The Cabin Issue: Instagram Readers' Cabins

"This is my friend's cabin in Outing, Minnesota, on Washburn Lake. Her family built the cabin, and they call it the 'Glass Cabin' because there are so many windows and it all reflects the surroundings, which makes it just a dream to stay at and photograph! My friend and her parents are so generous about having friends up, so we always do a girls' weekend in the summer, and it is the perfect retreat because the cabin itself is divine with spectacular views of the lake, a dreamy hammock to read or do crosswords in out front, and of course drink wine on the porch with friends while the sun sets through the trees. Every time we go up, my phone is full of images from a fantastic weekend away, all centered around this absolutely photogenic cabin that just makes it all the more fun." - Caitlin Abrams, @caitabrams

"My husband, Tyler, and I (Kelsie) bought this log cabin in September 2017. We love the simplicity and escape that cabin life provides, so when we stumbled on this place, we knew it was meant to be. It had all the rustic charm we were looking for, 10 acres of land, and a stream. But, the 'traditional' cabin decor did not reflect our personal style or vision for the space. This cabin was already set up as a vacation rental, so in March 2018, we blocked off the calendar to completely remodel! It was a tight timeline to create the modern + rustic luxury getaway we had in mind. We wanted to preserve the rustic details of the original log cabin while reimagining a cohesive modern design with all the amenities. We wanted to create something that inspired ourselves and others to take a deep breath the moment you walk in! We also incorporated sustainable design/decor whenever possible, from an eco-friendly mattress, secondhand/vintage finds, to fair-trade or family heirloom bedding. Our dream and vision came alive during the renovation and we fondly named it Walnut Creek Cabin. We also love how much others enjoy making memories there, too, and we get to follow their #driftlessdweller moments!" - Kelsie Kunkle, @walnutcreekcabin

"This cozy little cabin is one of the cutest cabins ever nestled in a wooded lot. I saw this when I was vacationing in Northern Michigan. It caught my eye because it reminded me of a little gingerbread house. What a great weekend getaway a cabin like this would be." - Karen Farrell, @karfar

"Martin House was built in 1970 and sits alongside the former Traverse City, Leelanau & Manistique Railway (now the popular Leelanau Recreational Trail.) Originally the house was a small shack built for the conductor who would hop off the train at Hatches Crossing and be home. In 1970 my grandmother Constance Martin purchased the house and land and built a small house that she would call home over the next 50 years. She would often sit on her porch with friends and discuss her dreams of eventually making her small farmhouse into a bed and breakfast for travelers passing on the train. When she fell ill in 2013 and was encouraged to move, we made a pact that I would purchase her small home and make it into the bed and breakfast she had always wanted. I promised her I would love the home and land as she did and never part with it. Over the next year we updated and modernized the home without compromising the character and charm that she had worked tirelessly to create. Currently Martin House is used as a vacation home for our family and a vacation rental for yours. Martin House is available via airbnb alongside Wren House, another charming farmhouse we've renovated just down the road." - Marissa Wege, @northern_migration

"Our cabin is a very special structure on our property; we call it 'The Shack.' It is the oldest original structure on the fifth-generation Dempze Cranberry Company in Wisconsin Rapids-built in the early 1900s. This cabin housed seasonal cranberry harvesters from the nearby Ho-Chunk Native American tribe while cranberries were picked, dried, packaged, and shipped. Its interior decorations pay tribute to the rich local Native American culture, and the role they played on our family farm. The cabin underwent renovations in 2013 to preserve the structural integrity, and to add modernizations for comfortable stays. Today, the cabin houses family visitors in the summer, and continues to house seasonal cranberry harvest help in the fall months." - Rochelle Biegel Hoffman, @rootedinred_wi

Tracie Solum Henkel and her husband, Brian, designed and began building their cabin in 1998. "The footprint is small but the cabin lives large with windows wrapping around all four sides," she says. They incorporated a lot of sentimental architecture in the design. For example, stone from a family member's former barn now serves as a fireplace that soars from the main level up to the sleeping loft. And Tracie's cousin built a circular staircase around a tree trunk that her uncle harvested for them. "The best part about spending time at the cabin is the location!" Tracie says. Extended family lives in the nearby farming community, so the Henkels and their children have made memories during weekends and vacations with their cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents while cooking over bonfires and fishing from the creek that runs adjacent to the property.-Tracie Solum Henkel, @joyfully_tracie

"This is our family weekend cabin that I oversaw the construction of in 2009. The structure and porches were built by the Amish out of Wisconsin. The property is located in the heart of Iowa's driftless region in Allamakee County near the Mississippi River and bordering Yellow River State Forest. This log cabin is a net zero energy residence powered by net-metered photovoltaic solar energy. It overlooks an ephemeral tributary valley in the Paint Creek watershed, Paint Creek being a cold water trout stream. The cabin property, a mix of grassland and woodland habitat is frequented by abundant wildlife including whitetail deer, coyotes, badgers, many bird species including owls, and an occasional timber rattlesnake. What I love most about it is the wide open views of the Paint Creek watershed valleys and Yellow River State Forest, especially after a rain storm when the swirling puffs of fog rise out of the valleys and the area transforms into our 'Little Smoky Mountains.' " - Mike Fisher, @envfish

"I rented this cabin for a single night while traveling solo all the way around Lake Michigan last summer (2018). The cabin can be rented through a booking site called Hip Camp. The cabin is located on the edge of the owner's private property right next to a private lake. Originally when the cabin was built, it was utilized as a hunting camp. Since then, the latest owners have decided to rent it out to travelers and have since added an outhouse and sauna! My favorite thing about this cabin was the total privacy and location in a wooded area with 2500 feet of private lakefront. This property also borders the Hiawatha National Forest! Other amenities include a Jon boat, kayaks, and pike fishing! As a solo woman traveler, I felt very safe, which is important to me. The hosts were very gracious and always available when needed, but never intruded. I also enjoyed the rustic nature of the one-room cabin with no running water and a wood-burning stove for heat. I do hope to own my own cabin one day and am inspired by this one in the U.P.!" - Tammy Bashore, @tammy_bashore

"The cabin is located near the village of Lake Ann, in Benzie County. I found this cabin while canoeing on a small lake that I had never been on before. I paddled through a channel into another small lake and glimpsed a small roof line in the woods along the far shore. I thought it might be a deer blind, but decided to check it out. My wife's family has lived in the area for generations and I figured that the owner was probably a relative of hers and wouldn't mind my looking around. What I found was this beautiful log cabin, crafted of dovetailed timbers with a loft cantilevered over the small front porch. The main cabin is maybe 8' x 10' and the covered porch stretches that to about 10' x 12' total. The craftsmanship was excellent, and I'd love to meet the builder some day. This one may be a little small, but someday I'd love to have a little weekender cabin on a remote lake like this." - Craig Caugh, @norsewoodsman