Unique lakefront home featured on HGTV’s Extreme Homes – just minutes to downtown Bryson City, Tsali and Nantahala River. Enjoy lake and mountain views from every room + a private dock during the Summer months (see below). This extremely unique home has floor-to-ceiling windows, 2 balconies, and a private cove with a babbling brook waterfall. Comfortably furnished. 2 single kayaks + life jackets and paddles included**. See "A walk through our home" below for a detailed description of the house.
THE PROPERTY: Private property in a very small lake community | Peaceful | Close to town - Bryson City NC and the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad | Pet Friendly - Max 1 pet allowed. Pets must be on leash outside at all times & can't be left unattended.
BEDROOMS: Bedroom 1 | Queen Bed - located on the main level. Bedroom 2 | Full Bed - located on the upper level. Bedroom 3 | Queen Bed - located on the upper level.
KITCHEN: Fully equipped kitchen with all basic cooking utensils, drip coffee maker, toaster, dining table and seating for six (6), dinnerware, etc.
BATHROOMS: 2 Full Baths | Combination tub/shower, toilet, vanity. Bathroom 1 - located on the main level. Bathroom 2 - located on the upper level.
MAIN FEATURES
Serenity and the surrounding natural beauty will be the main highlight of the property. You will feel as though the outside has been invited in with all of the natural light and floor to ceiling windows. The architecture is stunning and very unique. You will absolutely feel like you are nested in the trees! The house rests on natural stone boulders and was built to be minimally invasive to the land. The Summer months will bring added joy with Fontana Lake being a focal point.
Some of our favorite things include watching the sunset over the lake from the porch, fireflies dancing in the trees, swimming in our private cove, sipping coffee on the porch and s'mores at the fire pit.
LAKE ACCESS AND LAKE LEVELS
**Please note there is NO lake or water access September-April. The peak time for lake activities is Memorial Day through Labor Day. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) controls the water levels of the lake and reduces the level starting in September with it returning to full lake levels in May. This leaves the dock dry and cove with limited to no water during those months. It's still lovely to sit on the deck and look at the lake, but swimming/fishing/boating from the dock is not possible during the months of September through around mid-May.
THE SPACE: A WALK THROUGH
As you make the last turn down the driveway toward the house, lake, and yes a steep drop off, let the excitement overcome you! You will immediately begin to see why this unique home was featured on HGTV's Extreme Homes. The beautiful architecture will stand out; but the highlights will be on the inside. Head on inside via the oversized entry door to your perfect mountain vacation home in the trees. You will probably notice that the floor to ceiling windows pull you through the entryway directly to the living room making you feel as though the outside was brought back in to you! The massive cathedral ceilings and unique combination of the cube structure paired with a round interior balcony overlooking the space is a match made in heaven. The living room can comfortably seat your family and features a 55" Smart TV for enjoying shows on a rainy day or after a long day of outdoor adventure. Make no mistake, the all glass front will take over your desire to watch television through. :) There are two private balconies located off the living room as well. The balconies are perfect for having coffee in the morning while listening to the birds sing or taking in an evening sunset over the distant mountain ridge and Fontana Lake (Summer only). It's truly special!
The kitchen is fully equipped with a refrigerator, stovetop, oven, microwave, dishwater, drip coffee maker, basic dinnerware & utensils, and much more. The dining area is tastefully decorated and also features strategically placed windows, allowing in natural light while highlighting the treehouse feel yet again. What a dream spot to have a family meal!
Let's take a look at our bedrooms. The first bedroom is located by the entry door on the main level and features a comfy size queen bed with high thread count linens. We utilize triple sheeting techniques for a more luxurious feel as well as cleanliness. Yes, we wash all linens that guests are in contact with. It's very important to us! There is a full bathroom on the main level living space just across the hall from the main level bedroom. The bathroom is a good size with plenty of light and great functionality.
Ready to head upstairs? You can't miss the beautiful blue spiral staircase in the circular stairwell that leads to the upper level! As you crest the top of the staircase on your left you find the second bathroom for the house. The bathroom is almost identical to the lower level bathroom. Just outside of the bathroom, in the hallway cabinet, you will find lake towels for guest usage during the Summer months. Enjoy a Summer cool off in Fontana Lake! The first bedroom you will come to features a full size bed with the same luxurious linens for a great night's sleep. This bedroom in particular just has such a tree house feel to it. As always, pictures won't do it justice! Just down the hallway you will find the amazing interior balcony overlooking the living room area. This is perhaps one of the best views inside; encapsulating the ultimate tree house feel of the home. What a way to wake in the mornings or say goodnight! The third and final bedroom in the house is just to the right of the balcony overlook. This is the largest bedroom in the house features a queen size bed with high thread count sheets and built in reading lamps. There are multiple chairs in the space for getting dressed or just relaxing your legs after a long hike in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We also have a few board games and such located on the open storage shelfs in this room. This room too will have the outside trees painted in the windows with the added feature of sunset colors bringing a magically relaxing feel. As you may have noticed this is a common theme for the well designed property in the heart of the Smoky Mountains. Don't take it for granted; it's not common and is a special feature of the house design. Relax and unwind, you're on mountain time!
When you're ready to explore a bit more outside be sure to take a camera and stretch your quads! There are a couple of different levels to the long, long staircase leading you to the lake. As you head down the staircase you will immediately feel as though you are in the middle of a forest; you kind of are I guess. The first platform has a two person rocking chair and is a very peaceful spot for some quiet time alone or a great place for conversation with a family member. The views of the lake in the Summer are very relaxing from here and it's not too far down the staircase. As you head further down the staircase you will enter the rhododendron wonderland; consider yourself very lucky if you are here during blooming season! After the short gravel walkway you will find yourself at the final platform before the dock. This will be your final stop for much of the year as the Tennessee Valley Authority lowers the lake in the off season. All is well though because here is where you will find the fire pit, kayaks in the Summer, and the peaceful babbling brook waterfall! There is a small deck area here as well at the top of the staircase. Just down the stairs is where the dock will be during the Summer months. Ok, so the worst is yet to come...head back up the staircase when you're ready and back to the house level. There are plenty of platforms along the way, with nice views, if you need a break. :) When you are almost back at the top, be sure to check out the large boulder foundation holding up the pier supports for the home. Truly unique and truly a special place to have a small town vacation in Bryson CIty NC!
ACCESSIBILITY: While the entrance to the home and the main level does not require stairs, the access to the 2nd floor, Bedroom 2, and Bedroom 3 require a spiral staircase. Because the rental was built into the steep slope and was constructed to be minimally invasive to the mountain site, the private dock is accessed via a long series of stairs (~200 steps) leading down to the lake. (Note the TVA only maintains full lake from Memorial Day to Labor Day).
Due to the lack of space to turn an attached trailer around; boat trailers should be parked at the Almond Boat Dock. Large RVs, pull-behind campers and trailers of any sort are not allowed. The road has only two homes on it and you have your own private cove on Fontana Lake with a waterfall and private dock.
Notable Town and Landmark Distances from the property.
* Bryson City 7 miles
* Cherokee 17 miles
* Casino 19 miles
* Great Smoky Mountains National Park Deep Creek 10 miles
* Great Smoky Mountains National Park Cherokee Entrance 17 miles
* Smoky Mountain Railroad and Polar Express 7 miles
* Nantahala Outdoor Center 6 miles
* Sequoyah National Golf 15 miles
* Smoky Mountain Country Club 14 miles
* Tail of the Dragon 34 miles
* Western Carolina University 30 miles
* Gatlinburg 51 miles
* Waynesville 41 miles
* Asheville 70 miles
A firepit is available down by the lake area, don't forget to purchase firewood (firewood is not provided).
2 sit-on-top kayaks are provided for guest use.
BOAT RENTALS: We suggest reserving pontoon boat rentals early from Almond Boat & RV Park; they will sell out on peak days. There is parking available at the marina, so you can easily load guests who do not want to use the stairs to the dock at the home or to load heavier items at the marina and onto the boat. Overnight boat trailer parking is $5/day.
