7 Cozy Mountain Cabins for Autumn
Besides maybe mom’s chicken noodle soup, fewer things are more comforting than spending autumn nights snuggled up in a mountain cabin. A cabin rental in the mountains provides the adventure of camping but with more home-like comforts than traditional tent camping. Following a day of outdoor activities, you can climb into a warm bed and listen to the sounds of the surrounding wilderness beyond your cozy, warm room.
Mountain cabins in state parks run the gamut in terms of amenities and furnishings. Some are bare-bones with just bunk beds and a couch, while others are akin to a decked-out vacation home. Still, there are plenty of quality mountain cabins available to rent. Below we highlight seven standouts in the mountain cabin category.
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1. Robert H. Treman State Park, New York
- Cabin Type: Rustic
- Park Highlights: Ruggedly beautiful park set among gorges and waterfalls
With the Enfield Glen gorge as its scenic highlight, Robert H. Treman State Park is beloved for its wild beauty. Winding hiking trails follow the gorge past a dozen waterfalls, including the 115-foot Lucifer Falls, to an overlook over the wooded scenery. The Enfield Glen gorge coupled with rocky geography is the perfect backdrop for a weekend adventure and cabin camping.
The cabins are rustic, comprising just one room furnished with beds. It’s the ideal spot for minimalist explorers whose ideal camping getaway is spending time outside, cooking, exploring, and relaxing at camp.
2. Clover State Marine Park, Alaska
- Cabin Type: Rustic
- Park Highlights: Remote, pristine Alaskan wilderness with exceptional wildlife viewing, fishing, and hunting opportunities
Alaska is a wilderness lover’s paradise, and Clover State Marine Park is no exception to the rule. This park is renowned for its stunning coastal source and hemlock forest. A wonderfully remote area, Clover State Marine Park is only accessible by boat or floatplane. A premier spot for wildlife viewing, Clover Island is a virtually untouched natural habitat for seals, sea lions, humpback whales, orcas, porpoises, brown bears, moose, intertidal sea life, and an array of birds. As you can probably guess, the area is also exceptional for photography, kayaking, hunting, and fishing.
Clover State Marine Park may not be a quick weekend getaway for most due to its secluded locale, but it should be added to your bucket list as an adventure destination to be experienced one magical day. There is one cabin for rent that is located midway between the communities of Juneau and Gustavus on an island in Lynn Canal between Point Couverdon and Howard Bay. It is a newer, log cabin with a covered deck and minimal amenities. Campers must even bring their own heat source, but for the true adventure men and women, it’s pure bliss.
3. Savoy Mountain State Forest, Massachusetts
- Cabin Type: Basic
- Park Highlights: Two ponds and a picturesque waterfall provide a peaceful backdrop for fishing, hiking, and relaxing
Located in the northwestern Berkshires, the former apple-orchard-turned-campground features two picturesque ponds that make for a peaceful place to fish, picnic, hike, and swim. The park also encompasses Tannery Falls, one of the state's highest waterfalls, created by Ross Brook as it flows through a deep chasm, and then cascades over 50 feet to a clear pool below. There are also over 50 miles of wooded trails for year-round recreational enjoyment.
The park has four log cabins that are equipped with bunk beds, a table and chairs, and a wood-burning stove that provides both heat and a place to cook.
4. Black Rock Mountain State Park, Georgia
- Cabin Type: Luxury
- Park Highlights: Fantastic hiking and stunning views of the southern Blue Ridge Mountains
In the north-eastern portion of Georgia, Black Rock Mountain State Park has the highest elevation in that state and showcases some of the most outstanding scenery of the entire Blue Ridge Mountains. Hiking to park overlooks provide spectacular 80-mile vistas of the sweeping mountainous countryside. Named after its sheer cliffs of dark-colored biotite gneiss, the park features unique geology making it a preferred spot for geocaching.
Park guests can stay in luxurious cabin-cottages with wraparound decks that come fully furnished with a stone fireplace, a full kitchen, a seating area, and two or three bedrooms.
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5. Laurel Hill State Park, Pennsylvania
- Cabin Type: Basic
- Park Highlights: A large park set amidst thousands of acres of protected forested lands.
Laurel Hill State Park is a large park encompassing the mountainous terrain of Somerset County. The 63-acre Laurel Hill Lake is a focal point of the park, surrounded by thousands of acres of pristine protected forested lands. A robust trail system makes it easy for visitors to explore the area and observe the incredible diversity of flora and fauna. In particular, the Jones Mill Run Dam and the Hemlock Trail Natural Area are two must-see destinations worth the hike.
Campers can rent one of eight wooden cabins that are sparsely furnished with bunk beds, a wooden table, and a sofa.
6. LaPine State Park, Oregon
- Cabin Type: Basic and Luxury
- Park Highlights: Plenty of outdoor activities in a unique high desert subalpine forest
Nestled among lodgepole and ponderosa pines along the Deschutes River, LaPine State Park is an ideal getaway for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts. Located about a half-hour’s drive south of Bend, this state park features the plants and animals typical to this unique high desert subalpine forest. The quiet, shady campgrounds are connected to 14 miles of multi-use trails that follow both sides of the river and link to key park landmarks. Park visitors come for outstanding hiking, mountain biking, and wildlife viewing.
There are 10 cabins total - five cabins of two different types of cabins - basic and deluxe. The basic cabins have a deck and two side-by-side beds. The deluxe cabins have wraparound decks and are more spacious inside with additional furnishings, including a double bed with a single bunk, plus a futon couch that folds out to a double bed. Each deluxe cabin also has a full bathroom with a shower, a small refrigerator, a sink, and a microwave oven. Both cabin types have electricity and heat. There is also water, picnic tables, and a fire ring at each site.
Reserve a Basic or Deluxe Cabin
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7. Priest Lake State Park, Idaho
- Cabin Type: Basic
- Park Highlights: Crystal-clear lake set amid dense forests with abundant wildlife
Located just 30 miles south of the Canadian border, Priest Lake State Park is nestled below the soaring peaks of the Selkirk Mountains. Situated amid the stunning, mountainous terrain is the park and its namesake body of water, Priest Lake. Park visitors can enjoy the beauty of the crystal-clear lake and the surrounding dense forests of cedar, fir, and tamarack, and spot abundant wildlife, such as whitetail deer, black bear, moose, and osprey.
The park has six wooden cabins that feature wide decks with chairs for relaxing, and are spartanly furnished with bunk beds, a futon couch, and table and chairs. All cabins are equipped with electricity, heat, and lockable windows and doors. Two cabins are available that sleep six people, three cabins that sleep five, and one cabin that sleeps eight people comfortably.
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Check with your Local Government Organization
Many policies have been established to counter and control the coronavirus outbreak. State and local officials have been taking decisive action to stop the spread. The policies vary by state, sometimes to a great degree. When you book a reservation, make sure to review the park and state's latest rules and regulations prior to your visit.
For COVID-19 updates, please visit our Impacted Park List and Reservation Guide for the latest information.