Ready for Adventure?

Thanks to cousins Casey Harp and Kyleigh Thomas, visitors have plenty of new ways to immerse themselves in the exciting natural beauty of Lookout Mountain. Their company, Mentone Excursions, launched last May, offers guided outdoor experiences on family-owned land and surrounding areas. From tubing on the East Fork of Little River to hunting for arrowheads that date back thousands of years, they specialize in providing interesting adventures.

For Harp, Mentone Excursions is the result of a significant career shift. After nearly three decades in the plumbing trade, including 10 years with the Jefferson County Board of Education, he reached a turning point.

“I told my wife, you know what? I’ve got to come up with something that I would love to do and get paid for it — and be able to just share what I know how to do in the woods,” he said.

That realization, coupled with a lifelong love of the outdoors, led him to begin a transition from a very full job in the plumbing trade to the challenge of creating a brand-new business. He still works as a plumber while his fledgling company grows. But taking folks out and teaching them new pastimes and educating them about nature is where his heart lies.

“I think it’s important to spend time with people and try to bring out the best in them,” he said. “This gives me an opportunity to put myself in front of people. I don’t get to do that a whole lot in the plumbing world.”

Much of what makes Mentone Excursions possible is access to a large piece of family property — roughly 500 acres once used as a coal mine and now permanently protected through the Alabama-Georgia Land Trust. The land includes frontage on the East Fork of Little River, making it ideal for tubing, kayaking, fishing, and hiking. It also contains archaeological treasures. “There are enough arrowheads over there to last a bunch of people a lifetime,” Harp noted.

Variety Is the Name of the Game

Harp and crew will do their best to accommodate any outdoor experiences their clients desire. Some of the regular adventures include:

• Tubing trips down the river, with routes ranging from calm floats to fast-moving water, depending on conditions.
• Fly-fishing excursions for redeye bass, brim, and rock bass.
• Arrowhead hunts across the property, giving participants the thrill of discovery as well as hands-on history.
• Guided hikes tailored to the interests and abilities of each group, from short walks to full-day treks.

And if guests are beginners in any endeavor — for example, fishing — the staff takes as much time to educate them as is needed. “If somebody’s new at it, absolutely — we’ll take the time and work with them until they get it,” Harp said.

Every trip is guided, whether for couples, families, or larger groups. Bookings are handled online through the company’s website, and Harp says most customers so far have discovered them through simple online searches, such as “things to do in Mentone.”

Year-Round Activities

While the warm-weather months bring tubing, fishing, and hiking, Harp and Thomas are working on new ideas to attract visitors during the winter. One plan is to create an indoor arrowhead-sifting experience, allowing guests to search screened soil known to contain artifacts — great for school groups, birthday parties, and “curious explorers of all ages.”

The cousins are also preparing to reintroduce horses to nearby Whippoorwill Farm, which once operated as a horse facility. Fences are being restored so the land can host horseback rides and horsemanship instruction, drawing on Thomas’ equine background. “In the future, there will still be people wanting to do the horseback riding — even in January,” Harp said.

Beyond offering outdoor recreation, Harp sees the business as a way to encourage and connect with people. “Encouraging people is really important,” he said, adding that he’s seen guests expand their worlds and shift their perspective on life just by getting outside and off the beaten path. “People don’t realize what one little thing will do for somebody,” he reflected.

He also has his eye on the long term. “I’m hoping this is something I can do for the rest of my life. That’s the goal,” he said. “Once the name’s out, I think we’re going to be very busy and need some help.”

Harp’s lifelong passion for the land translates to once-in-lifetime memories for his guests. And it’s a perfect fit for folks who come to enjoy the mountain.

Find out what’s happening with Mentone Excursions by visiting their website: mentoneexcursions.com, and following them on Facebook and Instagram.