4 acres hosted by Jeffrey A.
1 lodging site
Near Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Within a 60-minute drive from the Cades Cove Visitor Center.
"There's no place like Dome."
Grandpa Squirrel's Dome's sits on 4.1 acres at the base of Granny Squirrel Mountain in the foothills of the Appalachian's and less than 5 miles from the town of Andrew's North Carolina in Cherokee County. Highway 19 abuts the land providing easy access to destinations of your choice. These destinations may include white water rafting, tubing, hiking, cruising the Tail of the Dragon, antiquing, hitting the casinos, and any other adventure of your choosing.
Of course, you may also choose to find a place to just sit down, relax, and enjoy the sounds and energy of the noisy creek that pulses along its western border. Perhaps a simple picnic along the banks, or maybe you'd like to feed the fish that inhabit and grace this land.
Short History
The Cherokee's called this land "Konehete", aka "The Long Valley Place", and it was thought of as, "Cherokee Paradise". They grew the Three Sisters (Corn, Beans and Squash), hunted the rich lands, fished its creeks and lakes, worshiped and gave thanks to the great Creator and to the spirits of the land, as well as the animals which inhabit it.
The military removal of what remained of the Cherokee Nation began in 1836 along what we now refer to as "The Trail of Tears". It started here in Andrews, which at that time was called Valley Town. The first fort built along the Trail of Tears was Ft Delaney, all that remains today is the remnants of a stone wall, it lies nearby.
Running along the western border of Grandpa Squirrel's is an always running creek which is fed by a mountain top spring as well as rain runoff from the surrounding mountains.
Along the creek there are 3 geodesic domes (soon to be 5) which provide 250 square feet of living space within. The domes are furnished with a queen size bed, a small dining area and a place to store your things. Each dome also has a small gravel patio and seating is provided.
Additionally, there are propane BBQ grills located at the outdoor community kitchen area, as well as potable water. This is also where you will find your coffee in the morning.
Transparency and Setting Expectations: THE BAD
There are no flushing toilets. There is an outhouse on site. To avoid trips to the outhouse late at night, each dome comes with a porta potty. If you choose to use the porta potty in your dome, it is your responsibility to transfer the waste to the outhouse and to properly clean it out. Cleaning supplies are provided.
Granpa Squirrels is not secluded deep in the woods and off the beaten path., It abuts the main highway and there is a considerable amount of road noise. The road noise dies down at night but returns early the next day as delivery trucks make their way down the highway.
With that said, it's also kind of cool to see packs of cyclists and car enthusiasts blowing past the property ready for another glorious day in the mountains of North Carolina.Grandpa Squirrel's geodesic Dome's are set up along the wooded banks of Worm Creek. There is an abundance of outdoor adventures close by. For whitewater rafting enthusiasts, the Nantahala River is 10 miles away and is rated as Stage I or II, the Ocoee river (Stage III or IV) is located approximately 40 minutes away. A fun day of tubing at Deep Creek ($5/ tube) can be found 25 minutes away just outside of Bryson City. For car and motorcycle enthusiasts, the famous "Tail of the Dragon" begins 20 miles away in Robbinsville, NC. There are also 2 casino's nearby, the closest is 12 miles away in Murphy, NC and the other one is 30 minutes away in Cherokee, NC, which is also the entry point into The Great Smokey National Park.
