Bear Valley Outdoor Inn is a Driftless Area Haven
About this cabin rental
Nestled in Iowa, this charming cabin for $171 per night is a great option for your next vacation. Trout season is open! Book a getaway to relax, hike, and enjoy the peace and quiet of our beautiful area, or to enjoy trout fishing in the local trout stream. Private, air-conditioned, fully furnished, clean and unique accommodations. Enjoy the comfortable, away-from-it-all atmosphere. We are located in the heart of beautiful Bear Valley and the confluence of five scenic drainage's. 750 acres of public land lay to the south. The remaining boundaries are surrounded by a privately owned wildlife refuge. We are centrally located within a half hour of some of the most popular attractions of Southwest WI as well as some unique and tranquil settings within minutes. Some of the activities that can be enjoyed from our front door are hunting, fishing, biking, motorcycling, snowmobiling, bird and wildlife watching, or just relaxing around one of our camp fires. Also popular is the quality trout fishing available within walking distance. Trout fishing continues to get better as Bear Creek was recently improved under a stream bank improvement and trout habitat project. Bear Creek Trout Habitat Improvement Project is nearly all under DNR easements with two walk-in public access points on Hwy 130, as well as access off the bridge on Hwy N, just feet from Outdoor Inn. We are centrally located to the many popular tourist attractions of Southwest Wisconsin. We are a short drive from The House on the Rock, American Players Theatre, Governor Dodge State Park, Oakwood Fruit Farm, Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor’s Center, The Springs Golf Resort, Natural Bridge State Park, Our Lady of the Fields Chapel, Taliesin, Plain Westbrook Hills Golf Course, White Mound Park, Rockbridge, Hillside School, Tower Hill State Park, Hyde Mill, Unity Chapel, House on the Rock, Cedar Grove Cheese Co, Wisconsin Dells, and many other interesting tourist attractions. In order to provide peace and serenity for our wildlife, we are a DRONE FREE zone, and have quiet time after 11:00 pm. We have Light Speed Fiber Internet, and HD Television Live Streaming & Cloud DVR. Check in time is 4:00 pm and check out time is 11:00 am, unless different times are prearranged. If your dates for the Antique Unit are taken, please try our Pine Unit at https://www.vrbo.com/3478766ha.
Amenities
Air conditioner
Kitchen / Kitchenette
Internet / Wifi
Fireplace
Smoking allowed
Parking
Balcony / Patio
Dishwasher
TV
Wheelchair accessible
Garden
Family friendly
Map of Iowa
Reviews
4.9/5.0
Outstanding(55 Reviews)
5.0
This was a perfect stay for us while attending a wedding nearby. The host Darcy was very accommodating and prompt in answering my inquiries. This is a cozy little cabin, well stocked and VERY clean! The only drawback was the lighting (or lack of). It was very dark inside. The only remedy was to open the blinds, which helped a little, but the driveway runs under the living room and both bedroom windows, so you lose all privacy. And there was a fair amount of traffic using the driveway during our stay. Also a minor but important detail- one spare roll of toilet paper for a party of 5 was not enough, and there is no such thing as a "quick run to town" from this location :)
3.0
I want to come right out and say that I totally didn’t realize this property was NOT for dogs (I hastily made a booking since it was around the holidays and we’ve been working like 80 hours a week for a couple months now). So please don’t do what I did! I feel terribly!!
My partner and I arrived and it was a bit difficult to find in the dark, but Bill did provide written instructions to find it which was very helpful! But, I think we thought this property was going to be a bit more secluded than it was. Just a heads up that it is right by a busy road, and there is another house on either side (and one of them belongs to the owner, Bill).
We also had a couple people knock on our door when my partner was sleeping and I had just showered during check out day, but I’m not 100% sure what that was about since I didn’t get there in time. Over all, it was a beautiful property, but definitely with the bureaucracy of a hotel or cabin rental company — maybe not for us, but I think would be absolutely wonderful for folks looking to get out of the craziness of life!
5.0
It is a beautiful rustic place with lots of beautiful views and fun taxidermy inside. It’s quite and a nice get away. Bill, the owner, is delightful and a colorful character. There are some chickens and little puppies running around looking for pets. I love the quirkiness of this property!
5.0
We enjoyed our stay. Beds were comfortable, kitchen well appointed, loved all the antiques throughout the unit.
5.0
Beautiful property. Amazing area to explore the valley. Hosts, Bill and his parents Darcy and Dan super friendly! Very clean well stocked cabin. Enjoyed seeing the stars at night and sitting by the campfire. Definitely will be back to spend more time trout fishing! Thanks again Bill, Darcy and Dan!
We enjoyed our stay!
Tammy and Mike
5.0
We’re from Texas, although raised in the Midwest. It was a joy to be out of the summer heat and in the gracious care of the hosts at Bear Valley Inn. Our every need was met by Bill, Darcy, Dan, and Rowdy. We’ll be back!
5.0
We loved our long weekend here. The place is clean, well-equipped and QUIET…which we appreciate very much. Kitchen well supplied, great hot water & water pressure. The house has good Wifi that was easy to connect to. Beautiful grounds with many flower beds and a nice fountain out front. Access to a tranquil prairie walk with a creek & bird-watching. We appreciated being a manageable ~20 minutes from American Players Theatre and Taliesin, and even closer to restaurants in Spring Green. A great place we'll come back to.
5.0
Nice place
5.0
What a wonderful stay we had at the Outdoor Inn. We have always enjoyed birds, flowers and wildlife and felt blessed to be surrounded by it.
Hummingbirds and sandhill cranes in the morning. Swallows swooping to feed their young in fascinating mud nests. Beautiful gardens. A gentle hillside hike for birdwatching.
It was perfect.
5.0
Everything I was looking for. Looked at over 100 places and only this one checked my list and I fell in love with both inside and outside of the home. Kind of a drive for us but it was worth it. Beautifully decorated home and well maintained inside and outside. No issues with Wi-Fi or cell service. Super friendly hosts, neighbors, cute doggies and roosters. Comfortable king and queen beds. Will come back to see the Milkyway here for the next trip.
5.0
An awesome place to stay and have as a base if you are hiking or exploring the Driftless region! You will likely lose cell service before arriving so definitely print out directions. Beautiful patio, great for drinking coffee early in the morning!
5.0
Very pleasant and restful accommodation in a beautiful and tranquil setting. Well stocked kitchen with plenty of tableware and cooking utensils. Great communication with the owner and his folks. Many things to do in the area within a short drive. Dark skies presented fabulous star gazing, and a field full of dancing fireflies and serenading frogs set the tone. Just the relaxing visit we were looking for.
5.0
Unique with comforts of home.
5.0
The antique unit property is beautiful! We loved our stay. I hope to visit again in the future to see the beauty of the property in each season. I can only imagine how breathtaking it would be in the autumn and winter months. If you are an avid birdwatcher, you'll be in heaven...if you're not an avid birdwatcher, you will find yourself becoming one during your stay just as we did.
We were surprised when we arrived how many other guests were on different parts of the property, the listing wasnt entirely clear how many other units are there. I think there are at least two other rented units with a third place the owners are living in the rear of the property. When we first arrived that seemed misleading, but everything turned out to be great regardless.
5.0
My partner and I had a wonderful weekend in the Antique Unit. It was sparkling clean, spacious, and provided all we needed (and more) for our weekend of hiking and birding. We're already looking forward to a return trip!
4.0
This place is very well situated in the middle of several small towns just mintutes away and cities within an hour. There was lots to explore with great food and beautiful hikes to enjoy. The host was very helpful. We very much enjoyed our stay and hope to come back. Note though that we did not have cell service.
5.0
We really enjoyed our stay in the Antique Unit at Bear Valley. We went in the winter to just get away. We would love to check it out in the summer sometime and see what there is to do in the area.
5.0
The cabin was just what we were looking for.
5.0
My 5 friends and I a great weekend at the antique unit. The cabin was spotless and filled with charm from the handiwork on the kitchen cabinets, memorabilia from yesteryear. The beds were super comfy and so was the big cushy couch where we gathered to chat. The setting was picturesque. So much so, that we stayed around the area vs our original plan of hanging out in Madison. The host and Darcy were great to work with too.
5.0
We enjoyed the area and stay very much. The fall colors and settings were beautiful. Just what we needed to relax and get away from the busyness of life.
5.0
We enjoyed our stay. Didn't spend a ton of time at the property as we were exploring the small towns and scenery of the wonderful driftless region. We saw the chickens and walked to the stream on the property. Would be a nice place for a picnic on a sunny day.
Kitchen was well stocked for use.
5.0
Perfection location for all that the area has to offer. Trout fishing, Fall color tours, etc.
Quick and easy check in process. Very good communication from hosts.
We stayed in the antuiqe cabin. Plenty of room. Nice and clean. And not to mention the massive bathroom.
We will be back!
5.0
The property is beautiful and just as it is described. We stayed in the Antique Unit and just used the downstairs portion. If you enjoy seeing items from yesteryears, you will love checking out all the items on display. Beds were very comfortable. The upstairs is best suited for kids as the ceiling is quite low at the top of the stairs. The one bathroom is by the kitchen and far from the bedrooms, but the host had little flashlights by each bed in case you needed to make a trip during the night. The wildlife and flowers around the cabin were spectacular! We saw the large cranes make their way through the back yard on our last morning. The chickens and roosters roam free and are large and colorful. We were there to see several productions at the American Players Theatre in Spring Green. It was about 20 minutes away so we spent most of our time in Spring Green and only came back to the property to sleep. We would definitely go back and plan to spend some time exploring the grounds.
5.0
We really enjoyed our week long stay. The outdoor space is beautiful with lots of flowers and there is a patio, a fire pit area, and trails through some of the more wooded areas. We especially enjoyed the flock of chickens! There are many interesting towns and sites to visit in the area. We took day trips every day. There is an information book in the cabin that points out highlights as well as a fantastic Amish vegetable stand and a delicious Friday fish fry in Hill Point. The family owning and running the property was friendly and very responsive.
4.0
Nice place to stay if your looking to get away. Important to know that cellular phone and internet service is very poor. But if your looking g to get away from that or get kids away from that it is the perfect place.
5.0
We love the Driftless Area and all the beauty it has to offer! This property didn't disappoint. The inside was cozy and comfortable and the outside was calming natural beauty! We spent so much time watching the Hummingbirds at the feeder and the chickens! We will definitely be back!
5.0
Perfect get away from it all weekend
6 friends up for plays at spring green. This is off the beaten path and we loved it. It is in a beautiful part of Wisconsin. The flora and fauna were wonderful. The unit is well maintained , we loved sitting outside on the patio. We all rested well and all and all it was a great time.
5.0
Great property. Beautiful location.
We were in the area to fish for a few days and stayed here. It was such a cool spot…clean, comfortable, easy check in. Would definitely stay here again.
5.0
Country Getaway
Comfortable and quiet with a well stocked kitchen for cooking and eating together.
5.0
Our three day stay over Memorial Day weekend was an anniversary celebration. We were welcomed to the cottage with a Happy Anniversary note with lovely lilacs on the kitchen island. Bill has an amazing binder put together with information on the area and tales related to the property (make sure to take a look). Bill stopped by to check in on us and was a great host. We really enjoyed our getaway.
It was a lovely and interesting place. I was especially tickled by the upstairs loft and bedroom. It's an awesome space, but if you're tall, it may be an adventure to maneuver in the area. It was a source of delight for me (6' 7") to discover it was easiest for me to start down the stairs from a seated position. :) We enjoyed visiting with the chickens in the back yard and our kids (17, 19, 21, and 24) would have loved the place. We've already discussed coming back!
Some notes on what to expect for your stay:
1. The "Antique Unit" is the front half of the structure. I didn't understand that when booking the site, but we were blissfully unaware of any activity in the other unit.
2. Bill's parents sent the welcome email for our stay and explained that cellular signal is limited in the area. The Verizon map didn't look too scary, but I was surprised by the lack of signal in the area. It wasn't the property specifically, but even in nearby Spring Green I had zero signal and only was able to connect through the bookstore Wi-Fi. Our best signal of the weekend was at the top of a climb at Devil's Lake State Park where I finally caught up on texts that were failing to transmit.
3. The Wi-Fi at the cottage worked well for my wife. My device had trouble where the network would disappear at times. If I really wanted to connect, I had to head to the master bedroom for a more reliable signal (another tip from Bill's folks). I had to enable Wi-Fi calling on my device so we could order pizza from Rocketman Pizza in nearby Plain.
5.0
A cozy place with heart
Our three day stay over Memorial Day weekend was an anniversary celebration. We were welcomed to the cottage with a Happy Anniversary note with lovely lilacs on the kitchen island. Bill has an amazing binder put together with information on the area and tales related to the property (make sure to take a look). Bill stopped by to check in on us and was a great host. We really enjoyed our getaway.
It was a lovely and interesting place. I was especially tickled by the upstairs loft and bedroom. It's an awesome space, but if you're tall, it may be an adventure to maneuver in the area. It was a source of delight for me (6' 7") to discover it was easiest for me to start down the stairs from a seated position. :) We enjoyed visiting with the chickens in the back yard and our kids (17, 19, 21, and 24) would have loved the place. We've already discussed coming back!
Some notes on what to expect for your stay:
1. The "Antique Unit" is the front half of the structure. I didn't understand that when booking the site, but we were blissfully unaware of any activity in the other unit.
2. Bill's parents sent the welcome email for our stay and explained that cellular signal is limited in the area. The Verizon map didn't look too scary, but I was surprised by the lack of signal in the area. It wasn't the property specifically, but even in nearby Spring Green I had zero signal and only was able to connect through the bookstore Wi-Fi. Our best signal of the weekend was at the top of a climb at Devil's Lake State Park where I finally caught up on texts that were failing to transmit.
3. The Wi-Fi at the cottage worked well for my wife. My device had trouble where the network would disappear at times. If I really wanted to connect, I had to head to the master bedroom for a more reliable signal (another tip from Bill's folks). I had to enable Wi-Fi calling on my device so we could order pizza from Rocketman Pizza in nearby Plain.
5.0
Antique Room has everything you need for a comfortable stay.
5.0
Great people, everything was easy. Property was clean, comfortable, and neat. Tons of wildlife to view on the property and surrounding acres. The sand hill cranes were calling everyday. There are seemingly dozens of different birds that visit the property every day. Trout stream reconstruction in this area left these streams looking beautiful and there are plenty of brook and brown trout. Went to some local towns, closest about a 15 minute drive, for dinner at the local taverns. Food was good and people were very friendly. Overall it was a nice trip, very remote and a peaceful, and a beautiful location.
5.0
Bill runs a good operation,
Antique Room has everything you need for a comfortable stay.
5.0
Beautiful property with trout stream access
Great people, everything was easy. Property was clean, comfortable, and neat. Tons of wildlife to view on the property and surrounding acres. The sand hill cranes were calling everyday. There are seemingly dozens of different birds that visit the property every day. Trout stream reconstruction in this area left these streams looking beautiful and there are plenty of brook and brown trout. Went to some local towns, closest about a 15 minute drive, for dinner at the local taverns. Food was good and people were very friendly. Overall it was a nice trip, very remote and a peaceful, and a beautiful location.
5.0
A Nice Winter Getaway
This was our first experience with VRBO and it was great! My wife and I needed a few days away, so this trip was a surprise for her. We only met Bill briefly, but that's to be expected during the winter months. He was sure to be available to us, which we appreciated. The property was clean, comfy and had everything we needed, including kitchen items to prepare food. It's a beautiful, remote location which is what we were looking for. Thanks Bill, we hope to visit again sometime.
5.0
Very comfortable property, clean, great location for drifting through the Driftless area of WI.
5.0
Gals weekend October 2021
Very comfortable property, clean, great location for drifting through the Driftless area of WI.
5.0
Very nice rustic decor in a great outdoor location
5.0
Great Stay
Very nice rustic decor in a great outdoor location
FAQs
How much does this cabin cost compared to others in Iowa?
The average price for a rental in Iowa is $180 per night. This rental is $9 less expensive than the average.
Is parking included with this cabin?
Yes, parking is listed as an amenity at Bear Valley Outdoor Inn is a Driftless Area Haven. For more information, we encourage you to contact the property about where to park.
Is there a pool at this cabin?
We didn’t find pool listed as an amenity for this cabin. It may be worth double checking if a pool is important for your stay.
Is Bear Valley Outdoor Inn is a Driftless Area Haven pet friendly?
Unfortunately, this cabin is not pet-friendly. Try searching again and filter for "Pets Allowed"
What amenities are available at Bear Valley Outdoor Inn is a Driftless Area Haven?
We found 12 amenities for this rental. This includes air conditioner, kitchen / kitchenette, internet / wifi, fireplace, and smoking allowed.
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