The Summit Cabin sits on a half-acre at 3,300 feet elevation in the North Carolina mountains, offering stunning valley views and a true off-grid experience. This two-story cabin demonstrates how off-grid living can still include the comforts you need—hot water, cooking facilities, and a proper bathroom—while disconnecting from the grid.
Part of the Waldhaus Resort near Pisgah National Forest, the cabin requires a 15-minute hike from the parking area, adding to its secluded, back-to-nature appeal. The lower level houses the living space and kitchen, while an exterior staircase leads to a private upstairs bedroom with a wrap-around deck.
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Mountain Views at 3,300 Feet Elevation
The cabin’s hilltop location provides panoramic views of the surrounding valleys and mountains—a reminder of why location matters as much as the structure itself.
Images via HipCamp/Hans
Outdoor Fire Pit for Evening Gatherings
The stone fire pit provides a gathering spot for cool mountain evenings—essential for any off-grid cabin experience.
Images via HipCamp/Hans
Off-Grid Kitchen with Cooking Essentials
Despite being off-grid, the cabin includes a functional kitchen area with stovetop cooking and a cooler for food storage.
Images via HipCamp/Hans
Main Level Living Area
The lower level features a futon for additional sleeping or lounging, creating a flexible living space.
Images via HipCamp/Hans
Access to Pisgah National Forest Trails
Private old forest service trails lead directly into Pisgah National Forest from the property.
Images via HipCamp/Hans
Outdoor BBQ for Grilling
The outdoor grill complements the indoor cooking options, perfect for mountain-style meals.
Images via HipCamp/Hans
Compact Cooktop Setup
A portable cooktop on the counter provides indoor cooking capability without grid electricity.
Images via HipCamp/Hans
Pet-Friendly Retreat
The cabin welcomes four-legged guests, making it suitable for travelers with dogs.
Images via HipCamp/Hans
Off-Grid Hot Water System
An on-demand water heating system provides hot water without grid connection—essential for comfortable off-grid living.
Images via HipCamp/Hans
Bathroom with Composting Toilet
The bathroom includes a shower and composting toilet—proving that off-grid doesn’t mean roughing it.
Images via HipCamp/Hans
Separate Upstairs Bedroom
The second-floor bedroom is accessed via an exterior staircase, creating true separation between living and sleeping areas.
Images via HipCamp/Hans
Queen Bed with Mountain Views
The upstairs bedroom features a comfortable queen bed positioned to take advantage of the views.
Images via HipCamp/Hans
Exterior Staircase Design
The outdoor staircase connecting the two levels is a clever design choice that maximizes interior space while adding architectural interest.
Images via HipCamp/Hans
Wrap-Around Deck
The large second-level deck wraps around the bedroom, extending the living space outdoors and maximizing the mountain views.
Images via HipCamp/Hans
Valley Views from the Deck
The deck offers panoramic views of the surrounding valleys—the kind of view that makes off-grid living worthwhile.
Images via HipCamp/Hans
Outdoor Grilling Area
The outdoor BBQ area provides another cooking option, encouraging the outdoor lifestyle that makes mountain cabins special.
Images via HipCamp/Hans
Design Details
- Name: Summit Cabin at the Waldhaus Resort
- Location: North Carolina mountains, near Pisgah National Forest
- Elevation: 3,300 feet
- Lot Size: Half-acre flat
- Stories: Two (connected by exterior staircase)
- Sleeping: Queen bed upstairs, futon downstairs
- Status: Completely off-grid
- Access: 15-minute hike from parking
- Pets: Dog-friendly
Off-Grid Systems
- Heat: Heated (method varies by season)
- Hot Water: On-demand water heater
- Toilet: Composting toilet
- Cooking: Indoor cooktop + outdoor BBQ grill
- Food Storage: Cooler (no refrigerator)
- Outdoor Living: Fire pit, wrap-around deck
What This Cabin Teaches Us
The Summit Cabin demonstrates several principles for successful off-grid mountain retreats:
- Elevation creates the view — At 3,300 feet, the hilltop location delivers panoramic views that define the experience
- Two stories on a small footprint works — Separating living and sleeping areas vertically creates distinct zones
- Exterior stairs save interior space — Moving the staircase outside maximizes usable floor area on both levels
- Off-grid doesn’t mean uncomfortable — Hot water, cooking facilities, and a proper bathroom are achievable without grid connection
- The hike-in adds value — The 15-minute walk from parking ensures privacy and enhances the sense of escape
- Outdoor spaces extend living area — The wrap-around deck, fire pit, and grill area effectively multiply the cabin’s usable space
Experience It Yourself
The Summit Cabin is available for overnight stays through the Waldhaus Resort. It’s an opportunity to experience off-grid mountain living without building your own cabin.
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Our big thanks to Hans for sharing!
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Alex
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This is a cute cabin but no, not for me with the upstairs bedroom/outside dowstairs bathroom set up. Middle of the night bathroom trips would be very inconvenient.
That’s a good point!
Beautifully executed! Your architect should be severely disciplined! Is this in some utopia with neither rain, nor sleet, no snow, nor hail nor dead of night?! Who wants to get dressed to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night only to forget your keys and have to stub your toe climbing back up with a full bladder to get keys so you can come back down, walk to the opposite corner of the first floor to enter the building to go to the bathroom. It’s 2 am. Now that my blood is flowing through my body, I’m awake now! Might as well start my day! I get it. Back in the day we had to walk to the outhouse in all sorts of weather (but there are chamber pots, could use one here too, but schlepping that thing down the stairs would be a chore I’d rather not have)! But we should not design this way on purpose today. I do hope the owners love this, it is lovely and appears to be well built. It’s just so impractical. If I had to guess, I would say it was designed by a governmental oversight committee.
I know that given the opportunity, I would stay in a place like this. But there are designers in the world who try to help people not make mistakes. Yes they cost money. Yes you may have designed this yourself and you may not mind all the stairs in the middle of the night, but for others dreaming of a tiny house in the woods, please use a designer to create your plans. They will help you avoid long cold rainy treks to the bathroom in the middle of the night. You don’t need a full fledged architect, just a pro who knows how it’s done.
Middle of the night bathroom trips are ALWAYS inconvenient.
Stunning. LOVE the plywood ceiling. What a view!!