A place to horse around story by Brett McLaughlin | photos courtesy of Chattooga Trails Bed & Barn
F
our years ago, South Carolinians Jay and Kes Crumpler were living in the Lowcountry close to the coast, towing their cabin cruiser to the ocean for getaways. Life was good. But, having vacationed in the Upstate for 25 years, the decision to retire there had already been made. It was only a matter of when. In 2011, Kes, a registered physical therapist, interviewed with an Upstate rehab facility.
“… for a multitude of reasons, doors kept shutting and we couldn’t make it work on either end,” she recalled. Fast forward seven years. While working in Lexington, a patient told her he owned and rode horses on property in the Upstate. He said his neighbor was looking to sell her home and 10 acres … perfect for a bed and breakfast. “I had been praying for an open door, but
Jay and Kes walk their own horses on the drive that leads to their Chattooga Trails Bed & Barn near Mountain Rest.
then I spent two months trying to tell God he was wrong,” she laughed. “Finally, I went online. The house didn’t look like it would work. It needed a door here and something else there.” Still, they came for a visit. “We looked on Saturday, decided to purchase on Sunday and, by Monday I was job hunting,” Kes said, noting that she decided to call on the same rehab firm she had spoken with years earlier. As it turns out, they had exactly what she was looking for — 30 hours a week in their Seneca location. “I struggled for years trying to understand why God led me to that interview seven years prior and everything was perfect, but we couldn’t make it work,” she said. “Sometimes, God says ‘yes’ but he also says, ‘but not now.’ That’s a very valuable lesson I learned through all of this. Now, it makes perfect sense. Had we moved seven years prior, we would definitely not be where we are now, running this B&B. God had a plan and, unbeknownst to us, we just had to be patient!” Chattooga Trails Bed and Barn (That second ‘B’ is important.) is the only private horse camp in South Carolina. It is a niche business whose owners weren’t even aware that their property had direct access to 34 miles of public horse trails when they bought adjacent to Sumter National Forest. Lodging options include rooms, a suite, a glamping wagon, and campsites with water and power hookups. Horses can stay in large, shaded paddocks or a barn that, with the help of some neighbors, was doubled in size. You’re welcome to stay in Kes and Jay’s home, which features three guest bedrooms, accommodating up to 12 people. Two are upstairs. Because there is a shared sitting area and bath, only one party may rent one or both. The Whetstone Room has two full-size beds. The Charleston Room has a king-size bed, a loveseat sitting area and a small porch. For families or groups, the Hunter’s Hideout is a lower-level apartment that sleeps six. SUMMER 2022 › 23
