Put This Luxurious Mountaintop Ranch In The Smokies On Your Travel Bucket List

Tom Alexander’s initial experience in the western North Carolina mountains left such an impression that even after work whisked him down to Florida, he found his way back. Eventually, the Georgia-born forester built a life and a legacy around introducing visitors to the very same peaks he first fell in love with.

His vision began in the early 1930s when Great Smoky Mountains National Park was in its fledgling days. An avid outdoorsman, Alexander was hosting fishing camps in the area when a park superintendent offered to lease him an existing homestead inside the park. The resulting guest lodge was the predecessor for his life’s work, Cataloochee Ranch. After a short stint in Florida, he and his wife, Judy, returned to build the ranch on a 685-acre potato farm on the boundary line of the national park in 1933.

A couple of things have changed since Cataloochee first opened. The national park went from being lesser known to becoming the country’s most visited, welcoming 12.2 million people in 2024 alone. The Alexander family, who stewarded their patriarch’s operation for more than eight decades, eventually passed it into the capable hands of Annie and David Colquitt (owners of the nearby luxury resort The Swag) in 2020.

When the Colquitts took over, they had a plan to introduce modern comforts to the historic property, but their bigger concern was keeping its integrity in place. As Mary Coker, one of the Alexanders’ granddaughters, said in an interview following the purchase, “The feel was that if you have the heart and soul of Miss Judy and Mr. Tom, then everything else was the spokes of the wheel.”

A Thoughtful Transformation

A word to describe the changes: intentional. Each of the 11 original guest cabins was redesigned with a seamless mix of modern and rustic furnishings. The TVs were removed (Wi-Fi remains), but Nespresso machines, plush robes, and heated bathroom floors were added. Turndown service includes a creative bite made by the resort’s pastry chef and displayed under a glass cloche. On my last night, a photo that a staff member snapped of me on my first morning was displayed in a wooden frame as a keepsake.

“The ranch has been a special place for guests for almost a century,” Annie says. “We want this beautiful land to be a spot for families to relax, reconnect, and recreate for the next 100 years too. In all of the decisions, we tried to take this big picture, long-term view for the property.”

Inside the renovated main ranch house, you’ll find Switchback, where chef Jeb Aldrich serves an ever-changing menu of elevated High Country fare to guests as well as locals looking for a special night out. The soaring structure is also where you check in and inquire about new resort experiences, such as daylong horseback rides, fishing, ropes-course adventures, archery, heritage craft projects like leatherwork and pottery, and monthly history lessons with guest speakers. If you’re lucky, expert-in-residence Steven Reinhold will be hosting a guided hike or local-lore talk during your stay. And the Colquitts didn’t stop there. Other amenities include a luxurious spa, a new gym, a golf simulator, and a mercantile that’s complete with a custom hat bar, a gift shop, and a soft-serve counter.

Beauty In Every Direction

Mr. Tom might not have envisioned the expensive sheets and gourmet dinners now offered at the ranch, but something tells me that if he were still alive, he’d be proud to see that little else has changed. Old photos of the property reveal a landscape untouched by time.

From the front porch of my weekend home, I had a panoramic view of the property’s rolling hills dotted with wooden cabins, towering spruce trees, small fishing ponds, and Adirondack chairs that circle firepits. Across the valley sat a two-story barn where caramel-colored and chestnut-spotted horses plus a storybook white one were lined up along the wooden fence.

After polishing off a buttery croissant and a cup of hot tea, which had been delivered picnic style to my front door that morning, I set out for the barn where my steed awaited. I quickly got acquainted with a 15-year-old horse named Emily before hitting the trail.

During the four-hour trip, I was just along for the ride as my steady and surprisingly conscientious companion led me through old-growth forests dense with magnolia leaves and over open rock faces with stunning mountain vistas. Our guide, Matty Garnes (who works at Cataloochee alongside her mom, barn manager Tracy Reed), peppered in interesting facts about the land we were traversing and the magnificent creatures who were doing the heavy lifting for us.

Both mother and daughter grew up on the ranch. Reed got her first gig at Cataloochee at the age of 19 in 1996 and has never tired of the work. “I think it’s the best job in the world—you get to be with the horses and see the beautiful mountain,” she says. “I miss it when I’m away for even a little while.”

At one point during our trip, Garnes’ sprightly pooch, Sadi, hopped onto the back of her horse and hitched a ride for the remainder of the journey. From the top of Hemphill Bald, our midway destination where the signature blue haze of the Smokies stretched for miles and put on a glorious display, it was easy to see why Mr. Tom got mountain fever—and why so many others have inherited his love of the land. “Every time we are there, a different spot or perspective captures me,” David says. “It is beautiful in every direction, and the land sits so magically.”

Walks on the Wild Side

Cataloochee Ranch is situated atop Fie Mountain at an elevation of around 5,000 feet in the heart of Haywood County, which is part of a region known to some as the “secret side of the Smokies.” This county’s quaint communities might not be as revered as western North Carolina destinations like Asheville or as developed as other Smoky Mountain ones like Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge in Tennessee, but that’s all part of the appeal. This area offers a quieter glimpse into Appalachian culture, and the adventurers who return to Cataloochee Ski Area every winter or bring their families to spend a week outdoors each summer have more than bought into the magic.

Approximately one-tenth of the Blue Ridge Parkway’s 469 miles go through Haywood County, making it a breeze to plan a full day of scenic drives and hikes in the surrounding peaks and valleys.The national park’s presence is palpable here too. Its remote Cataloochee Valley is known for being one of only a few places in the state where you can spot elk. After disappearing from North Carolina in the 1700s due to overhunting and habitat loss, the species was reintroduced to the area in 2001. Visit around dawn or dusk for the best chance of seeing these majestic animals.

During autumn, from about mid-September through October (which is mating season), you may hear bulls before you see them. They let out loud, wailing bugles to attract female elk. Just be sure to give them their space—at least 100 yards is recommended.

Even if you don’t find any elk, there are plenty of other reasons to venture to the valley. Wildflowers, white-tailed deer, and black bears are all at home in the green pastures too. You can access high-elevation hikes like Flat Creek Trail and Balsam Mountain Nature Trail from the Heintooga Picnic Area. Then check out some historic structures like the two-room Beech Grove School and the Caldwell Place (a property with a barn, a springhouse, and a two-story home), which date to 1901 and 1906, respectively.

On the way out of town, I was driving up a hill adjoining a cleared-out construction site when some movement caught my eye. Slowing down, I noticed at least 10 elk that were spread across the open area and tucked into the denser woods just beyond. I pulled over and scampered out of the car to get a better look. And that’s when I heard it—the distinctive wail of a male elk bugling to his surrounding harem. Somehow undetected by the animals, I spent the next 20 minutes marveling at their every movement and feeling extra thankful for the trailblazers who introduced the world to this pocket of the Smokies.