Meet Sarah Mudder | CEO, Field Trip Traveler’s Rest

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sarah Mudder and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sarah, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
We were two working moms, working really hard to build something that we didn’t own and didn’t benefit our families long term (aside from a paycheck). We wanted to build something of our own, while simultaneously freeing up more time to spend with our kids. After researching several opportunities that could have been lucrative, but just not really “us,” we stumbled upon the outdoor hospitality industry and the whole idea made us come alive. We have chosen to raise our families in a small, southern, outdoor-adventure-loving town, and this glampground seems like what we didn’t know our town and families have been missing all along.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Our business is a 23-unit luxury glampground and microfarm nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains. We are the first glampground to be opened in the Upstate area. We are excited to create a space where people can slow down and connect with each other and the outdoors like they used to in an era gone by, but without sacrificing modern conveniences and creature comforts. Our guests will be able to enjoy a plethora of amenities including hot tubs, saunas, a cold plunge, a cowboy pool, a fishing pond, beautiful gardens and greenhouse, firepits, basketball court, volleyball court, lawn games, playground, a camp store, and many other things. Additionally, they will be able to interact with our adorable goats during our exclusinve goat happy hour, feed and gather eggs from our chickens, harvest honey from our beehives, and pick berries from our berry patches. Guests will also be given the opportunity to add on local excursions like cycling and mountain biking tours, river rafting, and hiking, or choose to explore our the charming town of Traveler’s Rest.
This whole process started with a dream and two mamas who were just crazy enough to step out and take a risk. By the grace of God, we were divinely connected to the right people at the right time to help us find resources and guide us through this process. It hasn’t been easy, but it has been fun!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my friend were coming to Travelers Rest, of course they would stay at Field Trip and enjoy all the amenites and activities there at the glampground. But as they wanted to venture out, I would take them to Tandem for amazing breakfast crepes and coffee. Then I would take them to rent ebikes and bike the Swamp Rabbit Trail. We would finish at Swamp Rabbit Cafe and Grocery, where we would grab farm fresh picnic provisions and hop back on our bikes and bike to one of the many parks or whaterfalls along the trail route. I would take them rafting down the Saluda River with Saluda Outdor Adventures, and then we would grab pizza at Coastal Crust and eat it outside while sipping a cold beer from the Community Tap. On Saturday morning we would head over to the Traveler’s Rest Farmer’s Market, one of the top farmer’s markets in the country. There we would participate in the free workouts by TR Yoga and TR Crossfit, sip a coffee from Bridge City Coffee, enjoy live music from a local band, and buy all the yummy and beautiful things from over 85 local farms and artisans. On Saturday night we would take in a free outdoor concert or movie in Trailblazer Park and of course end the night laughing around the camp fire at Field Trip!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Our husbands! Our husbands were not scared by our crazy (risky) idea to open a glampground – they jumped right in and have been sacrificing and supporting us every step of the way. From helping navigate investor relations, goatherding, planting potatoes, watching kids, and tackling mountains of paperwork, they have been our biggest cheerleaders and emotional support animals 😉

Website: nothing yet – coming soon!

Instagram: @fieldtripglamping

Image Credits
Sarah Lawrence Photography for the headshot, Ink & Haven Graphic Design for the branding logos