A Cabin Getaway in the Big Indian Woods for $425K

  |  May 17, 2022

Today our rustic ramble takes us to Big Indian, an Ulster County hamlet in the Catskills town of Shandaken.

This four-bedroom cabin was built in 1935, and retains a lot of vintage charm—starting with those funky live-edge boards that make up the siding on both the home and the shed.

Inside is everything you’d imagine in a cabin: knotty pine walls, well-worn hardwood floors underfoot, and an exposed-rafter ceiling with skylights. That big woodstove looks like it could heat the entire house, with room for two teakettles on it as well.

A fieldstone fireplace with a log mantel and woodstove insert (man, this cabin must be toasty in the winter!) is the centerpiece of the living room. Two bedrooms, a dining room, and the kitchen branch off from here. Electric baseboard heat makes this a year-round home. A plus: High-speed internet service is available.

The dining room has a good view of the woods through picture windows. I’d ditch the blue carpeting, and (purists, cover your ears) try some white paint in here to brighten it up.

Some white paint would do wonders in the kitchen, too. The track lighting is not winning any design awards, and the appliances are about due for an upgrade. That farmhouse sink, though, is a keeper. And those cabinets with interesting latches? They’re too cool to ditch.

There’s only one bathroom in the cabin, and it’s tiny. Still, shelving adds some storage space, and there’s a nice window next to that aluminum (!) shower stall.

Two bedrooms are on the main floor, and are similar in size and layout.

Again, a little paint could perk up the place, along with ripping out the carpet.

Upstairs are two more bedrooms with pitched ceilings and more of that wood. None of the bedrooms have overhead lighting; the 100-amp electric service can accommodate future lighting updates and/or additional outlets.

At only 1,456 square feet, the house is compact but the space is cleverly designed. The next owner might consider taking this tiny bedroom and converting it to a second full bathroom.

A screened-in porch off the dining room lets you enjoy the Catskills breezes on buggy nights…

…and the front porch has a view of Big Indian Mountain itself. Digging the black paint and red trim, but a touchup would add pizzazz.

The home is on 0.66 acres with a stream nearby. It’s part of the Big Indian Mountain Association, with HOA fees of only $900 a year. If you like target shooting, your membership in the HOA gives you a share of a land parcel with a shooting range.

Ready for tall pines, cozy woodstoves, and relaxing on your screened porch? Check out 98 Huron Trail, Big Indian, with Richard Greenspan of Ruth Gale Realty.

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