Today we’d like to introduce you to Kate Gates.
Hi Kate, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Mulberry Gap was started by my mother, boyfriend, and his mom in 2006. I joined the team in 2013 once we were engaged and I was finished with college. Both moms have now retired back to Vero Beach, Florida where we’re from and Andrew and myself run the day to day operations with our amazing team.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Definitely not. 🙂 The economy tanked about a year after we purchased the property and it was a real struggle to stay afloat as a new business located off the beaten path. Our marketing budget was non-existent and the area wasn’t that well known at the time. Through persistence and word of mouth from an amazing community, we were able to hang on through the worst of it.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Mulberry Gap serves as an adventure basecamp for outdoor enthusiasts in the mountains on northwest Georgia in Ellijay. We offer cabins and campsites, home-cooked breakfast and dinner, packed lunches for your day’s adventure, shuttles to trailheads, a well-stocked beer fridge, a varied events calendar, retail store, and a team ready to help you plan your activities for the day! We are known for the Pinhoti Trail, our amazing food, personable and welcoming staff, and being pet-friendly.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
We were first discovered by mountain bikers and have had strong support from that community since our start. We look forward to continuing to expand into other outdoor markets such as trail running, hiking, dual sport riders, overlanders, fly-fishing, and guided services. We hope to host more clinics and events in areas such as yoga, summer camp, retreats, and festivals. We’ll also continue to advocate for women, individuals of color, LGBTQ+ folks, and other underserved communities to have opportunities for outdoor experiences.
Pricing:
- Cabins: $55-$95 per adult, $25-$35 per child
- Campsites: $13-$26 per adult, $10-$14 per child
- Breakfast & Lunch: $13/Adult, $6/Child
- Dinner: $20-$22/Adult, $10-$12/Child
- Youth Aged 0-4 are Free!
Contact Info:
- Email: reservations@mulberrygap.com
- Website: www.mulberrygap.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mulberrygapadvbasecamp/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MulberryGapAdvBasecamp/
Image Credits:
Cabin with bike hanging: credit to Anthony Smith Barn image with tents: credit to Logan Watts of Bikepacking.com Cabin image with white Ford Transit: credit to Over Mountain Cycles All other photos are taken by me, Kate Gates.
