Specialties
Viking Mountain Lodge is an old, rustic, hand hewn log cabin near the Appalachian Trail in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. It overlooks Paint Creek and is located about halfway between the quaint mountain town of Hot Springs, NC and historic Greeneville, TN. VML is large enough to sleep 15 people in beds, and provides an excellent jumping off point for all kinds of outdoor adventures. Backpacking the Appalachian Trail, whitewater rafting the French Broad, zip lining through the Smokys, fly fishing the Laurel River, mountain biking the Paint Creek Trails, kayaking on the Nolichucky, and horseback riding through Cherokee National Forest, just to name a few. VML is available as a vacation rental for large groups, family reunions, or couples just looking to get away from it all.
History
Established in 2008.
One of the driving forces behind my purchase of this cabin is its close proximity to the Appalachian Trail. I've hiked numerous sections of the AT, and this area is one of my favorites. VML was built in 1977 for a man named Jack Chandler, and some of the locals still refer to it as "Jack's Place." The logs are all made of hemlock, hand-hewn on the exterior side. You'll notice that there's spots where the logs have twisted and shifted with age and as the bedrock has heaved over the years. This mountain is a living thing that's constantly changing, causing cracks and gaps to open and close with the temperature, humidity, and the mountain's aspiration. It took decades of rain, sun, and cold to foster the dark, silvery patina you see on the wood outside.
Meet the Business Owner: Alan T.
Although I've lived all over the southeast, I've spent the last 25 years living in and around the Orlando area. When I was a kid, my grandparents had a summer home in Lake Toxaway, NC that we used to visit every year. That is where I fell in love with the mountains. I've always been the outdoor adventure type and that, coupled with my experiences as a youngster, has made owning a cabin in the mountains a lifelong dream. Though I've never actually lived there, when I drive up to the Smokys, it feels like I'm coming home.