Beautiful Views, Quiet Comfort At Harman’s North Folk Cottages: Cabins, West Virginia

• 17 years ago

Enjoy a remote section of the Appalachian mountains by staying in the comfortable and clean Harman’s North Folk Cottages. I enjoyed a recent stay there which I couldn’t wait to get home to write about. There are approximately 20 cabins on a small stretch of land right in the mountains of West Virginia. The cabins are far enough apart to where you get a good deal of privacy, but feel close enough to civilization to be comfortable.

Location

The cabins are in Cabins, WV, a tiny town about 2 miles away from Smoke Hole Caverns. Step out of the front door of the cabin and you’ll see the north fork of the Potomac River and one of the impressive mountain faces. There is a convenience store about a mile down the road, but make sure to stock up on groceries. The nearest one is 17 miles away.

Pictures

You can see some of my pictures of and around the cabin here.

Directions

The website recommends that you not use any online map services, but follow their own directions. I’d advise against it, the directions on the Harman website are confusing at best. I found that plugging in Route 55 in Seneca Rocks got us the best directions on my GPS and from Google Maps.

• Keep in mind that the roads have recently undergone construction. Be sure to avoid the old highway 55 and stay on 55, which becomes 236. Doing so will shave 20 minutes off drives headed back east.

Cleanliness

The cabins were immaculate – with plenty of fresh towels and dishes. The jacuzzi and bathroom were also spotless.

Things To Do

Aside from relaxing next to the gas fireplace (which heats the entire cabin in minutes), listening to satellite radio, or cooking in the kitchen, there is plenty to do outdoors. Hiking up to the top of Seneca Rock (about a 20 minute walk), canoing, and rock climbing are some of the options. Here is a full list of the nearby activities.

Price

The prices are reasonable for a full cabin, around $166 per night. Harman requires that you book for at least 2 nights, but electricity, water, and jacuzzi are all included. Gas prices in the area are about 20-30% more expensive that in Washington DC’s suburbs, so fill up in Elkins, WV or Strasburg, VA if you can.

Best Time To Go

The months of April, May, September and October. The mosquitoes and flies were in full force during the beginning of the cooler spring days and I can only imagine what it would be like once the weather gets and stays warm.

The best part of the stay was the warm feel of a multi-generational cabin that has been in family-owned since 1939. The guest book left on the kitchen table will attest to the fact that most who stay at Harman’s North Folk Cottages can’t get enough of the fresh air and peacefulness of the mountains.

In my opinion, the sign of any good trip is saying “I don’t want to go back” at the end. A stay at Harman’s North Folk Cottages will have you saying just that, I highly recommend them.