Devine Black Bear Retreat a welcoming, cozy, peaceful farm in Roan Mountain, TN

Get away to a secluded 35+ acres in this black bear themed home. Enjoy wide open spaces on this small farm with cows, ponies, local wildlife including turkeys, deer, and black bears. Entire home including fire pit is all yours to enjoy while you stay. Minutes from parks, historic sites, waterfalls, fishing, and hiking trails. While we are remote we are only a few minutes from local restaurants and convenience stores plus we are not far from a variety of chain restaurants, farmers markets, and shopping.

The space
3 Queen beds (1 is a pull out sofa with upgraded mattress and extra support board available), 2 bedrooms, kitchen, living room, dinette, laundry space, bathroom, plus lots of land to explore. We also provide an extra card table and 4 chairs if you need more dining space.

Basic amenities included, makeup wash cloths, hair dryer, sheets, blankets, pillows, towels, hand soap, dish soap, dish scrubby, paper products, trash bags, cleaning supplies, dishwasher tabs, laundry soap and basic cooking items.

We also offer these additional features, complimentary snacks, puzzles, books, card games, kids games, Keurig with K-cups, french press with coffee, tea kettle and selection of hot teas, variety of wine glasses with bottle opener and red wine aerator, dishware, flatware, measuring cups, pots and pans, TV with blu-ray player and DVD’s, tray tables, shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, usb plugs in each room, luggage racks, plus linens, and pillows. In addition, all mattresses and bed pillows are fully encased meaning they are water resistant, bug resistant, and offer full allergy protection.

We have a spectacular fire pit for you to enjoy with a basket with roasting sticks, fire starters and a small pile of firewood to get you started. We can also let you know where to get more firewood locally and close by if needed; however, you are also free to use any fallen sticks, logs or branches that you find on the property.

During the months of July and August we have a pick your own blueberry patch. Exact time frame can't be promised as it's conditional on the weather but feel free to ask during those months if they are currently available. Please note you will have to walk to them and they are on a hillside. We will limit you to 1 gallon per booking to leave some for others.

Fully handicap accessible with ramp to the inside from a flat parking space, wider doorways to accommodate wheelchairs and walkers, grab bars in shower (shower chair also available), and an oxygen concentrator plus the house has an automatic propane powered generator so you will never be without oxygen if you need it.

We offer full satellite internet; however, we do not offer any satellite (ex. DirectTV) or cable TV, just dvds. We encourage you to disconnect while you stay with us.

There is cell phone signal but it is spotty, the best provider in the area is Verizon, 4G works better than 5G. Please note that our internet is satellite so when the weather is stormy or snowing the signal may get worse.

Our water supply is spring fed from the mountains, regularly tested and additionally purified, just in case, with ultra-violet light. However, if you are picky about your water there is plenty of space to bring bottled if you prefer.

We have 2 parking spaces that can accommodate most sized vehicles. There is no on street parking because it’s a one lane road in and out and the county vehicles need 24/7 access. You cannot use the shared driveway for parking either as the property caretakers rent the space up the hill but you may use it to turn around.

You are free to put up hammocks around the rental if you want to chill outside but please practice leave no trace and do not damage the trees. We don’t recommend sleeping there all night; however, if you are an avid camper and you are used to it feel free to do so at your own risk.

This is one of 3 rental properties on this property but the house and yard around the house is private and yours to enjoy. In addition, we have another short term rental about 1/4 mile away and right above you rental an rv rental spot that is currently rented by our Amish caretakers. So the rest of the grounds are not private and you may run into others while exploring but they will not approach your driveway or house. If you have a larger group the other short rental sleeps 10 plus a baby so combined you could have up to 16 adults if you would like to rent both rentals.

The property also has a small rustic country chapel if you are interested in having a small private ceremony please just ask, otherwise it is available to explore and enjoy the peace and quiet. It is visible from the front of the rental and you are free to check it out.

No more than 6 guests, no gatherings, no smoking, no pets, and the home is not suitable for small children.

Guest access
You have full access to the house, the firepit, the flat area behind the house, and the hill below the house. The space directly above the house is rented by our Amish property caretakers. You may also explore the property but please do not enter any buildings except the chapel, trash bin, and your rental. Please do not approach the farm house or the yard to the front or right of the farmhouse to give the other renters their privacy.

I'll be available by phone at all times, I do live in the area but not super close if I'm needed on site I can usually be there in an hour. Our caretakers live on site and will be the ones to respond if there is any issue. You will see them care for their animals feel free to say hello.

Other things to note
If you need to check in or check out early or late please just ask in advance, sometimes we can accommodate. You can check in as late as you want but we advise that you try to arrive before dark so that you are able to easily find us and get used to the roads.

During inclement weather all-wheel drive or 4x4 is highly recommended, for the rest of the year most vehicles will have no issues. Plan for cold weather during winter months (Nov-April) at this elevation it can get really cold very fast which also means ice is inevitable. The last couple turns to get to the rental are narrow, very curvy, steep at times, have no guardrails and have no lines on them. Please use caution when traveling to the property once you turn of the main road. Please be respectful of other drivers and slow or pull off to the side, if needed, to let other drivers pass. Use extreme caution if traveling in the dark or during inclement weather.

This is a small but active farm with a small herd of Dexter cows (smaller breed), a couple ponies (Appaloosa and Welsh). It will occasionally be muddy but you might also see baby cows. Please do not touch the electric fence it has a high voltage to ensure the animals to do get out.

As previously mentioned, there is a least one active black bear on the property we encourage you to carry (bear spray or weapon) if you are going to explore the woods. Please also be aware of what to do if you encounter a bear. Tip: You should never run! Please review the advice given at bearwise website if you are unfamiliar with what you should do.

We also occasionally see copperheads and rattlesnakes on the property.

If you have any issues or concerns while staying with us please give us a chance to fix it before leaving a negative review. We always aim for 5 stars and want to give you a 5 star stay. Currently listed on another popular short term rental site with 5 star reviews, please feel free to check that out since we are new to this site.

Here is a list of local events that you might enjoy and also a list of cities and their distance from the rental to orient yourself.

Local and Local-ish Events for 2025:
Blue Plum Festival, Johnson City, June 6-7
Rhododendron Festival, Roan Mtn, June 21-22
Grandfather Mtn Highland Games, July 10-13
Fun Fest, Kingsport, July 18-26
Rhythm and Roots Festival, Bristol, Sept 19-21
Covered Bridge Days, Elizabethton, Sept 19-21
Storytelling Days, Jonesborough, Oct 3-5
Nascar Race Weekends, Apr 10-13 & Sept 11-13

Cities:
8ish miles to Roan Mountain, TN
13ish miles to Elizabethton, TN
20ish miles to Johnson City, TN
20ish miles to Erwin, TN
22ish miles to Banner Elk, NC
26ish miles to Bristol, TN
27ish miles to Jonesborough, TN
40ish miles to Boone, NC
42ish miles to Kingsport, TN
42ish miles to Blowing Rock, NC
68ish miles to Asheville, NC
114ish miles to Sevierville, TN
127ish miles to Gatlinburg, TN