Route 19 Inn
4898 Soco Rd
Maggie Valley, NC
The 1948 highway motel to the Smokies, brought back exactly right.
This property is an Honorable Mention. It has been vetted and approved for our highest standards of cleanliness, safety, and operational excellence. While it is still evolving toward our full design-led designation, it is a proven, reliable anchor for any road trip. We recommend it with confidence.
About Route 19 Inn
In 1948, at the height of the postwar road trip era, Rocky Waters Motel opened along U.S. Highway 19 in Maggie Valley, North Carolina, a single-story motor court between mountain hardwoods and Jonathan Creek. It ran as a beloved regional institution for 70 years before closing in 2018. Eric and Angela Frisbee acquired the property and set out to restore it rather than replace it. The renovation brought in former Disney executives and Imagineers, professionals trained to recreate the specific feeling of a place without stripping away its authenticity. Route 19 Inn reopened in 2020: the same bones, the same creek, the same highway address. Our State magazine covered the return, describing how guests who remembered Rocky Waters could find the forest and the stream and the shuffleboard exactly where they left them.
What Route 19 Inn Is Known For
Route 19 Inn is the restored identity of a place that mattered for 70 years and nearly disappeared. The decision to restore rather than redevelop, to keep the low profile, the creek, the motor court layout, is what makes it work. The team brought in professionals who understood that the feeling of a place cannot be manufactured, only preserved or lost. What came back is a motel that guests who remember Rocky Waters recognize and guests who never heard of it immediately understand.
Amenities
- Pets Welcome
- WiFi
- Outdoor seasonal pool
- Fire pits with wood provided
- Shuffleboard and cornhole
- BBQ grills
- Children's playground
- Jonathan Creek access
- Free private parking
What Guests Love
- Jonathan Creek runs through the property and the sound of it carries into the rooms and common areas, one of the few motels where the landscape is genuinely present, not just nearby.
- The restoration was done by a team that included former Disney Imagineers, professionals who understand how to bring back the feeling of a place without faking it. The result is a motel that passes the authenticity test.
- Soco Falls is 0.8 miles away and accessible on foot or with a very short drive, an easy first-morning outing that most Smoky Mountains visitors miss entirely.
- Pets are welcome in designated rooms, and Jonathan Creek provides a natural walking route for dogs that most pet-friendly motels cannot match.
- Guest reviews across platforms reflect consistency across a substantial volume of stays.
Worth Knowing
- The outdoor pool is seasonal, open Memorial Day through Labor Day. If you are visiting outside that window, plan accordingly.
- Check-in is in the afternoon and evening. The office is not staffed around the clock, so plan your arrival window and contact them if you expect to arrive outside that range.
- Maggie Valley can be busy on summer weekends and fall foliage weekends. US-19 through town moves slowly during peak times. Mid-week visits are noticeably quieter.
- Cataloochee Valley, one of the best places in the eastern US to see wild elk, is a short drive from the inn. Go early morning or near dusk for the best sightings.
- Pets are welcome. A pet fee applies; contact the property directly to confirm current amounts and any restrictions before booking.
The Room
Route 19 Inn offers several accommodation categories: classic motel rooms, deluxe creekside rooms with private balconies overlooking Jonathan Creek, suites for families or longer stays, cabins, and vintage-styled glamping campers for guests who want something different. All rooms are ground-level with exterior access, guests step directly outside to the parking area and grounds. The single-story layout is the original motor court footprint, updated with modern beds and bathrooms while preserving the low-slung midcentury character. Rooms are consistently cited in reviews for cleanliness and the quality of the restoration.
The Grounds
Jonathan Creek runs through the property, and the sound of it carries into most rooms and all of the outdoor common areas. A seasonal outdoor pool is open Memorial Day through Labor Day. Fire pits are lit most evenings with wood provided. Shuffleboard, cornhole, and BBQ facilities are available for guest use. A children's playground sits at the edge of the grounds. The vintage 1951 Kaiser and the antique fuel pump in front of the office are original to the restoration concept, touchstones to the era when US-19 was the main road into the Smokies and stopping at a motor court was simply how you did it.
The Experience
The rhythm at Route 19 Inn is set by the mountains and the creek. Mornings are cool; the pool warms up by mid-morning; Soco Falls is less than a mile down the road. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is about 20 minutes west. Cataloochee Valley, one of the best places in the eastern US to see elk in the wild, is a short drive. The fire pits fill up in the evenings with guests who found one another over shuffleboard. It is the kind of place that reviewers describe not just as clean and comfortable but as the right choice, a motel that earns its location rather than borrowing from it.
Details
Maggie Valley, NC 28751
The Boutel designation is earned, not purchased. Boutels is editorially independent and has no financial relationship with any listed property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Route 19 Inn have EV charging?
No, Route 19 Inn does not have EV charging.
Does Route 19 Inn have WiFi?
Yes, Route 19 Inn has WiFi.
What is there to do near Route 19 Inn?
Soco Falls: 0.8 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk. Great Smoky Mountains National Park: 10 miles, about a 20 minute drive. Cataloochee Valley: 11 miles, about a 20 minute drive.
How far is Route 19 Inn from Soco Falls?
0.8 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.
How far is Route 19 Inn from Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
10 miles, about a 20 minute drive.
How far is Route 19 Inn from Cataloochee Valley?
11 miles, about a 20 minute drive.
Is Route 19 Inn pet friendly?
Yes. Route 19 Inn welcomes pets. A pet fee applies; contact the property directly to confirm current amounts and any restrictions before booking.
Does Route 19 Inn have a pool?
Yes. An outdoor seasonal pool is open seasonally. The pool is not heated.
What is the history of Route 19 Inn?
The property opened in 1948 as Rocky Waters Motel, serving travelers on U.S. Highway 19, the main road to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It operated for 70 years before closing in 2018. Eric and Angela Frisbee restored it with a team that included former Disney executives and Imagineers, reopening it in 2020 as Route 19 Inn in its original midcentury mountain style.
How far is Route 19 Inn from Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
About 10 miles, roughly a 20-minute drive, to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center entrance near Cherokee, NC. This is the North Carolina gateway to the park, with access to Newfound Gap, Clingmans Dome, and the Appalachian Trail.
How far is Soco Falls from Route 19 Inn?
Soco Falls is 0.8 miles from the inn, about a 5-minute drive or a walkable distance. It is a double-cascade waterfall accessible via a short trail and one of the most scenic easy hikes in the area.
What are the check-in and check-out times at Route 19 Inn?
Contact the property directly to confirm check-in and check-out times before your stay.
Can I see elk near Route 19 Inn?
Yes. Cataloochee Valley, about 11 miles from the inn, is one of the best places in the eastern US to see wild elk. The National Park Service reintroduced elk there in 2001. Go at dawn or dusk for the best sightings.
Is parking available at Route 19 Inn?
Yes. Free on-site parking is available at Route 19 Inn.
Does Route 19 Inn include breakfast?
No. Breakfast is not included at Route 19 Inn.
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Things to Do Near the Smoky Mountains
Soco Falls
0.8 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.
0.8 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk. Soco Falls is a double-cascade waterfall dropping roughly 50 feet into a rhododendron-lined gorge, one of the most accessible and scenic short hikes in Haywood County. A short trail from the parking area leads directly to the falls.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
10 miles, about a 20 minute drive.
10 miles, about a 20 minute drive. The Oconaluftee Visitor Center entrance near Cherokee is the North Carolina gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park in the country. Clingmans Dome, Newfound Gap, and the Appalachian Trail are all accessible from this entrance.
Cataloochee Valley
11 miles, about a 20 minute drive.
11 miles, about a 25 minute drive. Cataloochee Valley is one of the best places in the eastern United States to see wild elk in their natural habitat. The National Park Service reintroduced elk here in 2001, and the herd now numbers over 200. Go at dawn or dusk for reliable sightings. Historic homestead structures are scattered through the valley.