Pet-Friendly Retreat on 60 Acres + River Access

Journey into another world – into a private, just-for-you resort on 60 secluded and riverfront acres, 45 mins from downtown Asheville and realms away from modern distraction.

This is the kind of place that invites you to pick wildflowers and hike private trails, to relax on the porch and listen to the river, to fly-fish for your dinner & then cook it over the fire pit. The type of home-away-from-home both cozy and charming, where you can disconnect from life & reconnect with what matters most.

Access:

Just 45 minutes north of Asheville via I-26, Big Laurel is located in Marshall, NC: 25 minutes to Wolf Laurel Ski Resort, 30 minutes to the arts scene of Marshall Town, and 45 minutes to the restorative promises of Hot Springs, NC.

Your Own Private Resort
Enjoy four seasons of opportunity at Big Laurel, your home-away-from-home and secluded retreat: a private campground-without-the-tent and a mountain resort where there are no other guests. From your front door, you can hear the river, walk a few steps to fishing, access miles of just-for-you hiking and cross-country skiing trails, and celebrate many other opportunities to make memories with your loved ones.

Digital Detox
There is joy in slowing down and disconnecting from modern technology, in order to reconnect with Mother Nature and one another. You won’t have cell phone service (but there is lightning-fast, fiber optic WiFi) at Big Laurel, but you will have plenty of time to connect and make memories.

Pet Friendly
Vacation isn’t vacation without the entire family. At Big Laurel, four-legged travelers are not only permitted, but welcome! Walk our trails, throw a ball down the flat yard, hike into the mountain: include your beloved and furry friend in all your daily diversions.

Access to Downtown Asheville
An easy drive down I-26 delivers you to Weaverville (30 minutes) and downtown Asheville (45 minutes), where you can explore our local brew trail, avail yourself of the arts, attend a festival, and explore Asheville’s celebrated restaurant scene.

Space:

Big Laurel is a cozy rustic cabin that invites – nay, insists – you slow down. To indulge in nostalgia and savor every minute. To put away the phone and remember why you’re here: To get away from the world and cuddle up with your loved ones (including pets!).

This is a place where you will spend entire days outdoors and lose yourself to the moment. Where you will pack in a day of diversion at Wolf Laurel Ski Lodge, and then soothe your sore muscles in Hot Springs, NC. Where you’ll shop for souvenirs in the Town of Marshall, and then abscond to your own, private middle-of-nowhere.

Big Laurel Homestead is a home – a secluded mountain resort – that is more than a vacation: This is a mindset. So, let yourself fall into that slow-down-and-smell-the-wildflowers, devote-your-hours-to-what-matters, make-lasting-memories frame of mind. You deserve the break.

Welcome!

HIGHLIGHTS (more details, below)


ULTIMATE SECLUSION
Forget glamping – this year, vacation at your own, private homestead!

Big Laurel offers 60 acres of luxurious, just-for-you privacy: Miles of trails and fields filled with wildflowers, babbling river and flaming fire pit. And no one else for miles.

Indeed, this is your own private paradise. Your home-away-from-home. Your secluded retreat, close enough to what you need (and want), but far from everything you don’t.

A week (or a few) at Big Laurel is like holing up at a private, four-seasons mountain resort. So, slow down. Inhale the scent of mountain air. Relax into country life. And enjoy:
Private Trails: 60 private acres can map out quite a few miles of trails! Whether you’re here to hike or cross-country ski, meander quietly or explore the mountain, Big Laurel’s trails are yours and yours alone. In summer and in winter, come sunshine or snow.
River Access: Not only can you hear the river from your front porch, but you can walk to it, too! Big Laurel Creek – a hatchery-supported trout stream and home to Class II and III rapids – is just a 2-minute walk from your front door.
Wildflower Meadows: It’s a theme – and rightfully so! Big Laurel is the kind of retreat that begs you slow down, raise your face to the sun, and enjoy the moment. In warmer months, pick your favorite wildflowers and braid a chain – or simply decorate the dinner table. This slow, savor-the-moment travel is why you’re here.
Fly Fishing: There are few little pleasures as pleasurable as the convenience of grabbing your fishing pole and stepping just outside your door. And yet, here – at Big Laurel – you can do just that. Every day, if you like.
Togetherness: If you crave the joy of time with your nearest and dearest, then you’ll love your time at Big Laurel. Here, where cell phone signals are nonexistent (we do have a landline!) and the internet is just slow enough to encourage teens to put down their phones, you’ll have plenty of opportunity for bonding in the great outdoors, around the fire pit, over a board game, and cuddled up with a movie.
Please note that, due to the inherent seclusion of Big Laurel, we recommend packing/taking everything you’ll need (including groceries). Better yet, pack a frozen casserole: When you arrive, pop it in the oven and unpack as your first meal bakes. Bonus: The oven helps heat up the cabin!

Neighborhood:

Ultimate Seclusion
Forget glamping – this year, vacation at your own, private homestead! Big Laurel’s 60 private acres are all your own: luxurious, just-for-you seclusion that affords miles of trails and fields filled with wildflowers, babbling river and flaming fire pit. And no one else for miles.

Transit:

Located in Marshall, NC, just off I-26 and just 45 minutes to Asheville, Big Laurel is a 1960s cabin that unfolds over 60 private acres of river homestead.

Because, vacation is a special time. These are the few weeks per year that don’t demand compromise, don’t force you to swap This for That, don’t make you choose. You can have everything.

Including privacy. Including convenience. Including your own private hiking trails, your own private fire pit, your own slice of the river.

From Big Laurel, here’s what awaits:
Wolf Laurel Ski Lodge (25 minutes): By winter, a family-friendly resort offering downhill skiing, snowboarding, and snow tubing runs. By summer, your gateway to horseback riding, tennis, a heated swimming pool, and hiking trails.

Town of Marshall, NC (30 minutes): Marshall’s quaint downtown was once fully dedicated to old-time stores and historic sites (don’t miss a meal at the famous Star Diner!). Today, the town shares its historic focus with the arts, hosting a burgeoning culture for galleries, exhibits, classes, and the performing arts.

Hot Springs (40 minutes): Rain or shine, summer or winter – it’s always the right time to indulge at Hot Springs, NC. The eponymous resort hugs the banks of Spring Creek and French Broad River, piping in natural mineral waters to deliver restorative and relaxing springs that soothe any ache or ill.

COZY CABIN ATMOSPHERE
Shedding the shiny trappings of modern chalets and cookie-cutter hotels, Big Laurel Homestead is cozy and comfortable, while honoring its 1960s cabin heritage.

This is the kind of place where you pack a frozen casserole and heat the oven as soon as you walk in. (That’ll help heat the cabin, too!) The sort of vacation where you don’t feel guilty about lounging around, rallying only in the afternoon to fish for your supper or light the fire pit to cook dinner. The kind of retreat where you feel at home, from the minute you walk in.

Big Laurel Homestead is a cozy cabin, a camp-without-the-tent, a resort-without-other-guests kind of place. Here, you won’t have cell signal – but the WIFI is plenty fast to watch a bit of Netflix, if you wish – but you will have ample opportunity for time together, secluded from the rest of the world.

45 MINUTES TO ASHEVILLE
An easy drive down I-26 delivers you to Weaverville (30 minutes) and downtown Asheville (45 minutes), answering all your urban dreams:

Dining & Drinking: Asheville is a gastronome’s dream destination – there’s a reason Livability named us a Top 10 Foodie City! Thirsty not hungry? Crawl your way to Wicked Weed Brewing, Bhramari Brewing Co., Storm Rhum Bar, and Burial Brewery.

South Slope District: Historically the automotive district, the South Slope – walking distance from your front door! – today is known for its bars and restaurants, including Buxton Hall BBQ, Chemist Spirits Distillery, and many breweries.
Entertainment: Catch a show at The Orange Peel, tickle your funny bone on LaZoom Comedy Bus Tours, browse contemporary art at Blue Spiral Gallery, stay cultured at the Fine Arts Theatre, and tap into performance at the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts.

Urban Trail Art Tour: Art lovers delight in Asheville’s Urban Trail, a 1.7-mile walking tour home to 30+ stops at creative landmarks, public sculptures, dioramas, and more.
Festivals: From Downtown After Five (once a month, in summer) and the Lexington Avenue Arts Fest, to Drum Circle and Art in the Park, downtown Asheville, Lexington Avenue, and the River Arts District are ripe with arts, culture, and creative pursuits.

EASY PARKING
When it comes to parking, we could just as easily call Big Laurel “Easy Street:” Take your pick of parking space on 60 private acres!

FAST, LOCAL SERVICE
Customer service is the cornerstone of our business. We know it begins with your very first email and doesn’t stop until you’ve checked out, a smile on your face.

So, here’s our promise: You’re our priority. We want you to have a fantastic time in the mountains and at Big Laurel. That’s why we’re 100% local – just minutes away, should the need arise! – and almost always available. We respond to any request within 3 hours (and usually, much sooner). We promise, we won’t leave you hanging.

And that means, no vacation rental nightmares. If you’re locked out, we’re there! If the washing machine breaks down mid-wash, we’re there! Or, if you’re just desperate for a restaurant recommendation, we’re also there. Just a call away, whenever you need us. Understandably, local in the Marshall, means 30 minutes to just about everything so if visiting the property is required by management, guests should expect a 1-2 hour window for service calls due to the location.

Bottom line: We know that the details – the big AND small details – are what count. They can make or break your vacation. So, we’re committed. Committed to you and your experience. (Reviews don’t lie!)

We look forward to welcoming you to Big Laurel Homestead !

Interaction:

Locally Managed
There’s nothing like having a local in your back pocket. Unless, it’s having an on-call local in your back pocket! From our favorite no-signage spots to late-night emergencies, our 100% local service delivers both a great experience and peace of mind.

Notes:

There is no central heat or thermostat. There is no central air conditioning. It is a propane wall unit heater. Guests must read the simple instructions to turn on the pilot light, which then will ignite the heater. In the winter, the cabin is not heated while vacant, so it will be chilly upon arrival. Space heaters are provided to help supplement the gas heater. In the warmer months, a brand new AC floor unit helps cool the house, or guests can open all the windows and smell the mountain air. Often a dehumidifier is kept on between guests .

What to expect in the winter: the cabin will be chilly upon arrival and take several hours to warm up. In the summer there may be few insects here and there but like it says below, this is a step above car camping! Bugs and critters are everywhere on the 60 acres of natural beauty, so they do make there way inside occasionally.