Mountain House

813 Moorefield Memorial Highway
Sunset, South Carolina

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The Main Cabin

The Trout Stream House

Location: In the Cherokee Foot Hills of South Carolina approximately halfway between Pickens South Carolina and Brevard North Carolina on Highway 178 approximately 7 miles north of Highway 11, Cherokee Scenic Highway.

Property Description: Former President Lyndon Johnson stayed here. Historic log cabin with separate servant quarters built circa 1925. Main cabin is two stories with two bedrooms and two bathrooms. It sleeps 7. Fully-equipped kitchen; large dining room with period furnishings. Living room with 20 foot plus high fireplace and chimney made of local stone over-looked by second floor loft. Two bedrooms and full bathroom finish out the second floor. Second floor deck is accessed from loft area. Native wormy chestnut paneling and bent wood railings add to the character of the house.

The former servants' quarters, now the bunk house building, has three bedrooms and a full bath. It sleeps 5. The recently renovated "Trout Stream" house consists of three bedrooms, large modern kitchen, living room, game room, and full bath. It sleeps 10. A large deck accessed from the kitchen overlooks Rocky Bottom Creek and a second deck at the lower bedroom overlooks both Rocky Bottom Creek and the swimming hole/trout fishing pond. This house also has a screened-in porch.

Special features include: Hidden compartment used during prohibition era, Nancy the Ghost, wrap around porch with hand crafted bent wood rockers and other rustic porch and home furniture, hand crafted by local artisan Robert McCall. B.B.Q. grill, basketball goal, trout stream, bear, deer and all manner of other critters.
The grounds are set off by the extensive stonework of highly skilled masons from a by gone era. Included are the impressive entry gatepost, retaining walls, steps and lily pond (lily pond to be renovated Fall of 2005). The lily pond is supplied by Rocky Bottom creek, which forms the north border of the property. That creek is an active trout stream and it exits the property through the remains of an old mill pond dam into the Jocassee Gorges Wilderness area.

What to Do: Relax and do nothing or as an alternative you could:

Hike along the foothills trail-2 access points are within a mile of the cabin.

Visit Sassafras Mountain, the highest point in South Carolina. Follow Van Clayton Highway across Highway 178 from cabin, about 5 miles to parking lot and short walk, about 200 yards, to marker.

Golf: Follow Highway 178 to riding stables just before Highway 11 to the Rock, a picturesque mountain golf course with a spectacular waterfall on one of its holes.

Horseback Riding: See above - Table Rock riding stables – adjacent to golf course.

Fishing: Try our trout stream or other close at hand trout streams. For serious trout fishermen the Davison River, over the hill just past Brevard, is considered by many to be one of the worlds best native trout streams. Lake Jocassee has record sized trout and good small mouth bass fishing: Lake Keowee is known for its large mouth bass fishing.

Swimming: Swim in the pool near the basketball goal, Rocky Bottom creek, the lakes or scores of other close at hand locations.

Hunting: Close access to large and small game hunting in the Jocassee Gorges Wilderness. The Laurel Valley access point is less than two miles from cabin.

Bob’s Place: Approximately 5 miles down Highway 178 toward Pickens; the oldest continuously operating beer joint in South Carolina. It looks rough but it isn’t and Mrs. Johnson, the proprietor, is a delight.

Twin Falls: Turn right at Bob’s place, right again after bridge over river then right at sign for falls, cross river again on wooden bridge and follow gravel road to parking lot. Short walk to Twin Falls aka Reedy Cove Falls. Well worth the drive and walk.

Dining: Friday and Saturday evenings Laurel Valley Lodge is open. Located up Highway 178 approximately 1.5 miles. Several fine dining establishments can be found in Brevard. The Jordan Street Café, The Falls Landing, Hob Nob Restaurant and Dugan’s Pub are all worth the drive.

Brevard: There is always something to do in Brevard and it is a fun place to visit and shop. The easiest way to get there is to follow Highway 178 to Rosman and Highway 64 to Brevard.

Blue Ridge Parkway: The premier scenic parkway East of the Mississippi. An enjoyable day trip is to follow Highway 178 thru Rosman, turn left on Highway 64, then right on Highway 215 up thru Balsam Grove to the parkway. At that point you could go left toward Cherokee North Carolina and the Great Smoky Mountains, right toward Ashville or continue straight over the mountain to Waynesville, North Carolina, have lunch, shop and then travel back over the mountain to Brevard and then back to the cabin.

Waterfalls: Transylvania County is known as the land of the waterfalls. We try to keep waterfall maps and books in the cabin or you can pick one up in Brevard. You could spend several days just searching out waterfalls. Several are just off various highways and some but a short walk from parking areas.

Moonshining: There are several distillers of high quality shine alleged to operate in the area however we are not permitted to give out their names and most especially their product. Sorry about that.
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