Smoky Mountain Retreat

Spring is a wonderful time to come to the mountains. The rhododendrons, azaleas, dogwoods, and other flowering trees and wildflowers are a beautiful sight to behold. A leisurely afternoon drive with a picnic lunch is time well spent. The sights of a fresh, new season refresh the soul.

Our springs are usually warm during the day, and the nights are just cool enough for a fire in the fireplace to end an enjoyable day of blissful beauty. Of course, we furnish our guests with all the free firewood they want.

Summer is a season filled with activities enjoyed by young and old alike. We have whitewater rafting and mountain biking for the adventurous or tubing down Deep Creek for those who prefer a tamer water sport. Horseback riding is a sport that is enjoyable in any season.

There are many community activities such as craft shows, parades, festivals, and fairs during the summer months. Ruby mining can be enjoyed during the summer months as well. Children will also be able to enjoy the new go-cart track in Cherokee. With lots of outdoor space around the cabins, children have a good time playing outside. They enjoy catching fireflies at night and butterflies during the day. Our guests also like to sit on the front porch during the summer months and listen to the sound of a nearby stream at the end of the day.

Fall is a gorgeous time to visit the mountains. Color abounds everywhere. The mountains look as if an artist has painted the leaves with the most vivid red, orange, and golden colors available. With the green pines here and there among the colors, it is a sight to behold. Some guests have joked of spending the afternoon sitting on the front porch and watching the leaves change color.

During the fall there are chili cookoffs, hay rides, county fairs, and apple festivals in the area. The corn maze at Darnell Farms has become a very popular attraction for young and old. Our days are warm and the nights are cool during the fall. In the early fall, our guests like the sit on the porch with a hot cup of coffee or cocoa and listen to the stream and crickets. Afternoons in late fall call for the enjoyment of the fireplace.

Winter is a special time here in the mountains. If our guests are lucky, they may wake up to a scene right off the cover of a Christmas card. Our snows aren't usually deep enough to keep us from being able to traverse the roads but are just deep enough for the children and adults to go snow sledding. The land around the cabins has just enough incline to allow for good sledding.

There is nothing like the pleasure of watching snow lazily fall while sitting around the glowing embers in the fireplace and drinking hot coffee or cocoa to bring peace to the soul. Guests also like to hike the trails during the winter, and because the leaves are off the trees, they can see for long distances. Skiing is available at Cataloochee, which is only 30 miles from our cabins. Cataloochee has recently added "snow tubing" to their list of activities. People who cannot ski like to tube down the hills, then let the lift pull them back up to the top so they can slide down again. This is a lot of fun for the youngsters as well.