Atop Taylor Mountain in northeast Alabama sits a lodge with a view that stops you in your tracks. The Lodge at Lake Guntersville is the resort centerpiece of Lake Guntersville State Park, a 6,000-acre park on the shore of Alabama’s largest lake. This month, we are proud to welcome The Lodge into the Guest Services family and into our Adventures Unbound portfolio of iconic outdoor destinations.

A First-of-Its-Kind Alabama Partnership

Guest Services has stewarded America’s parks and public spaces since 1917. Alabama State Parks, established by the State Land Act of 1927 and shaped in its early years by the Civilian Conservation Corps, has spent nearly a century preserving and showcasing the natural beauty and heritage of the state. The Lodge at Lake Guntersville marks the first time these two legacies have come together.

“Bringing together two organizations with such deep and enduring histories is truly meaningful for all of us at Guest Services, Inc.,” said Nico Foris, CEO. “Since 1917, our company has been built around a philosophy of creating exceptional guest experiences while serving as responsible stewards of some of our country’s most treasured destinations.”

“Alabama State Parks has carried a remarkably similar mission since 1927, preserving and showcasing the incredible natural beauty and heritage of this state for generations of visitors,” he added.

For Nico, the alignment of values is what makes the partnership special. “We believe the strongest partnerships are long-term relationships rooted in trust, collaboration, shared purpose, and a commitment to elevating the guest experience while protecting the integrity of the property itself,” he said.

A Lodge with a View

The main lodge sits atop Taylor Mountain with meeting and banquet rooms, a full-service restaurant, a swimming pool, hot tubs, and a sauna. A four-year, $24 million renovation completed in 2008 gave the building its current character: massive stone pillars, exposed wooden beams, and natural stone fireplaces. Guests dine at the Pinecrest Dining Room and gather at the Hickory Lounge.

The property offers three distinct kinds of lodging:

• Lodge Rooms and Suites overlook Lake Guntersville from the bluff, keeping guests close to the trails, the marina, and the early morning launch. The main lodge holds 112 of them.
• Mountain Top Chalets sit at the top of Taylor Mountain, offering space, solitude, and everything guests need to relax between lake days.
• Lakeside Cabins sit close to the shoreline, with room to spread out after a full day on Lake Guntersville.

Recreation in Every Direction

Lake Guntersville State Park gives guests an extraordinary range of ways to spend the day.

• Eagle’s Nest Golf Course: an 18-hole championship course winding through the property
• Screaming Eagle Zipline: canopy tours through the trees of Taylor Mountain
• Bass fishing: Lake Guntersville is a renowned bass fishing destination, fed by the Tennessee River and served by the park’s Town Creek Fishing Center
• 36 miles of hiking and biking trails with weekly guided hikes
• Beach complex open May through September for lodge and cabin guests
• Eagle Awareness programs on select January and February weekends, as Alabama’s nesting bald eagle population continues to grow with Lake Guntersville at the focal point

A Conference Destination in the Heart of the Tennessee Valley

Laura Sherman, Vice President of Hospitality, sees The Lodge as one of the strongest conference and event destinations in the region. “The Lodge is a world-class conference center, and we are excited to offer customized catering and event planning for organizations like the University of Alabama, Auburn, NASA, and the FBI,” she said. The convention center accommodates national, state, and regional meetings, and reservations are open up to two years in advance.

Laura also pointed to the property’s geography as a defining advantage. “Located conveniently between Huntsville and Birmingham, the property pairs that capability with extraordinary bass fishing and lake vacationing on the Tennessee River,” she said. Downtown Guntersville is ten minutes away, Huntsville is about an hour, Birmingham and Decatur are within two hours, and Atlanta, Nashville, and Montgomery all sit within three. That reach pulls clients from across the Southeast.

The Team Behind the Launch

A property launch of this scale takes a deep bench. Jason Morgan joined from the Lodge at Wakulla to oversee Front Office operations. Brad Rowland is leading housekeeping. Mark Johnson and Brittany Guy are bringing Retail operations to life across the property. Jesse Askew and Mike Lutz are among the many others whose work has carried this opening across the finish line. Their effort over the past months has set the foundation for everything The Lodge will do next.

As Nico put it: “We are extremely humbled and privileged to have the opportunity to serve alongside the State of Alabama at Lake Guntersville. There is tremendous pride in being part of a property with such a strong legacy and such an exciting future ahead. We believe this partnership represents the beginning of something very special.”

Watkins Glen State Park is a masterclass in natural design, but its immense popularity recently pushed its physical infrastructure to the limit. Located on the primary corridor between NYC and Niagara Falls, the 1,000-square-foot retail shop faced a persistent bottleneck where high guest demand met a “maxed-out” floor plan. Mark Johnson, Director of Retail, noted that the footprint was a major limiting factor, as many visitors would open the door to enter only to be discouraged by an overcrowded store.

A Strategic Architectural Pivot

Rather than accepting the footprint as a permanent limitation, the team executed a high-level retail upgrade. By integrating the adjacent café space into the retail flow, the operation effectively doubled its guest capacity. This was a logical shift; while the café previously accounted for a smaller portion of sales, the retail side was driving the vast majority of the park’s total revenue.

This project was a true cross-property collaboration. Restoration Specialist Ricky B. Sharp was brought in from Wakulla Springs to build custom, integrated shelving that naturally draws the eye from the retail store into the café space. To further eliminate friction, the team added mobile iPad registers in the café to “bust” lines during peak hours, ensuring the nine-hour daily rush remains a smooth experience for every visitor. This granular attention to detail is a hallmark of the property’s leadership. As General Manager Kari Roccisano puts it, “Here at Watkins Glen, we maximize every inch of space right down to the way we store inventory in our storage room. Every inch equals revenue dollars is our mindset.”

Performance by the Numbers

The results of this logistical upgrade speak for themselves. By optimizing guest flow and expanding the merchandising footprint, the team has unlocked a 25% YOY sales increase. Mark emphasized that this success wasn’t just about more space, but about better space, noting that it takes a relentless team to keep an upgraded operation like this running at full capacity.

The Legacy of the Glen

As a Finger Lakes original, Watkins Glen remains home to 19 waterfalls and a world-renowned trail system that earns consistent 5-star acclaim on TripAdvisor. Under General Manager Kari, the property continues to bridge the gap between state park stewardship and local culture, famously serving Hazlitt 1852 wine slushies and supporting the annual Vintage Grand Prix.

America 250

In coordination with Adventures Unbound, we are now preparing for the next big milestone in the park’s history. The upcoming A250 Merchandise Collection will celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with premium, heritage-inspired apparel. Look for the first arrivals of these exclusive pieces at the newly upgraded Watkins Glen shop soon.

As the nation prepares to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026, Guest Services, Inc. is honored to take part in America250, a once-in-a-generation commemoration celebrating our country’s history, progress, and future. This milestone is a natural extension of who we are as a company: one rooted in service, stewardship, and deep partnerships across America’s parks, public lands, and communities. Throughout 2026, America250 will come to life across our operations through marketing, culinary, retail, digital, and on-site experiences, with Adventures Unbound closely aligned to help connect guests to the extraordinary places we serve.

The following five-part video series features CEO Nico Foris reflecting on Guest Services’ role in welcoming millions of people to experience America’s landscapes, history, and culture as part of the broader America250 commemoration. This page will serve as the home for that series, with the first video debuting in January 2026, followed by two additional videos in February and the final two in March.

To learn more about how Guest Services will introduce and activate the America250 initiative throughout the year, read our official announcement and visit the Adventures Unbound America250 page.

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