Near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Cosby Campground Entrance. Great mountain views, farms, & wildlife. For things to do, visit us on the web revenuers ridge cabins. Great for couples, solo adventurers, families, groups, and pets.
The space
Revenuer’s Ridge is located between the small towns of Newport and Cosby in East Tennessee, historically considered the heart of the Prohibition-Era moonshine industry (and, along with neighboring North Carolina, birthplaces to the iconic sport known as NASCAR). The house itself is in the foothills of English Mountain, which is so steep at the upper elevations that there are no paved roads. From the front porch, other mountains are visible, most notably in the fall/winter, when the upper elevations of the main Smoky Mountain chain are most visible (due to vegetation). Across the road from the cabin, Bogard Creek flows year round, providing a soothing rhythm to soothe your soul.
The cabin boasts several fruit trees, including peach, pear and apple. Feel free to discover them, and maybe even have a picnic on the hill near them! All our trees are treated organically, without chemical pesticides.
A drive of 20 minutes or less can lead you to places for hiking, kayaking, canoeing, fishing, cycling, mountain biking, horseback riding, waterfalls, and even a cave. The near by town of Cosby has an entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, hometown diners, an a few other interesting places to explore. Newport has several restaurants, grocery, and other stores to stock up on supplies. The areas largest bodies of water are Douglas Lake, the French Broad River, and the Pigeon River. Although some folks never venture there, Pigeon Forge is at the heart of the Smokie's tourism area and is a 40 minute drive away.
INTERNET, CELL PHONE RECEPTION, & TV
WIFI/INTERNET & TV’s – The internet has 2 network names. RevenuersRidge2.4 and RevenuersRidge5FAST will both work. The wifi password is CabinWiFi2024 (It is case sensitive). The living room TV is a smart TV and is connected to the wifi. The bedroom TV is equipped with a ROKU. The instructions for the ROKU can be found in the welcome binder on the end table in the living room on the shelf under the lamp. Cell phone reception is good.
ABOUT OUR NAME
During Prohibition, Cocke County, Tennessee had the dubious distinction of being considered the ‘moonshine capital of the world’. During this period of history, times were tough, money was tight, and many people turned to ‘shine as a way to provide for their families. They stayed in it after they found how lucrative it was.
Driving skills and a fast car were needed for ‘bootleggers’ to outrun and outsmart the agents of the US Treasury Department, known as ‘Revenuers’. These agents were tasked with enforcing the laws as they related to illegal moonshine production and distribution, and were forerunners of today’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF).
Some of the moonshine runners became known for their outstanding driving skills, and soon drivers were pitting their skills against each other during breaks from their bootlegging activities. A few of these talented drivers played starring roles in the formation of the iconic auto racing sport known as NASCAR.
Even though the old school ‘bootleggers’ and ‘revenuers’ have been relegated to the history books, moonshine is still playing an economic role in the region, this time legally. Numerous moonshine distilleries in the area offer tastings and tours to those curious about the beverage.
The owners of the cabin, Dan and Sam, have both had long careers in the law enforcement field (as well as the military, where they met). In addition, they owned and operated a regional-level NASCAR team for over a decade, with Dan at the wheel, and Sam as co-owner and assistant marketing/advertising (and a little pit crew - she’s good with tires!).
Given the history of the area, and our background in law enforcement and NASCAR, it was an easy step to have a little fun with it, naming the cabin ‘Revenuer’s Ridge’. The bedrooms did not ‘escape’ our slightly tongue-in-cheek treatment, and are designated: The Chief’s Office (master), “The Mounted Division’, and ‘The Detective Division’.
THE CABIN
There is a wheelchair friendly ramp from the carport to the cabin’s main entrance - it affords access to mobility challenged folks so they can enjoy our mountains too!
On the porch is a cute little café table and chairs, for those times when you might want to dine ‘al fresco’, and of course, rocking chairs for taking in the views, talking, and relaxing.
THE ROOMS
Inside the cabin, you’ll see a lovely wooden staircase, leading to the upstairs bedrooms. To your right is the cozy kitchen. Although there’s no dishwasher, the kitchen is otherwise fully equipped, right down to a popcorn popper for movie night! The mobile island in the corner can be wheeled out for additional food prep space, and there’s even a pull out on the back for even more space! The storage area of the island contains the pots and pans, including some nice old cast iron cookware (be sure to visit the Lodge Outlet and start your own collection!).
Just off the kitchen is the living room, with a lovely gas fireplace in case the nights get chilly (or you just want the ambiance of a fire). A big screen ‘smart’ TV is available with a DVD/blu-ray player for your viewing pleasure. Dish Network is provided for both the living room and master bedroom televisions. The living room also has two couches.
Right off the living room is the first of the two full baths. The main bath has a step in shower with built-in seat, convenient for those with mobility issues. The washer and dryer are located in a closet in this room, and are available for your use (detergent not provided). There’s a nice long counter with double sinks, each with its own mirror, so everyone gets a space to get ready for your adventures!
THE CHIEF’S OFFICE
‘The Chief’s Office’ boasts a king size sleigh bed, large screen TV, and a closet big enough to stash all your luggage, with ample dresser space to store your clothing. The room has its own full bath, which includes a deep jetted tub, perfect for soaking your cares away.
This room has a gorgeous private covered porch, which looks out over the mountain across the way. On cloudy days, clouds sometimes obscure the mountain peak, and the foliage is simply breathtaking. Bogard Creek is easily heard from the deck, and this porch is a perfect place to enjoy a cup of coffee or a cocktail and just BREATHE. Feel the stress ooze out of you as you listen to the mountain wake up in the morning, and when it settles to rest at night, while you gently sway in one of our rocking chairs.
THE MOUNTED DIVISION
Up the stairs are two bedrooms. To the left off the stairs is ‘The Mounted Division’, complete with a horse! (Okay, it’s a rocking horse, but you get the idea). There’s even a bridle, hat and cowboy boots, left there by some revenuer on mounted patrol. The room has a lovely oak queen bed, with an antique dresser and small open closet area for clothing storage. The bedroom window looks out to the same mountain visible from the ‘Chief’s Office’ porch.
THE DETECTIVE DIVISION
The room to the right of the stairs has been designated ‘The Detective Division’. This room is a mirror image of the ‘Mounted Division Room’ in size and layout. It has a lovely cherry queen bed and dresser, and our little version of ‘detective stuff’ to give you that vibe. From the bedroom window, you can look out over the carport and see English Mountain. During the cooler months, English Mountain will sometimes have temporary snowcaps, while at the cabin, it is simply chilly until the sun hits the yard.
THE PROPERTY
Revenuer’s Ridge sits on 2 mostly wooded acres, with a nice yard to play in. You’ll hear chickens - you’re in the country, and most folks in the area have animals of some kind. There’s a fire pit in the side yard for your marshmallow toasting convenience, and it has a tripod grill if you’re into wood-fired BBQ. Behind the peach trees is ‘The Holding Cell’ - a great place to put those rambunctious kids! Just kidding, it’s an old chicken coop where we store firewood that is available for $7 a bundle. There is a charcoal grill in the carport for days you want ‘a sure thing’ grill-wise’ (charcoal and fluid not provided).
FLORA AND FAUNA
Along with the fruit trees, you’ll see honeysuckle, violets, multi-flora, and many other types of flowers and vegetation surrounding the property. There’s also some wild herbs, and other flowers.
BEARS
Yes, there are bears in the area. While they haven’t yet ventured up to the house, we know they are out there, so we take a few precautions, such as not leaving food scraps outside where it might prove tempting to a critter in search of a midnight snack. Many area residents allow their dogs to roam free to deter wildlife like bears and mountain lions from getting too close to the property. Most of the dogs are nice, but we recommend that you keep your distance for obvious reasons if you happen to encounter one.
Guest access
Guests will have full use of the property as this is a vacation rental.
