Yellow Branch Farm House near Fontana Lake, Fontana Dam, the Appalachian Trail

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Cabin

Overview
Amenities
Policies
Location
Host

2 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 493 sq m

Popular amenities

Hot tub

Kitchen

Barbecue grill

Free WiFi

Washer

Dryer

Explore the area

Robbinsville, NC

Fontana Lake16 min walk
Fontana Village Resort Marina14 min drive
Santeetlah Lake29 min drive
Knoxville, TN (TYS-McGhee Tyson)98 min drive

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 4)

Downstairs

1 Double Bed

Loft

1 Queen Bed

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio

Porch or lanai

Kitchen

Garden

Dining Area

About this property

Our comfortable, recently renovated 1000 sq. ft., 2 story traditional mountain cabin provides a restful and unique setting to enjoy your mountain vacation and renew your spirit. The house is located on the perimeter of Yellow Branch Farm, a former dairy farm and creamery. Guests are welcome to walk around the farm and garden. The location is very quiet with an occasional car, farm vehicle, or pedestrian passing by the house on Yellow Branch Road. Also nearby is Silverbell Studio, a pottery studio that established by the gals who purchased Yellow Branch Pottery in 2022.

The spacious downstairs of this cabin includes a great room with vaulted ceiling, an open, well-stocked, compact galley kitchen and dining area.

Also downstairs is a bedroom with double bed, a sitting room with DVD player and hundreds of movies. The full bathroom with tub/shower is also located on the main level.

The upper floor is an open loft with queen bed and NEWLY ADDED, 1/2 bath. No more going downstairs in the middle of the night!

Cell service is not available on the property and there is a land line available for local and long distance calls at no charge. WiFi is available.

The pastoral and quiet setting includes a spacious deck, covered porch, and a Weber charcoal grill. A starter bag of charcoal is provided.

Fontana Lake is just down Yellow Branch Road with swimming and boat access from June through Labor Day. Please ask for details about boat access. There are plenty of safe places to walk in the neighborhood. Also, close by are Fontana Village and Marina, Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center, the Appalachian Trail, Tsali Recreation Area, Nantahala Gorge for white water rafting, Joyce Kilmer Forest, Cherokee, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, to name a few attractions. Robbinsville is 15 miles away and Bryson City, 25 miles.

We didn't rent in 2023 after Bruce fell from a ladder while helping a neighbor in January. The injuries were serious and he is still on the mend. He is now able to work in the garden, lawn maintenance and general repairs. We are grateful for the support and out reach from our community.

Property manager

Karen Mickler and Bruce DeGroot

Amenities

Hot tub

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Free WiFi

Air conditioning

Pet-friendly

Air conditioning

Outdoor space

Barbecue grill

House Rules

Check in after 3:00 PM

Check out before 11:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

Events

No events allowed

Pets

No pets allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Damage and incidentals

You will be responsible for any damage to the rental property caused by you or your party during your stay.

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy

Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges

Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed

On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited

This property uses eco-friendly cleaning products

Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property

Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property

Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit

We should mention

This property does not have any lifts

About the area

Robbinsville

Located in Robbinsville, this cabin is in a rural area and on a lake. Smokey Mountain Trains Museum and Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center are cultural highlights, and some of the area's activities can be experienced at Fontana Village Resort Marina and Cherohala Skyway. Traveling with kids? Consider Bryson City Gem Mine and Great Smoky Mountains Railroad.

Robbinsville, NC

What's nearby

Fontana Lake - 16 min walk
Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center - 12 min drive
Fontana Village Resort Marina - 14 min drive
Cheoah River - 22 min drive
Santeetlah Lake - 29 min drive

Getting around

McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) - 99 min drive

Restaurants

Stecoah Diner - 11 min drive
Fontana Pitstop - 15 min drive
The Mountview Restaurant - 16 min drive
Stecoah Diner - 17 min drive
Mountainview Bistro - 16 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Yellow Branch Farm House near Fontana Lake, Fontana Dam, the Appalachian Trail pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.

Learn more

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

9.8/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

10/10 Excellent

Melanie L., Clarksville, Ohio

29 Nov 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cozy farm house

Yellow Branch farm was a great little place to stay. Had everything we needed. Hosts were very thorough in providing instructions on how everything worked in the place. They were easy to communicate with. Unfortunately we didn;t have time to meet the cows or the owners or check out the cheese and pottery shop. But would definitely recommend the house for a small group.

Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2022

10/10 Excellent

Lucia C., Atlanta, GA

27 Nov 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Artisan Farm House

We chose this cottage for it's location. My best friend was a through hiker on the AT and needed a break from backpacking. We were able to be very comfortable and cook delicious meals while hiking from Fontana, Stecoah Gap, Wesser, and Wayah. The bonus was the lovely cottage with beautiful pottery and art, lots of movies, and a well stocked kitchen. I look forward to returning in the Spring to this enchanted spot.

Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2022

10/10 Excellent

Myra B.

16 Oct 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect fall getaway

Our stay at the farmhouse was wonderful. The house is very comfortable and the hosts have thoughtfully taken care of every detail. There location is ideal as it is quietly secluded yet within short driving distance of hiking trails and other local attractions. We will absolutely be returning!

Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

Avigail S.

10 Oct 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

wonderful

Wonderful hosts, location and property. I felt pampered with all the attention to small details. Thank you!

Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

Colleen D.

18 Sept 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely off the grid farmhouse

We loved staying at the farmhouse of Karen and Bruce. At the end of each day of motorcycle riding, it was wonderful to lay back at the farm. Really enjoyed meeting the two lovely cows who help produce their delicious cheese. Our only recommendation of change would be to have a tv in the main space with a fire stick. Peace

Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2022

About the host

Hosted by Karen Mickler and Bruce DeGroot

We purchased the farm in 1979 with our family and moved from Iowa shortly thereafter.
Being native Floridians, the mountains appealed to us as a great location to live and be closer to our families. Our passions are growing our own food and living our lives as artisans, so we bought a milk cow and built a pottery shop for Karen and woodworking shop for Bruce. The cheese business evolved slowly over the years and Bruce concentrated solely on farming and cheese making around 2000. Karen retired in 2021 and no longer operates Yellow Branch Pottery. She enjoys more time for gardening and hiking.
Bruce retired from cheesemaking in 2023 after an unfortunate fall from a ladder. He is making an excellent recovery, with the help of a lot of physical therapy and exercise. At the time he fell, he was putting in a half bathroom upstairs in the loft. Work has begun again on the project and we hope it will be ready soon.

We celebrate a life time of creativity and good food! We look forward to meeting you.

Why they chose this property

We were looking for an existing farm to purchase in Western North Carolina. Being Iowa residents, we were attracted to the kinder winters and beauty of the mountains. Yellow Branch Farm had been abandoned for many years and had all of the qualities we were looking for. The proximity to Fontana Lake and the quiet surroundings in the rural setting attracted us also.

What makes this property unique

Yellow Branch Farmhouse is a comfortable rustic cabin with all the amenities needed for a quiet vacation away from the hustle and bustle of city life. If you are looking for an out of the way place, yet one that is within 30 minutes of several recreation spots. While we were closed in all of 2023 because of Bruce's accident, we have consistent #5 ratings.

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