Top 10% of guest reviews in this areaTop 10% of guest reviews in this area
1 bedroom1 bathroomSleeps 4
Popular amenities
Onsite parking available
Pet-friendly
Kitchen
Washing machine
Air-conditioning
Barbecue grill
Explore the area
Butler, TN
Watauga Lake
Place, Watauga Lake
1 min walk
Watauga River
Place, Watauga River
1 min walk
Grandfather Mountain
Place, Grandfather Mountain
55 min drive
Tri-Cities, TN (TRI-Tri-Cities Regional)
Airport, Tri-Cities, TN (TRI-Tri-Cities Regional)
76 min drive
Rooms & beds
1 bedroom (sleeps 4)
Bedroom 1
1 Queen Bed and 1 Double Futon
1 bathroom
Bathroom
Bathtub or shower · Bathtub · Toilet · Shower only
Spaces
Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Dining area
About this property
CATFISH COTTAGE-LAKE WATAUGA, TN -WATERFRONT-PRIVATE DOCK
RESCHEDULING IS AVAILABLE AS CALENDAR DICTATES. Catfish Cottage is a private waterfront vacation rental which provides beautiful mountain views depicting all seasons! PERFECT FOR A COUPLE GETAWAY! Maximum of four guests are allowed. PLEASE READ HOUSE RULES BEFORE BOOKING. Dogs or cats are CONSIDERED, and guests are expected to be forthcoming on the number and type of pet. NO SMOKING -- NO PARTIES A private dock, for use by renters only, is a place where you can either dock your personal watercraft, use the canoe or fishing kayak provided, or a pontoon can be rented from nearby Fish Springs Marina or Lake Shore Marina. The Watauga River flows into Lake Watauga just a few hundred yards from Catfish Cottage which enables adventurers to kayak or canoe up the river for quite a distance. TVA controls lake level which they usually start to lower in late August or September. Water depth at the end of our dock has never been less than 8'. This lowering doesn't allow canoeing all the way to the rapids. Fishing is great in Lake Watauga, and a license, if needed, is obtainable less than two miles away at Watauga Lake Mercantile (see their website). They are also the closest for "forgot to get" items. Ready for another adventure? Walk, hike, bike or drive just a little over a mile away to the Lake Watauga Winery which is in an old restored schoolhouse and hear about the ghosts that have revealed themselves since the property was purchased! Mountain City is only 16 miles from Catfish Cottage. It's an easy route to two major grocery stores. From Mountain City, it's another 17 miles to the Virginia Creeper Trail in Damascus, VA traveling on Hwy. 91 or in the opposite direction, you can travel to Boone or Blowing Rock, NC on Hwy. 421 from Mtn. City. Or, leaving the cottage and going through Pioneer Landing to Hwy. 321, it's 16 miles to the outskirts of Boone and then on to Linville, Blowing Rock, etc. The Bristol Race Track is about 40 miles from the cottage. Lots to do from this location. Or, simply stay at the cottage and relax. This is a NON-SMOKING vacation rental. WIFI is available as well as a phone. DISH TV is in the cottage as well as several DVD's. HORSEBACK RIDING on nearby Roan Mountain - or in Boone, NC. BIKE RIDING either in nearby Hampton TN or the world-known VIRGINIA CREEPER TRAIL! What adventures there are to be had! Dogs /cats are CONSIDERED. Please inform owners of the type of dog/cat you have when booking your dates. The charge is $25 per dog/cat per stay for the extra cleaning required.
Our prices include all fees. No hidden fees.
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The host requires you to complete the following before checking out:
Remove personal items, remove leftover food and drinks and take out the rubbish
Lock the doors and return the keys
Please inform owner if anything has been broken or is not working properly. Thank you
If kayaks or canoe has been used, please pull out of water and secure in proper place on dock. Thank you
If you have a dog, please make sure all dog pooh has been picked up and discarded in trash. Thank you
Failure to complete these may result in a negative review from the host.
Report ANY problems:xxx-xxx-xxxx
NO EXTRA OVERNIGHT GUESTS ARE ALLOWED
DAYTIME GUESTS ARE LIMITED TO FOUR (4) IF SOCIAL DISTANCING CAN BE MAINTAINED D
NO SMOKING IN COTTAGE OR PORCH
Guests must be forthcoming about what kind of pet and
how many. Pets will be CONSIDERED--not automatically accepted
Dispose of personal items in trash -- not in toilet.
Important information
You need to know
Property # 918600vb
This property is managed by a private host (a party not acting within their trade, business or profession). EU consumer law, including the right of withdrawal, will not apply to your booking. The cancellation policy set by the private host will cover your booking.
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 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, a first aid kit and a deadlock
About the area
Butler
Located in Butler, this cottage is in a rural area and on the waterfront. Elk Statue and Banner House Museum are local landmarks, and some of the area's activities can be experienced at Watauga Lake Winery and Fish Springs Marina. Lakeshore Marina and Land of Oz are also worth visiting. Discover the area's water adventures with jet skiing and kayaking nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with hiking and mountain climbing.
Appalachian State University - 41 min drive - 44.6 km
Grandfather Mountain - 55 min drive - 62.8 km
Getting around
Abingdon, VA (VJI-Virginia Highlands) - 78 min drive
Restaurants
Butler Trading Post - 27 min drive
Pleasent's Country Store - 22 min drive
JJ's Cafe - 25 min drive
river view resturant - 20 min drive
Cricket's Corner - 28 min drive
Frequently asked questions
Is CATFISH COTTAGE-LAKE WATAUGA, TN -WATERFRONT-PRIVATE DOCK pet-friendly?
Yes, pets are allowed at this property.
How much does it cost to stay at CATFISH COTTAGE-LAKE WATAUGA, TN -WATERFRONT-PRIVATE DOCK?
As of 14 May 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at CATFISH COTTAGE-LAKE WATAUGA, TN -WATERFRONT-PRIVATE DOCK on 2 Sept 2026 start from £122, 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 CATFISH COTTAGE-LAKE WATAUGA, TN -WATERFRONT-PRIVATE DOCK?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at CATFISH COTTAGE-LAKE WATAUGA, TN -WATERFRONT-PRIVATE DOCK?
Check-in begins at 12:00 PM.
What time is check-out at CATFISH COTTAGE-LAKE WATAUGA, TN -WATERFRONT-PRIVATE DOCK?
Checkout is at 11:00 AM.
Where is CATFISH COTTAGE-LAKE WATAUGA, TN -WATERFRONT-PRIVATE DOCK located?
Situated on the waterfront, this cottage is steps away from Watauga Lake and Watauga River. Watauga Lake Winery is 2.3 mi (3.7 km) away.
Reviews
10
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Great vacation spot for a long weekend; cabin was clean, well stocked, and very cozy. Huge porch with great views, perfect for board games and reading books in the hammock. We will definitely be coming back!
Mother Nature blessded you with wonderful weather. Additionally, weekday bookings are usually very quieter than weekends. Thank you for choosing Catfish
We will definitely return. Host was exceptionally accomodating. This could very well be the most relaxing week ever. The dock, availability of two kayaks, outstanding. The icing on the cake was the basket of ingredients to make smores.
Everything was super! Clean, quiet and comfortable. Beautiful views and surrounding mountains. If you have any physical limitations, you may not access the water quite so easily. Check to be sure water level is not down as ramp can be steep.
Everything was just as we hoped. Very clean, well stocked, close to the water… Several extras provided, basket full of s’more fixings, popcorn popper for the fire pit, fire food, lots of water toys… Loved the lake theme decor! Very comfortable bed and pillows. Covered section of the dock a big plus. We want to come again!
Easy access and we enjoyed the dock - and jumped in the lake every day - inside was very clean and modern - in fact, it was much more updated then we thought! The AC worked amazingly as we had temps in the upper 90s for several days!
Another summer down, and another wonderful stay. :) Nothing is overlooked and the place is spotless, with beautiful views in a peaceful location. Looking forward to hopefully another enjoyable stay in the future!
The details the owners put into making this a great place to stay are amazing. Everything you need is available as well as extras like an amazing hammock on the porch.
Much needed peacefully beautiful setting. We where married on the lake and stayed here years back. The updated cottage is absolutely beautiful. Hopefully they will have us back.
Leslie K.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 12 Jul 2025
We truly appreciate guests like you who have total respect for the property.
Thank you
This was my third stay at Catfish cottage, and I plan on returning next year. The owners have perfected all the amenities you will need to enjoy a relaxing, fun experience on Watauga Lake. The cottage and property are immaculate, and they worked extra hard this year after having survived Hurricane Helene. It’s a magical place for me, and anyone I invite always falls in love with it as well.
Our experience was phenomenal, from check-in to check-out. The hosts have thought of everything to make you feel right at home, and you cannot say enough about the beautiful location. A great place for a relaxing and peaceful vacation. We will definitely be back!!!
My partner and I enjoyed our stay at Catfish tremendously. The property is immaculate; the hosts have thought of every detail. We cannot wait to go back! Highly recommend.
Property was clean, stocked with essentials, internet access, everything very user friendly and of course the view and lake access is the best! Property owner very responsive from start to finish! Highly recommend for a small family vacation!
This is our third time coming back and we love it every time! We have made this our Anniversary get away spot! Pat is so easy to work with and she cares about making sure you have a great experience!
Nahia S.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024
About the host
Hosted by Patricia or George Heinemann
We are an older couple who fell in love with the location of Catfish Cottage. We kept the name that was on the cottage, but almost everything else has been updated (totally inside).
Why they chose this property
Location, location, location -- a perfect get-a-way for a couple. Family of four is our maximum.
What makes this property unique
It is at the intersection of the Watauga River which flows from Boone, NC and the lake. In the winter, out front of the cottage is a natural spring which when the lake is iced over, there is a circle of unfrozen water where the spring is. Kayaking and/or canoeing up the river is an adventure or just going for an evening canoe ride out in the lake. Pontoon rentals are available from either Fish Spring Marina or Lake Shore Marina in Butler, TN or Cove Ridge Marina