Cabin (Chilhowee 2)

The Chilhowee 2 Cabin at Tapoco Lodge Resort is a one-bedroom cabin that sleeps up to six guests. Sleeping space is a queen sofa bed alongside two king beds, with premium bedding and pillowtop mattresses. That makes it a good fit for two couples, or for adults travelling with children.

The cabin has a private bathroom with a shower/bathtub combination. It comes with towels, designer toiletries and a hair dryer, so you can unpack and settle in easily after a day on the trails or the river.

Yes. Besides the bedroom, Chilhowee 2 has a living room with a sitting area and a desk. In-room extras include a TV with digital channels, a coffee/tea maker, free bottled water, air conditioning, an iron and ironing board, and daily housekeeping. The rooms are soundproofed, which adds to the peaceful setting.

Tapoco Lodge Resort welcomes well-behaved children of guests, and a cabin with two king beds and a queen sofa bed gives a family room to spread out. The lodge's restriction on children aged 12 and under applies to the historic lodge rooms in the main building. Children under 12 are also not permitted in hot tubs at any time.

Check-in runs from 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM. The front desk is staffed from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM and there is no after-hours check-in, so plan your arrival around those hours. Check-out is before 10:00 AM. Bring photo ID and a credit card. A $50 damage deposit is collected on arrival and should be reimbursed within 7 days of check-out. Under the property's own terms the booking guest must be at least 21.

There is no swimming pool at the lodge. Guests instead enjoy the river setting, with 22 miles of on-property trails, fishing, kayaking, biking, tennis and pickleball, firepits and a hammock cove. The Tapoco Tin Can Theater shows movies for guests on most Friday nights. Yellow Creek Falls, on the same road as the lodge, is a popular swimming spot, though the water can be cold. The Mountain Spa offers massages and body treatments, and the lodge can arrange in-room spa services.

The lodge is less than three miles from the start of the Tail of the Dragon at Deals Gap, so it is popular with motorcyclists and sports-car drivers. The Cherohala Skyway is about 9 miles away. Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, with its old-growth trees, is about 13.5 miles away. Fontana Dam and Great Smoky Mountains National Park are within easy reach. The Cheoah River in front of the lodge has scheduled whitewater releases for rafting and kayaking.

The nearest airport is McGhee Tyson (TYS) near Knoxville, roughly 76 to 83 minutes by car. Asheville Regional Airport is about 1.5 to 2 hours away. Parking is free. WiFi is free and works well across the property, with no password needed. Cell service is limited in the surrounding mountains once you leave the lodge.

The lodge is especially beautiful during fall foliage and spring wildflower season. Ideal weather runs roughly from late April to mid-October. Summers are warm and humid, with July highs around 83°F, and winters are short and very cold. The area is one of the wetter parts of North Carolina, so pack for rain.