A Rustic Historic Setting Minutes Away From A Modern World
Hand hewn logs, chestnut accents and native stone grace this beautiful historic Inn which sits at 4500 feet nestled on a bluff in sight of The Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It is wild here, wild and old, and nature loves it. Did I just hear a whippoorwill?
 Owner Ginger Shinn says that she feels like the Lodge is a gift from her husband and children who all made loving sacrifices in their own unique ways to help make her dream of being an innkeeper possible. If you ask Ginger to tell you the story she will be share it with you but you should know that she will get teary-eyed in the process.
 Notes from couples who have had their weddings at Smokey Shadows, families who have shared their family reunions or weddings and groups that have attended conferences praising the welcoming atmosphere and great food are displayed here and there among the Inn’s many treasures. McDonalds Restaurants and the staff from the Smithsonian Institute have held conferences here. Recording stars like Kenny Rodgers, Willie Nelson
and David Holt have stayed here. You never know who may join you at the family style dinner table!
You can also find an abundance of unique pottery, cookware, furniture and various antiques throughout the Inn.
Before and after dinning you can sit a spell and take in the cool breeze from the huge back porch that is lined with rocking chairs. You can lie in the hammock or listen to the birds’ song and enjoy the beautiful views. In the winter, cuddle up in the cozy lobby and enjoy the fire.
If you choose to stay the night you will have fun looking at all the rooms as each one is decorated in its own unique way.
 The main lodge provides its guests with a massive stone fireplace, comfortable easy chairs and couches. Or recline by a window in one of the leather chaise lounges. There are twelve rooms, each cozy and rustic with log-beam ceilings and stone/log walls. No two are alike. Several have feather beds and are accented with heirloom quilts and curtains. There are two cabins to choose from, also, for solitude-seekers.
Ginger says, “I just can’t tell you how often our wonderful guests smile in complete satisfaction after they have embraced our homemade cooking with all of their senses.” Repeat customers don’t even ask what is on the menu as long as it includes daughter and Chef Tracy’s homemade Tomato Pie. Locals often call the Inn to ask “Ginger are you cooking tonight?”
Ginger is now in the process of creating a cook book with the Inn’s famous recipes; in the meantime she will be happy to share her recipes and anecdotes with you if you ask—for example this comment from Ginger: “This (Jo Zhos Dipping Sauce) is a unique and scrumptious appetizer. It will impress all of your guests. My dearest friend, Akiko, shared this dish from her country (Japan) with me over 35 years ago. We spent many special moments preparing Jo Zhos together for dinner parties. Akiko also taught me to use tooth paste for burns. She was a special lady and a wonderful friend.”
 Like guest Kenny Rogers said “…the food, the conversation, the warmth of everyone…was like family. We have found a second home in the mountains, and something that’s even better, we’ve found a friend.”
Here is what free-lance writer, Donna Morris, said in a review: “At four long tables seating ten persons each, forty diners enjoy the fruits of Ginger’s fantastic culinary prowess. Three or four nights a week, Ginger and her daughters Amy and Tracy cook up a truly royal feast, the stuff of legends in this small mountain town known for its down-home cooking. . . you would never dream that somewhere there is a woman like Ginger Shinn cooking up an amazing, mouthwatering dinner. You would have no idea that you could climb the stairs to a tiny room, stretch out on a feather bed, and burrow under a hand-made quilt, the only lullaby the roaring of the wind and the laughter from the downstairs sitting room.”
“Such a fabulous meal you served for Mothers’ Day. Everything was simply wonderful. We love coming to Smokey Shadows not only because the food is always excellent, but it is the whole dining experience. You feel like you are going to Grandma’s House for dinner and you start getting excited a week ahead of time.”
Peggy
Thirty minutes west of Asheville and just a few miles from Cataloochee Ski Area and Ghost Town In The Sky.
For rates and other information, please click here to visit our websites:
www.smokeyshadows.com
www.bbonline.com/nc/smokeyshadows
E-mail: sshadows323@aol.com
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