All About the Cabin
History
Happy Bear’s Hideaway was originally built in 2003 as a single story home, with one bedroom and one bath. In its early years, the cabin was known by several names as it changed owners, including “Shake, Rattle, and Roll” and “Dream Lover.”
The current owners bought the home in October, 2009, and changed its name to “Happy Bear’s Hideaway.” The home was managed by two different rental companies over the next seven years, neither of which is currently in business.
On November 28, 2016, the Gatlinburg area was struck with a series of wildfires, fueled by drought conditions and extraordinarily high winds (To learn more, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_Great_Smoky_Mountains_wildfires). The fire resulted in a loss of 14 lives and the destruction of over 2000 structures in the hills surrounding Gatlinburg. Happy Bear’s Hideaway and some of the neighboring cabins on Annes Road were among those lost. The cabin was completely consumed by the fire, with nothing remaining except the concrete block foundation, which was badly damaged and had to be demolished. Fortunately, the cabin was unoccupied at the time of the fire.
Rebuilding
The owners quickly decided to rebuild the cabin, bigger and better than it was before the fire. Much of 2017 was occupied with the demolition of the remaining foundation and removal of fire debris, as well as the engagement of an architect to design a new cabin. The new home design incorporated the owners’ desire to expand to a two bedroom, two bath design, as well as adding a loft overlooking the great room. A plan subsequently emerged which fit on the footprint of the original home, while adding a lower level below the main floor, taking advantage of the tall foundation necessitated by the steep drop-off of the terrain behind the house.
By fall of 2017, the plans were completed, and a builder was selected to construct the home. Financing was secured, and construction began in March 2018. This continued throughout the summer months, and by fall, the home was nearly complete. For the next several months, the owners, who live out of state, made numerous trips to Tennessee to acquire furniture and the myriad of items needed to prepare the home for rental guests. Two years after the devastating fire, the rebuild was complete. A rental management company, American Patriot Getaways, was selected in January 2019, and Happy Bear’s Hideaway opened for rental reservations in February.
Much more than just the Bear Necessities!
2 Bedrooms / 2 Baths / Sleeps 6
- Sleeps six, in two bedrooms with queen beds, plus a queen sofa bed in the loft.
- Two full bathrooms, one with an oversized shower, and the other with a Jacuzzi tub.
- Full-sized kitchen, which includes stainless steel appliances and granite countertops.
- Great room with twin love seats, providing comfortable seating in front of a gas fireplace.
- Family room on the lower level, with a sofa and loveseat, and a state of the art entertainment system consisting of a 65 inch, 4K HDTV with DVR, Blu-Ray/DVD player, and sound bar.
- Two bedrooms, each with a queen bed, dresser, and a 43 inch, 4K HDTV and DVR.
- AT&T U-Verse service for television, internet, and landline phone service.
- WiFi throughout the cabin.
- Loft overlooking the Great Room and kitchen, furnished with a 7-foot, slate pool table, and a queen sized sofa bed.
- Laundry room with a full-sized washer and dryer.
- A two-level deck, with a see-through fireplace on the upper level, and a five-person hot tub on the lower.
- A charcoal grill is available for outdoor grilling.
Getting Here
Happy Bear’s Hideaway is conveniently located approximately halfway between Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, just off US-441/US-321, a segment of the Great Smoky Mountains Parkway known locally as “the spur.” The cabin is above and just west of the parkway, and can be reached from the southbound direction only.
To reach the cabin, travel approximately 3.2 miles south of the Pigeon Forge city limit, turning onto Cove Mountain Road/Norton Creek Road exit. Bear right onto Cove Mountain Road up the hill. After about 0.3 mile, make a sharp, uphill right turn onto Annes Road. Follow Annes Road over the crest of the hill for 0.3 mile; notice that Annes Road turns right at the junction with Laurel Way. Continue all the way down Annes Road until it dead ends after another 0.2 mile. Happy Bear’s Hideaway will be the last house on the left, at address 1255.
For travelers coming north from Gatlinburg, it is necessary to make a U-turn on the parkway, 2.2 miles north of the Gatlinburg city limit. Immediately after passing through the tunnel on the northbound lanes, take the left exit onto Flat Branch Road. Cross the bridge spanning the Little Pigeon River and the southbound lanes, and re-enter the the parkway southbound. After one mile, exit onto Cove Mountain Road and proceed as described above.
American Patriot Getaways
181 E. Wears Valley Rd.
Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
Rentals
Happy Bear’s Hideaway is a privately owned vacation home, which is available for overnight rental year-round. Rentals are managed exclusively by American Patriot Getaways. Rental rates vary throughout the year, based on local demand. Discount packages are often available.