Swan Cabin, Robbinsville, NC

Swan Cabin is located in the Cheoah Ranger District of the National Forests in North Carolina (2 hrs 8 min south of Knoxville, TN) with an elevation of 4,493 feet. The site is normally open from mid April to the end of October. There is a fee of $25.00 per night.

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Campsite Reviews (25)

4.3 out of 5

5 star		60%
4 star		12%
3 star		16%
2 star		8%
1 star		0%

@ArthurG9554138 · Camped on Jun 16, 2024 at Campsite #C1

If you love camping , this place is a real treat!

@RobertP6375002 · Camped on Sep 5, 2023 at Campsite #C1

Been a few years since we've stayed. The mold smell has increased, porch sunk lower & windows broken out. 3 mice this time but no bats. Trail to waterfall overgrown.Thanks to the folks who donated wheel barrel & ax & put plastic over window panes.This is an old 3 room cabin with loft that used to be a residence decades ago. The cabin was moved here & turned into a rental for the USFS. There is a set of bunk beds in each of the 2 bedrooms & in the loft there are two sets of bunk beds. There are an additional 2 beds in the living room for a total of 10 beds.The USFS removed the wood stove about 4 years ago so there is no heat or cooking source supplied or water.It is about a 7 mile drive from the cabin to the nearest pavement & can be driven in a car although you may bottom out at times.There is a gate at the entrance to the drive that you can close & lock if you bring your own. We have stayed here 5 times & 4 of the 5 times we have gotten numerous visitors especially during hunting season as people think this is a public tourist spot. Finally the USFS put a sign on the gate stating it is a rental but while that limited visits it did not stop them. Be ready for unwanted visits & keep your stuff locked up.There is a fire pit with picnic bench. We were able to get a 2 Bar 4G Verizon signal up by the gate & along the main road by the gate but none at the cabin.The vault pit toilet is usually clean. Good size porch. There are also great hikes to some balds nearby if you search the internet for them.Of 34 USFS cabins we've stayed this is in the worst condition. There has been discussion over the past 3-4 years that a new cabin or two are to be built here. This may be why NONE of the money paid to stay here is being used to fix up the cabin. Some like the rustic cabin & have great memories even with all the mice and bats. We think that one new cabin would be nice & would be able to create new experiences. We wish they would renovate or build the new cabin.

@JayF1678510 · Camped on Jul 21, 2023 at Campsite #C1

Solo overnight 7/21-7/22. Evening had a pleasant thunderstorm and was low/mid 60's overnight. Perfect for summer. As others have mentioned expect mice (I had 6 that I found wandering around in the evening) and bats (4, all named, all happy to flutter about for pictures or hang out over me while reading a book). They are harmless. As long as you have everything in sealed plastic containers you are fine. There was some leftover junk from a previous visitor in the room with the door on it (table frame, empty Styrofoam cooler, etc.) that I didn't have room to pack out with me but otherwise it was left in good shape. A few cans of food, lots of pots/pans and cooking utensils, garbage bags were on the shelf, etc. A few books, local map, etc. WATER: There isn't any so either bring your own or go straight down the hill from the porch to the clear running creek and filter it. There are two more trails to the lower right side, the furthest is the most navigable, the one closer to the parking area is vastly overgrown. At least two were good, the 3rd good for winter or spring. Food: I wasn't kidding about the mice, they come out in the evening and randomly roam the beams at night. Lots of hiding holes, you'll see them then they are gone. Again, harmless but they will nail any food if it's not kept properly. Beds: They are wood with ropes and a couple have some questionable foam/viny pads on them. Someone else had left huge cardboard pieces so I used one and put my air mattress on it then had a rather nice night's sleep. Bring air mattresses! Intex are cheap at walmart. There are 6 twin-sized bunkbeds, 2 larger beds in the main area, and a queen sized in the master room with a closet of sorts. The room with the door needed a ton of work and had one of the bunk beds. I'd avoid that until it's remedied. That's also where most mice came from. The construction is amusing, the repairs more so. There were plenty of wood bees in the place but harmless and go to sleep at dusk. -Enjoy!

@BenjaminA5A125 · Camped on Jul 4, 2023 at Campsite #C1

Overall a fun experience. There were a number of mice and bats in the cabin (as expected), hopefully the hole patching and trash removal performed will mitigate this a little for future stays. If everyone in the future left this place a little better than they found it has the potential to be a great place.

@KeatenP7071698 · Camped on Apr 27, 2023 at Campsite #C1

The Swan Cabin is amazing! The isolation of the cabin makes for a wonderful experience. My wife and I described it like backcountry camping with a car. That would be how we go about planning our next trip here. Leave all food in your vehicle. Coolers/dry goods/etc. Mice have taken up residence inside and can find ways into anything. Sleeping…. I would recommend a tent on the front porch. We stayed on the beds in our sleeping bags but the mice made it hard to sleep…they make noise. Cook outside also. Our mistake was thinking we knew what mouse proofing meant. Don’t let the mice situation keep you from experiencing this getaway. It’s basically like a really interesting AT shelter that’s your private area for a few nights.

@JulioT2764180 · Camped on Oct 30, 2022 at Campsite #C1

The Best place to stay..a very quiet place...the cabin does not have a fire place...so You have to bring your own heating...there mice and bats..but nothing that you hace not seen...the reality is that it is worth it... You Will not regret it.

@GregG6684156 · Camped on Jul 28, 2022 at Campsite #C1

The folks who stayed in the cabin before us left tons of trash, candy wrappers and water bottles everywhere. Left Badminton, corn hole boards and other stuff. Rained a lot...

@RandyH9893483 · Camped on May 30, 2022 at Campsite #C1

Cabin is dirty and full of vermin including mice and bats. It is a shame that this old cabin is not better maintained. Logs are rotting, windows are broken, etc.. Had some midnight visitors who tried to break into my car. This would also be a much easier place and more secure place to stay is you did not have to carry everything up and down the hill. No reason that the driveway should not drive up to the building , except just to make it more difficult. On the plus side, the location and privacy are Excellent.

@JordanG5807035 · Camped on May 15, 2022 at Campsite #C1

Beautiful setting. Peaceful surroundings. Be prepared to secure all food and cooking supplies from mice and bears. Excellent location for viewing the night sky with no light pollution.

@royp8621872 · Camped on May 1, 2022 at Campsite #C1

Second visit to Swan Cabin. Got there during a new moon and the stargazing was incredible. The location is peaceful and the American Gold Finch nesting nest the cabin were beautiful to watch and had a lovely song too.

@CharlesP476782 · Camped on Aug 25, 2021 at Campsite #C1

Swan cabin is a very special place. Visitors should be prepared for isolation, relaxation and adventures. The Stratton bald hike is amazing! Pack a lunch and enjoy the beautiful view of both TN and NC.

@CharlesP430 · Camped on Aug 25, 2021 at Campsite #C1

@RalphR6743344 · Camped on Jun 23, 2021 at Campsite #C1

The Swan Cabin is NOT a place for just anyone to visit, due to it's primitive accommodations and remote location. But, for those of us who wish to escape the heat of summer and the technologically driven culture of our time, it is a true treasure! I have visited Swan Cabin 6 times now and WILL plan to visit again next year if it remains available for public use. I fear the new cabin that is planned for construction to 'replace' it will somehow just not be the same experience as with the present cabin. I personally believe that most of the past visitors with plans to return would rather see the same cabin simply maintained and/or restored in it's present location, if at all possible.

@RalphR935 · Camped on Jun 23, 2021 at Campsite #C1

@LauraE938 · Camped on Jun 20, 2021 at Campsite #C1

What a beautiful and special place. The land around the cabin is full of beautiful plants and creatures. Don’t plan on sleeping in the cabin as there are tons of mice and bats. Pitch a tent in the yard and enjoy!

@LauraE4310917 · Camped on Jun 20, 2021 at Campsite #C1

@ShannonO405383 · Camped on Jun 3, 2021 at Campsite #C1

The cabin is great, but there are a lot of bears around. Proper food storage and handling are necessary. Remember you are in bear country.

@ShannonO697 · Camped on Jun 3, 2021 at Campsite #C1

The cabin is great, but there are a lot of bears around. Proper food storage and handling are necessary. Remember you are in bear country.

@SaraS173 · Camped on May 28, 2021 at Campsite #C1

This place is heaven! So isolated that you can go days without seeing another sole. Cabin was clean and yard had just been mowed. The first night the bats were active in the cabin and upon check out we saw the black snack that lives under the plywood and rock. Have been going for years and we are planning are return already.

@MukeshJ957 · Camped on Dec 22, 2020 at Campsite #C1

If you’re planning to stay here, come prepared for mice, and know that the cabin has no insulation at all. I do think this place would be nice to stay in spring or summer if you came with full knowledge, but since we came in winter with only the information on the website, our experience wasn’t great. We may return in the future, however, as the cabin itself was fairly nice, though our visit was cut short.

@DavidM122 · Camped on Oct 6, 2020 at Campsite #C1

same as other trip

@ChrisA604 · Camped on Dec 23, 2019 at Campsite #C1

Love the canine! Miss the stove...:(

@StevenC214 · Camped on Oct 29, 2019 at Campsite #C1

Cabin is located in a beautiful area with fishing / hiking nearby. Unfortunately it rained / snowed during my entire 3-day visit !!!! There were bats present inside the cabin but they really weren't bothersome. I'll definitely try this again (hopefully better weather).

@MatthewH485 · Camped on Aug 3, 2019 at Campsite #C1

This cabin is the best place to unplug and reset at. Loved being off grid, even loose cell services. As long as this cabin is offered we will keep coming back.

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