How far from Asheville?
The cabin is an easy 20 minute drive to downtown Asheville. It has easy access from a paved road, and excellent access to the highway. We are 1-1/2 miles off of I-26 at Exit 9 in North Carolina.
Description
We have 2 king beds, 1 queen bed, a queen futon in the loft upstairs for a total capacity of 8. If you have any kids, they will be OK on the futons. Adults will be a little cozy. There are 2 full bathrooms, and enough towels and washcloths for 8. The dining room table will seat 8.
All linens and towels are supplied for your convenience. There is body wash and shampoo in each bathroom, as well as a blow-dryer in each bathroom. An initial stock of paper towels and toilet paper is provided. The kitchen is stocked with dishes, flatware, pots & pans, baking pans and cooking utensils. There is a microwave, coffee pot, coffee grinder, Keurig coffee maker, blender and toaster oven. There is a large gas grill on the deck. We do not supply firewood for the fire pit. You can purchase wood at local stores.
How far from Biltmore?
Biltmore is about a 30 minute drive.
Secluded?
The cabin is private but not secluded. When you are at the cabin you can't see any other homes, but there are some up the road behind the cabin.
Views?
There are close mountain views. When you're sitting on the porch at the cabin, you see the nearby wooded slopes, but no long-range views. The cabin has easy access from a paved road, and excellent access to the highway.
Deposit
The $300 deposit is a fully refundable damage deposit which is returned to you after your departure as long as everything is okay.
Grocery
There is a grocery store nearby, at Exit 11 on I-26. From the cabin take I-26 south the Exit 11. Turn left at the end of the ramp. The Ingles is about 3/4 mile on the right.
Snow
For a place in the country, our cabin is well-situated for easy access in snowy weather. The cabin is easily accessible - less than 2 miles from I-26 off of NC 19/23. Both of these major highways are well-maintained. The road to the cabin is short and flat, and we keep it cleared, but you may want to park at the bottom of the driveway (just 100 feet or so) if snow is predicted.
Asheville Area Attractions - a sampling of attractions in and around Asheville are listed below.
See romanticasheville.com for many more attractions tailored to your interests.
Zip Lines:
Navitat Canopy Adventures is a tree-based adventure! Consistently called one of the best zipline canopy tour providers in the nation, Navitat offers fully guided tree-based zipline tours that showcase the beauty of North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Located just minutes from the cabin in a secluded mountain cove.
www.navitat.com/asheville-nc/
Ski info:
skiwolfridgenc.com Wolf Ridge ski resort is really close and easy to get to. Google maps shows 24 minutes. The tubing area is a little bit closer than that.
cataloochee.com Cataloochee ski area is one hour and 13 minutes.
www.beechmountainresort.com Beech Mountain 1 hour and 24 minutes.
www.skisugar.com Sugar Mountain 1 hour and 22 minutes.
Snow tubing:
The Wolf Ridge ski resort is about 20 minutes from the cabin. They have snow tubing which is a lot of fun, and easy to do. From the cabin, go west on I-26, take Exit 3, then follow directions from the website.
skiwolfridgenc.com/tickets/snow-tubing
Hiking:
www.romanticasheville.com/hiking.html
www.hikewnc.info
12 min - Appalachian Trail at Sam’s Gap
20 min - Mountains to Sea Trail at Bull Gap on the Parkway MP 375 (via Ox Creek Rd)
30 min - Craggy Gardens, Parkway MP 367
25 min - trails off North Fork Rd near Barnardsville in Pisgah National Forest
30 min - Mountains to Sea Trail - various locations near Asheville
40 min - Appalachian Trail in Hot Springs
One of my favorite hikes is to Craggy Pinnacle. It's only 1.4 miles roundtrip, but the views at the top are amazing. From the same area on the Parkway, you can also hike to Craggy Gardens, also pretty if not as spectacular, but probably less traveled. If you hike up from the visitors center, turn left after the trail shelter and go through the open area to the end (benches, there, I think) for a nice rest spot.
If you want something a little more remote, there is hiking in the Big Ivy Coleman Boundary area. I have visited the area, but have not hiked there. It's an area of gorgeous, typical WNC forest. There's a hike to Lower Douglas Falls that sounds nice, and I'm sure you can make some loops out there. The trails here are accessed from a well-graded gravel road. If you want to hike in this area I would recommend getting a good forest map. Maps can be purchased in Asheville at Mast General Store.
Another popular hike is the hike to Rattlesnake Lodge.
More hiking, within an easy drive from the cabin is in the Sam's Gap area of the Appalachian Trail:
2179milejourney.wordpress.com/2013/09/29/sams-gap-to-hog-back-shelter-2-5-miles/
The Mountain-to-Sea trail runs along the Blue Ridge Parkway, offering opportunities for an out-and-back hike almost anywhere on the parkway.
We have not been disappointed in anywhere that we have gone hiking in the area. If something sounds interesting, I'd say go for it.
Fishing
See visitmadisoncounty.com/explore/outdoor-adventure/fishing
Also, the North Toe river is known for trout fishing. It is 24 Miles from the cabin. The North Toe River is a large stream in the North Carolina High Country. The headwaters begin between Bald Mountain and Sugar Mountain, what is known as Sugar Gap, in Avery County.
Lakes
There are many lakes in the area, Burnett reservoir is 40 miles from the cabin.
Lake James is 68 miles from the cabin. Lake Lure is 49 miles from the cabin.
Biltmore Estate - Our cabin is an easy 30 minute drive from Biltmore. Biltmore Estate is a large private estate and tourist attraction in Asheville, North Carolina. Biltmore House, the main house on the estate, is a Châteauesque-styled mansion built by George Washington Vanderbilt II between 1889 and 1895 and is the largest privately owned house in the United States, at 178,926 square feet of floor space and 135,280 square feet of living area. Still owned by one of Vanderbilt's descendants, it stands today as one of the most prominent remaining examples of the Gilded Age. In 2007, it was ranked eighth in America's Favorite Architecture by the American Institute of Architects.
The Asheville Museum of Science (AMOS) is Western North Carolina’s home for experiential science learning, discovery, and exploration. AMOS strives to spark the imagination and foster lifelong curiosity.
We have plenty of science to come and explore including our brand new Colburn Hall of Minerals, the STEM lab, our interactive panorama screen, the AMOS Mars Rover, our Teratophoneus dinosaur skeleton and fossil dig, Southern Appalachian Forest, Terrabox elevation simulator, Toddler Nest, Hurricane Simulator, fun temporary exhibits, and an exciting new gift shop.
http://ashevillescience.org/
Thomas Wolfe Memorial State Historic Site. Thomas Wolfe is considered by many to be one of the giants of 20th-century American literature, Thomas Wolfe immortalized his childhood home in his epic autobiographical novel, Look Homeward, Angel. Wolfe’s colorful portrayal of his family, his hometown of “Altamont” Asheville, North Carolina, and “Dixieland” the Old Kentucky Home boardinghouse, earned the Victorian period house a place as one of American literature’s most famous landmarks.
http://wolfememorial.com/
Grovewood Village, housed in the historic weaving and woodworking complex of Biltmore Industries. Our 11-acre property, celebrating its centennial this year, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and includes Grovewood Gallery, working artist studios, a sculpture garden, Golden Fleece restaurant, the Biltmore Industries Homespun Museum, and Asheville's only antique car museum.
https://www.grovewood.com/
The Grove Arcade was built by E.W. Grove, the visionary creator of the Grove Park Inn, the Grove Arcade opened in 1929 and thrived as one of the country’s leading public markets until World War II, when the federal government assumed control of the building. The historically renovated Grove Arcade reopened to the public in 2002 as a downtown destination featuring boutique shopping, services, and diverse dining options in a beloved architectural wonder.
http://www.grovearcade.com/
The Grove Park Inn. With a history of serving guests for over a century, The Omni Grove Park Inn welcomes you with a tradition of Southern hospitality, rich heritage and all the conveniences a modern traveler requires. Plan your next vacation to relax in our award-winning subterranean Spa, play a round on our Donald Ross designed golf course and dine in one of our four locally sourced restaurants. Enjoy a vast array of art galleries, local craft breweries and tons of venues for the performing arts here in the mountains of Asheville, North Carolina. There is a $10.00 fee to park. But, you can find street parking close and walk over. It is a great place to walk thru and maybe have a drink while you overlook Asheville.
https://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/asheville-grove-park
The Folk Art Center is home to the Southern Highland Craft Guild. The center showcases the finest in traditional and contemporary crafts of the Southern Appalachians. In addition to an Eastern National bookstore and Blue Ridge Parkway information desk
http://www.southernhighlandguild.org/folk-art-center/
The Western North Carolina Nature Center is a 42-acre Natural Heritage wildlife park sanctuary located just a few miles from downtown Asheville. The Nature Center provides a home for injured, orphaned or imprinted animals that could not survive on their own, and it is one of 28 in the country participating in the red wolf re-introduction program.
http://www.wildwnc.org/
Asheville Art Museum. Check out an impressive contemporary American art collection in the heart of downtown by Pack Square Park, with an exciting, inviting and active schedule of contemporary exhibitions and public programs based on its permanent collection of 20th and 21st century American art.
http://www.ashevilleart.org/
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. It runs for 469 miles (755 km) through the famous Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains. Land on either side of the road is maintained by the National Park Service. It is the longest, narrowest National Park in the world and is the most visited unit in the United States National Park System. In many places, the park is bordered by land protected by the United States Forest Service. We celebrated its 75th Anniversary in 2010.
http://www.blueridgeparkway.org/
Mount Mitchell. One of those places that stand apart from the ordinary, Mount Mitchell’s dramatic summit is the highest point east of the Mississippi at 6,684 feet and was inspiration for one of the nation’s first state parks. From its easily accessible observation deck, the spruce-fir forest of Mount Mitchell State Park leads the eye to unmatched views. A museum explains the mountain’s cultural and natural history, and its trail network allows visitors to explore up close, offering short hikes near the summit and challenging treks leading to adjacent wilderness areas. A nine-site tent campground is open in warm-weather months, and backpacking opportunities abound, including entry onto the Mountains-to-Sea State Trail. A concession area and a full-service restaurant serve visitors from May to October.
http://www.ncparks.gov/mount-mitchell-state-park
Parkway
Parkway - 30 minutes at points near Asheville
Parkway - 20 minutes at Ox Creek
The cabin is an easy 20 minute drive to downtown Asheville. It has easy access from a paved road, and excellent access to the highway. We are 1-1/2 miles off of I-26 at Exit 9 in North Carolina.
Description
We have 2 king beds, 1 queen bed, a queen futon in the loft upstairs for a total capacity of 8. If you have any kids, they will be OK on the futons. Adults will be a little cozy. There are 2 full bathrooms, and enough towels and washcloths for 8. The dining room table will seat 8.
All linens and towels are supplied for your convenience. There is body wash and shampoo in each bathroom, as well as a blow-dryer in each bathroom. An initial stock of paper towels and toilet paper is provided. The kitchen is stocked with dishes, flatware, pots & pans, baking pans and cooking utensils. There is a microwave, coffee pot, coffee grinder, Keurig coffee maker, blender and toaster oven. There is a large gas grill on the deck. We do not supply firewood for the fire pit. You can purchase wood at local stores.
How far from Biltmore?
Biltmore is about a 30 minute drive.
Secluded?
The cabin is private but not secluded. When you are at the cabin you can't see any other homes, but there are some up the road behind the cabin.
Views?
There are close mountain views. When you're sitting on the porch at the cabin, you see the nearby wooded slopes, but no long-range views. The cabin has easy access from a paved road, and excellent access to the highway.
Deposit
The $300 deposit is a fully refundable damage deposit which is returned to you after your departure as long as everything is okay.
Grocery
There is a grocery store nearby, at Exit 11 on I-26. From the cabin take I-26 south the Exit 11. Turn left at the end of the ramp. The Ingles is about 3/4 mile on the right.
Snow
For a place in the country, our cabin is well-situated for easy access in snowy weather. The cabin is easily accessible - less than 2 miles from I-26 off of NC 19/23. Both of these major highways are well-maintained. The road to the cabin is short and flat, and we keep it cleared, but you may want to park at the bottom of the driveway (just 100 feet or so) if snow is predicted.
Asheville Area Attractions - a sampling of attractions in and around Asheville are listed below.
See romanticasheville.com for many more attractions tailored to your interests.
Zip Lines:
Navitat Canopy Adventures is a tree-based adventure! Consistently called one of the best zipline canopy tour providers in the nation, Navitat offers fully guided tree-based zipline tours that showcase the beauty of North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Located just minutes from the cabin in a secluded mountain cove.
www.navitat.com/asheville-nc/
Ski info:
skiwolfridgenc.com Wolf Ridge ski resort is really close and easy to get to. Google maps shows 24 minutes. The tubing area is a little bit closer than that.
cataloochee.com Cataloochee ski area is one hour and 13 minutes.
www.beechmountainresort.com Beech Mountain 1 hour and 24 minutes.
www.skisugar.com Sugar Mountain 1 hour and 22 minutes.
Snow tubing:
The Wolf Ridge ski resort is about 20 minutes from the cabin. They have snow tubing which is a lot of fun, and easy to do. From the cabin, go west on I-26, take Exit 3, then follow directions from the website.
skiwolfridgenc.com/tickets/snow-tubing
Hiking:
www.romanticasheville.com/hiking.html
www.hikewnc.info
12 min - Appalachian Trail at Sam’s Gap
20 min - Mountains to Sea Trail at Bull Gap on the Parkway MP 375 (via Ox Creek Rd)
30 min - Craggy Gardens, Parkway MP 367
25 min - trails off North Fork Rd near Barnardsville in Pisgah National Forest
30 min - Mountains to Sea Trail - various locations near Asheville
40 min - Appalachian Trail in Hot Springs
One of my favorite hikes is to Craggy Pinnacle. It's only 1.4 miles roundtrip, but the views at the top are amazing. From the same area on the Parkway, you can also hike to Craggy Gardens, also pretty if not as spectacular, but probably less traveled. If you hike up from the visitors center, turn left after the trail shelter and go through the open area to the end (benches, there, I think) for a nice rest spot.
If you want something a little more remote, there is hiking in the Big Ivy Coleman Boundary area. I have visited the area, but have not hiked there. It's an area of gorgeous, typical WNC forest. There's a hike to Lower Douglas Falls that sounds nice, and I'm sure you can make some loops out there. The trails here are accessed from a well-graded gravel road. If you want to hike in this area I would recommend getting a good forest map. Maps can be purchased in Asheville at Mast General Store.
Another popular hike is the hike to Rattlesnake Lodge.
More hiking, within an easy drive from the cabin is in the Sam's Gap area of the Appalachian Trail:
2179milejourney.wordpress.com/2013/09/29/sams-gap-to-hog-back-shelter-2-5-miles/
The Mountain-to-Sea trail runs along the Blue Ridge Parkway, offering opportunities for an out-and-back hike almost anywhere on the parkway.
We have not been disappointed in anywhere that we have gone hiking in the area. If something sounds interesting, I'd say go for it.
Fishing
See visitmadisoncounty.com/explore/outdoor-adventure/fishing
Also, the North Toe river is known for trout fishing. It is 24 Miles from the cabin. The North Toe River is a large stream in the North Carolina High Country. The headwaters begin between Bald Mountain and Sugar Mountain, what is known as Sugar Gap, in Avery County.
Lakes
There are many lakes in the area, Burnett reservoir is 40 miles from the cabin.
Lake James is 68 miles from the cabin. Lake Lure is 49 miles from the cabin.
Biltmore Estate - Our cabin is an easy 30 minute drive from Biltmore. Biltmore Estate is a large private estate and tourist attraction in Asheville, North Carolina. Biltmore House, the main house on the estate, is a Châteauesque-styled mansion built by George Washington Vanderbilt II between 1889 and 1895 and is the largest privately owned house in the United States, at 178,926 square feet of floor space and 135,280 square feet of living area. Still owned by one of Vanderbilt's descendants, it stands today as one of the most prominent remaining examples of the Gilded Age. In 2007, it was ranked eighth in America's Favorite Architecture by the American Institute of Architects.
The Asheville Museum of Science (AMOS) is Western North Carolina’s home for experiential science learning, discovery, and exploration. AMOS strives to spark the imagination and foster lifelong curiosity.
We have plenty of science to come and explore including our brand new Colburn Hall of Minerals, the STEM lab, our interactive panorama screen, the AMOS Mars Rover, our Teratophoneus dinosaur skeleton and fossil dig, Southern Appalachian Forest, Terrabox elevation simulator, Toddler Nest, Hurricane Simulator, fun temporary exhibits, and an exciting new gift shop.
http://ashevillescience.org/
Thomas Wolfe Memorial State Historic Site. Thomas Wolfe is considered by many to be one of the giants of 20th-century American literature, Thomas Wolfe immortalized his childhood home in his epic autobiographical novel, Look Homeward, Angel. Wolfe’s colorful portrayal of his family, his hometown of “Altamont” Asheville, North Carolina, and “Dixieland” the Old Kentucky Home boardinghouse, earned the Victorian period house a place as one of American literature’s most famous landmarks.
http://wolfememorial.com/
Grovewood Village, housed in the historic weaving and woodworking complex of Biltmore Industries. Our 11-acre property, celebrating its centennial this year, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and includes Grovewood Gallery, working artist studios, a sculpture garden, Golden Fleece restaurant, the Biltmore Industries Homespun Museum, and Asheville's only antique car museum.
https://www.grovewood.com/
The Grove Arcade was built by E.W. Grove, the visionary creator of the Grove Park Inn, the Grove Arcade opened in 1929 and thrived as one of the country’s leading public markets until World War II, when the federal government assumed control of the building. The historically renovated Grove Arcade reopened to the public in 2002 as a downtown destination featuring boutique shopping, services, and diverse dining options in a beloved architectural wonder.
http://www.grovearcade.com/
The Grove Park Inn. With a history of serving guests for over a century, The Omni Grove Park Inn welcomes you with a tradition of Southern hospitality, rich heritage and all the conveniences a modern traveler requires. Plan your next vacation to relax in our award-winning subterranean Spa, play a round on our Donald Ross designed golf course and dine in one of our four locally sourced restaurants. Enjoy a vast array of art galleries, local craft breweries and tons of venues for the performing arts here in the mountains of Asheville, North Carolina. There is a $10.00 fee to park. But, you can find street parking close and walk over. It is a great place to walk thru and maybe have a drink while you overlook Asheville.
https://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/asheville-grove-park
The Folk Art Center is home to the Southern Highland Craft Guild. The center showcases the finest in traditional and contemporary crafts of the Southern Appalachians. In addition to an Eastern National bookstore and Blue Ridge Parkway information desk
http://www.southernhighlandguild.org/folk-art-center/
The Western North Carolina Nature Center is a 42-acre Natural Heritage wildlife park sanctuary located just a few miles from downtown Asheville. The Nature Center provides a home for injured, orphaned or imprinted animals that could not survive on their own, and it is one of 28 in the country participating in the red wolf re-introduction program.
http://www.wildwnc.org/
Asheville Art Museum. Check out an impressive contemporary American art collection in the heart of downtown by Pack Square Park, with an exciting, inviting and active schedule of contemporary exhibitions and public programs based on its permanent collection of 20th and 21st century American art.
http://www.ashevilleart.org/
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. It runs for 469 miles (755 km) through the famous Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains. Land on either side of the road is maintained by the National Park Service. It is the longest, narrowest National Park in the world and is the most visited unit in the United States National Park System. In many places, the park is bordered by land protected by the United States Forest Service. We celebrated its 75th Anniversary in 2010.
http://www.blueridgeparkway.org/
Mount Mitchell. One of those places that stand apart from the ordinary, Mount Mitchell’s dramatic summit is the highest point east of the Mississippi at 6,684 feet and was inspiration for one of the nation’s first state parks. From its easily accessible observation deck, the spruce-fir forest of Mount Mitchell State Park leads the eye to unmatched views. A museum explains the mountain’s cultural and natural history, and its trail network allows visitors to explore up close, offering short hikes near the summit and challenging treks leading to adjacent wilderness areas. A nine-site tent campground is open in warm-weather months, and backpacking opportunities abound, including entry onto the Mountains-to-Sea State Trail. A concession area and a full-service restaurant serve visitors from May to October.
http://www.ncparks.gov/mount-mitchell-state-park
Parkway
Parkway - 30 minutes at points near Asheville
Parkway - 20 minutes at Ox Creek