Nine years ago AJ Page and I stumbled across a little gem on the internet when Googling about for "cozy/romantic cabin getaways." There was a group of four owned by a fellow near Cashton – Pleasant Valley Log Cabins. Even better, each one had a theme based on a wilderness critter. There was Moose Lodge and the Bear's Den. We initially settled in happily to the Bird's Nest. Upon returning to close out 2017, we discovered the coop was already booked. So the owner, Joe Fisher, was kind enough to check us in to the larger Deer Meadow for the same price.
After a topsy-turvy super-eventful 2017, we both had a compelling desire to escape our urban ruts and go where there is little to no phone reception, no interwebs, and no Netflix or evening news, for that matter. Because the Deer Meadow (yes it sits up on a ridge overlooking a meadow perfect for frolicking fawn) had room, we invited a couple of our long-time friends to join us one of the nights to ring in the New Year.
Each cabin is unique in its design and features: The Moose Lodge is the largest of the rentals and has its own bar. Deer Meadow has a luscious wood-burning stove, which was sheer perfection for the sub-zero outside temps during our stay. Normally we'd do a bit more hiking – the nearby Wildcat Mountain State Park provided that in the fall our first time out. There is also a nice little trail on the property. This time however, we felt brave to take a short trek down the gravel driveway to the road and back, briskly invigorated for even daring to brave the frozen outdoors. The cabins all offer a nice degree of privacy – none of them are situated on top of each other. Our hosts Joe and LeAnn were thoughtful and considerate. They provided some wood and offered additional at $5 a bundle, under their barn across the road on an honor system. They also provided us with extra floor mats and sanded the driveway to ease any slippery slopes. A word to the wise, if possible travel to this destination during the day. Nighttime can be a tad tricky to navigate and we did stop for a crossing of no less than six deer across one of the highways there!
The ceilings are high and most of the cabins offer a loft space for additional sleepers or just to escape to. The cabins are fully equipped with a kitchen, stove and oven, fridge and utensils so all you need to do is bring the groceries. They also provide suggestions of nearby options should you want to venture into town and poke around. The ever-popular artsy community of Viroqua is near-by. We all agreed returning in the summer and trying out a canoe rental would be a smart option. They have a collection of board games that you can use, and DVD and VHS tapes if you choose, or you can bring your own. We got caught up in a crazy game of dominos for the better part of New Year's Eve and spun some vinyl on our handy portable player. Some of our more enterprising neighbors even brought an impressive small fireworks display, which gifted us to our own spectacular little show, with none of the big crowds, hustle nor bustle. Stepping out on the cheerily white Christmas-lit porch and breathing in a bit of fresh air, I noticed how the waxing moon brightened up the sky through the trees. It was not difficult to feel truly fortunate to experience this cozy safe house, pleasantly away from it all at Pleasant Valley Log Cabins.
Resources:
http://www.pvlc.com/index.html
