5 Fabulous Log-Home Communities: Finding a Place to Call Home

1. Wisp Resort, McHenry, Maryland

Looking for land in the Mid-Atlantic region? This area in the Allegheny Mountains of Western Maryland provides lakeside living and a haven from city life. Located in all its rural majesty just two hours from Pittsburgh and three hours from Baltimore and Washington, D.C., the region offers fishing, boating, hiking, horseback riding, bicycling, whitewater rafting and snow skiing. An added bonus: Wisp Resort is set to break ground on The Lakeside Club along the shores of Deep Creek Lake, the largest lake in the state with 65 miles of shoreline. The private club, designed by the same folks who created Colorado's Keystone Resort and North Carolina's Mountain Air Resort, will offer summertime fun at the lake. And in the winter, the slopes turn into a magnet for skiers. Home sites are available both in and around the resort. Log-home companies building in the area include Yellowstone at Deep Creek Lake Log Homes and Mountaineer Log & Siding Company. Both have offices and models in McHenry.

INFO: Total acreage: 2,700 Home sites: From 1/2 to 1 acre Price: Starting at $200,000 Contact: 866-526-9477, wispresort.com


2. The Preserve at Little Pine, Marshall, North Carolina

Awesome natural scenery and Southern hospitality are the hallmarks of The Preserve at Little Pine in the Southern Appalachian mountains of western North Carolina, a mecca for second-home owners. Miles of trails for horseback riding or hiking, private stables, a community garden, and overnight guest accommodations are just a few of the amenities planned for this heavenly spot where Wahconah Log Homes of Dillsboro, North Carolina, has already built a log home. One of the best parts? The community's proximity to Asheville's art galleries and eateries and the small-town charms of Marshall. So if you're looking for peace and quiet (but not so quiet that you cant find a nearby grocery store) The Preserve might be calling your name.

INFO: Total acreage: 1,800 acres Home sites: Starting at 1 1/2 acres Price: From $275,000 Contact: 866-658-8441, southerncommunityguide.com


3. Humber Valley Resort, Newfoundland, Canada

This pristine spot in Canada's easternmost province beckons those looking for wide open spaces. If a four-season, resort-style lifestyle is what you're after, look no further than Humber Valley Resort. This 2,500-acre community in the Canadian Appalachian Mountain range, nestled on the northern bank of the Humber River and Deer Lake in western Newfoundland, not only offers majestic forests and mountains, it boasts an 18-hole Doug Carrick-designed championship golf course. Plus, a second golf course, spa, and powerboat and sailing marina are on tap. In the winter, skiing and snowboarding are just minutes away at Marble Mountain. Sully's Pub or The Beach House are the on-site hotspots for fine dining. Log-home companies in the area include Cottles Island Lumber Company Limited/Highland Homes Limited.

INFO: Total acreage: 2,500 Home sites: About 1 acre Price: Starting at $625,000 (This includes building costs.) Contact: 888-450-0080, humbervalley.com


4. Teton Springs, Victor, Idaho

If you grew up watching Westerns and whooping it up playing Cowboys and Indians, you can relive those happy days at this all-season resort community. And log homes are a big part of the picture. Located just 20 minutes from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Teton Springs is an all-season resort in Victor, Idaho, where 100 home sites are reserved for nothing but log homes provided by Neville Log Homes of Victor, Montana. Love golf almost as much as logs? Plans call for an 18-hole Headwaters Club Course designed by Byron Nelson, PGA Touring Pro Steve Jones and golf course architect Gary Stephenson. Additional amenities include a swim-and-tennis complex, as well as a health club and spa. Skiing at Grand Targhee or Jackson Hole is a mere 30 minutes away. Construction on the Village at Teton Springs, set to begin this year, will include shopping, dining and overnight accommodations for visitors.

INFO: Total acreage: 780 acres Home sites: 1/3 to 3 acres Price: $140,000 to $500,000 Contact: 866-445-3328, tetonsprings.com


5. Cadence, The Equestrian Community, Blue Ridge, Georgia

Horse lovers can gallop across the verdant meadows of this 450-acre property surrounded by heavenly mountaintops. New Creation Land Developers' Tom Carroll traveled out West to get ideas for this 450-acre equestrian community less than two hours from Atlanta. The property launched this summer with plans for a 21-stall barn, indoor and outdoor riding arenas, a clubhouse, swimming pool, fire pit pavilion and 100 acres of common area. With elevations of 1,650 to 2,000 feet, the property is adjacent to the Cohutta Mountain Range Wilderness Area within the Chattahoochee National Forest. The development is a MossCreek Signature Community. MossCreek Design of Knoxville, Tennessee, is known for its rustic home designs.

INFO: Total acreage: 450 acres Home sites: 1 1/2 to 5 acres Lot price: Starting at $185,000 Contact: 706-258-3999, cadenceblueridge.com