North Carolina Creek Cabin Rental

Here are some of the great activities we enjoy while staying at the Cabin. We would love to hear what other activities you enjoyed during your stay. At the bottom of this list is a link to the Andrews, NC Chamber of Commerce website which has an extensive list of local attractions.

Hiking - There is a short hike that follows the gravel road which winds around Collett Creek (an area that the property developer aptly named “Land of Living Water”). This hike is a half mile and makes for a great early morning or after dinner walk - perfect distance for kids.  There are also more challenging trails which take you up the ridge adjacent to the cabin. The trails are marked and stay on a private 160 acre tract that is owned by the developer of Land of Living Water.  The trail offers this beautiful vista of Andrews valley.

The Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest is a great hiking and picnicing place for a family with children. The trails are well marked and easy to walk. The trees are amazing. Some that are 20 feet in diameter and over 400 years old. The forest is about a 40 minute drive from the cabin just past Robbinsville and near the Cherohala Skyway. We saw part of the Cherohala and Joyce Kilmer Forest easily in one day.

Whitewater Rafting on the Natahala River is just a 25 minute drive from the cabin. We have had great experiences using the Natahala Outdoor Center for guided trips. This is a great river for first time rafters and children 10 years and older.  The Ocoee River is about a 50 minute drive from the cabin and offers bigger rapids for more experienced rafters. Natahala Outdoor Center is also able to guide trips on the Ocoee. Out daughter is the rafter in the front/top of the boat! (The Natahala isn’t this wild. The picture is a tourist photo op located at the Natahala Outdoor Center).

Horseback Riding at Horseshoe Creek Riding Stables in Andrews (just a few minutes from the cabin). They have options for beginners and experienced riders. A nice place to visit just to see and pet the horses even if you don’t wind up riding. They have a great horse rescue program.

The Great Smoky Mountain Railroad is a half day train ride which starts in Bryson City (40 minutes from the cabin) and travels over Fontana Lake and through the beautiful Natahala River Gorge with a stop at the Natahala Outdoor Center where we dipped our feet into the cold river and had a bite to eat at one of several restuarants there. We did this in the summer, but we hear that it is a particularly beautiful trip in October when the leaves have turned.

  In the shadows of the Great Smoky Mountains, there’s an old stone building with bars on the windows that overlooks a small vineyard. Legend has it that the local lawman locked up the hooligans here to cool down until they went before the magistrate. Now we use the calaboose to incarcerate our wine before it makes its escape to you! This is the smallest free-standing complete winery in America and it is less than 10 minutes from the cabin in Andrews. Stop by their website and pay them a visit to experience a taste of Andrews. www.calaboosecellars.com

John C. Campbell Folk School - You’re welcome to explore our beautiful campus during daylight hours in a free and self-directed tour. On most weekdays and several weekends year-round, people like you are learning craft, art, music, dance, cooking, gardening, nature studies, photography, and writing in small classes scattered across campus. Class times are typically 9am-Noon and 1:30-4:30pm. You will likely be able to peek into studios at the classes being held there.
 

The Ruby Mine! The one we went to is actually called “The Liquidation Station” on Highway 74 before you get to the Walmart in Murphy.  For our six year old this was a trip highlight. We got the $30 bucket and left with a small bag full of “rubies” (assorted gems that occupied her for hours afterward). It took the three of us about an hour to sift through the bucket of ore. FUN!

 The Cherohala Skyway is a beautiful 36 mile drive with wonderful mountain vistas similar to the Blue Ridge Parkway. It starts in Robbinsville, North Carolina (about 25 minutes from the Cabin) and ends 36 miles later at Tellico Plains, Tennessee. Visit the Cherohala website for more information and tips on sites along this beautiful stretch of road.

 The Brasstown Valley Golf Course has been ranked by both Golf Digest and Leading Golf Courses of America as one of the top courses to play in Georgia. Designed by Denis Griffiths, the golf course winds through wildlife preserves, ponds and streams framed in by the mountains. With four sets of tees, all skill levels will be able to enjoy a layout that is maintained to standards you’d expect. The course is a 40 minute drive from the cabin in Young Harris, GA near Hayesville, NC.  Please call 706-379-4613 for tee times and current rates

Shopping in Downtown Andrews and Murphy (20 minutes from the Cabin). In downtown Murphy there are lots of antique shops, art galleries and restaurants.

Andrews, North Carolina Chamber of Commerce list of Local Attractions