The Grackle at Halcyon Hills. Set amidst 8.5-acres of rolling pastures in the western NC foothills. This modern, Eco-Luxe tiny home boasts many Off-Grid and eco-friendly features, including solar power, composting toilet, wood-burning fireplace, a tankless water heater, and mini-split heating/cooling. Easy access to nearby trails, fun family activities, breweries, & wineries so you can get out and adventure or stay in and cozy up. Follow us on IG at: @thatgrackle The Grackle is truly a one-of-a-kind tiny home. Originally built by Liberation Tiny Homes in Pennsylvania. It blends intentional, thoughtful design, with modern luxury. The grackle was recently moved to North Carolina and has been outfitted with a number of additional Off-Grid features to make your stay as enjoyable (and sustainable) as possible. A huge, 16-panel solar array supplies the power to the Grackle with backup connections to ensure power supply even on cloudy weeks. The kitchen includes a full-sized four-burner gas range, toaster oven, and large fridge, plus a space-saving washer/dryer combo tucked away. A beautiful Morsø Danish wood-burning fireplace serves as the focal piece of the home, creating a beautiful ambiance and providing warmth even on the coldest of winter evenings. The main loft space features a custom sectional, Roku Smart TV, and a Glass-Pane garage door that provides a welcome view on cooler days, or opens onto an upstairs deck to expand your indoor/outdoor living options. The patio is equipped with solar market lights and a cafe table on the upper level, and a small outdoor sofa and firepit area in the lower level. Behind a small sliding door is the large bathroom with full closet, composting toilet, and full-size soaking tub with a handheld shower sprayer. Beyond that, a small set of stairs leads up to a spacious sleeping loft with king-sized memory foam/latex mattress (runs more firm), luxurious linen bedding, wrap-around windows, as well as a large skylight window, perfect for star gazing! Additional sustainable features include: - Linen beddings - Turkish towels (kitchen and bath) - Bamboo toilet paper - Primary power source is solar-generated - Tankless propane water heater - Natural cleaning products for guest use (Grove and Method) - Zero Waste Shampoo and Conditioner (Fillaree, NC) - Well system with premium 3-stage water filtration Whether you’re looking to completely disconnect, wanting to experience the best of tiny house living, or just want a unique stay, your stay at the Grackle will be unforgettable! Key pad on front door. Guests have access to the entire tiny home, plus shared access to the 8+ acre pasture. Please refrain from accessing the Bunkhouse (it’s currently storage only). The Barn may be accessed, but please use caution as it’s not currently in use. A few additional notes on accessibility. The Grackle has two steps up to the front door, and stairs to both living areas and the upper deck. Guests must be comfortable using stairs to access the upper sleeping loft, which is around 4 ft tall in the highest areas. The second and third stair have removable treads for water heater access and storage so please ensure you step carefully and place your whole foot on the step (not just the edge) You will not be able to stand up in the sleeping loft, but even taller guests will have space to sit up comfortably. Keep in mind that there may be guests in the main house (The Casa) during your stay. Any amenities at the main house are reserved for guests of the Casa only. If needed for space or weather reasons, we have provided overflow parking next to the pasture gate just off the circular driveway, but all efforts have been made to ensure that guests at both locations have sufficient space and privacy to enjoy their stays. The main driveway is paved and leads to a circular driveway, with a gravel driveway leading down the the Grackle. Other areas of the property are natural and may be rocky or wooded. WARNING - Please use caution when walking around the property as animals, bugs, and brush may present hazards. Additionally, please use caution when near or in the Barn area. There is a small ladder leading up to a loft area. Visitors are responsible for understanding the safety risks posed by the use of this ladder, and will indemnify and hold harmless Halcyon Hills and its owners/operators for any injuries received as a result of use of the ladder and/or attempts to access/use the loft in the Barn. Our Guest Handbook covers most common questions, house rules, instructions, and recommendations, but should you need to reach us for any reason during your stay, don’t hesitate to call or message us. We want to ensure your stay is as enjoyable and relaxing as possible. Just minutes off I-40, The Grackle is < 1 Mile from downtown Valdese, the Waldensian Heritage Museum and McGalliard Falls Park, 15 minutes to nearby Hickory or Morganton, and provides easy access to numerous attractions in the area, including: Morganton (15-20 Minutes): Fonta Flora Brewery and Whippoorwill Farm Catawba Brewing Company Apple Hill Orchard (Seasonal Apple and Flower picking) Hickory: Catawba Science Center Hickory Aviation Museum Blowing Rock/Boone (Approx. 1 hr): High Gravity Adventures Zipline Blue Ridge Parkway Tweetsie Railroad Julian Price Park Other: Lake James (25 Minutes) South Mountains State Park (30 Minutes) Linville Falls (1 Hour) Grandfather Mountain (75 Minutes) Table Rock (80 Minutes) The Grackle is dog-friendly! We allow 1-2 house-trained, well-behaved pups with advance notice and prior approval. The space is smaller and does include stairs throughout, so we recommend smaller pups or those that are comfortable with stairs. There is an additional $50 flat pet fee (for cleaning) per stay. While inclimate weather isn’t common in Valdese, please note that the roads in our neighborhood and the driveway are a bit steep - if roads are icy or snowy please use caution and drive slowly when traveling to and from the property. Wherever possible, we strive to be sustainable. We provide some basic sustainable cleaning and personal use products for your stay and curbside recycling service. Please try to recycle any appropriate materials during your stay to help us limit unnecessary waste. Additional details on recycling are provided in our Guest Handbook.