THE FINER THING SO YOU TAGGED ALONG WITH US THIS FAR, HUNTING DOWN SECRET SWIMMING HOLES.
WHICH OBVIOUSLY MEANS YOU'RE A WILDERNESS LOVER, RIGHT?
WELL, MAKE, JUST MAYBE THE IDEA OF SLEEPING OUTDOORS IN BAG ON THE HARD GROUND LEAVES YOU COLD.
BUT WE MAY JUST HAVE THE PERFECT CAMPING PITCH FOR YOU.
THE WORDS, CAMPING AND COMFORT, MAY SEEM UNLIKELY BED FELLOWS, BUT THE FOLKS AT HUTOPIA THINK THEY'RE PERFECT FOR EACH OTHER.
>> BASICALLY THE CONCEPT IS FACILITIES THAT PEOPLE COME TO CAMP WITH COMFORT.
ANTHONY: THE GENERAL MANAGER AT THE WHITE MOUNTAIN UR UTOPIA, NORTH OF SOUTH CONWAY.
THE FRENCH-OWNED COMPANY HAS MORE THAN 50 FACILITIES WORLDWIDE.
>> WE ALWAYS SAID, HERE IS CAMPING, BUT IT'S A LITTLE BIT LIKE YOUR HOUSE, SO IT'S EASY CAMPING.
ANTHONY: THERE ARE A VARIETY OF ACCOMMODATIONS, FROM FULL-SERVICE CABINS TO THE POPULAR GLAMPING TENTS, WHICH COME WITH REAL BEDS, A KITCHENETTE, ELECTRICITY AND
EVEN A PRIVATE BATHROOM.
>> IT'S LIKE A TINY HOUSE BUT IN A CAMP GROUND.
ANTHONY: HUTOPIA HAS 97 UNITS, TUCKED INTO THE FOREST AROUND THE LAKE.
THERE IS A POOL, AN ACTIVITY CENTER, A FOOD TRUCK, AND SOME DISTINCTLY FRENCH TOUCHES.
>> WE ARE REALLY BUSY THIS YEAR.
I AM PRETTY SURE, BECAUSE OF THE COVID, EVERYBODY LIKES TO STAY INSIDE, SPENDING SO MUCH TIME, SO THEY WANT TO GO OUT, SO YEAH, WE ARE REALLY, REALLY BUSY THIS YEAR.
ANTHONY: WHEN WE LAST CAUGHT UP WITH THE PHOTOGRAPHER CHRIS WHITEN, HE WAS, AS USUAL, WAY OFF THE BEATEN PATH.
>> YOU LOOK NOW ON LINE AND EVERYTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO DEATH, SO I WANT TO SEE STUFF THAT PEOPLE HAVEN'T SEEN, SO THAT MEANT GOING OFF THE TRAIL.
ANTHONY: WHITEN YOU SEE, IS A WATERFALL HUNTER, SCOURING TOPOGRAPHICAL MAPS AND OLD BOOKS FOR REFERENCES TO WATERFALLS THAT MODERN TRAILS HAVE BYPASSED AND THE WORLD FORGOTTEN.
60 AND 70-FOOT FALLS THAT NO ONE HAS LAID EYES ON IN 100 YEARS OR MORE.
>> JUST AMAZE, HUNDREDS OF YEARS AGO, MOST OF THIS LAND WAS LOGGED AND THEN IT'S BROUGHT BACK, SO YOU'RE NOT THE FIRST, BUT YOU MAY BE THE FIRST IN SOMEWHAT MODERN HISTORY.
ANTHONY: WE FIGURE, WHITEN WOULD KNOW A THING OR TWO ABOUT SECRET SWIMMING HOLES.
HE ASKED US TO MEET HIM A FEW MILES DOWN A DIRT ROAD NEAR TWIN MOUNTAIN.
WE FOLLOW HIM INTO THE BUSHES, DOWN A BARELY DISCERNIBLE PATH ALONG THE LITTLE RIVER.
A SHORT WHILE LATER, AND THERE IT IS, AN IDYLLIC POOL, CROWNED WITH A LIVELY CASCADE.
>> THIS PLACE, AS FAR AS I HAVE KNOW, DOESN'T HAVE ANY OFFICIAL NAME.
IT'S JUST A NICE POOL ON THE RIVER THAT SOME FOLKS KNOW ABOUT IT, MOST DON'T.
I'VE RARELY SEEN ANYONE HERE.
ANTHONY: THE WATER, GIN CLEAR AND QUITE, UM, REFRESHING.
>> THIS RIVER COMES DOWN OUT OF THE MOUNTAINS, THERE IS NO HABITATION, THERE'S NOTHING ABOVE US HERE, SO THIS WATER IS AS CLEAN AS IT'S GOING TO GET.
ANTHONY: A SHORT DRIVE AWAY, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A LITTLE INDULGENCE CANDYLAND, COME TO LIFE.
>> THIS IS THE WORLD'S LONGEST CANDY COUNTER.
GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS, 112 FEET, 600 YARDS.
ANTHONY: FROM CLASSICS LIKE MARY JANES AND BIT O HONEY, TO CHOCOLATE LAVA BOULDERS AND CHICKEN FEED.
THE OWNER, JIM ALDEN, SAYS THE CANDY COUNTER GREW ORGANICALLY, ONE JAR LEADING TO THE NEXT TO THE NEXT AND SO ON.
>> IT GREW AND GREW AND THEN FINALLY, HEY, WE THINK WE HAVE THE WORLD'S LONGEST CANDY COUNTER.
ANTHONY: BACK TO OUR WATERFALL HUNTER, CHRIS WHITEN HAS TAKEN SOME HEAT FOR REVEALING THE HIDDEN BEAUTIES IN THE DEEP FOREST, BUT HE SAYS THERE ARE PLENTY MORE HIDDEN WATERFALLS
AND SECRET SWIMMING HOLES OUT THERE FOR PEOPLE TO DISCOVER FOR THEMSELF, IF THEY HAVE THE DETERMINATION TO DO THE RESEARCH.
BUSH WHACK FOR HOURS, WITH NO GUARANTEE OF FINDING WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.
THERE'S A LINK TO HIS PHOTOS ON THE WEB SITE.