NO CLEANING OR PET FEES! Fall in love with our secluded Off-Grid Cabin located in the Great Smoky Mountains. Wake up to the sounds of a babbling creek and beautiful mountain views, hike the Road to Nowhere, kayak the Little Tennesee River, cook hot dogs over an open fire, and then open the glass panel garage door and fall asleep under the most beautiful sky you will ever see.
Rowdy Bear Highlights:
• 12ft glass panel door that opens the cabin to nature • Queen Tempurpedic bed • Rain Captured Shower • Fire Pit
The Space:
The Rowdy Bear is an Off-Grid Cabin that is situated in the Great Smoky Mountains with easy access to both Bryson City and Franklin. The cabin itself was built using rough sawn wood acquired from a local sawmill. Many of the items used in the cabin came from local shops or antique stores.
There is a 2000-watt Solar Generator in the cabin that can be used for lights, charging cell phones, and running the pump for the shower. The Solar Panels are enough to charge the Generator to 100% each day.
Rainwater is used for showers. The gutter system on the cabin is used to catch rainwater. The downspout runs into a "First Flush Diverter", which allows any dust, dirt, or anything else that might land on the roof between the rainstorms to be diverted away from the water storage tank. The clean rainwater then fills the water storage tank. Be aware that Rainwater is fine for showers, but is not meant for drinking.
Propane is connected to a space heater and the shower. The space heater is 17,000 BTUs, which is plenty for colder nights. The shower has an at-source water heater and can heat the water up to 120 degrees, which is more than enough for a hot shower.
A porta potty is provided for bathroom purposes and is cleaned and restocked every Thursday.
Pets are allowed!
The following items are provided:
1. Linens 2. Towels 3. Coffee, Coffee Pot, and Coffee Cups 4. Body Wash 5. Shampoo 6. Board Games 7. Lanterns 8. Two Person Table and Chairs 9. Two Rocking Chairs 10. four Adirondack Chairs for the Firepit 11. Firepit 12. Outdoor table for food and drinks 13. Propane Torch for lighting fires
Area Details:
The Rowdy Bear is situated on 2.5 acres of land. There is a large section cleared off where the cabin is located. There is plenty of room for the fire pit, vehicles, animals, and any outdoor games you might want to bring (cornhole).
Both Bryson City and Franklin are fairly close to the cabin. Bryson City is approximately 20 minutes away, while Franklin is approximately 30 minutes away. Both towns offer great little downtown areas that have shopping and restaurants. Don't be afraid to try the food trucks, they have some of the best food.
Bryson City has many trails for hiking such as the Road to nowhere, Noland Divide Trail, Three Waterfalls Loop (FYI: There are three waterfalls on this trail), and Deep Creek Waterfall Loop. The fishing in Bryson City is also great and the guided trips are very reasonably priced. I would suggest going in the morning and doing a float trip.
Franklin is bigger and a little more spread out than Bryson city, but there are a lot of neat little stores and restaurants. I personally like going to the Currahee Brewing Company. Currahee is right on the river and is set up to host live bands and it gets pretty lively in the late afternoons and evenings on the weekends.
Small Details:
One of the things you would want to bring is a 1 lb propane bottle for the Torch that is provided. Using the torch to start a fire is much easier than kindling.
The solar generator has enough power to run the small coffee pot if you don't want to use the percolator. The generator also has enough power to run hair dryers. The main thing you want to keep in mind is anything that uses a heating element will drain the battery quickly. Lanterns are provided If needed. Overall, you should be good to go, but it is something to keep in mind.
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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
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock
About the area
Bryson City
Located in Bryson City, this cabin is in the mountains. Great Smoky Mountains Railroad and Mason Mountain Mine are local landmarks, and some of the area's activities can be experienced at Sheffield Mine and Old Cardinal Gem Mine. Smokey Mountain Trains Museum and Bryson City Gem Mine are also worth visiting. Enjoy the area's slopes with snowboarding and skiing, and don't miss out on the sledging.
Great Smoky Mountains Railroad - 25 min drive - 21.5 km
Getting around
Alcoa - Knoxville Airport (TYS) - 147 min drive
Restaurants
Cardinal Coffee - 23 min drive
Kallistos - 24 min drive
Big Wesser Riverside Pub - 42 min drive
Boiled P-Nuts - 24 min drive
Kims - 26 min drive
Frequently asked questions
Is The Rowdy Bear Off-Grid Glamping Cabin pet-friendly?
Yes, this property allows pets (limit 2 total).
How much does it cost to stay at The Rowdy Bear Off-Grid Glamping Cabin?
As of 27 Apr, 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at The Rowdy Bear Off-Grid Glamping Cabin on 25 May, 2026 start from S$173, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking at The Rowdy Bear Off-Grid Glamping Cabin?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at The Rowdy Bear Off-Grid Glamping Cabin?
Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.
What time is check-out at The Rowdy Bear Off-Grid Glamping Cabin?
Checkout is at 11:00 AM.
Where is The Rowdy Bear Off-Grid Glamping Cabin located?
Situated in the mountains, this cabin is steps from Nantahala National Forest and within 9 mi (15 km) of Fontana Lake and Pincu Pottery. Great Smoky Mountains Railroad and Mason Mountain Mine are also within 16 miles (25 km).
Reviews
9.8
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
It's a nice secluded dry cabin. It's well equipped and is built well. My wife and I enjoyed our stay and would like to return some time in the future. Maybe when it's warmer haha.
The location, craftsmanship and resourcefulness are second to none. Do yourself a favor and take time to immerse yourself in the beautiful mountain environment!!
Clayton S.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 27 Jun, 2023
Thank you for leaving a great review. We are glad you enjoyed the Rowdy Bear as much as we do.
My boyfriend and I stayed there for a long weekend and let me tell you. THIS is the place. Very private, secluded. Be prepared for no AC which was a little toasty BUT the rain cooled it down and it was nice! Bring a portable battery operated fan if you are someone who enjoys the AC. Property looks just like the pictures! Shower pressure was superb. Bed was super comfy. About a 25 min drive to Bryson City. We hiked the deep creek trail which was so nice! Overall, highly recommend staying here. One thing I thought could be included was a booklet of all the instructions printed out that are emailed to you. Also be prepared for zero cell signal. It was SO nice to be off the grid!
The cabin was beautiful! Being able to see that mountain view from the porch and bed was amazing! Usually staying in places the bed isn't always that great, but the mattress was very comfortable and the linens were soft. The shower was so easy to plug in the cord and get a quick shower after a long day of hiking, plus it had great water pressure! The owners have a lot of information about the towns if you need and can offer great advice. The instructions they send for the cabin are very easy to follow, I did recieve two different codes to get in so I took a picture on my phone of both to be safe and I am glad I did because otherwise you have to drive to town to get cell reception (which is expected based on location). I do recomend bringing a battery operated mini fan to help get air in the cabin at night, as the air is still and hot because you can't leave big door open due to the bugs. You can not leave any type of light on inside the cabin at night because lots of bugs will come in. I feel as though the floor should have a vape barrier under it, could even use landscape fabric, but something to maybe staple to the bottom outside because many bugs were coming up thru the floor boards so I sprayed bug spray. Maybe even spraying home defense would help. I always expect bugs in the mountains, but I don't want to sleep with them. Maybe an extra shelf between the two already would be handy and some extra hooks. Overall, I would love to have a place like this, its amazing!!! Thank you for having us!!
Heidi B.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 27 Jun, 2023
Thank you for leaving a review. We love staying at the cabin as well because it provides a unique experience. We will take your recommendations into consideration as we continue to work on improving the overall experience for our guests.
myself, my boyfriend and our 2 dogs stayed at this cabin in July. it superrrrr cute and the setup is very cool honestly. it was off the grid, no wifi or service, back in the country vibes with a Mountain View.
if you 100% hate bugs, want wifi/service, want AC, and are allergic to bees: I would recommend to stay away from this cabin. only because there are bugs obviously cuz you are in the woods/mountains, you are off the grid for a reason, no AC in the cabin (we did bring a plug in small fan for night time air flow), and my boyfriend sprayed a bunch of wasps/yellow jacket nests the second day we were there. he got stung on the face the first night by one of these huge yellow jacket hybrid bees (we've never seen them before so we don't know what they even are called lol). I was so freaked out I slept in the car that night haha HOWEVER, us spraying a lot of the nests seemed to be A HUGE HELP. we didn't see those big whatever-they-ares the last 2 nights and I was able to sleep very well lol I saw other reviews about the bugs being so bad, BUT the owners did put up a huge net over the garage door opening which helped with bugs but again, there are holes in the floor and whatnot so bugs are going to get in (also being in the woods).
I saw reviews where there are 2 codes and there are 2 codes so make sure to pay attention! I screen recorded each email so that I had access to all the info with no service.
Brett and Leslie were both VERY responsive!! they even gave us suggestions for places as well as where we could take the dogs.
we left the dogs one morning to hike in the Great smoky mountains national park. we left the garage door open for shade and closed the gate. we came back like 4-5 hours later and they were just fine, living their best mountain lives!
the road to the cabin wasn't terrible. it is a gravel road all the way up and it goes up a pretty decently steep hill. I have a FWD Mazda cx5 and it did just fine going up and down the road! (obviously wouldn't make it up in the winter time if there's snow or ice though).
overall our stay here was enjoyable. the fire pit was awesome. the rain shower was a neat experience too. the location was great and not super far from everything we wanted to do. I DO wish there was just some kind of air flow INSIDE the cabin itself.... like an overhead fan that ran with the generator or something. BUT we would still stay here again, just probably try it out in the fall/winter time next time!
Kari D.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 27 Jun, 2023
Thank you for staying at the Rowdy Bear Cabin which is meant to be a wonderful glamping experience. Our goal is to provide guests with an experience that falls between camping and staying in a hotel that has all the creature comforts we enjoy daily. We ensure that we provide the primary things a guest would need to have a great experience without taking away from the experience by adding too much.
When camping or glamping, bugs are to be expected to an extent. Acting on previous guest reviews, we decided to add the net to the garage door to help guests who may not be used to a camping or glamping experience. Additionally, we periodically visit the cabin to set traps for yellow jackets and spray for wasps and had done so two days prior to your arrival. When you contacted us about wasps, you sent a picture of one nest that seemed to be inactive but you wanted to treat the nest. To meet your concern and try to ensure you had a great experience, we compensated you monetarily for the cost of the spray and any inconvenience.
There are two codes for the Rowdy Bear Cabin. Both codes are provided in the instructions for cabin use. One code is clearly labeled for the lock box to get in the cabin and the other code is clearly marked for the nightstand where we store additional items such as batteries, first aid, toilet paper, etc. We provide those items as a backup to our guests in case they forget something or need something. You accessed and used some of these items during your stay.
The gravel road leading up to the Rowdy Bear Cabin is well maintained as there are neighbors who live full time up the mountain that use the road daily. There are no ruts or areas where water is cutting across the road and creating problems. We have been to the cabin in all seasons and even during a snowstorm. A two-wheel drive vehicle will make it to the cabin with little effort.
We are sorry to hear your stay was not ideal and we appreciate your feedback so we can appropriately advise future guests that have concerns with an off-grid cabin/glamping experience.
I wanted to experience the leaf change season and this was the perfect place to see it. The pictures do not compare to the real life experience. I will defiantly be booking this cabin again for next years changes. It truly is a hidden gem!
The stay was clean, welcoming and of course had a stunning view! It’s almost hard to get moving in the morning when you can lay in bed with beautiful sunrises; and at night sunsets. The shower was super comfortable and easy to use. Never came close to running out of water and the linens and towels provided were clean and fluffy. The bed was beyond comfortable. We found this to be the perfect blend of camping out and having a nice comfortable home.
My boyfriend and I stayed at this cabin for a weekend in the Smokies. This property was BEAUTIFUL! Super secluded with amazing views and cute cabin with a super comfy bed. There were a few bugs from the flooring so I would suggest a net under the cabin but nothing too bad and we were lucky enough to get a few fireflies in :) Great little cabin and we would LOVE to come back some day!
Emily M.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2022
Verified
10/10 Excellent
Caitlin
8 Jul, 2022
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities, communication
Caitlin
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2022
About the host
Hosted by Brett Ellis
I originally grew up in Vicksburg, MS, which can be found on I-20, right on the river before crossing into Louisiana. There, I learned the enjoyment of being outdoors and spending time in nature. Eventually, I joined the Air Force and served as an Intelligence Analyst at Hurlburt Field, Fl, where I spent my free time at the beach spearfishing, kayak fishing, and land-based shark fishing. After my time in the Military, I moved to Charlotte where I currently live and work as an Anti-Money Laundering consultant and Critical Infrastructure Protection Program Manager. I spend most of my weekends on the road, going to different towns in the South East. My wife and I are animal lovers so we have a zoo made up of three dogs and a cat. Our dogs' names are Oreo, Chloe, and Opie. then we have Tango the cat.
Why they chose this property
You could stay in a place with all of the luxuries, but where is the fun in that? What you get at the Rowdy Bear is an experience. You will have the basic necessities and several niceties including a Tempurpedic Mattress, quality outdoor furniture, and the roll-up door which makes the experience that much better. Stay at the Rowdy Bear and have a secluded trip in nature that you never knew you needed.
What makes this property unique
1. Roll Up Garage Door that opens the cabin to nature. 2. Rain Water Shower 3. Fire Pit 4. Board Games 5. Seclusion