Log Cabin w/ Sauna · Hot Tub · Fire Pit · Creek

The creek is the first thing you hear when you step out of the car. By dusk the fire pit is crackling, the hot tub is steaming under string lights, and someone is daring the group to try the cedar sauna first. Mama Bear's is a classic log cabin tucked into the trees at 3,000 feet, secluded yet about 20 minutes from downtown Bryson City. Four bedrooms including a king loft, plus a downstairs game room, mean it sleeps 12 without anyone feeling squeezed. Stay in. Slow down.

ABOUT THIS SPACE
Walk in and the great room opens up under a vaulted pine ceiling, with the stone-hearth wood stove at the center of everything. Sink into the sectional or a leather recliner, look up at the loft railing, and let the drive melt off.

Main floor
• Great room with the wood stove, sectional, recliners and skylights
• Kitchen with a gas range, granite counters, dishwasher and all the cooking basics for big family breakfasts
• Long dining table with benches for the whole crew under an antler chandelier
• Coffee bar tucked under the stairs: espresso machine, drip maker and Keurig, plus hot chocolate
• King bedroom with a log bed, steps from a full bath

Loft (top floor)
• The king loft: a king bed behind a carved wood room divider, with an egg chair and robes
• A second sectional lounge with books and a reading nook
• A standing-desk workspace with Wifi for the one who has to check email

Lower level
• Game room with air hockey, a big U-shaped sectional and a TV over an electric fireplace
• Bunk room for the kids: a double plus a bunk bed under a full forest wall mural
• King bedroom with a ceiling fan, steps from the second full bath
• Laundry room with washer, dryer and a high chair; a pack 'n play is on hand

Outside
• Hot tub on the stone patio, string lights overhead
• Cedar sauna a few steps away, with Adirondack chairs outside the glass door
• Fire pit ringed by Adirondack chairs beside a big boulder
• Outdoor dining table for 8, plus a gas grill on the covered porch
• Covered decks with a sectional, rocking chairs, a porch swing and hammock chairs facing westerly mountain views

Two full bathrooms (one on the main floor, one on the lower level), room-darkening shades, extra pillows and blankets, board games, central heat and mini-split AC round it out.

WHO THIS HOME IS BEST FOR
• A family getaway with kids: the bunk room and game room keep little ones busy while the adults linger at the fire pit.
• Two families or a group of friends: four bedrooms, three of them with king beds, plus a sofa bed.
• Couples on a recharge trip: hot tub, sauna, the wood stove and no alarm clock.
• Remote workers: the loft workspace by day, the hot tub by 5.
• Dog owners: pet friendly for dogs with approval, with a yard and trails close by.
• Rafters, hikers and train lovers using Bryson City as base camp.

LOCATION & WHAT'S NEARBY
The cabin sits up a winding mountain road beside a rushing stream, about 20 minutes from downtown Bryson City and about 25 minutes from the nearest grocery (Ingles), so stock up on the way in. Cell service is limited near the cabin; save your directions before you lose signal. Times below are from downtown Bryson City:
• Great Smoky Mountains Railroad: the depot is right downtown, with scenic river-gorge excursions and The Polar Express train ride each holiday season
• Deep Creek: three waterfalls and summer tubing, about 5 minutes
• Road to Nowhere and the Lakeview Drive tunnel hike: about 15 minutes
• Cherokee and the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, where elk graze: about 15 to 20 minutes
• Nantahala Outdoor Center: whitewater rafting and tubing, about 20 minutes
• Fontana Lake and Tsali Recreation Area: paddling and mountain biking, about 25 minutes
• Clingmans Dome via Newfound Gap Road: about an hour
• Downtown shops, restaurants, ice cream and the Smoky Mountain Trains Museum: right in town
Great Smoky Mountains National Park wraps around all of it. The Smoky Mountains are why you came; this is where you come home to each night.

GUEST ACCESS
Self check-in with a smart lock any time after 4 PM; check-out is by 10 AM. The whole cabin is yours: all three levels, the decks, the patio with hot tub and sauna, the fire pit and the yard. Exterior stairs lead up to the wraparound deck. There are exterior security cameras on the property. After booking, you'll complete a short rental agreement with ID upload through Hospitable. Your hosts, Lance & Micaela, are Superhosts and just a message away.

PARKING
Free parking on the paved driveway, right at the front steps. The last stretch is a winding mountain road, beautiful in daylight; if you're arriving after dark, download offline maps first since service is limited. A vehicle is a must.

Winter conditions can make the roads icy, so choose your vehicle accordingly. The property is not wheelchair accessible; expect uneven terrain, rocks, stairs and hills.

HOUSE RULES
• Max 12 guests; no parties, events or unregistered extra guests
• Dogs welcome with approval; please add them to your booking ($250 fee for unapproved pets)
• No smoking or vaping anywhere on the property
• Quiet hours 10:30 PM to 7 AM
• Hot tub: 18+ only unless supervised by an adult. Not recommended for children under 5. Shower first, no glass, cover on and lights off when done
• No glitter or hair dye, please; they ruin linens and floors
• Rental agreement with ID upload required after booking
• Check-in after 4 PM, check-out by 10 AM; late check-out only with approval
• No check-outs on major federal holidays (our cleaners get the day off too)
Thank you for treating Mama Bear's like your own. We can't wait to host you.

A short rental agreement with ID upload is required after booking through Hospitable.

Fees for broken rules (also in your rental agreement): parties or unregistered guests $750 deep clean plus immediate removal with no refund; smoking or vaping $750; glitter $1,000; hair dye $500+; unapproved pet $250; biohazard cleanup $500; hot tub drain and clean $250; late check-out without approval $50 per 20 minutes.

Exterior security cameras on property. The hot tub has no gate or lock, and as in any mountain setting you may encounter wildlife.