Crooked Creek Retreat Escape Relax Breathe on Lewis Smith Lake in Crane Hill AL

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Photo gallery for Crooked Creek Retreat Escape Relax Breathe on Lewis Smith Lake in Crane Hill AL

Typical summer sunset from the dock on crooked creek!
Looking towards the front door.
Floor Plan Of Crooked Creek Retreat.
Table for 4 plus 2 folding chairs in the hall closet.
Guest private patio, table & gas grill.

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional

Popular amenities

  • Kitchen
  • Parking available
  • Free WiFi
  • Air conditioning
NZ$303
avg per night

Explore the area

Map
Crane Hill, AL
  • Lewis Smith Lake
    ‪5 min walk‬
  • Smith Lake Park
    ‪30 min drive‬
  • Houston Historic Jail
    ‪42 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 5)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

Built-In Bunks

1 Single Bunk Bed

1 bathroom

Main

Bathtub or shower

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Garden

Room

  • Water view
  • Sleeps 5
  • 1 Queen Bed and 1 Single Bunk Bed
Price is NZ$303 avg per night,

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About the area

Crane Hill

Located in Crane Hill, this guesthouse is in a rural area and on the waterfront. Crooked Creek Civil War Museum and Cullman County Museum are cultural highlights, and some of the area's landmarks include Clarkson Covered Bridge and Houston Historic Jail. WildWater Cullman and Funzone are also worth visiting. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.

What's nearby

  • Lewis Smith Lake - 5 min walk - 0.5 km
  • Smith Lake Park - 30 min drive - 20.6 km
  • WildWater Cullman - 39 min drive - 30.9 km
  • Cullman Downtown Commercial Historic District - 40 min drive - 38.0 km
  • Houston Historic Jail - 42 min drive - 28.7 km

Restaurants

  • ‪Hotdog Hut The Hamburger Ice - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪Arrowhead Bar and Grill - ‬14 min drive
  • ‪Ole Mexican Foods - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪The Crooked Chimney - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪The Grille - ‬20 min drive

About this property

Crooked Creek Retreat Escape Relax Breathe on Lewis Smith Lake in Crane Hill AL

Welcome to Crooked Creek Retreat. This property’s location offers the best of Lewis Smith Lake, Bankhead National Forrest and Historic Downtown Cullman Alabama. We are located in Crane Hill Al. & 15 miles west of Interstate 65. Enjoy swimming, fishing, bird watching and boating on Lewis Smith Lake. The Bankhead National Forrest borders part of the lake creating many beautiful scenic bluffs. Enjoy a few day trips by driving to many of the Bankhead National forest hiking trails & it’s 1,000 waterfalls. Pack a lunch and go exploring. Each season you will have a variety of opportunities to attend different festivals, fishing tournaments & activities because of this property’s central location. Our guest Retreat is built on a densely wood lot that has a gentle slope with a walk-in shoreline & dock. The property is located in Crane Hill on the Crooked Creek area of Lewis Smith Lake. It is about one hour south of the Huntsville airport & about one hour north from the Birmingham airport. During your stay If you need a break from lake life the Bankhead National Forest has hiking trails, walking paths & waterfalls. Day or night head 20 minutes east to historic down town Cullman Alabama. Enjoy some antique shopping, fine dining restaurants, a farmers market, brewery & family friendly casual dinning choices with live entertainment. For an up to date Cullman City calendar please review Cullman’s website for city events, festivals & special events throughout the year.

Our Crooked Creek Guest Retreat was complete January 2021 and is ready for your arrival. The guest house has a private entrance & is In the lower walk out level of the main house. Your windows all face the lake, forest & patio. It is not possible to enter the main house or guest house internally between either home. The guest retreat has a private patio with seating for six, a dedicated gas grill, fire pit with 6 chairs & free parking for 2 vehicle’s including space for a toy trailer. You’re welcome to bring a wagon or golf cart to help transport your lake gear or kiddos up & down to the dock. The back yard, shoreline, 2 hammocks, path swing, fire pit and dock are all included in your rental. The shoreline is wide open & flat.its a great place to play corn hole, horse shoes or ball with your family. Your privacy is very important & will be respected. The property is very peaceful due to the fact it has two empty wooded lots on either side of the house providing a 400ft buffer between the closest neighbors in any direction. Throughout the year the homeowners may be in residence & have two standard poodles Lily & Beaux. If you have any needs they can be reached by a call or text. Please note the property is in a very rural area. Expect to see and hear many different kind of wildlife including birds, deer, cows, chickens, goats & critters. Once your off the interstate you will drive on twisting, winding, hilly country roads. The WiFi & cell service is iffy in the Smith Lake area. ATT provides the best cell service in the area. If you don’t have ATT cell service it recommended to print off your driving directions for when you get off Interstate 65 on your way to Crooked Creek Retreat. Your gps will cut in & out while you are driving. Please note google maps will drive you a mile past Crooked Creek Retreat address. If you’re going to be boating I highly recommend purchasing a lake map at Whitlock Gas Station on your way in. Your cell phones gps will cut in & out while your out on the lake. The lake has over 642 miles of shore line & it’s easy to get lost.

It’s imperative to know that Alabama Power regulates the entire lakes water level at any given time. Lewis Smith Lakes water level changes seasonally & can be tracked on any smith lake app. When booking ANY rental on Lewis Smith Lake it’s important to note Lewis Smith Lake has THREE different kinds of water front property descriptions. Deep water, year round water & seasonal water. Each offers different experiences with different perks. Traditionally Crooked Creek Retreat dock is floating March through August. You can swim, float, boat, fish, jet ski from the dock during this time. The water around the shoreline and dock are very calm & safe for swimming, floating, paddle boarding & kayaking. Guest are welcome to tie up their boat & jet skis on the east side of the dock. Owners keep their ski boat on the boat lift & pontoon on the west side of the dock. Beach chairs are perfect to sit at the shoreline to watch little ones play in the shallow water. Arrow Head bar & grill is a short kayak ride away & periodically open. Order in or carry out breakfast lunch or dinner on the weekends. FYI: Seafood boils is great on the weekends! Drifters on the lake & Trident are two good restaurants on the lake you can get to by boat or car. During the fall & winter Crooked Creeks Retreat dock is not floating. Weather permitting during this time you can walk out to the channel & drop in the kayaks, enjoy fishing & go for long walks along the shoreline. Depending on the amount of rain between December-March Alabama Power will allow the water table to rise above normal water level. During this time if the water is above regular pool you might have to kayak to the dock. The closest public boat launch is a 5 minute boat ride away at Arrow Head Park Park. Smith Lake Park public boat launch is about twenty minute car ride away & over a hour boat ride.

Amenities

Free WiFi
Air conditioning
Parking available

House Rules

Check in after 2:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 25
Check out before 10:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
On site toys, games & books are available for use.
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

No pets allowed
Owner has 2 standard poodles Lily & Beaux.
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
Smoking “OUTSIDE” only in designated fire pit area
5 Guest Maximum. If you exceed the rule you will be charge $100. daily for every guest after 5 or be asked to vacate the property immediately.
No smoking indoors, no firearms, no drugs, no fireworks, no party’s. Respect the home & property like its your families lake house.

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
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, a first aid kit and a deadbolt lock

Frequently asked questions

Is Crooked Creek Retreat Escape Relax Breathe on Lewis Smith Lake in Crane Hill AL pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Crooked Creek Retreat Escape Relax Breathe on Lewis Smith Lake in Crane Hill AL?

Check-in begins at 2:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Crooked Creek Retreat Escape Relax Breathe on Lewis Smith Lake in Crane Hill AL?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Crooked Creek Retreat Escape Relax Breathe on Lewis Smith Lake in Crane Hill AL located?

Situated on the waterfront, this guesthouse is 0.3 mi (0.5 km) from Lewis Smith Lake and 2.3 mi (3.6 km) from Dowling Memorial Park. Speegle's Marina is 10.8 mi (17.4 km) away.

Crooked Creek Retreat Escape Relax Breathe on Lewis Smith Lake in Crane Hill AL Reviews

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
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Rating 10 - Excellent. 17 out of 19 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 2 out of 19 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 19 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 19 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 19 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

9.6/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

8/10 Good

Patte H.

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

Weekend Getaway

Laura was very attentive and the unit was clean and just as described
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jason C.

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

daddy/daughter vacation getaway

We had a very relaxing stay,got there and we were amazed at the place! and the view of the lake the host were extremely nice! the water is a bit down but that didnt stop us from swimming, kayaking, paddle boardig. Highly recommend!
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Leah F.

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

Crooked Creek Retreat

The space had everything we needed to settle in and get away. We had a wonderful time…and took advantage of the outdoor spaces. It was exactly what we needed.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Charlie N.

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

Great stay at a special place

First off, the owners Brian and Laura are such wonderful people! This was our first time to Smith Lake and it was so helpful having them share their knowledge and experience of the area. The place was perfect for our family of five (3boys aged 6-10). We loved being able to walk down the slope to the dock to kayak and jump off the pier to swim. We stayed in late July/beginning of Aug so the water level was still fine but not as high as it is in spring thru early July. However, It was fine for us. The location in Crane Hill is very nice too. Overall we enjoyed our stay so much. The accommodations are extremely clean and tastefully decorated. My kids loved the bunk area. Such a perfect place we will definitely be back!!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

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

Beautiful cottage

This beautiful lake cottage is immaculate and thoughtfully presented with all you will need for a relaxing stay. Super quiet and comfortable. The hosts are very welcoming. We would stay again and will recommend to our friends.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jane J.

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

Beautiful spot on the Lake. Great cabin, very modern. Excellent hosts.

Perfect
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Kathia D.

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

My Birthday this year the big 70

We had a very nice visit! The house was very clean and beautiful! We also visited with extended family while there so we would leave early and sometimes late getting back! Laura and her husband were so helpful and even helped us unload our car and then parked it for us! Would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a quiet getaway.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

Danny E.

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

Perfect setting!!!

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and hope to come back soon. The setup was perfect and quiet! Laura and Brian communicated the whole time and were very accommodating!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Lindsay K.

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

Relaxing & Fun!

Great family getaway! Our girls loved the bunk beds. We enjoyed grilling steaks and cooking with the fully equipped kitchen. We loved the kayaks and relaxing on the dock after a long day on the lake. Everything was quiet and peaceful. We had a great experience and wonderful family time!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

James N.

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

Wonderful place to stay!

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay here. It's in a quiet area and you can hear all that nature offers. Has a great dock for fishing. The hosts are absolutely 2 of the best we've ever dealt with. Would without a doubt stay there again!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Matthew W.

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

Enjoyable

Lori and Brian were very friendly and accommodating. Rental was a cute freshly renovated space that was perfect for my wife, 3 boys and I.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2022

10/10 Excellent

Bill B.

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

Fantastic Stay

Great interaction with owners with great accommodations including baby proofing.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2022

10/10 Excellent

Bobbi C., Chatham, LA

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

Thanksgiving together

Overall this place was wonderful. Brian and Laura are exceptional hosts. One of the things we did have trouble with was the driveway going back up. Other than that is was a perfect halfway meeting place for our family.
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2021

10/10 Excellent

John J.

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

A peaceful retreat

Traveling can be hectic and sometimes vacation needs a vacation afterward to recover. But not staying at this place. The accommodations were extremely comfortable and the owners were very helpful. Not to mention, the location is nestled in the woods right on Smith Lake. The views are breathtaking! You will not be disappointed choosing to stay here!
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2021

10/10 Excellent

Craig P.

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

Great choice!

Very nice, updated space. The water level was very low so we didn't get to kayak or enjoy the water very much but we would definitely stay there again. The driveway was a bit more difficult to exit than we expected but again, would definitely rent this space in the future. Owners were overwhelmingly kind. Such a nice little getaway!
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2021

10/10 Excellent

Chandra C.

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

Fantastic place, Awesome hostess

We enjoyed our stay and had everything we needed plus more. Hostess was fantastic, friendly and loaded with information about Smith Lake. Will definitely rebook!
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2021

8/10 Good

Jonathan M.

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

Cozy guest accommodations

Crooked Creek Retreat is a cozy guest space with nice, clean finishes and thoughtful personal touches for guests. We enjoyed a trip out on the kayaks and relaxing in the hammocks.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Michelle H.

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

Beautiful setting

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Mrs. Laura's guest house. She was available for anything we needed. Highly recommend and would stay again!
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2021

10/10 Excellent

Anna P.

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

March 2021

Place is beautiful, so clean, comfortable and pleasant. Laura was beyond helpful and kind, we couldn't be more grateful. Thank you Laura!