Our History

Black Bear Lodge has provided addiction treatment in North Georgia for years, but the property itself has an even longer history. Before becoming a treatment center, the campus operated as a mountain retreat destination where people came to rest, recharge and step away from everyday life.

That atmosphere still shapes the experience today.

The wooded grounds, cabin-style accommodations and peaceful mountain surroundings continue to create a feeling of retreat and restoration. What changed is the purpose. Today, Black Bear Lodge combines that calming environment with evidence-based addiction treatment and trauma-informed approach designed to support long-term recovery.

Many individuals who come here are looking not only for treatment, but for a place where they can finally breathe, slow down and begin rebuilding their lives in a more grounded environment.

Recognition and Accreditation

Newsweek’s Best Addiction Treatment Centers

Black Bear Lodge was named one of Newsweek’s Best Addiction Treatment Centers for four consecutive years from 2022 through 2025.

The recognition reflects independent evaluations of treatment quality, patient experience and clinical standards across facilities nationwide.

Joint Commission Accreditation

Black Bear Lodge is accredited by The Joint Commission, one of the most widely recognized accrediting bodies for healthcare organizations in the United States.

Joint Commission accreditation reflects ongoing evaluation of patient care standards, clinical practices, staff qualifications and organizational performance. For individuals and families seeking treatment, accreditation can provide additional confidence that a facility meets nationally recognized standards of care.

Treatment Philosophy

Addiction is complex, and recovery does not look the same for every person.

At Black Bear Lodge, treatment is built around the understanding that individuals arrive with different experiences, challenges, histories and goals. Our approach is evidence-based, trauma-informed and individualized to each patient’s needs.

We believe substance use and mental health are deeply connected. Many individuals experiencing addiction are also navigating anxiety, depression, trauma or other co-occurring mental health concerns. Rather than treating those issues separately, our clinical team works to address the whole person throughout the recovery process.

We also believe environment matters.

For many patients, stepping away from the stress, pressure and distractions of everyday life allows them to engage more fully in treatment. The North Georgia mountain setting helps create a calmer and more grounded space where recovery work can begin taking hold.

Most importantly, we focus on long-term recovery. Treatment is not simply about getting through detox or completing a program. It is about helping individuals build the tools, support systems and routines needed to move forward after treatment ends.

Treatment Modalities

Care at Black Bear Lodge may include:

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
  • Trauma-informed approach
  • Mindfulness practices
  • Experiential therapies
  • Group and individual therapy
  • Family education and support

Levels of Care

  • Medical detox
  • Residential treatment
  • Partial hospitalization programming (PHP)
  • Intensive outpatient programming (IOP)
  • Dual diagnosis treatment
  • Aftercare and alumni support

The Campus

Black Bear Lodge is located on a wooded mountain campus in Sautee Nacoochee, Georgia, approximately 90 miles northeast of Atlanta. Patients live on campus throughout residential treatment, allowing them to fully focus on recovery away from many of the distractions and stressors of daily life.

Unlike many traditional treatment settings, patients stay in cabin-style accommodations spread throughout the property. The cabins reflect the history of the campus as a mountain retreat and provide a more comfortable, grounded and residential experience during treatment.

The campus includes:

  • Wooded grounds and mountain views near Yonah Mountain
  • Residential cabins
  • Chapel
  • Onsite fitness center
  • Pool
  • Yoga programming
  • Chef-prepared meals
  • Walking trails and outdoor spaces
  • Quiet areas for reflection

Many individuals searching for a mountain rehab setting are specifically looking for an environment that feels calm, restorative and removed from the pace of everyday life.

Insurance and Payment

Black Bear Lodge works with many major insurance providers to help make treatment more accessible.

Accepted insurance may include:

  • Ambetter
  • 4 Your Choice
  • Aetna®/Meritain
  • BCBS®
  • First Health
  • Magellan
  • Multiplan
  • Scott and White Health Plan
  • United Behavioral Health/UBH
  • Value Options/Carelon
  • TRICARE® East

Coverage varies based on provider and plan. Our admissions team can verify insurance benefits and help explain coverage before admission.

Frequently Asked Questions

Black Bear Lodge is located in Sautee Nacoochee, Georgia, in the North Georgia mountains near Yonah Mountain. The campus is approximately 90 miles northeast of Atlanta.

Yes. Black Bear Lodge is accredited by The Joint Commission, a nationally recognized accrediting organization for healthcare providers.

Black Bear Lodge was recognized as one of Newsweek’s Best Addiction Treatment Centers from 2022 through 2025.

Black Bear Lodge offers medical detox, residential treatment, PHP, IOP, dual diagnosis treatment, and aftercare and alumni support.

Our admissions team is available 24/7 to answer questions about treatment, insurance, levels of care and next steps.

About Us

Ready to Begin Healing?

If what you’ve read here gives you hope, we’d love to talk. Our admissions team is available 24/7 to answer your questions, verify your insurance and help you or your loved one get started.