake.
Local Attractions
TAKE A FIELD TRIP TO OUR FAVORITE LOCAL PLACES . . .
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Cornerstone Pizza: Poland, IN
10 minute drive
If you love good pizza and kind-hearted proprietors, you won’t want to miss Cornerstone Pizza. Open Wednesday through Sunday after 4pm, this Poland gem sits catty-corner from Retta Jean’s Cafe (see cafe details below). With enough notice Cornerstone is often able to accommodate take-away orders for larger scale events outside their normal business hours. Ryan never leaves Cornerstone without an order of cheesy garlic bread.
Retta Jean’s Cafe: Poland, IN
10 minute drive
We are fortunate to have not one, but TWO restaurants just a 10 minute drive west on SR 42. At Retta Jean’s you’ll find down-home diner faire like your Grandma used to make and the best homemade pies you could dream up. Diann Woodard recommends their taco salad served in a tortilla bowl, and Turner says the biscuits and gravy are a must-have. You'll find the Woodard family filling the dining room for breakfast every year on a couple days during the weeks of Memorial Day and Thanksgiving. Rob Rump’s BBQ pops up at Retta’s every Friday at 11am through the weekend until sold out. Ryan and Tara are partial to the Carolina Vinegar and the Bee Sting bbq sauces, if you like a little tangy heat on your meat!
Jits Thai Bistro: Spencer, IN
30 minute drive
We challenge you to find a better Thai restaurant than Jits Thai Bistro! An absolute gem on the square in Spencer, Jits is next door to the Owen County Chamber of Commerce and a few shops down from the visitor’s center. The service is always on point, and we have never had a Jits dish we didn’t love; special mentions include the Thai chicken noodle soup, the Tiger Pepper and Garlic, and the Rotisserie Chicken Fried Rice. Ryan and Tara have a rather consistent tradition of ordering take out from Jits every other Friday to celebrate pay-day.
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Rising Herb Farm: Centerpoint, IN
15 minute drive
A short picturesque drive through the countryside will take you to our local herb farm on Candlestick Road. Staci, our community’s keeper of herbs, stocks her farmstand with loads of native medicinal herbs and flowers, as well as teas, tonics and tinctures made from the plants she grows and gathers. The farmstand is open Spring through Autumn from 9am to 3pm. Follow Rising Herb Farm on Instagram or Facebook to stay up-to-date with her herbal class offerings, some of which she hosts in the Longhouse Lodge here at the lake!
The Family Farm on Forty-Two: Centerpoint, IN
20 minute drive
Owners Bill and Missy spent their first night as new owners of the Family Farm on Forty-Two on October 1, 2021. Tara and Ryan spent their first night as property managers at Wasatch Lake on the same date. Over the last few years, we’ve watched as Bill and Missy and their children and their children’s families turned a neglected poultry and pig farm into a thriving produce stand with locally made gifts and goods. Multiple generations running a business is something Wasatch Lake loves to honor, and The Family Farm on Forty-Two makes you feel like family from the moment you pick up a watermelon.
Hamm’s Produce: Quincy, IN
25 minute drive
Scott and Kim Hamm man a thriving produce stand just six minutes from Cataract Falls State Recreation Area. The Hamm’s grow a lot of the produce sold in the stand, and also bring in berries from Michigan in the spring, peaches from South Carolina in the summer and Michigan apples in the fall. Check out their Facebook page to learn more about their seasonal offerings.
Country Acres Greenhouse: Spencer, IN
25 minute drive
If you’ve ever admired the vibrant mums or the bodacious pumpkins at our entrance gate in the fall, you’ve admired the handiwork of Country Acres Greenhouse. Growing all their own flowering and vegetable plants, this family owned and operated garden center also offers a niche collection of Aladdin lamps and kerosene lanterns. The owners are always happy to answer questions, and they usually have a joke or two that will light up the already well-lit room.
Harriman Farms: Spencer, IN
30 minute drive
We like to spread the love, and we never make one local stop for fall pumpkins and decor when we can make two! After you shop Country Acres, take the family just a few more minutes down S.R. 46 to the Harriman’s charming family-owned and operated storefront and greenhouses, open seasonally. During the summers, they “welcome customers to the farm by offering delicious farm-fresh produce including melons, berries, and vegetables. They also grow a fresh round of annuals. perennials, pots, and baskets for summer planting. And they wind it all up with mums and pumpkins in the fall.” In the winter, score a ticket to a December workshop that will help you deck the Christmas halls.
Farm Connection: Clay City, IN
30 minute drive
Owner Kate Cobb is the 7th generation Yegerlehner to farm the same land that her Swiss immigrant ancestors settled over 150 years ago. In a world of cut-and-run farming practices, Kate is a pioneer in her own right. Her family’s 100% grass-fed beef and dairy operation is one of the most exquisite operations in the nation, and we are so fortunate to find ourselves in a community that is fed by this farm! In addition to grass-fed beef and dairy, the farm store offers pastured pork and eggs, baked goods, locally-produced kombucha and krauts. Tara has had the privilege of helping Kate in the fields and the milking parlor and this farm has a special place in Tara’s heart and on her and Ryan’s table.
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Cataract Lake Country Market- Poland, IN
10 minute drive
Our go-to place for bait, ice and (on Saturdays and Sundays only) some of the best fried chicken around. The fried chicken is a local favorite so be sure to go early before they sell out. Don’t sleep on their loaded potato salad either. It’s our favorite side for every summer picnic! The market owners also run the Lieber SRA Marina. Visit the Cataract Lake Marina website to book your pontoon, kayak or canoe trip.
Dollar General: Cunot, IN
13 minute drive
We prefer to keep it local. However, Dollar General is sometimes the closest spot for some of those items you may have forgotten to pack.
Babbs Supermarket: Spencer, IN
25 minute drive
Family owned and operated since 1928, this 24hr grocery store is on the way to Wasatch if you are traveling from or through the Bloomington area. A clean and beautiful grocery store with a well-stocked produce section and a well-staffed deli. Right next door is the Owen County Farmers Market, open every Saturday from May through September.
Kroger: Brazil, IN
30 minute drive
Our closest large, retail supermarket.
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Cagles Mill Lake (Lieber and Cataract Falls SRA): Cloverdale, IN
10-15 minute drive
Cataract Falls makes an excellent day trip for our Wasatch guests! It is the largest waterfall by volume in Indiana. The falls consist of two sets — Upper Falls (~45 ft drop) and Lower Falls (~30 ft) on Mill Creek. Right below the falls, Mill Creek flows into Cagles Mill Lake, a 1,400-acre reservoir. The Lieber State Recreation Area at Cagles Mill Lake offers boating, a marina, camping, hiking, scenic views, and a popular seasonal aquatic-center. Visit the Cataract Lake Marina website to book your pontoon, kayak or canoe trip.
McCormick’s Creek State Park: Spencer, IN
30 minute drive
Indiana’s first state park, established in 1916, features a scenic limestone canyon, woodland hiking trails, a waterfall, and the Wolf Cave Nature Preserve. It’s a great local option for hiking, nature photography, picnics, and a bit of wilderness in Indiana. The restaurant at the Canyon Inn is a favorite lunch spot of Tara and Ryan’s. With its large windows overlooking the woods and the bird feeders stationed within view, it is a birdwatcher’s ideal version of “dinner and a show”.
Owen Putnam State Forest: Spencer, IN
20 minute drive
For those interested in forested hikes, hunting, fishing, and more remote woodland experiences, the Owen Putnam State forest offers deer, squirrel, and turkey hunting. Fish in one of the ponds or hike through some of the beautiful hills of south-central Indiana, including a view of a 50-foot sandstone bluff. This property consists of many scattered holdings in a north-south orientation and because of this scattered nature, care should be exercised to avoid trespassing on private land. Developed areas include the Forest Office, Fish Creek Campground, Horse Campground, and Rattlesnake Campground.
Deer Creek Fish and Wildlife Area: Greencastle, IN
30 minute drive
A 2,175-acre natural reserve managed by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Deer Creek was established in 2010 with land transferred from the Putnamville Correctional Facility. The area offers hunting and trapping opportunities, including designated zones for persons with disabilities and a draw-based trapping program held annually. They allow tree stands and ground blinds (under DNR rules) during deer season — but you must follow their marking requirements and seasonal regulations. A solid option if you want a larger, relatively diverse hunting area with woods, open fields, and water features.
Parker’s Archery: Spencer, IN
30 minute drive
Parker Archery’s shop and range are all under one roof, making them well-equipped to handle all of your hunting and target shooting needs. If you are looking to be safely and accurately set-up as a first time archer, or if you're an experienced bowman wanting a nearby shooting range, Jeff and Zach (the store’s father-son owners) are knowledgeable and quick to accommodate you. Fun fact: Ryan bought Tara her first compound bow from Parker’s.
Clover Meadows Golf Course: Cloverdale, IN
20 minute drive
Pine Woods Golf Course: Spencer, IN
25 minute drive
Rolling Meadows Golf Course: Gosport, IN
35 minute drive
