Mountain Lake cabin escape near Cherokee National Forest

Welcome to Iron Mountain Lodge,   a unique lake cabin on one of the cleanest and most beautiful lakes in the country.  Watauga is Cherokee for beautiful waters.  Iron Mountain Lodge has Watauga Lake as its front yard and Cherokee National forest as its backyard!    

This one-of-a-kind cabin is the perfect place to enjoy a relaxing break or to use as your base camp to launch a week of new adventures. Soak in the brand new hot tub, sit by the fire and read a book or, if you're feeling adventurous,  hike less than a mile up the Iron Mountain Range behind the lodge to the Appalachian Trail. You also have the option to walk down to our private marina and take out a kayak, paddle board or our two person paddle boat for a spin around our beautiful cove on Watauga Lake.  After a day in the National Forest or on the lake come back to IML and relax on our covered porch or the deck that runs around the entire home providing an elevated 360 degree view of the forest and mountains. On the back deck is the wood burning fireplace and a gas grill. This is a perfect spot to sit and enjoy the sounds of the national forest, creek and waterfall.

Although you can always choose to unplug - we also provide free wifi, flat screen TVs, DVD players, cable tv, long distance phone service, games, music docks and a great library of books.  Whether you are traveling as a couple or with family, there is plenty to keep you busy or allow you to relax.  We invite to you stay at our cabin to work remotely - we have lots of table space and fast wifi. It's a great way to stay connected at work while still getting to enjoy some fun and downtime with family or friends!

Main Level - The family room is authentically decorated with family heirlooms celebrating our life in the outdoors. Everything in this room has a story to tell. The kitchen is fully equipped, and the live edge walnut dinner table is perfect for family gatherings, especially for the holidays! The master bedroom and bathroom are also on the main level, as well as the full size washer/dryer.

Loft - The loft has a leather sofa and lounge chair with a big screen TV - perfect for watching football or movies! The loft level contains a full bathroom and a sleeper ottoman perfect for kids and adults alike. There is even a fly tying desk set up with everything you need to tie your own trout fly or a perfect spot to work from home.

Lower Level - The basement family rec room includes a convertible game table for board games, poker, and bumper pool or play a game of darts while watching the game on the big screen. The rec room also has a convertible futon couch. On this level you will also find the guest bedroom with a Queen bed, the third bedroom with two twin beds and a full bathroom with shower/tub combo.

Surrounding Areas

No matter the time of year, this four season destination has something for everyone! In Spring and Summer there is plenty of mountain and lake recreation, foliage viewing in the fall and winter skiing, sledding and snow shoeing.  We had eight inches of snow on the ground Christmas day 2020. The property is close to the Boone, NC, Ski slopes (Sugar, App and Beech Mountains), Johnson City TN, and Bristol for the big race. Hike endless trails nearby, indulge at the Watauga Lake Winery, Golf at some of the most beautiful and challenging courses in NC, or zip line at Off The Grid. 

Our community has a private marina and boat ramp tucked into a quiet cove on the lake. Bring your boat and dock it at our boat slip or just walk down for a day of fishing right off the marina. Watauga Lake is one of the cleanest lakes in the country making it the perfect spot to swim, fish, ski or boat around this expansive high mountain lake. We highly recommend renting a ski or pontoon boat at one of the public marinas as that is one of the best ways to enjoy the lake. Docking privileges at our marina is included. The area is also one of the top trout fishing destinations in the country. Catch trophy rainbows on the Watauga River or, for the more experienced fly fisherman, book a guided trip for a shot at a wild, indigenous, brown trout  that can grow to over 30" in the clean, cold waters of the South Holston River. 

Depending on the time of year, your welcome letter will include recommendations on the places to go, and things to do that will make your trip one to remember.