Montreat Conference Center is a Christian institution that strives to demonstrate intentional hospitality to all. As a key part of that commitment, we will not tolerate discrimination on our campus against any child of God, including discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, ability, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation.
Read more about Montreat's commitment to inclusion.
Below are more rules, practices, and policies of the Mountain Retreat Association, d/b/a Montreat Conference Center.
Click to Read Our Privacy Policy
Montreat Conference Center is a Christian institution that strives to demonstrate intentional hospitality and foster a safe place. We host a wide range of guests, including:
- People who are seeking, either personally or in community with others, religious engagement or experience;
- Churches and religious organizations of many denominations and traditions;
- Non-profit organizations; and
- Community organizations
While the conference center strives to welcome all guests consistent with its calling to Christian hospitality, it reserves the right to decline the use of its facilities and property from individuals and groups at any time.
Hosting individuals and groups does not indicate or signify an endorsement of the beliefs, policies, or lifestyles of any particular hosted group, agency, or individual.
View President Richard DuBose’s full response to the North Carolina legislature commonly referred to as HB2 (Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act) here.
Read more about Montreat's commitment to inclusion.
It is the policy of Montreat Conference Center to maintain a place free from any form of unlawful harassment. All workplace harassment reports, as well as harassment reports arising from Conference Center sponsored programs, will be investigated. If harassment is found to have occurred, remedial action and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken.
Unlawful harassment may include, but is not limited to:
- Verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct that shows aversion, denigration, or hostility because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, transgender status, and sexual orientation), age, disability, veteran status or other protected characteristic when it creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment, unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work, or adversely affects an individual’s employment opportunities.
- Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when submission to the conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment, submission to or rejection of the conduct is used as the basis for employment decisions, or the conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment. Sexual harassment can include conduct between members of the same sex.
If you believe that you are being unlawfully harassed or are a subject of retaliation, please contact:
- Lauren Mathews, Director of Human Resources and Employee Engagement, at hr@montreat.org.
Robert Lake Park is owned and maintained by Montreat Conference Center. The park is open publicly to individuals and families from dawn until dusk. Alcohol, firearms, smoking, and dogs are prohibited in Robert Lake Park.
For scheduling and safety purposes, groups wishing to use the park are asked to submit an advance request by contacting the front desk of Assembly Inn at frontdesk@montreat.org or 828.419.9844. Similarly, the front desk should be contacted to reserve the gazebo for parties, gatherings, etc., and fees may apply.
The Montreat wilderness is protected by conservation practices and is privately owned land. For scheduling and safety purposes, groups wishing to hike are asked to submit a request to Jason Nanz at jasonn@montreat.org. The Montreat wilderness is hike-at-your-own-risk. The rules and regulations are posted for your safety and enjoyment.
Rules
- IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, CAL 911
- Use caution and good judgement on your hike.
- Obey all signage if you leave the Montreat Wilderness. Our property is adjacent to several different landowners with their own rules.
- Your pets MUST be leashed at all times. This is for the protection of everyone and is a County ordinance.
- Wilderness trails are for FOOT TRAVEL ONLY. Bicycles and horses are prohibited.
- Bicycles are ONLY allowed on Rainbow Road, Appalachian Way, and the Old Mitchell Toll Road.
- Do not go around erosion control measures, go over. Averting erosion measures deteriorates the trails.
- Stay only on the marked or blazed trails. Do not create new trails, create switchbacks, or stray from the trails.
- Pack out what you pack in.
- Camping and open fires are only permitted in the two shelter areas indicated on the map.
- Do not graffiti or vandalize, make fires inside, or modify the shelters in any way. Shelters are the property of Montreat Conference Center.
- Please register online or at the front desk of Assembly Inn before staying over night in a shelter. You can register online here.
- Do not harvest, hunt, forage, or collect anything except memories and photographs.
- Firearms and air-powered guns are not permitted within the Montreat Wilderness.
Camping is permitted only at the Montreat Campground. Download the camp information and guidelines here. To reserve a campsite, please do so online or contact the front desk of Assembly Inn at frontdesk@montreat.org or 828.419.9844.
There are several picnic areas leading up to the campground which are open to the public by reservation. Camping is not permitted in the picnic areas. To reserve a picnic area, contact the front desk of Assembly Inn.
Lake Susan is owned and maintained by Montreat Conference Center.
Fishing is allowed in Montreat’s streams and in designated areas of the lake with a permit. Permits can be purchased at the front desk of Assembly Inn and at the Montreat Store.
Fishing Permit Prices:
| Daily: | $7 |
|---|---|
| Weekly: | $25 |
| Four Weeks: | $80 |
| Season: | $140 |
Refer to signage around the lake for fishing/non-fishing areas and please follow all posted rules. Please review the rules listed below before you go.
- Please have fishing permit OR your conference name badge available when fishing
- Creel limit is 4 fish per permit per day
- Do not release fish after catching
- Children 8 & under (if they are accompanied by an adult with a license) and persons over 75 fish for free)
- Use only WORMS or ARTIFICIAL LURES
- Please use NO FOOD PRODUCTS (bread, cheese, corn, etc.).
- No fishing after dark
- No fishing before 1 PM on Sundays
- Fish from designated areas only. See map on reverse side of fishing permit.
- Do not fish with treble or group hook
- No wading
During the summer months, canoes and paddle boats are available from 2:00–6:00pm for $4 per half hour.
Montreat welcomes the responsible use of our outdoor spaces when they are not in use by the conference center. These properties include Welch Field, Moore Center Field, Anderson Lawn, the Dowd Green, the Prayer Path at the Walk Jones Wildlife Sanctuary, and the Roddey, Jones, and Boyd picnic areas. Individuals and groups using these spaces are asked to honor all posted guidelines. For more information on Montreat's Green Spaces visit the Recreation page.
Inquiries about availability of any of these spaces should be directed to the front desk of Assembly Inn at frontdesk@montreat.org or 828.419.9844.
Mountain Retreat Association prohibits firearms on its property.
Fires are only permitted in designated areas (fireplaces, conference center-supplied fire pits, campfire rings, and/or grills in picnic areas) Please be mindful of your surroundings and keep safety in mind when having outdoor fires; make sure you have water or a fire extinguisher easily accessible. Please only burn wood and the starter log (if provided), refrain from burning trash. Charcoal is permitted in our fixed fire structures such as at the campground, picnic areas, and Hickory Lodge. Be aware that roasting marshmallows or cooking any sort of food may attract bears, throw food trash away in secure containers. If you are using one of our portable fire pits, please do not move it from your reserved location without checking with us first. Never use a firepit on a wooden deck, porch, or gazebo. In the event of a burn ban or if the fire risk reaches a rating of “high” or above, you may not be permitted to have a fire.
Tobacco use, including cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, and e-cigarettes, is only permitted out of doors and where urns are found.
Montreat Conference Center is committed to providing a safe and secure environment for all children, youth, employees, and volunteers who participate in ministries and activities sponsored by the center. The Juvenile Protection Policy reflects our commitment to preserving Montreat as a holy place of safety and protection for all and as a place in which all people can experience the love of God through relationships with others.
Each event or reservation has a unique cancellation policy. To learn more about a specific cancellation policy, visit the event or reservation registration page. Further inquiries can be directed to the front desk of Assembly Inn at frontdesk@montreat.org or 828.419.9844.
Recreation use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), also referred to as "drones", are prohibited on all MRA property.
Individuals or parties requesting use of UAS for educational or professional use must seek advance permission in writing to tannerp@montreat.org. Parties must verify that they are currently licensed by all accrediting bodies and are following all applicable state and federal guidelines and laws. Copies of footage must be made available to MRA staff.
Official emergency and rescue personnel are allowed to operate UAS at any time and without notice.
By participating in a program or attending an event at Montreat Conference Center, your image, name, and voice, as well as any presentation, speech, or written document submitted by you may be used, reproduced, and/or modified for use as publicity by Mountain Retreat Association DBA Montreat Conference Center in a variety of media including, but not limited to: print, video, photographic, television and radio broadcasts, and sound recordings, all of which may be available on the Internet. If you have questions or concerns, please contact Tanner Pickett, Vice President for Communications at tannerp@montreat.org or 828.419.9808.</p/>
Please visit our Press Room for official statements about Montreat Conference Center and other media resources. If you have questions or need additional information, contact Tanner Pickett, Vice President for Communications at tannerp@montreat.org or 828.419.9808.
All photographs, videos, images, logos, designs, and other content owned by Mountain Retreat Association DBA Montreat Conference Center are protected by applicable copyright and trademark laws. No person or entity may use, reproduce, distribute, modify, or display any such materials without express, pre-authorized written approval from Mountain Retreat Association.
Unauthorized use constitutes infringement and may result in legal action. For permission requests, please contact Tanner Pickett, Vice President for Communications at tannerp@montreat.org or 828.419.9808.
© 2025 Mountain Retreat Association DBA Montreat Conference Center. All rights reserved.
Please visit our Press Room for official statements about Montreat Conference Center and other media resources.