Ridgecrest Conference Center

I came here with Bethel Campus Fellowship for the annual conference. My first impression was that it was a very nice venue. Nice view of the mountains and everything. The room I stayed in with three other girls was nice too. They provided warm blankets, towels, and washcloths. However, there was a spider in the bathtub. Not sure when the last time the room was adequately cleaned. The auditorium was spacious, with comfortable seating. The dining hall could’ve used more seating, if possible. It was over 1000 attendees, most struggling to find a seat during meals. As for the food, it was great for the most part. However, I had some pizza that was hard, and macaroni and cheese that was sticking to the plate. Not good. All in all, this is a very cool place. Quiet, simple and beautiful. I will be returning next year for conference, of course.

We come here every winter and while it is close to deserted, and we have a fabulous time. You can choose from rustic cabins to more traditional hotel rooms and enjoy the grounds or use it as a stop off point.
During the summer there are a variety of Christian events and retreats.

As a native Miami-​undersealevel dweller, I absolutely LOVE Ridgecrest!
Over the last decade, i’ve spent 8 out of those 10 summers at Ridgecrest for any given amount of time.
Ridgecrest, a Christian retreat facility, is owned by Lifeway Christian Resources and is one of the two conference centers that they own around the country. The 8 summers I’ve spent at Ridgecrest was for Lifeway’s summer camp, Centrifuge.
Having spent so much time at Ridgecrest, I’ve had the opportunity to spend time at each of their wonderful facilities. Additionally, Ridgecrest is STILL building new facilities all the time!
Spilman Auditorium: this venue easily seats 2,000 people and has a balcony level that accommodates even more people! There is a sound booth that is situated right in the middle of the ground floor, which gives the tech teams easy access to the stage. Their in-​house lighting isn’t necessarily the best, but the staff is very flexible in helping production teams install their own lights.
Lambdin Auditorium: A secondary venue that is much smaller in size, seating maybe 400 people at once. This venue has since been outdated by the construction of the Arc.
The Arc: A multipurpose venue that seats approximately 1200 people. In addition to serving as a basketball/​multi-​use sports area, there is a deep stage and in-​house lighting that can be used for conferences or concerts. There is also a baby/​cry room!
Ridgecrest holds numerous housing facilities, ranging from 3-​bunk dormitory style rooms to high quality hotel rooms, which contain two queen beds. The hotel, named ‘Mountain Laurel’, is extremely clean, with bathrooms being cleaned constantly. For the price, I can’t find a better location on the campus to spend an evening!
Ridgecrest also holds recreation fields that are a short walk/​drive up the mountain. These fields can support activities for up to 2,000 people (trust me, I’ve done it!) Additionally, there is a lake, which affords kayaking/​canoeing. One recommendation: don’t swim in it! There are also numerous hiking trails, which lead you to numerous places, including the Royal Gorge lookout, which is absolutely to die for, as it gives views a complete view of the Blue Ridge Mountains! There is also an isolated camp grounds, named Buck Flats, that is situated along a small creek that is absolutely a beautiful area to camp or hammock overnight. The Flats also has a covered area where cooking or barbecuing can be done!
All in all, Ridgecrest has SO many things that anybody can take part in. If you’re looking for a great family getaway, family reunion, or place to hold a conference, Ridgecrest is a great place to do it!

personel not so nice, check in was a joke, buidings are old, and unsafe. Actually saw boards holding up a set of stairs to the second floor rooms. No TV’s in the rooms, not sure how that brings people closer to Christ, sure would like to see the local weather. In 3 buildings only one working ice maker, yep, no refridgerators in the rooms. The rooms were smelly and old. I’ll keep God in my way, this is pure $$$$ in the owners pockets with very little maintenance. Did I mention the feces in the stairwell, yea it was that bad. BTW I stayed there because they were the host hotel for a half marathon.

I was not that impressed with this place. I stayed in one of the apartments, which were more expensive than some of the newer places and the only additional benefits were a leaky refrigerator and larger place that smelled horrible. Our room had an awful musty smell and it took the maintenance people 16 hours to finally come fix our toilet when it wouldn’t flush.
I guess you could say that I got what I paid for except for the fact that there were nicer rooms for less money available. I would not stay in the apartments next time.

Inexpensive, quality accommodations for events of any size.