“Yikes, a grizzly bear!”
If you’ve ever stayed in the Harbor Village area of Bear Lake, Utah, you may have noticed the cabin with a giant grizzly bear stalking the front yard.
But don’t worry, it’s only a statue (perhaps a tribute to Old Ephraim?), and it’s only one of several surrounding the property. In fact, the Blackberry Retreat cabin is a rustic tribute to the majestic wildlife of the outdoors—and on the inside, too. You’ll find moose, deer and bear trophies bringing the cabin walls to life, just to name a few.
In the summer of 2012, our large family clan stayed at this classic cabin getaway. It’s one of many Bear Lake cabins managed by Mark Hislop of Bear Lake Rental Properties. Shortly after our arrival, Mark showed up and gave us a personal demonstration of how to use the hot tub, Wi-Fi and remote controls. He also let us know that we could call any time if we experienced any issues during our stay (which we didn’t). At the time, Mark didn’t know I would be writing a review.
Our family travels large, at least in number. So this cabin’s room for 32 in beds gave us plenty of privacy and space (seven bedrooms and seven bathrooms). The downstairs features a room with several bunk beds in a row—perfect for younger children to have their own place to hang out too. Having stayed in a dozen or so cabins of this size at Bear Lake, I’d have to say that the space and layout of this cabin are among the best I’ve seen. The long counter in the kitchen with stool seating allows multiple family members to work on making lunch sandwiches at the same time. It’s also a nice setup to seat a row of younger kids for meals or snacks. And for sit-down dinners, you have a large dining table as well.
Relaxing is easy here. The comfortable family room and upstairs loft allow for gathering spaces with a great view of the lake. Plus, the outside wrap-around deck means you have extra place to relax outside, or even cook a BBQ meal. The large, two-level backyard is great for kids that want to run around and burn some energy. This property is near a canal, so when traveling with very young children, you’ll want to supervise any backyard activities.
The location of the property is just halfway up the hill, which means that it’s within easy walking distance of other amenities like swimming or tennis. The marina is also just minutes away, and there’s plenty of parking in the driveway. The driveway is flat other than the initial 5-foot slope at the entrance.
So if you’re traveling with a large group, and you want a cabin large enough to enjoy private space as well as several gathering areas for games, movies, reading, eating and more, Blackberry Retreat is an ideal choice. With this cabin, you’ll never forget you’re at “Bear” Lake.
Overall, I give it five out of five stars. Location, layout, size, bathrooms, privacy, atmosphere…they’re all here. To see the full Photo Gallery or 360 Virtual Tour, click here. Or browse through all of the cabin rentals available from Bear Lake Rental Properties.
Property Description:
Sleeps 32 in beds, 35 people max. Seven bedrooms plus sofa beds if needed. Includes master suites with king size bed and private baths. Parking for six vehicles plus additional boat, trailer and vehicle parking.
Beds: King size beds (1), queen size beds (5), twin size beds (12), and sofa beds (4). Bed Linens and towels are provided.
Amenities: Big screen TV plus (2) flat screen TVs with DVD players in two bedrooms. Open floor plan that caters to large or small gatherings. Gorgeous rock fireplace , board games washer and dryer.
Kitchen: Full large kitchen stocked with cookware, dishes and utensils. Refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave and range.
Outdoor Features: Lake access by foot or 4-wheeler right out front door, (boat Launching across the street at the Bear Lake Marina). Huge deck with picnic table and gas barbecue grill. Bring extra camp chairs and enjoy a big gathering on this oversize deck. Lawn area for outdoor games, hot tub.
Suitability: Kid friendly. No pets allowed.
Bear Lake Vacation 