Skip to main content
Cabin

Watauga River Cabins Sycamore Cabin

Photo gallery for Watauga River Cabins Sycamore Cabin

Front view/Fall
A rural landscape with a vintage truck parked in a field, surrounded by a wooden fence and small trees.
Kitchen with new granite countertops.
Kitchen with view of spiral staircase to the loft area.
Living area

Reviews

9.8 out of 10, Loved by Guests
Top 10% of guest reviews in this area
1 bedroom1+ bathroomSleeps 6

Popular amenities

  • Onsite parking available
  • Dog-friendly
  • Kitchen
  • Washing machine
  • Air-conditioning
  • Barbecue grill

Explore the area

View in a map
Johnson City, TN
  • Place, Watauga River
    ‪3 min walk‬
  • Place, East Tennessee State University
    ‪13 min drive‬
  • Place, Freedom Hall Civic Center
    ‪15 min drive‬
  • Airport, Tri-Cities, TN (TRI-Tri-Cities Regional)
    ‪33 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

1 bedroom (sleeps 6)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

Loft Area

1 Double Bed and 2 Single Beds

1 bathroom, 1 half bathroom

Bathroom 1

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Bathroom 2

Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Watauga River Cabins Sycamore Cabin

This cabin (Sycamore Cabin) is part of our 'rustic lodge'. Our 'rustic lodge' is located on the banks of the beautiful Watauga River, halfway between Johnson City and Elizabethton. The lodge was designed to resemble a horse barn and sits on 5 acres with over 600 feet of river frontage and consists of 3 cabins.

The downstairs Sycamore cabin has over 800 square feet of living space. The cabin has a queen bed and full bath downstairs. In the loft there is a queen bed, two single beds and a half bath.

All linens are included -- all you have to do is pick up some food and bring your personal items -- all other items will be provided for you! The kitchen is fully equipped with dishes, cookware, toaster, coffee maker and microwave.

The cabin has heat/air conditioning, ceiling fan, flat screen satellite TV (Direct TV is provider), DVD/VCR, central laundry facility and gas grill.

There is also a full hook-up RV pad with 50 amp service, located on the river. (extra cost) The RV lot has a private deck that overlooks the river.

Very convenient to both Johnson City and Elizabethton (10 minutes) as well as Roan Mountain, Sugar Mountain, Beech Mountain and Hawksnest ski resorts (45-60 minutes). Immediately adjacent to the lodge is the Watauga River which is about 100 feet wide and is home to some of the finest Trout fishing in the Eastern United States. Trout species in the Watauga River are Rainbow, Brook and Brown as well as several types of Bass and various non-game species. This lower part of the Watauga has been designated as the 'Quality Trout Zone.'

We have other cabins available please call for dates and prices.

Add dates for prices

Have a question?

AI iconBeta

Get instant answers with AI powered search of property information and reviews.

Similar properties

Exterior
Fully furnished 3 BR 3 BA house to escape the hustle of the city.
Blountville
  • Kitchen
  • Washing machine
  • Dryer
  • Pet-friendly
10.0 out of 10, Exceptional, (186 reviews)
Fully furnished 3 BR 3 BA house to escape the hustle of the city.

House Rules

Check in after 3:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 25
Check out before 10:00 AM
default

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
default

Events

No events allowed
default

Pets

Pets allowed: dogs (limit 2 total)
Well behaved, non aggressive dogs are welcome.
default

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
All dogs must be on flea control. Limit 2 dogs per cabin. Sorry, no cats.

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
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

Johnson City

Located in Johnson City, this cabin is on the waterfront. The Bonnie Kate and Tipton-Haynes Historic Site are cultural highlights, and some of the area's landmarks include Carter Mansion and Jonesborough Historic District. Johnson City Family Skatecenter and Wallabies are also worth visiting. Enjoy the area's slopes with cross-country skiing, snowboarding and skiing, and don't miss out on the ice skating.
View more Cabin rentals in Johnson CityOpens in a new window
Map
Johnson City, TN

What's nearby

  • Watauga River - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
  • East Tennessee State University - 13 min drive - 11.7 km
  • Johnson City Mall - 14 min drive - 14.7 km
  • Freedom Hall Civic Center - 15 min drive - 13.1 km
  • Bristol Motor Speedway - 31 min drive - 33.7 km

Getting around

  • Tri-Cities, TN (TRI-Tri-Cities Regional) - 32 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪McDonald's - ‬12 min drive
  • ‪Jersey Mike's Subs - ‬9 min drive
  • ‪Penny Man's Diner - ‬10 min drive
  • ‪Papa John's Pizza - ‬11 min drive
  • ‪The Black Olive - ‬10 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Watauga River Cabins Sycamore Cabin pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows dogs (limit 2 total). Some restrictions may apply, so please contact the property for more details.

How much does it cost to stay at Watauga River Cabins Sycamore Cabin ?

As of 8 May, 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Watauga River Cabins Sycamore Cabin on 27 Oct, 2026 start from S$293, 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 Watauga River Cabins Sycamore Cabin ?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Watauga River Cabins Sycamore Cabin ?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Watauga River Cabins Sycamore Cabin ?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Watauga River Cabins Sycamore Cabin located?

Situated on the waterfront, this cabin is steps from Watauga River and within 6 mi (10 km) of Sycamore Shoals State Park and Sycamore Shoals Hospital. Tweetsie Trail Trailhead and Tannery Knobs Mountain Bike Park are also within 6 miles (10 km).

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 203 out of 225 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 19 out of 225 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 3 out of 225 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 225 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 225 reviews

9.6/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Amenities

10/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Check-in

9.8/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

Steven H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Would gladly stay again.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 9 Jan, 2026
Good Morning. Happy to hear that you enjoyed your stay at Sycamore cabin. We appreciate your business and hope you will be a return guest:) Happy New Year! Patty
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Hoke P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
It was a nice little cabin with all the ammenities we needed and then some on an absolutely beautiful piece of property all for less than a Hampton Inn motel room. We never met the owners. We got a text on Sunday with a key code. Arrived Monday afternoon entered the key code and made ourselves at home for four days they locked up and left on Friday morning. Just a wonderful week of telling lies and fishing.. If only all vacations were that simple!
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 27 Apr, 2026
Hi Hoke. I'm so happy you enjoyed your at Magnolia Cabin. We look forward to seeing you again soon. Patty
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Dean B.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Well stocked cabin and great peaceful setting!
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 11 Nov, 2025
Hi Dean, So happy you enjoyed your stay at Sycamore cabin. We look forward to hosting you again if you are in our area. We appreciate your business. Sincerely, Patty Whidden
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Andrew M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great location. We love staying here.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 16 Sept, 2025
Thanks so much for the kind review. We look forward to hosting you again soon. Patty
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Joshua S.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great location very quiet and relaxing.. great for family and kids
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 22 Sept, 2025
Hi Joshua. So happy you and your family enjoyed your stay with us. We look forward to hosting you again soon. Patty
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Gandee B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Beautiful spot. They thought of everything. Dry nice. Enjoyed our stay.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 8 Dec, 2025
Hello Gandee. So happy you enjoyed your stay at Sycamore Cabin. Thank you for the kind review and we look forward to hosting you again soon. Merry Christmas! Patty
Verified

10/10 Excellent

David G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
This place was fantastic with amazing exterior amenities. We will stay there again.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 6 Oct, 2025
Thank you so much for the kind review. We look forward to hosting you again in the future. Patty
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Matthew M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The property is amazing and the cabin is nice with an excellent location on the river. There were two door codes listed for check in but neither one worked. Had to call the property manager who gave me 2 different codes, one of which worked. The bed and pillows were a bit uncomfortable, the coffee maker was dirty and it said the filter needs to be changed, there was quite a bit of dust and spider webs accumulated in areas throughout the cabin. Would I stay here again, absolutely 100%. Those issues weren’t a dealbreaker by any means, mostly telling you so you could improve for the next guests.
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

nicole r.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Amazing views of river!
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 16 Oct, 2025
Thank you for the kind review! Patty
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Preston P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
return trip was just as great as the first
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 19 Oct, 2025
Hi Preston. That's wonderful news! We're so happy you enjoyed another stay with us. We look forward to hosting you again soon. Patty
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Fred C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We have had great experiences in recent years woth Watauga River Cabins, and this one was no exception.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 13 Oct, 2025
Hi Mr. Churchhill. It was so nice seeing you & your family again. Thank you for the kind review. We look forward to your next visit in May:) Take Care. Patty
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jasmine S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Always enjoy myself my favorite place to stay
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Andrew M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We have stayed here multiple times. Great location and a great cabin. There’s a reason that we keep coming back.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 15 Aug, 2025
So happy you enjoyed your stay in Sycamore Cabin. We love our return guests and appreciate your business. We look forward to your next visit. Patty
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Paige R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great views. Restful, beautiful place. Great for dogs. My dogs loved it.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 30 Sept, 2025
So happy you and your pups enjoyed your stay with us. Thanks for including the beautiful pictures! Patty
Verified

8/10 Good

Darletta M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Loved the setting. It was so quiet and the outdoor space was beautiful.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 7 Aug, 2025
So happy you enjoyed your stay with us. We look forward to hosting you again in the future. Patty
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Kristen

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities, communication
We loved this property. The outside amenities are great. Plenty of seating,grills, and firewood. The view of the river was awesome and peaceful. Cabin was clean and cozy. Would definitely come back again.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Cole M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Being on the river was even cooler than expected
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 20 Nov, 2025
Hello Cole. Thank you for the review. We appreciate your business & look forward to hosting you again. Patty
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Eleanor A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The Sycamore Cabin was clean, updated, and comfortable. It was so nice to see the river from the windows.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 1 Sept, 2025
Hello Eleanor. So happy you enjoyed your stay with us. We look forward to hosting you again soon. Patty
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Michelle M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We had a great getaway weekend! We throughly enjoyed the fire pit and wood splitter on site. Out boys enjoyed hunting for “River treasures” each day. Lots of fun things to do! The only appliance missing was a toaster. They have a toaster oven- works just takes a bit longer. We will definitely stay again!
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 22 Dec, 2025
Hi Michelle. Thank you for the kind review & suggesting a toaster. I will take care of that:) So happy you and your family enjoyed time at the river. We hope to host you again soon. Merry Christmas! Patty
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Lace H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The property was well stocked and up to date. Plenty of space for our family and pet. Warm and welcoming upon our arrival. It was also nicely decorated for the holidays (we stayed in December) which was beautiful. The only thing that would have made our stay better would have been an updated heater in the downstairs bedroom as the one provided did not stay on and the room did stay cold, however with lots of layers and extra blankets it wasnt that bad and we didn’t need to address it with the hosts as it didn’t really impact our overall stay.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 9 Jan, 2026
Good morning. Thank you for the kind review and letting me know about the heater. We will see that it is replaced. Phil & Alesia, our property managers, are responsible for the beautiful Christmas decorations:). They do a wonderful job. So nice to hear that you enjoyed your stay. We look forward to hosting you again soon. Happy New Year! Patty
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Michael B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
very nice, tranquil setting right on the river. quiet, clean and accommodating. we had a great time playing in the river, playing horseshoes, spending time with family. the outdoor areas are so nice and relaxing. we will certainly be back when we can!
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Dianne M.

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

Great place to stay

Quiet and peaceful
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 14 Oct, 2024
Hi Dianne. As always, it was nice hosting you again. We look forward to seeing you and your family again soon. Patty
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Lorianna D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Very laid back. The sound of the river was so soothing. Property owners and caretakers were very friendly. The location was far enough away yet getting to places was easy.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 16 Sept, 2025
Thanks so much for the kind review. We look forward to hosting you again soon. Patty
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Doug R.

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

Awesome Fishing

Great place for a group!
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 21 Mar, 2025
So happy you had a good time! We look forward to hosting you again soon!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Paul P.

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

Beautiful Property

Cabin was clean with exceptional furniture and decor. Property directly on river with multiple seating areas. Numerous large trees provided shade. Absolutely great stay.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 16 Jun, 2025
Hi Paul. So happy you enjoyed your stay with us. We look forward to hosting you again in the future. Patty

About the host

Hosted by Gary Whidden

Host profile image
I owned a retirement mobile home park in Florida & sold it in 2019. I am happily retired! My wife is a happily retired Biology teacher. We live in Tennessee from June to the end of October. We winter in a small town in Florida, Frostproof:) We call it chasing the 70's.

Why they chose this property

The river property came into my mother’s family in the 1890’s. My great grandfather built the family homestead. In 1901 (pre-dam) a flood came and damaged the home. With mules and logs they moved the 3,000 square foot, 2 story home across the creek and placed it on higher ground. Before the dam was built in the mid 1940’s, the river would sometimes look like a creek, at other times it would rise and come out its 50 foot banks. In the winter, the river would freeze and my great grandparents would cut squares of ice from the river and bury it in their home for later use. Before the bridge, there was a natural shelf that allowed the horse and buggies to cross the river in front of the cabins.

The ground was farmed until I received it in 2003. My mother was raised on the property, until she married my father in 1947 and moved to Florida. We vacationed here every year, so I have always loved this place. I wanted a place of my own but hated the idea of having it sit empty most of the time. I am in the rental business in Florida so I decided to build something that could be rented when we are not able to be here. At that time, there were no buildings on the property so I was able to start from scratch. I really like the character of horse barns and thought, why not build one that could house people. So, in 2004, we built the cabins and it has been a great adventure! This past winter, we completed our retirement cabin. The cabin has three bedrooms, three baths, and an apartment on the lower level.

We hope you choose us for your lodging in East Tennessee. We know you will enjoy it.

- Gary and Patty Whidden

What makes this property unique

Located on the Watauga River Trophy Trout Section, between Johnson City and Elizabethton, TN.

Languages:

English

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests
Tell us how we can improve our siteShare feedback

Go further with the Vrbo app

  • Easily message your host
  • Access, share and manage your trip
  • Earn OneKeyCash on holiday rentals
Scan the QR code with your device camera and download our app
QR code to download the app