Location: Sapphire, Smoky Mountains, North Carolina, USA (Near Cashiers) View Map
Accommodations: House, 4 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths (Sleeps 12)
Welcome home... to Memory Mountain Lodge. Relax. Refresh. Revive….
Feel the stress leave your body as you rock in an Amish rocker and listen to the babbling mountain stream flowing in the backyard.
If you can't totally escape, know that there is high-speed wireless internet access.
Located on Hogback Mountain in Western NC, 8 miles east of Cashiers, temperatures are typically 12 to 15 degrees cooler than nearby Atlanta or Charlotte… yet only 2 ½ hours away from the hustle & bustle of those cities.
Built to look like a farmhouse, you’ll find yourself reminiscing about Grandma’s farm. The cabin has board & batten siding, front & back porches, pine wood floors & bead board ceilings throughout the first floor, and pine molding throughout the entire house. It even has the glass doorknobs just like Grandpa’s farm used to have! You’ll also enjoy the functional antiques (literally from Grandma’s house) sprinkled throughout. Don’t worry, you won’t experience any farmhouse drafts; the Lodge was completed in May 2003.
Want to explore nature's beauty? Start in your own backyard with what everyone likes best, the mountain stream (check the guest comments below). In addition, the Lodge is located between one-million acres of National Forests - Nantahala to the West and Pisgah to the North, East & South - so there is plenty to explore.
Waterfalls – Spectacular views, short hikes, strenuous hikes, swimming holes, slide rocks. This is the “Land of Waterfalls”.
Lake Fairfield - Only 5 minutes away, this private lake (only for Sapphire property owners and their guests) has a beach, swimming area, boathouse, picnic pavillion & beautiful granite-faced mountain views.
Hiking – Panthertown Valley, nicknamed the “Yosemite of the East”, Whiteside Mountain, Cold Mountain… literally 1000 of miles of trails for the beginner or the expert hiker.
Biking – Nearby DuPont forest has trails and the roads offer a challenge even for the heartiest cyclist.
Horseback Riding – Nearby WhiteWater Equestrian Center is the best.
Golfing – Award-winning Sapphire National & High Hampton are nearby, among several others.
Fishing –Try fly fishing on the French Broad River.
Wyndham Sapphire Resort amenities are all available for you for just $5/adult for the length of your stay (kids under 14 are free). The resort is just 7 minutes away with indoor & outdoor pools, 2 jacuzzis, wet & dry saunas, an exercise facility, game room,putt-putt golf and free WiFi. Fairfield Lake is even closer with its beach, swimming area, boathouse and magnificent granite-faced mountain views.
Rather spend the day shopping? There are numerous unique shops in nearby Highlands, Cashiers and Brevard (and many spots in between). There are also craft shows, art festivals and bazaars throughout the year - especially April through October.
Looking for a place to getaway and scrapbook for the weekend? The lodge is well-stocked with all of the extras that make your scrapbooking experience complete: folding tables, lamps, cushions, and a large paper cutter.
Tell me more about the Lodge... There are 4 bedrooms (the master is downstairs) and 2 ½ baths. The kitchen is well stocked, there are games & movies (50+) for kids of all ages as well as a toy box upstairs. Each of the 3 TV’s has a DVD/VCR player as well as plugs on the front for easy game console hook-up. The front & back porches – with Amish rockers, a mountain checker/chess table, the addictive “Ring Game”, many other chairs, and the sounds of the babbling stream no matter where you sit – are definitely a hit, along with making s’mores in the campfire.
Our favorite things to do:
- Catching salamanders in the backyard mountain stream
- The Campfire - roasting hotdogs & making s'mores
- Hanging out at Fairfield Lake
- Snow fun! Skiing and tubing at nearby Sapphire Resort
- Renting a boat at Lake Glenville
- Finding a new waterfall... or an old one!
- "Secret" slide rock
- Playing the ring game on the back porch
- Reading on the porch & looking for "God-beams"
- Playing checkers on the front porch
- Playing a board game that we don’t have at home
- Taking a walk
- Star gazing
- Hiking up Whiteside Mountain
Special category of our favorite waterfalls:
- Cashiers Sliding Rock – fun but c-c-c-c-cold!
- Silver Run Falls - short, easy hike; nice swimming hole
- Dry Falls - neat to walk behind the falls
- Cullasaja Falls - hop on rocks, jump off cliff
- Turtleback Falls - slide rock for the adventurous
- Whitewater Falls-– hike up to "secret" slide rock
We have several books at the Lodge describing the many waterfalls & hikes in the area. In addition, check out the "Things To Do" page on the owners website for links to popular spots.
Vacation Rental Features
- Amenities
- Air Conditioning: 2 units: upstairs & downstairs. Ceiling fans in every bedroom plus family room, screened porch & back porch.
- Washer: in unit
- Dryer: in unit
- Linens Provided
- Gas Fireplace
- Beds
- King Bed: in downstairs master
- Queen Bed (2)
- Double Bed (2)
- Twin/Single Bed (2) : plus 2 twin rollaways (1 upstairs, 1 downstairs)
- Bunk Bed
- Entertainment
- Cable/Satellite TV (3) : Pay per view enabled; just pay for the movies you watch. TV's have plugs in front - easy to hook up game console.
- DVD
- VCR
- Video Library: 50+ movies available
- CD Player
- Stereo System
- Shared Hot Tub: free Wyndham Sapphire Resort amenities - 10 minutes away. 2 hot tubs.
- Shared Pool: free Wyndham Sapphire Resort amenities - 10 minutes away. 1 indoor & 2 outdoor pools
- Sauna: free Wyndham Sapphire Resort amenities - 10 minutes away. 1 wet & 1 dry sauna.
- Kitchen
- Full Kitchen: Many guests state that it's better stocked than their kitchen at home!
- Cooking Utensils Provided: Several families have prepared Thanksgiving and Christmas feasts.
- Refrigerator: GE Monogram.
- Dishwasher
- Microwave
- Ice Maker
- Catering Available: Billy's Kitchen in Cashiers caters; he's great! 743-5355
- Outdoor Features
- Gas/Electric BBQ Grill: Extra (full) propane tank.
- Deck/Patio: Actually a screened porch with a table and a pass-thru window to the kitchen. Great for a kids eating area or for playing a board game late into the night.
- View/Location
- Waterfront, not Lake/Oceanfront. Ask for details: Mountain stream in the backyard - bold enough to hear the soothing sounds from the cabin, gentle enough to let kids play, explore, collect & "capture".
- Communications
- Telephone (3) : 1 cordless with answering machine.
- Free Long Distance: Feel free to pick up the phone and dial - limit to 30-minute phone calls and no international please.
- Broadband Internet: High-speed wireless internet (DSL from Verizon)
- WiFi (Wireless Internet): High-speed wireless internet (DSL from Verizon). Free WiFi also available at the Wyndham Sapphire Resort.
- Other Amenities
- Full access to all Wyndham Sapphire Resort amenities for just $5/adult for entire stay (kids under 14 free) including beautiful Fairfield Lake, 25% discount off rates at award-winning Sapphire National golf course and 25% off snow skiing rates, Campfire in backyard - roast hotdogs & marshmallows (s'mores) - mountain pie makers in pantry.
- Suitability
- No Pets Allowed: Sorry, no exceptions; owner has severe allergies.
- Kid Friendly: Stream in backyard great for exploring, crawfish & salamander catching; "creek boots" of all sizes available along with buckets for collecting things. Campfire for roasting hotdogs & marshmallows (s'mores) - mountain pie makers in the pantry. Board games for all ages, a toy box upstairs and 50+ movies for all ages. A mountain checker/chess table on front porch and a ring-game on the back porch - fun for kids of all ages.
- Smoking Not Allowed: Sorry, no exceptions; owner has severe allergies. Smoking fine on front or back porches.
- Activities (on site and nearby)
- Golf
- Tennis
- Shopping
- Sightseeing
- Restaurants
- Rafting
- Sailing
- Boating
- Waterskiing
- Jet Skiing
- Swimming
- Biking
- Mountain Biking
- Downhill/Alpine Skiing
- Snowboarding
- Sledding/Tubing
- Wildlife Viewing
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Hunting
- Rock Climbing
- Fitness Center/Gym
- Health/Beauty Spa
- Antiquing
- Miniature golf
- Horseback Riding
- Other Activities
- Mountain stream in backyard - salamander catching is a favorite sport for kids!, Beach with swimming area/floating dock at Lake Fairfield - boat rentals (only 5 minutes away), Numerous waterfalls & slide rocks are close by - Cashiers slide rock - Turtleback falls - "secret" slide rock.
Rate Details (In US Dollars)
WE GIVE YOU THE MOST FLEXIBILITY!
Season 2 Nights 3-6 Nights Week Month
May-Oct plus Holidays.... $280/nt......$250/nt.......$1600/wk.....$5000/mo
Nov-Apr.................. $220/nt......$200/nt.......$1250/wk.....$4000/mo
3-night min Holiday Wknds, 5-night min June - August, 2-night min otherwise
$125 Cleaning Fee; 10% Tax; Damage Deposit $350; 50% down to reserve your dates.
Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.
Credit Cards Accepted:
Map & Owner's Profile
Year Purchased: 2003
Why the Owner Chose Sapphire
We discovered the the Highlands-Cashiers area in 1999 and fell in love with it. Georgia has nice mountains but the temperature doesn't drop much from Atlanta. The temperature at our place is typically 12-15 degrees cooler than Atlanta. We got serious about looking for a place in the mountains in 2002, found our place on December 30th (it wasn't completed yet) and fell in the love with the look & feel of the house and the wonderful mountain stream in the yard.
The Unique Benefits at this House
We like the sound of the stream in the backyard, the cooler temperatures, the small towns of Cashiers & Highlands, and the multitude of easy hikes to waterfalls, swimming holes, slide rocks and spectacular views. We also thoroughly enjoy the amenities of Wyndham Sapphire Resort including Fairfield Lake; the 25% discount off golf, winter skiing, and boat house rentals is nice too.
Also home to the Sapphire Brewing Company restaurant. 25% discount off greens fees by using your Wyndham Sapphire Resort Amenities Card.
Owner's Map of Sapphire
Luann & Tony Rushin with our son, Jerod (graduating high school in the photo) and our daughter, Hannah (just 1 year younger than her brother). We've lived in Alpharetta, GA since 1994 (by way of State College, PA, Tucson, AZ, and Richmond, VA) and grew up in Corry, PA - a small town in the northwest corner of PA.
Property Photos
- Memory Mountain Lodge - Sapphire, North Carolina - Memory Mountain Lodge
- Campfire with stream behind - View from Back Porch - Sapphire, North Carolina - Memory Mountain Lodge
- Bold Mountain Stream in the Backyard - Sapphire, North Carolina - Memory Mountain Lodge
- View of Lodge from the Stream
- Morning View from the Front Porch
- Amish Rockers on Front Porch
- Kitchen - View from Front Entrance
- Family Room
- Master Bedroom - View from Kitchen
- Bunk Bed Room!
- Fairfield Lake - Boathouse & Beach (part of free Wyndham Sapphire Amenities)
- A landmark - great produce and delicious pork BBQ
Guest Comments (16)
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Vacation Rentals by Owner Listing #92379
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This listing was first published here in 2006.
Date last modified - June 29, 2009
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