Winter has been frisky this year in our magical corner of the Great Smokies. Snow has visited us several times, making for fun skiing at local resorts and along the closed roads of the Blue Ridge Parkway and Clingman's Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Hiking has also received an added twist, with track identifying in snow fast becoming a favorite game for those walking in the woods.
In honor of how nice it is to chill out in the winter magic season, we're offering the Triple 'R' Chill Special (Relax. Refresh. Recharge - CHILL!) on our Cherokee NC cabin rentals and Bryson City NC cabin rentals. From Feb 1 to March 31, 2010, stay 2 nights and get the 3rd night FREE!
Since there's a chill in the air, take some time to chill out in the mountains. Play in the snow. Spot some rabbit tracks. Some of our visitors have never seen snow, we know where all the best places are to find it! Enjoy!
On a cool fall night in the Smokies, curl up in front of a fire in one of our 
Asian Multi-Colored Lady Beetle, Japanese Lady Beetle, Japanese Lady Bug...all of these are common names for Harmonia axyridis, a common visitor to 
Pottery, hand woven table runners, silver jewelry, blown glass, fresh cheese...all of these handmade products -- and many more -- are created by artists here in the Great Smoky Mountains of western North Carolina! 
Just a couple miles away from our 
When you're ready leave the cozy porch of your 
For folks coming to the area for 
We've got Smoky Mountain golfing, fishing in the Smokies,
If you happen to have arrived at your 
Grab an umbrella and go for a walk at Deep Creek, notice the mist off the water and how stunning the waterfalls are thanks to the extra rain - and notice that you have fewer people crowding the trail with you! Ahha - the joys of a rainy fall day. Or go over to the 
The Smoky Mountains have dressed themselves into their fall finery! The colors are stunning and, for two nights so far, we even had dustings of snow on the highest peaks. It melts quickly right now, but the white stuff is a lovely topper for these mountains of ours.
National Parks are managed by the Department of the Interior to be protected and preserved in wild state for current and future generations. Visitors must leave everything they find, and take away everything they bring (i.e. do not pick flowers, collect mushrooms, rocks...or leave orange peels, eggshells, apple cores...). National parks are patrolled by Park Rangers and offer many visitor amenities at designated locations, such as restrooms and maybe even lodging and restaurants. Dogs are usually not allowed off lead at camping or picnic areas or on any hiking trails in National Parks. 
National Forests, such as Nantahala National Forest, are managed by the Department of Agriculture and are used not only for recreation, but for logging, mining, and hunting. They are less restrictive of activities; more areas are open for camping, mountain biking, horseback riding, All-Terrain-Vehicle use, etc. National Forests are managed by very small staffs; expect to be completely self-reliant while visiting as amenities are few and very basic. Dogs are usually allowed. 
As with the newest children's-book-turned-movie, Where the Wild Things Are, imagination came to life a few years ago with 
Fall in the 
Did you watch the PBS documentary "The National Parks: America's Best Idea"? What a fabulous series! (If you missed it on TV, you can view it 
We're starting to see color at elevation - over 5000 feet. Lucky for us, living in the Great Smoky Mountains means that we're only a short drive from such elevation and can get to those beautiful leaves in just a few moments.
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