Decorah House and Trout River Log Cabin

Decorah House and Trout River Log Cabin Welcome to Trout River Log Cabin, a 19th century Norwegian-built log house nestled in the rolling hills of Northeast Iowa.

Perched on a bluff overlooking Trout River valley, just seven miles from downtown Decorah, our farm is the ideal place to relax and enjoy the beauty of Northeast Iowa. The house is small and simple by today's standards, but we are sure it has everything to make your stay comfortable and relaxing. Watch the sun set from the large porch with its breathtaking views of Trout River, and spend the eveni

ng stargazing under a pitch black sky.

Trout River meanders just down the hill from the cabin, and can be accessed by a five minute walk through the woods. We own over a half-mile of stream frontage. Its clear spring water makes for wonderful year-round trout fishing, or swimming and relaxing on a hot summer's day. Our farm makes for wonderful hiking, whether it be on the trails and deer tracks through the woods, along the meandering trout stream, or through our several fields of set-aside native prairie grasses. The state of Iowa owns 120 acres of public land just down the road available for fishing, hunting and hiking, too. And just a few miles beyond is the large and remote 1,000+ acre C**n Creek Wildlife Management Area. Come stay at one of the prettiest farms in all of the Driftless Region.

We love the off season because we finally get to enjoy the cabin. Cooking, whisky drinks, scheming and walking to the s...
10/29/2019

We love the off season because we finally get to enjoy the cabin. Cooking, whisky drinks, scheming and walking to the stream. Thanks cabin guest Bill Petersen for another great photo.

The tiny herd of completely grass fed belted galloway at the farm. The herd size seems to be inversely related to my fa...
08/29/2019

The tiny herd of completely grass fed belted galloway at the farm. The herd size seems to be inversely related to my father’s age, and the future of these beasts on Trout River is perhaps tenuous. He’s had them for about fifteen years. If you stay at the right time they may be grazing (and bellowing hysterically) right out front of the cabin. Photo courtesy cabin guest Brian Sills.

What’s now the cabin was a house that was lived in until the late 1970s by two bachelors who grew up speaking Norwegian ...
08/28/2019

What’s now the cabin was a house that was lived in until the late 1970s by two bachelors who grew up speaking Norwegian and never learned english. The house had no running water and had a single light bulb in each room. It was built originally in the mid 19th century and was taken apart and rebuilt in 1897 with an added second floor. So the idea of taking it apart again in 2007 was in a way in keeping with its past. @ Decorah House and Trout River Log Cabin

another snowday. sigh.
04/10/2019

another snowday. sigh.

After coasting for several years on the original idea of the cabin, last fall I got the itch to improve things. So over...
04/01/2019

After coasting for several years on the original idea of the cabin, last fall I got the itch to improve things. So over the next few photos you’ll see some of what’s new this year. Here are the new shaker nightstands. End tables are super fun and relatively low time investment builds. Also new is the platform bed and the freshly painted light gray floors.

White oak adirondack chairs from Norm Abram himself, or at least from plans I found online with his name associated. Al...
04/01/2019

White oak adirondack chairs from Norm Abram himself, or at least from plans I found online with his name associated. All in all they’re a solid design and I like them. I finished them with General Finishes exterior oil, which to my displeasure had about a thousand warnings stamped all over the can. Benzine, really? Never mind the fact the finish is toxic, the chairs sure do look damn nice and will probably hold up pretty well under the porch. A big project I haven’t gotten to yet is replacing the doug fir porch floor. It’s twelve years old, and unfortunately hasn’t held up well. Last fall I got all new cedar decking to replace it with, but the weather hasn’t cooperated enough to get it in.

Another snow day!
02/20/2019

Another snow day!

It’s been a fantastic few weeks of skiing at the farm. And a potential 8-12” tomorrow night!
02/11/2019

It’s been a fantastic few weeks of skiing at the farm. And a potential 8-12” tomorrow night!

Stay anytime February for 30% off! Book through the website and use code skiskiski.
02/06/2019

Stay anytime February for 30% off! Book through the website and use code skiskiski.

Cold, cold, windy day. Winter finally arrived today. The cabin is really porous and struggles to stay warm in the wind...
01/24/2019

Cold, cold, windy day. Winter finally arrived today. The cabin is really porous and struggles to stay warm in the wind. Up and down, up and down depending on wood level.

Lovely day on trout river.
01/22/2019

Lovely day on trout river.

Cold winter morning here.
11/18/2018

Cold winter morning here.

Address

2336 Trout River Road
Decorah, IA
52101

Telephone

(563) 419-5634

Website

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