# [2008] Where to find "a cabin in the woods"



## GetawaysRus (May 23, 2008)

I make nearly all of our travel arrangements.  Each year, I ask my wife for suggestions about where she'd like to go and then I head off to the computer to see what I can do.  And each year, she says that she'd like "a cabin in the woods."  We live in a suburb to the east of Los Angeles - it's congested, the freeway traffic is getting worse, and the pace is just too fast.  So what I think she means by "a cabin in the woods" is a place to get away from it all and just relax, slow down, and feel close to nature.

So I'm going to ask all of you to recommend timeshares that would meet her request.  The only requirements are that we generally exchange through Inteval International.  I'm looking for rustic, mountains, forest, streams, peace and quiet, relaxation, feeling close to God.

We're in Sedona right now, and this year's pick was a hit, but it's still not  the "cabin in the woods" feeling that she talks about.


----------



## Passepartout (May 24, 2008)

I sympathize with you. There are some individual cabins at Island Park, Idaho. About 20 miles from Yellowstone Park.   I can't remember the name or what exchange they use. If I come across it I'll follow up. I checked VRBO and there are lots of rentals in that area, but that's not exchange. TPI (I think) handles Island Park Village. These are fairly rustic condos, not cabins, but the reviews are pretty good for the feeling you are looking for.

Hope you find what you are looking for.

Jim Ricks


----------



## ricoba (May 24, 2008)

Have you thought about simply going up to Lake Arrowhead or Big Bear and renting a cabin?  We have done that, and it's a nice get away from LA.


----------



## T_R_Oglodyte (May 24, 2008)

Snowater in Glacier, WA might work.


----------



## eal (May 24, 2008)

Glacier Wilderness Resort unfortunately exchanges through RCI but it is literally 11 cabins in the woods, near Glacier National Park in Montana.


----------



## debraxh (May 24, 2008)

That's why we bought our unit at Mountain Retreat.  It's not a cabin, but a duplex in a small "resort" of about 30 units.  It's not isolated, but the area of big trees in the mountains isn't overpopulated either (at least in the summer when we travel).  But, it doesn't trade through II


----------



## urple2 (May 24, 2008)

I think if you looked thru the wyndham collection of resorts, you'd find several that would fit the bill.

https://www.wyndhamvacationresorts.com/ffr/resort/details.do most of these though, do trade thru RCI, not II.



A recent stay at Fairfield bay in Arkansas was just as you described. It was a wonderful trip.


----------



## Liz Wolf-Spada (May 24, 2008)

I would second Mountain Retreat in Arnold, having done an exchange there. Very peaceful and quiet and near some small towns and some great lakes and near Calaveras Big Trees State Park.
Liz


----------



## Black Diamond (May 24, 2008)

*Try Apple Valley in Ohio!*

Apple Valley is as far off the beaten path as they come.  The deer are seen amongst the cabins every evening.


----------



## freewheelin01 (May 24, 2008)

If you feel like seeing the other side of the country - check out Rangeley Lake Resort (RGY on II). It's in Maine and might work for you...


----------



## Sallylee (May 25, 2008)

*Kohls Ranch*

Kohls Ranch in Payson, Az has Cabins in the woods overlooking a creek but you have to be specific in your reservations to get the older cabins that are 2 bed 1 bath.  They have a few newer manufactured homes 2/2 with wood siding they call cabins but the older ones are the real thing.  They also have studios and i beds in the lodge but they are NOT cabins.  We are pretty picky about the places we like to go and my DH says that this place is the one place where he can really relax.  The older cabins feature a back deck overlooking the creek with a personal hot tub.  Not a lot to do there but relax and maybe hike or horseback riding, they have a pool and mini golf.  Have seen some bad reviews but we like it a lot....they are cabins in the woods.


----------



## labguides (May 25, 2008)

Westgate Gatlinburg has some units that look like cabins (4 units to a bldg) Our unit backed up to the woods.. we truly felt like we were in the woods.. with the luxuries of a timeshare. Only thing..traffic can be bad in Gatlinburg.


----------



## JLB (May 25, 2008)

When you stop and think about it---having looked at this thread a couple of times before replying---you would think a cabin in the woods would be highly desireable.  We know of a number of resorts, including some mentioned and a few here in the Branson area, that are designed to *feel like *a cabin in the woods, but they really are not.

For instance, Apple Valley, complete with your own personal raccoon and deer, is a cluster of duplexes in a clearing *next to *the woods.

It would be a great idea, a resort with paths leading to stand-alone cabins actually *in the woods*.  In some places you could have your own personal bear.  

My BIL's family has a cabin really, really in the woods, on a National Scenic River in Southern Missouri East of us.  It is an absolutely beautiful setting that we have never been able to get a cell phone signal at.  We own the lot next to it, riverfront, and were planning on building a home on it.

But it was too *in the woods*, so we bought here instead.

We have toyed with the idea of re-doing that cabin and using our lot to put up vacation rentals, a truly rustic float-trip/fishing wilderness experience.  It is somewhat convenient to St. Louis, Kansas City and Little Rock.


----------



## Pit (May 25, 2008)

Hmmm.... maybe Little Sweden (II code: LSW) in Door County, WI?

http://little-sweden.com/Home.aspx

Or, if you really want to get away from it all, go to vrbo.com and rent a cabin in the north woods of WI or MN boundary waters.


----------



## swift (May 25, 2008)

Big Sky Resort in Big Sky, MT http://www.intervalworld.com/web/cs?...ResortCode=BSK

From newsletter of Big Sky Condominiums (RCI), which is down the road.

SUMMER

We have had a wonderful, busy summer season.  Full to capacity every week!  It’s always fun to renew acquaintances and meet new friends from around the country.   

To the delight of everyone, Mamma moose and baby have made many appearances on the property, along with the bear and fox.  Of course, the beaver are still performing at the waters edge.


----------



## Cathyb (May 25, 2008)

How about Lake Arrowhead or Big Bear -- that's close to you and there are a handful of timeshares in both places???


----------



## Elan (May 25, 2008)

Passepartout said:


> I sympathize with you. There are some individual cabins at Island Park, Idaho. About 20 miles from Yellowstone Park.   I can't remember the name or what exchange they use. If I come across it I'll follow up.
> 
> Hope you find what you are looking for.
> 
> Jim Ricks



  I believe you're thinking of The Pines at Island Park.  Definitely fits the description of "cabin in the woods".  Awesome place, awesome units, and no hints that you're at a timeshare.  Good luck finding one, however.  I was fortunate enough to rent one from a very nice Tugger a few years back.

                              Jim


----------



## Canuck (May 25, 2008)

How about Canada!  What about Banff, or Canmore?  There are time shares, but not cabins.  However, you can't get much closer to mountain life then the Rocky Mountains.  Very beautiful, tons of nature.....bears as well, cute village of Canmore and Banff for shopping!  If you want ocean and forest try Vancouver Island.  Tofino is AMAZING, you can rent cabins of all types, there isn't much going on in this area....surfing (yes, believe it or not), hiking, little village but tons of NATURE!  Also, another great area is Qualicum or Parksville.  This area is more commercial and busy but really lovely and you can rent cabins through www.vrbo.com and there are Time Shares.  

http://www.vancouverisland.com/parks/?id=405

Oh ya and I almost forgot Whistler!  Tons of Timeshares, but not cabins....great biking paths, hiking, swimming in the lakes.  I like Whistler just as much in the summer as I do in the winter!  If you golf, there is great golfing.  Again, you can probably find cabins on www.vrbo.com

Not sure I helped with Cabins but here in Canada we have lots of great out doors!  If I wanted to get away from it all I would pick Tofino!


----------



## eal (May 25, 2008)

Hey Canuck - thanks for the reminder.  Our family spent an overnight in Tofino one year while staying for a week at Pacific Shores (timeshare) on Vancouver Island.  We stayed in a two-bedroom "cabin in the woods" - here is the link:
http://www.tofinoredcrow.com/cottage.html


----------



## pjrose (May 25, 2008)

Most timeshares are probably more "civilized" than you want.  They just about "have to" have pools, kitchens, air conditioning, a front desk, internet, and all the other stuff you may not want in this case.  

Most national and state parks rent cabins, quite possibly for much less than a timeshare MF and exchange fee.


----------



## lprstn (May 25, 2008)

The Presidential Resort in Chancelorville, VA has 2 bed, log cabins in the woods and on the lake...


----------



## mikey0531 (May 24, 2009)

Cottages at Port Stanton -- about an hour north of Toronto, canada.  You probably won't find anything during prime summer -- but maybe at the end of the summer -- or June.

It's a beautiful cottage atmosphere -- very peaceful.  

http://www.intervalworld.com/web/cs?a=1503&resortCode=OTA&parentResortCode=OTA

Debi


----------



## akp (May 24, 2009)

*Check out Bluegreen's Wilderness Club at Big Cedar*

WCBC (Wilderness Club at Big Cedar) has cabins and has the feel you're looking for, I think.  WCBC is about 15 minutes south of Branson which definitely DOES NOT have the feel you're looking for 

WCBC is on Table Rock Lake with boating, hiking, fishing, and a general outdoorsy feel.  It is a beautiful resort, but in the cabins, especially the ones along the back side of the resort, feel like you're in a cabin alone in the woods.  

Anita


----------



## BevL (May 24, 2009)

Just a note that this thread is a year old - these folks may have been to the cabin and back!!  I saw a post by someone who hasn't been around in a while that twigged me that this must be an old thread.

If you're still looking, the post about Snowater in Glacier near Mt. Baker in Washington State would fit the bill.  I would think of it as a week in purgatory but it's beautiful country here - only about 40 minutes from where I live.


----------



## rhonda (May 24, 2009)

How about Warner Springs Ranch in north east San Diego?  The units are darling adobe casitas (rather than cabins) -- but they have plenty of personality.  Relax in the hot springs pool, hike the trails, enjoy the breakfast ride (horseback), try a spa treatment ... or do nothing at all.  

WSR does trade through II and if sometimes available as an II Getaway week.  You may also book nights through Expedia and other travel websites.

(Disclaimer:  Yes, I'm an owner.  The ranch is my absolute "happy place" away from the hustle and bustle of daily life.  We go often ... )

Edited to add:  Oops!  Just saw the age of this thread.  Sorry ... but my recommendation stands.


----------



## Idahodude (May 25, 2009)

Worldmark resort in Pinetop, AZ is kind of "cabinny".  All the units are surrounded by Ponderosa pines and there's forest all around.  There are multiple units per building, so not exactly a "cabin in the woods".

Some of the larger units at Giant's Ridge in Biwabik, MN also are full cabins with forest very close, right on a local lake.

Pines resort in Island Park mentioned above would fit the bill best (if sticking with timeshares), but very hard to find.  (I've been trying for a while.)

Lots of great cabins throughout the Rockies if you just want to rent one.


----------



## applegirl (May 25, 2009)

*I second Warner Springs Ranch*

rhonda suggests Warner Springs Ranch, not too far from Temecula.  I would also suggest this as a possibility.  It's not far from your location and it's a totally different world!  It's not quite as mountany and foresty as maybe you would envision, but it has plenty of trees and other fauna and flora to satisfy your wife's desire for out of city experience.  According to rhonda, there is lots to do at this resort including natural hotsprings which I did see the one time I stayed there 7 years ago.

We have also stayed at Lagonita Lodge in Big Bear Lake.  This was a really great resort located right on the lake (the only t/s property located right on the lake).  It's fairly close to the village and lots of nice activities on site.  Our favorite was the pontoon boat ride for 2 hours for only $10 a person.  What a deal!  The guide knows so much and give a wonderful tour and these things normally cost like $100 an hour to rent, so it's a bargain.

These are my two suggestions!

Janna


----------



## Carolinian (May 25, 2009)

Portsmouth Village, Portsmouth Island, North Carolina.

Portsmouth was settled in colonial times and finally abandoned in the 1950s.  The island, immediately south of Ocracoke Island, has been uninhabited since.  The Park Service took it into the National Seashore system and maintains the village houses, church, and other buildings.  The houses can be rented through them.  Boat service across the inlet can be arranged in Ocracoke, itself a very out of the way, and laid back place.  Ocracoke Island itself is reached by ferry, either from the mainland or from Hatteras Island to the north.


----------



## mikey0531 (May 25, 2009)

LOL

Is that me you're referring to?  You're right -- I didn't realize it was an old thread.  I just looked at the month -- not the year.  I usually just open up TUG and read "New Posts" -- I don't know how I ended up there!  Let's just blame it on the cold medicine -- I've been sick  

 

Debi


----------



## Jeff Pierce (May 25, 2009)

GetawaysRus said:


> I make nearly all of our travel arrangements.  Each year, I ask my wife for suggestions about where she'd like to go and then I head off to the computer to see what I can do.  And each year, she says that she'd like "a cabin in the woods."  We live in a suburb to the east of Los Angeles - it's congested, the freeway traffic is getting worse, and the pace is just too fast.  So what I think she means by "a cabin in the woods" is a place to get away from it all and just relax, slow down, and feel close to nature.
> 
> So I'm going to ask all of you to recommend timeshares that would meet her request.  The only requirements are that we generally exchange through Inteval International.  I'm looking for rustic, mountains, forest, streams, peace and quiet, relaxation, feeling close to God.
> 
> We're in Sedona right now, and this year's pick was a hit, but it's still not  the "cabin in the woods" feeling that she talks about.



Here's one for  ya.  Causway on Gull Lake just north of Brainerd, MN.  Beautiful cabins that sit on Gull Lake that connects to 30 more miles of lakes.  Rent a pontoon boat right on site and go to lunch.  Bikes, paths, trees, great golf nearby.  A really beautiful place and well built.  I worked there for a few months one summer on my way from Cabo to Hilton Head.

Jeff


----------



## Lee B (May 25, 2009)

*Another for Mountain Retreat*

I own at Mountain Retreat which, as others stated, is virtually in the middle of a pine forest.  Every time I arrive there the fragrance almost makes me cry.

The duplex units have space and amenities, but I love how I can sit outside in three separate parts of my Unit 4 and rejoice in the peace and beauty of the Northern California foothills (4K feet elevation).

Too bad it's with RCI but I've also seen one listed with, I think, DAE.

Lee


----------



## PigsDad (May 25, 2009)

pjrose said:


> Most timeshares are probably more "civilized" than you want.  They just about "have to" have pools, kitchens, air conditioning, a front desk, internet, and all the other stuff you may not want in this case.
> 
> Most national and state parks rent cabins, quite possibly for much less than a timeshare MF and exchange fee.



I couldn't agree more.  When someone mentions "cabin in the woods", a timeshare resort is the _last _thing I think of.  State, national, and county parks are great resources for a "cabin in the woods".  One that I am very familiar with is Hermit Park close to Estes Park in Colorado.  In fact, I recently volunteered my time for a day and we did several work projects up there, including building some horseshoe pits.  Hermit Park has basic cabins (read: no water / electric) in a fantastic park in the Rocky Mountains.  It is about a 15 min. drive to Estes Park, so close enough for food, etc.  But it is tucked away in a valley where there is absolutely no noise or light pollution -- fantastic star viewing!  Each cabin is far enough away from each other that you can't see or hear other visitors.

Now _that's _what I call a "cabin in the woods"!   

Kurt


----------



## MuranoJo (May 25, 2009)

Elan said:


> I believe you're thinking of The Pines at Island Park.  Definitely fits the description of "cabin in the woods".  Awesome place, awesome units, and no hints that you're at a timeshare.  Good luck finding one, however.  I was fortunate enough to rent one from a very nice Tugger a few years back.
> 
> Jim



I toured this place shortly after they were built, and they indeed were very nice inside--top-flight set-up for a 'rustic' area.  As I recall, they were log cabin construction and individual buildings (vs. condos), and a short jaunt to Yellowstone.  However, they aren't right close to water, lake, etc.  All t/s in this area are very hard to pull, and I've never seen The Pines online.

Years ago, we rented an old '40's cabin built right on Hebgen Lake (before we got into t/s)...it was a dump in t/s standards, but had indoor plumbing and we loved the little porch overlooking the lake and the tranquility.  It has since been torn down.


----------



## easyrider (May 25, 2009)

go to creigslist.com and look at vacation rentals for the area you want to go. We found a few beach houses doing this. There are lots of cabins here to.

Worldmark has quite a few mountain locations.  www.worldmarktheclub.com  resort gallery


----------



## Carolinian (May 26, 2009)

You also might want to look at some of the country cottages in France, Ireland, and the UK that come up for timeshare exchange at DAE.


----------



## Deb from NC (May 26, 2009)

Ram's Horn Resort in Estes Park, Colorado is another one that comes to mind...


----------



## luvsvacation22 (Jan 8, 2010)

debraxh said:


> That's why we bought our unit at Mountain Retreat.  It's not a cabin, but a duplex in a small "resort" of about 30 units.  It's not isolated, but the area of big trees in the mountains isn't overpopulated either (at least in the summer when we travel).  But, it doesn't trade through II



Smart minds think alike! We think Mountain Retreat is a hidden gem. My husband likes it better than our Disney timeshares because it is peaceful and quiet-a cabin in the woods. Calavaras Big Trees State Park (the Giant Sequoias) is the next exit off the highway and Lake Alpine is a little further up the highway.

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=551

http://www.lakealpine.com/
Sorry I just saw the age of the OP! Whoops, but I still feel the same.


----------



## pranas (Jan 8, 2010)

I second  Snowater in Glacier WA.  It trades with II but I have been able to pick it up using RCI points (week reseverations section).  Place is lovely, fairly isolated,  with a mountain stream very close to the units.  You can hear the running water from your unit.


----------

