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Where childhood dreams and modern outdoor camping come together, the revival of the treehouse as a unique way to spend a night in some of the most beautiful parts of the Pacific Northwest (and beyond) is a travel style we’re more than stoked to get behind. Because let’s face it, who doesn’t want to sleep 20 feet off the ground, nestled between Douglas Firs, with Bald Eagles soaring around at eye level? (Spoiler alert: we all do. Especially you, Certfied Cabin Lover.)
Built in places that inspire adventure, independence, and a reason to slow down and reconnect with—you guessed it—the great outdoors, these sky-high structures are typically built with the utmost care to have a minimal impact on the environment around them. All in a beautiful setting, of course. To jump to our list of the best Washington treehouse rentals scroll on below. Stick around for a deeper dive into what makes a treehouse rental so special.
As part of a new living architecture trend, these modern treehouses are as wild and alive as the flora they’ve been built around. That means growth, movement, wind, rain, sounds, sap, and little critters are all a part of the experience. And a part of the evolution of the treehouse. As the tree grows and changes seasonally for many years to come, the structure has to be built with that in mind. But how?
That’s where building materials such as treehouse attachment bolts, or TABs, come in. These bolts are specially engineered to support heavy loads in living trees. Using bolts like this means the structure’s wooden beams can be kept at a distance from the bark and won’t pinch off the tree as it continues to grow. Girdles and chains that wrap around the circumference of trees are bad, whereas TABs that do not choke or damage their living hosts are good. As the tree continues to grow, the wood embraces the perimeter of the boss (the central component of the TAB) just like it’s giving it a little hug in a symbolic seal of approval.
Additional support for many treehouses, including many on this list, comes from struts and stilts that also help take pressure off the tree and the TABs. TABs can typically support anywhere from 8,000 and 10,000 pounds of force, depending on the type of tree they’re bolted into. Softer trees such as cedars and pines may support less force, while harder trees such as hickory and oak may support more force.
When it comes down to it, there are a million ways to design and build a treehouse, and we could go on about it until we’ve built a new unofficial Field Mag HQ in the woods. For now, we’ll spare you.
Instead, let’s start digging into our expertly curated list of the best treehouse vacation rentals. From a FM favorite, the Klickitat Treehouse, a 500 square foot alpine treehouse inspired by Scandinavian design, to a newly discovered secret and secluded hilltop retreat with views of the San Juan Islands that will take your breath away, these Washington state treehouses are the kind of socially distant escapes we could all use right about now.
And once you’ve gotten your fill of treehouses in Washington state and you’re ready to trade in fir forests for fresh and rugged coastlines, these Oregon coast rentals are worth checking into, too. Or, maybe it’s a floating village built among the trees in Texas that’s more your style…
