$349,000

Here is an increasingly rare Catskills find: a genuine 1940s cabin right in Phoenicia, comfortable in every season and still full of its original character. Warm, intimate and filled with natural light, this two-bedroom home has a wild heart and a way of inspiring wonder. Native gardens, mountain views and a labyrinth circling the firepit create a world of their own, while a separate finished and heated studio extends life beyond the cabin's compact footprint. Set in a true neighborhood just outside the village and around the corner from the mighty Esopus Creek, the house puts Phoenicia's restaurants, shops and lively small-town life close at hand, with the wider Catskills in every direction. The property is outside the mapped floodplain. A direct 15-minute drive to Belleayre makes first chair an easy habit, while Hunter is about 20 minutes away. Inside, delicious knotty pine paneling and original hardwood floors give the cabin its unmistakable warmth. The open living area centers around the woodstove, with an eat-in kitchen that keeps the cook part of the conversation. Vintage 1940s metal kitchen cabinets and a pressed-tin ceiling in the generous primary bedroom add another layer of character. A beautifully renovated bathroom and stackable washer and dryer provide everyday comfort. Originally built as a seasonal hunting cabin from a kit - with its manufacturer's stamp still visible in the attic - the house has evolved for comfortable year-round living without losing its original simplicity. Well insulated and pleasantly quiet inside, it is heated primarily by propane forced air. The separate studio offers a place for creative work, an office or simply some quiet apart from the house. With heat and a wall of windows facing the gardens, it feels almost like a room within the landscape. Outside, the cultivated and the wild intermingle beneath enormous mature trees. Native and pollinator-friendly plantings attract hummingbirds, butterflies and other visitors as the garden changes through the seasons. Layered greenery creates a surprising sense of privacy and enclosure, with places to gather, eat outside, read or draw. At its center, the labyrinth and firepit make the grounds unforgettable. The result is something increasingly difficult to find in Phoenicia: a manageable year-round home with the soul of an old cabin and a world of its own outside. Come walk the labyrinth and see it for yourself.