Luxury Hotels Atlas / Places / United States / Maggie Valley / Cataloochee Ranch
Cataloochee Ranch
Maggie Valley, North Carolina, United States · Independent · Grand Luxury
Forester Tom Alexander and Judith Barksdale Alexander opened Cataloochee Ranch in 1933 for the first tourists to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, first in the valley and from 1938 on Fie Top above Maggie Valley. Relais & Châteaux now lists about eighteen cabins and lodge suites around the old cattle-barn ranch house; Annie and David Colquitt, who also own The Swag next door, bought it in 2020 and reopened after a four-year restoration in 2024.
- 18 rooms
- Opened 1933
- Neighborhood: Fie Top
About Cataloochee Ranch
- The ranch house began as a stone-and-log cattle barn on land bought in 1938 from Verlin Campbell, the Potato King of Haywood County.
- The ranch sits 1.2 miles from Cataloochee Ski Area, the first ski slope south of Virginia, on a ridge about 5,000 feet above Maggie Valley.
- Annie and David Colquitt, who also own The Swag next door, bought the ranch in 2020 and reopened it in March 2024 after a four-year restoration.
- Relais & Châteaux lists about eighteen cabins and lodge suites rather than a hotel tower.
History
Tom Alexander and Judith Barksdale Alexander opened Cataloochee Ranch in 1933 in Cataloochee Valley as a rustic fishing and horseback resort for early visitors to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In 1938 they bought land on Fie Top from Verlin Campbell and opened the present ranch in 1939 around a stone-and-log cattle barn that became the main house. The Alexander family ran it until March 2020, when Annie and David Colquitt (owners of The Swag) and partners bought the ranch, restored it for four years, and reopened in March 2024 as a Relais & Châteaux house.
The setting
1.2 miles from Cataloochee Ski Area.
Restaurants and bars
- Switchback — Restaurant · Western
Experiences
- Guest Chef Dinner with Nico Abello — Five-course Appalachian-inspired dinner with guest chef Nico Abello in the private dining room The Lookout (November 22, 6 p.m.).
- Sommelier's Secrets wine tastings — Curated wine tastings at 3 p.m. on selected dates from November through June, on themes such as harvest, dessert and sparkling wines.
- BBQ Basics — Hands-on barbecue smoking class at The Forge, the outdoor kitchen set against the mountains, followed by a lunch (October 21, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.).
- Oktoberfest — Alpine-inspired BBQ buffet with craft brews, family games and live polka from the Appalachian Freunde Polka Band (October 18, 5 to 8 p.m.).
- Live music series — Recurring Wednesday evening live music sets from 5 to 8 p.m. across October to December.
- Thanksgiving dinner — Roasted turkey, heritage sides, seasonal desserts and curated wines, with seatings from noon to 6 p.m. on November 26.
Amenities
- Spa
- Pool
- Fitness center
- Horseback riding
Awards
- MICHELIN Two Keys (2026)
Open Cataloochee Ranch in the atlas for live weekend rates, photos, and the full folio.