THE VIEW THAT NAMED THE HOUSE

As soon as you walk through the front door, you will understand the name. The great room opens into a cathedral wall of glass, floor to ceiling, and behind it the Appalachians stack up ridge after ridge, going blue and then purple as they roll north into Virginia. Purple mountains majesty, right there in the window. We do love Jimi. That is not where the name came from.

Purple Haze is a spacious luxury log cabin in the hills between Boone and Blowing Rock, about 15 minutes from each and 1.7 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway. Exposed beams, hardwood floors, a corner stone fireplace with gas logs, and enough comfortable seating that nobody has to claim a chair early.

THE MAIN LEVEL

The great room, kitchen and dining area all share the view. The galley kitchen is genuinely set up for cooking rather than reheating: a drip coffee maker and a Keurig, electric kettle, water filter, blender, mixer, baking pans and muffin tins, spices, and the dining table seats eight. Sliding doors open onto the large deck, where you will find the hot tub, the gas grill, and outdoor dining under an umbrella.

The primary suite is on this level too, with a private bath and its own deck access. No stairs to reach a bedroom, which guests traveling with parents or grandparents tell us over and over is the reason they booked.

UPSTAIRS AND DOWN

The loft looks out over the great room and into that same view: two twin beds, a leather sofa, and a reading nook that is hard to leave. Downstairs are two more bedrooms, each with a queen, sharing a full bath with a tub-shower. The den on that level has a queen sleeper sofa and a second TV with a DVD and video library, which is where the kids tend to end up, or where somebody watches the game without taking over the house. The lower deck is covered, so the view holds even when the weather does not. Downstairs, guests can also enjoy the covered deck’s fire pit, a cozy spot to gather, relax, and take in the mountain surroundings. Laundry is on this level.

SLEEPING FOR TEN

Primary suite: king. Bedroom two: queen. Bedroom three: queen. Loft: two twins. Den: queen sleeper sofa.

THE SETTING

The cabin sits on a rural, dead-end paved street with almost no traffic. It is quiet, private even with neighbors nearby, and an easy place to let kids and dogs be outside. The Mountains-to-Sea Trail passes within half a mile. Some of the best day hiking in the Blue Ridge is inside 15 minutes, with waterfalls and swimming holes if you know where to look. Blowing Rock is a pretty 15-minute drive for fine dining and shopping; Boone is 15 minutes the other way for a college town's worth of restaurants, live music and shops. Tweetsie Railroad is 10 minutes, Moses Cone Park and Mystery Hill are 8, and Appalachian Ski Mountain is 11.

GOOD TO KNOW

Central air conditioning and heat. WiFi throughout. Smart TV in the great room and a second TV downstairs. Washer and dryer. Dogs are welcome for a fee. Self check-in with a smart lock. Winter visitors: four-wheel drive or chains are strongly recommended.

NCREC License #C41500. Guests must be 25+ to book.