Cabin in Buncombe County, NC
6 guests · 3 bedrooms · 3 baths
Reasons to book
Guests love it hereGuests give this property a top rating
Great for petsBring all your friends and family, even the furry ones
Well priced for this locationPriced under area average
About this cabin rental
Tucked into a wildlife preserve atop Gateway Mountain, Christmas Tree Cabin earns its name—surrounded by evergreens, long-range views of Mount Mitchell, and the kind of stillness that makes you forget your phone exists. A quintessential log cabin with three levels of living space, three outdoor decks, a wood-burning stove, and a dedicated game room, it's equally suited for a family Thanksgiving, a friends' retreat, or a couple looking to disappear into the mountains for a week.
The Space
The main level centers on a great room with vaulted ceilings, a wood-burning stove, and a Smart TV with Roku and YouTube TV. A full kitchen opens to a dining area, and a main-level bedroom with a full bed and shared bath rounds out the floor. Step through the screened porch (complete with a swing) and onto the back deck, where bistro and lounge seating face an unobstructed view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Watch the sun rise over the mountains in the morning and linger in the evening for excellent stargazing.
Upstairs, the primary king bedroom feels like a treetop retreat, with its own Smart TV and a private en-suite featuring a soaking tub and walk-in shower. The loft sitting area, just outside the bedroom, is a quiet perch for afternoon reading or lively conversations over cocktails.
The lower level offers a second king bedroom, a den with a Smart TV, a full bath with a walk-in shower, and a laundry room. It functions well as a private suite for a second couple or older kids.
Above the detached garage, the game loft is a highlight for groups: air hockey, foosball, ping pong, and a Smart TV make it the kind of space that fills itself.
Outdoors
Three decks — including two covered — give everyone a place to land. The screened porch is a favorite for rainy days and morning coffee alike. Wildlife is also abundant: past guests have spotted wild turkeys, deer, black bears, and hummingbirds right from the deck!
The Gateway Mountain Community offers a community waterfall (Standing Rock Falls, a 60-foot cascade adjacent to the community park) and hiking trails, all of which are walkable from the cabin.
The Location
Christmas Tree Cabin sits about 25 minutes from downtown Old Fort, 40 minutes from Black Mountain, and roughly an hour from Asheville. Catawba Falls, Andrews Geyser, and Lake Lure are all within a 35-minute drive.
Winter travel note: December through March, AWD or 4WD is strongly recommended due to steep roads and possible ice. GPS can be unreliable, but our team at Greybeard will provide driving directions from our Old Fort office, where gate card pickup is required.
Community guidelines: No trailers, RVs, or boats permitted in the Gateway Mountain Community, and no parking is allowed on roads or near gate entrances.
Pet policy: Dogs welcome (max 2, $100/pet fee). A kennel is provided and required when pets are unattended.
The Space
The main level centers on a great room with vaulted ceilings, a wood-burning stove, and a Smart TV with Roku and YouTube TV. A full kitchen opens to a dining area, and a main-level bedroom with a full bed and shared bath rounds out the floor. Step through the screened porch (complete with a swing) and onto the back deck, where bistro and lounge seating face an unobstructed view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Watch the sun rise over the mountains in the morning and linger in the evening for excellent stargazing.
Upstairs, the primary king bedroom feels like a treetop retreat, with its own Smart TV and a private en-suite featuring a soaking tub and walk-in shower. The loft sitting area, just outside the bedroom, is a quiet perch for afternoon reading or lively conversations over cocktails.
The lower level offers a second king bedroom, a den with a Smart TV, a full bath with a walk-in shower, and a laundry room. It functions well as a private suite for a second couple or older kids.
Above the detached garage, the game loft is a highlight for groups: air hockey, foosball, ping pong, and a Smart TV make it the kind of space that fills itself.
Outdoors
Three decks — including two covered — give everyone a place to land. The screened porch is a favorite for rainy days and morning coffee alike. Wildlife is also abundant: past guests have spotted wild turkeys, deer, black bears, and hummingbirds right from the deck!
The Gateway Mountain Community offers a community waterfall (Standing Rock Falls, a 60-foot cascade adjacent to the community park) and hiking trails, all of which are walkable from the cabin.
The Location
Christmas Tree Cabin sits about 25 minutes from downtown Old Fort, 40 minutes from Black Mountain, and roughly an hour from Asheville. Catawba Falls, Andrews Geyser, and Lake Lure are all within a 35-minute drive.
Winter travel note: December through March, AWD or 4WD is strongly recommended due to steep roads and possible ice. GPS can be unreliable, but our team at Greybeard will provide driving directions from our Old Fort office, where gate card pickup is required.
Community guidelines: No trailers, RVs, or boats permitted in the Gateway Mountain Community, and no parking is allowed on roads or near gate entrances.
Pet policy: Dogs welcome (max 2, $100/pet fee). A kennel is provided and required when pets are unattended.
Amenities at Secluded Log Cabin on Wildlife Preserve | Mt. Mitchell Views, Game Loft & 3 Decks
Non-smoking
Pets allowed
Family friendly
Map of Buncombe County, NC
Ratings and reviews
Summary of reviewsSpacious cabins with magnificent views, comfortable stay, well-equipped kitchen, perfect for family getaways, peaceful environment, amazing property management.
8 / 10Excellent·Dec 2022
Spacious and magnificent views
10 / 10Outstanding·Dec 2022
This cabin was comfortable and had everything we needed for a pleasant stay for a few days. The weather was chilly, so spent time sitting inside doing puzzles and playing board games while enjoying the beautiful view of the mountains.
10 / 10Outstanding·Dec 2022
Our family of four spent thanksgiving week here and the house (kitchen especially) met our needs completely. I cooked our traditional holiday meal here and the kitchen had all of the “stuff” necessary!
The views are amazing - ideal for a restful, peaceful getaway.
We’d love to come back when all the foliage is in bloom.
6 / 10Average·May 2022
Of all the cabins we looked at in the Asheville area, this was one of the pricier options. For the money, we were expecting more, including some basics regardless of cost.
We did not use the basement level at all so it’s not included in the review.
Pros:
Great cabin, very spacious, open, amazing view.
Cons:
Cheap towels
Cheap sheets
Cheap paper towels
Beds were ridiculously uncomfortable and noisy. The mattresses for both bedrooms and pillows upstairs were a joke.
The main level bathroom had one bar of soap, no hand soap bottle. Luckily we had our daughter’s body wash.
The kitchen and upstairs had different hand soaps on the cheaper end. Incredibly minor gripe but combined with everything else and how much we paid, just detracted from the experience.
Super cheap paper towels.
One dishwasher pod provided. What if we had more people (it was just three of us) or cooked more? We couldn’t run the dishwasher upon check-out.
No sponge, just Brillo pads.
The kitchen is not “well-equipped” per listing given all of the above.
The main living room couch looked nice but was ultimately uncomfortable. Not very supportive and I was leaning one way or another.
The TV remote was awful. They had DirectTV but no ESPN (who does that?). Luckily I had youtubetv and was able to cast to the TV but it was super slow.
There was a sound bar but it would turn off if you paused for too long. Just a weird setup.
Out of the three sinks we used, for two of them, hot water was in one direction, and for the third, hot was in the opposite direction. Super confusing/frustrating weekend trying to wash your hands and such.
The kitchen sink at least had labels, but they were super tacky, just from a label maker and haphazardly placed.
Some of the outdoor furniture have seen much, much better days. I was hesitant to sit on them and wondered if they were safe to use, with potential paint chips/rust. I think they were fine ultimately but not pleasant to look at.
The view is great, however, you cannot see sunrise or sunset. The main patio faces northwest but you are blocked by trees on either side. The way everything is angled, you also don’t get a ton of sun on the back patio. Maybe half of it half the day. Just friendly FYI.
Overall, we were expecting a lot more for the money and will not be coming back here. Again, great overall look and feel, spacious, great view, just not worth the money for us.
$$$$
Top rated by guests
9.7Outstanding
(111 Ratings)
Spacious cabins with magnificent views, comfortable stay, well-equipped kitchen, perfect for family getaways, peaceful environment, amazing property management.
From real guest reviews summarized by AIDon't miss out! Price and availability may change
