The Green Bear - An Amazing Mountain Retreat

Welcome to The Green Bear!

LATEST UPDATES;
4/7/22 Spring has come to the mountain and everything is starting to green up! It looks like we are past the snow and ice season however 4WD/AWD Is still suggested for some muddy spots. Email me for questions.

3/20/20 Covid 19 message: I fully understand that each group will have to decide if it makes sense to take a trip right now. I did want to mention that we use Lysol for all surface cleaning which is EPA rated to kill any lingering viruses including COVID-19. That combined with zero close neighbors or traffic makes the house a very safe destination if you do decide to come. Maybe escaping for a few days away in a beautiful natural setting is just what the doctor ordered! -Mark

Getting there...
When you leave the pavement of highway 19 (also called Soco Road, the main drive through Maggie Valley) you will have 2.3 miles of well maintained gravel road to reach the house. During that drive, something amazing happens. As you put multiple ridge lines between you and the highway, all the noise from all the vehicles and motorcycles below in town disappears. The house is deep in the beautiful and peaceful Appalachian forest. 4 wheel drive should only be needed when there is fresh snow and ice in the winter.

Thoughts on the road to the house...
If you haven’t had any experience driving on gravel mountain roads in the past it might seem a bit daunting for your first trip up to the house. Just take it slow (the neighborhood is all 15 MPH), and try to arrive when it’s light out for your first time if possible.
The roads are maintained by about 30 volunteers who live in the neighborhood, including me, in Spring, Summer, and Fall. If a storm knocks down some branches or trees in the road, the next morning there will be a chorus of chainsaws and tractors quickly setting it right. In the Winter however there only about 6 of us in the community full time keeping an eye on the roads. As such I suggest 4 wheel drive from mid December through mid March. Most of the time it won’t be necessary even in Winter but I like to play it as safe as possible so you have a wonderful trip. The Green Bear is well worth the drive!

What The Green Bear is...
The perfect spot to enjoy everything wonderful about the Appalachian Mountains. Amazing panoramic views both inside and out. There is a roof covered wrap around porch on all 4 sides. This lets you enjoy the outdoors even if it’s pouring down rain. Have coffee on the sunrise side in the morning and your favorite cocktail on the sunset side in the evening.

The driveway is a great big loop so you can get in and out with trailers without needing to back up! There’s also plenty of parking space for all your vehicles. Do you have ATVs at home? You are welcome to bring them along to explore the seemingly endless network of woodland trails and gravel roads accessible right outside the house! The trails range from ‘beginner and family friendly’ to ‘crazy, stream crossing, boulder climbing, experts only’ and everything in between!

In the huge flat area behind the house you will find a giant fire pit surrounded by panoramic views and great big comfortable Adirondack gliders. I call them Rocking Thrones and I designed and build them myself. Caution: They are so comfortable you are going to want to take some home with you! Let’s talk. ; )

Most well behaved pets are welcome at the Green Bear. Just ask.

What The Green Bear is not...
It is not packed in with a bunch of other cabins, houses, and motels or located in town with the tens of thousands of others visitors vacationing in the area. It sits right in the middle of a beautiful 10 acre lot with zero close neighbors. Your friends and family will have complete privacy, peace, and quiet. And if you want to sit outside enjoying the fire and each other’s company until the wee hours of the morning, go for it! There is literally nobody close by to be bothered.

The sleeping arrangements...
The Green Bear has three floors and totals about 3000 square feet and can easily sleep 16-18 people. Each floor has a master suite with a private bath and a comfortable queen bed. There is also an additional 1/2 bath on the main level. The 4th sleeping area is a big open loft on the top floor. Here you will find two sets of bunk beds with trundle beds underneath. This adds 6 brand new twin mattresses ranging from firm to super soft with memory foam. The lower floor has a new memory foam king bed. (Great chance to try sleeping on memory foam before buying one at home!). All told, there are comfortable beds with soft new sheets for 14 people. There is also a king pullout couch on the main level and a queen pullout upstairs to accommodate a total of up to 18 travelers.

We do allow some events like small weddings or other celebrations on a case by case basis. Just email me the details on what you are planning. The property also has lots of flat open spaces for tents or RVs if you need to accommodate an even bigger group.

Huge Hot Tub!!!...
We are happy to announce the arrival of the new hot tub! This is no ordinary spa as it fits up to 8 adults and holds over 650 gallons of water! It has all the fun gadgets like a waterfall, color changing LED lights, and over 100 water jets! It is placed outside with panoramic views yet completely private! There is no fee or charge for using the hot tub. We do ask that you let us know if your group used it as we drain and clean it after every use. That way everyone arrives to a sparkling clean tub to enjoy!

Worried about no reviews?...
The Green Bear is a newly available rental (June 2019) so we don’t yet have a review history. However I do have a second house on VRBO in the same neighborhood that people have loved visiting for several years. It’s called Eagle Ridge and you can check it out along with the wonderful reviews my guests have left here:
www.vrbo.com/726143
Let me know if you would like to rent both houses together for your group. They are about 3 miles apart by car or 1.5 miles by trail