National Forest Oasis: Hot Tub+Lake+Creek+Trails

The Chalet at Hills Lake is a chic, luxury retreat inside a private keyhole in the National Forest with direct access to Hills Lake, a screened lakeside cabana, Mountaintown Creek, trails, and wildlife. Hiking, mountain biking, canoeing, kayaking, and fishing are all at your doorstep. It features an outdoor oasis with hot tub, fire pit, and fun outdoor games. BBQ beside a shaded picnic table, and relax on swings or hammocks…or king size beds afterward. Your ideal getaway starts here!
The Chalet offers the perfect blend of elegance, comfort, and seclusion for an unforgettable mountain getaway, ideal for families, friend getaways, couples, or anyone needing a break from the chaos. Unwind, reconnect, and recharge in the serene beauty of the North Georgia mountains.
The property is about 25 minutes from downtown Ellijay, making it ideal for a secluded experience while still being close enough to explore the wonderful places and activities the area offers.
THE SPACE
The main level features an open-concept living room, dining, and kitchen area.
The fully equipped kitchen has everything you need to unleash your inner chef: high-end cutlery, gadgets, glassware, stemware, pots & pans of various sizes, and even cast iron cookware. We provide olive oil, coconut oil, salt, pepper, vinegar, and a variety of spices. Additionally, we offer small kitchen appliances such as a Ninja blender, a toaster, an air fryer, an Instant Pot, a Crock Pot, a Nespresso machine + milk frother, a Keurig, and a regular drip coffee maker. The kitchen also features a dual-fuel range, which includes a gas stovetop and an electric convection oven with a steamer option. Complimentary Nespresso and Keurig pods, sugar, ground coffee, and cream are also provided.
The dining area boasts a stylish round table that seats six, as well as a kitchen island that seats three.
The warm and inviting living room has vaulted all-wood ceilings and is furnished with various seating options, a large-screen Smart Samsung TV, a Sonos sound system, and a gas fireplace.
On the main level, you’ll also find a king-size bedroom, a full bathroom with a shower, and a laundry area with a high-efficiency washer and dryer. Complimentary laundry detergent pods are provided.
Upstairs, you’ll discover a spacious king main bedroom suite and an open loft bedroom. The main suite features a Smart Samsung TV, a Blu-ray DVD player, Sonos speakers, a seating area, and a clothes rack. The large main bathroom includes a seating area, a shower, and double sinks. Hair dryers, a curling iron, and four robes are provided.
The loft bedroom includes two twin beds with matching trundles that accommodate up to four people. This spacious area has a clothes rack, a TV, a Blu-ray DVD player, floor pillows, and a tall table with two stools.
For your entertainment, we provide a selection of books throughout the house, many board games, two yoga mats, yoga blocks + bands in the loft area. We also offer limited DVDs for Blu-ray players, so feel free to bring your favorites.
To fully enjoy the mountain landscape, sounds, and fresh air, there is a covered front porch with three designer Adirondack chairs and a square table that seats 4. The covered back porch features a swinging loveseat and two matching Adirondack chairs.
The cabin also features an outdoor oasis that beautifully integrates an alfresco shower, a hot tub, a fire pit with 8 Viking chairs, lounge chairs, a cornhole game, horseshoe pits, swings (including a lighted panoramic lookout swing!), hammocks, an herb garden (depending on the season), and a BBQ area to elevate your experience. The barbecue area has a gas grill and a wooden picnic table, sheltered by a coconut husk shade sail, making it ideal for enjoying meals outdoors. The entire outdoor space is illuminated by bistro lights, creating a pleasant atmosphere even at night.
Within a short walk, you’ll have private access to a 15-acre protected lake, where you can enjoy unlimited fishing, kayaking, and canoeing, along with a screened and furnished lakeside cabana. Feel free to bring your kayaks or canoes, as there is a launching spot near the lake dam. The pristine Mountaintown Creek, home to brook, brown, rainbow trout, and bass, feeds Hills Lake!
The beautiful Mountaintown Creek and Trail can be reached on foot, approximately 15 minutes away, by following the road that borders the lake.
Since the property is situated on 34 acres surrounded by the Chattahoochee National Forest and the Cohutta Wildlife Management Area, you will have unlimited direct access to trails, nature, and wildlife, making it an ideal spot for hiking, fishing, or simply reconnecting with nature.
Trails accessible from the property:
The Mountaintown Creek Trail - It is considered a challenging route that takes an average of 4 h 51 min to complete its full 11.4-mile segment. It is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime.
Indian Grave Knob - it is a 2400 foot summit in Chattahoochee National Forest, Cohutta Wildlife Management Area, that refers to a location believed to be a Native American burial site, potentially a Cherokee village.
Pinhoti 1 Trail - A small section of the Pinhoti trail, an International Mountain Bicycling Association epic trail that is dozens of miles long. This section is known locally as Pinhoti 1, or P1 . However, the best way to ride this trail is to start from the Bear Creek Trail.
Nearby Trails:
Bear Creek Trail and the Gennett Poplar - easy to moderate length and difficulty (from 1.9 to 5.5 miles), the Bear Creek Trail is one of North Georgia’s most popular mountain biking and hiking destinations. Towering old-growth trees shade a beautiful, boulder-lined, densely vegetated creek valley, home to the Gennett Poplar, an old-growth tree of a stunning size (18 ft circumference!), and Georgia's second largest living tree. The tumbling creek splashes through a lush forest, with abundant wildflowers and blankets of soft green moss. It’s one of the most beautiful creek valleys in the state, so it’s equally popular among hikers, trail runners, and mountain bikers.
The entire property except for any locked storage areas.
Your comfort is our priority! So, If you need assistance, the best way to get in touch would be by text messages, to which we always reply as soon as possible.
The cabin is located approximately a 25 minute drive from downtown Ellijay, Georgia. It is nestled in a very private mountain gravel road neighborhood, with only a handful of neighbors. There are several acres between each home.
Ellijay is a small, rural town in Gilmer County. Its surroundings are home to eleven mountain hiking trails, fifty-nine mountain bike trails, several impressive waterfalls, and some of the best trout waters in the Southeast. Whether your version of adventure is a lazy day on the lake, a gentle walk along the creek or something a bit more adventurous like mountain biking or hiking into the wilderness, you will find just the adventure to keep you coming back for more.
Visit Gilmer County Chamber website for more information.
A 4-wheel drive vehicle is best for our neighborhoods' gravel mountain roads. Most activities off of the property are at least a 25 minute drive, and ride-sharing is not available.
Apple Maps is our preferred GPS App: it takes you directly to the property. Waze nor Goggle Maps works.
From the square in downtown Ellijay, take 52 West 4.9 miles to a right on Gates Chapel Road, where you will see our security gate. A pass code will be provided after the booking is confirmed.
Directions:

1. From the square in Ellijay, take 52 West 4.9 miles to a right on Gates Chapel Rd.
2. Then go 4.8 miles to a right on Hills Lake Rd. On Google Maps, Apple Maps, and Waze that is the location of Bear Creek Cattle Company, a house which is across the road from the Hills Lake gated neighborhood.
3. The gate code will be provided before you arrive.
4. Drive one mile on gravel road to the first right turn down the hill. This was previously known as Riggs Rd. There are street signs on this street corner.
5. The driveway is the second graveled turn on your right, after you make the sharp left bend at the bottom of the hill. You will see a garage and an Airstream. The house is up the driveway.

If you reach the lake, you have gone too far.
There is plenty of room for parking around the garage or uphill, by the cabin gravel driveway.
Blazing Fast WIFI Despite being secluded, the home features high-speed fiber internet with a upload and download speeds of 500+ Mbps. Please enable the Wi-Fi calling feature on your cell phones, as there is no cellular service coverage beyond the home's Wi-Fi. Enabling your Wi-Fi call feature will allow you to use your cell phone normally when in range. A landline phone is also available, for local calls only. For your convenience, we provide a set of walkie-talkies to allow communication while outside the Wi-Fi coverage. Please take them with you every time you explore the outdoors.
HOT TUB Please keep the cover closed when not in use to optimize the water temperature.
GARBAGE Trash bags must be placed in the bin inside the bear-proof cage by the parking area, ensuring the door is well latched. The scent of leftovers attracts bears and other animals as well. And they will make a mess with your waste material. SECURITY The cabin is located inside a gated neighborhood, protected from outsiders. For safety only, 4 Arlo security cameras are installed, aiming toward the driveway, parking area, front, and back doors. NO cameras are located inside or aimed at any outdoor gathering areas. For that reason, after your arrival, the cameras aimed at the front and back doors will be turned off.
ACCESS ROAD AND GPS Your journey to the cabin includes a scenic 1-mile gravel road, immersing you in the authentic charm of the North Georgia Mountains. It’s all part of the mountain experience, where adventure meets tranquility! However, a 4 4-wheel drive is strongly recommended, especially during the rainy and winter months. We also suggest arriving while there is still daylight. Because there is no cell phone signal from the entrance gate to the cabin, you should set your GPS before that point.
GENERATOR The home has a whole-house generator that automatically kicks in when power goes down.
GROCERIES Because the neighborhood is a 30-minute drive to the nearest grocery store, we strongly recommend guests arrive fully stocked with all their preferred beverages and groceries. No deliveries are available in the area, and downtown restaurants may close early.
A guidebook is available, providing everything you need to know during your stay, including how-to guides, maps and trails, suggested activities, local signature events, and a list of our favorite restaurants, wineries, bars, shops, and antique stores.
Gilmer County STR License # 004374