A winter cabin provides you with a place to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life. Rural America offers many small towns with the conveniences of a bigger city as well as the solitude and quiet that you desire. When preparing to build a winter cabin, consider one of these three top communities.
Black Mountain, North Carolina
Black Mountain, North Carolina, was ranked as the best place to build a log cabin by Log Cabin Homes Magazine in 2008. As the home of about 7,700 people, Black Mountain is situated just 11 miles from Asheville. If you need supplies or are looking for a night out on the town, this makes Black Mountain a convenient place to build your cabin. Black Mountain is in the Great Smoky National Mountains and offers proximity to the Appalachian hiking trails.
The Black Mountain Center for the Arts is a premier destination for Appalachian culture. You can stop in and take a class on how to turn fleece fabric into a warm blanket for snuggling near the fireplace in your winter cabin. The area also hosts many small festivals, such as the Circle of Lights during the wintertime. Land prices are affordable, and the city provides basic services such as septic and electricity even out on the remote stretches of roads.
Houghton, Michigan
Houghton, Michigan, is the largest city in Copper County and is the county seat of Houghton County. Split across these two counties, the city has an estimated population of 7,708 as of the July, 2010 U.S. Census. Houghton is located on Michigan’s Keewenaw Peninsula, which juts into Lake Superior. This mostly rural area is a delight for anyone who enjoys nature. Houghton is recognized as one of the premier “Winter Cities” in the United States. The area receives an average of 218 inches of snow each year and has an average of 101 days with below-freezing high temperatures.
Building a winter cabin in or around Houghton affords you the opportunity to go ice fishing, skating or snowshoeing. Other popular winter sports such as skiing are offered at a wide variety of resorts. Hunters can also enjoy the large herds of deer living in the wooded areas. Houghton is consistently ranked as one of the best 100 small towns to live in. Houghton also offers a regional airport for easy access to larger cities in the area, such as Green Bay, Wisconsin and Duluth, Minnesota.
Bemidji, Minnesota
Bemidji, Minnesota, is the biggest city between Grand Forks, North Dakota and Duluth, Minnesota. The community is home to about 14,594 people as of the 2015 U.S. Census estimates. Bemidji is known for its iconic statues of Paul Bunyan and Babe, the blue ox. The legend of Paul Bunyan the logger is a testament to how well the area is suited to building a winter cabin.
There are many secluded areas to build your winter cabin near Bemidji, such as near Lake Bemidji State Park. The park offers opportunities for cross-country skiing, sledding, snowmobiling and other sports. You will also be able to make the short drive to the Mississippi River’s headwaters. During the wintertime, you can spot deer, elk, wolves and other wildlife. Known both as the first city on the Mississippi River and as the curling capital of the United States, Bemidji features 500 miles of snowmobiling trails and 99 miles of cross-country skiing trails.
Each of these areas offers spectacular natural areas, plenty of spaces for winter sports and outdoor activities and modern conveniences to make your wintertime adventures more comfortable. All of these areas are affordable, allowing you to buy a few acres or more. These three great locations will allow you to achieve the dream of building your own winter cabin for weekends and vacations. These places will also be a joy to experience during other seasons of the year.
David Glenn is a home improvement expert. He occasionally freelance writes about home maintenance and DIY home repair. He’s also knowledgeable about topics like how to improve social presence and building a reputation online.
