DISCOVER CABIN GETAWAYS FOR WINTER:
BOYD MOUNTAIN LOG CABINS, MAGGIE VALLEY, NC
Dan and Betsy Boyd own and operate Boyd Mountain Log Cabins in western North Carolina as a labor of love--a love that obviously includes history, log cabins, the outdoors, and much more.
Originally published in Blue Ridge Country
“We bought the land back in 1972, when it was mostly pasture,” Dan told me upon arrival as we strolled grounds that now include gardens, stocked fishing ponds, cows in meadows, and a very popular Fraser fir Christmas tree farm. “It was originally my grandfather’s property and he might recognize the style of some of the cabins, but that’s about it.”
The six historic log cabins--which are all 150-200 years old and were relocated to Boyd Mountain--are certainly the main draw of this 130-acre paradise. Each cabin features a modern kitchen (including a dishwasher), heat and air conditioning, a fireplace, washer and dryer, cable TV and VCR, telephone, one or more porches with rocking chairs, a BBQ grill, and pure mountain spring water (from the top of Boyd Mountain) for the kitchen and bathrooms. The cabins are spaced around the property, offering privacy and pretty views.
We stayed in the two-story Long Branch Cabin, which Dan and Betsy restored and brought to Boyd Mountain from Whittier back in 1995. Highlights include a stunning stacked rock fireplace, plus a downstairs bedroom and two more upstairs. The front porch overlooks a fishing pond, while the side deck faces a ridge filled with hundreds of Christmas trees.
Dan showed me some of the other cabins they’ve restored and moved over the years. Along with Long Branch, my personal favorites included the two-story Cosby Cabin (from Cosby, Tennessee); the Millstone Cabin (from Asheville, NC); and the Shelton Laurel Cabin, which came from Madison County’s Shelton Laurel community and once served as the Boyds’ guest house.
Mid-November to mid-December offer an ideal time to visit, thanks to a choose n’ cut Christmas tree program that features top Fraser firs ranging in size from five to 18 feet. Also be sure to ask about how kids can stay and ski free during ski season (excluding holidays) through a deal with nearby Cataloochee Ski Area.
For information: (828) 926-1575, www.boydmountain.com.