Meanwhile, back at the ranch
In North Carolina, a beloved historic resort gets a breath of fresh air
“Can I tell you how happy I am to work at a place where we’re having a horse birthday party?” our waitress announces at breakfast, with evident glee.
As I tuck into the fancy biscuits and gravy at Cataloochee Ranch, the restaurant’s pastry chef Angie Chan is busy in the kitchen, “decorating the horse cake,” a confection garnished with whole apples and big fat carrots.
There will be balloons and decorations and a colourful tiara for the birthday boy in question, Badger of the glossy brunette mane. Horses, if you haven’t deduced already, are the star residents at Cataloochee, a dude ranch turned destination resort, the oldest and most beloved one in these parts.
For decades, the 700-acre ranch and its adorable equines have drawn travellers to its pastoral location on Fie Top mountain, in Maggie Valley, N.C. The town is wee (population: around 1,700) but not remote — it’s just about a 50-minute drive from the city of Asheville.
The lodging’s ownership changed hands in 2020 and promptly closed for a thorough, multimillion-dollar revamp, which fancied up the whole property while keeping the down-home spirit. “It’s pinky-up rustic,” quips Steven Reinhold, founder of the Appalachian Adventure Co., and an expert-in-residence at the sister property next door, the Swag.
Cataloochee reopened in midMarch as a Relais & Châteaux retreat, and on my visit I’m among the first guests to see what’s changed and what’s (happily) exactly the same.
The backstory
From the ranch, you can see the rolling terrain of the Smokies, socalled for the blue-grey haze that often renders its old-growth forests in soft focus. Cataloochee is believed to come from the Cherokee word gadalutsi, meaning “wave upon wave,” a nod to the undulating treescape.
The origins of the property, which dates to 1933, are intertwined with the history of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park: It was founded by forester “Mr. Tom” Alexander as the first overnight destination serving visitors to the Smokies, which was established in 1934. (The original Cataloochee Ranch was inside park boundaries but soon relocated to its present address on the park’s border.)
Today, the Smokies is the most visited national park in the U.S., though most access it via Tennessee; the North Carolina side remains a far quieter escape.
The space
In the late 1930s, when Mr. Tom acquired the current ranch property from the “Potato King” of Haywood County, it was little more than a cattle barn and some neglected cabins. And before this recent revamp, the accommodations were reminiscent of the humble national park lodgings you’d see in Yellowstone.
When new owners Annie and David Colquitt honeymooned at the Swag, the neighbouring resort, in 2011, they promptly fell in love with the natural beauty, as travellers do.
So when the chance came to acquire and spruce up the farm-turned-inn, the young couple seized the opportunity — and later, scooped up Cataloochee with the same ambition.
Inside the wholly made-over log cabins, the feel is cosy luxe and the frills are tasteful: all white-painted wood walls; a heritage-chic Faribault Mill wool blanket perfectly laid over furniture ripped from the pages of a decor magazine; tidy stacks of on-theme coffee-table books like “Stables: High Design for Horse and Home” and “Kinfolk: Wilderness.” Missing on purpose: a TV, because all the entertainment one might need is outside, from the tonic of fresh mountain air to dark stargazing skies.
The experience
One of the resort’s highlights remains horseback riding, led by the ranch’s sweet steeds and amiable wranglers, who will take you up to the “balds” (the typically grassy, treeless meadows found in the Appalachians) for ridgetop views.
The pace is languorous — I could perhaps hike the trail at a faster pace, but no one comes here to hurry. The horses are beginner-friendly; mine, a handsome walking horse named Clyde, is ideal for kids or a clueless travel writer. Booking a ride is open to guests not staying over at the resort as well.
Other on-site diversions include archery, axe-throwing, adventuring on a treetop obstacle course, sophisticated dining (expect Frenchified Appalachian fare at Switchback restaurant), and a forthcoming spa.
The nearby sights
Beyond the obvious Smokies, there’s another popular, utterly unique tourist attraction in the little town of Maggie Valley: the Wheels Through Time Motorcycle Museum, a 38,000-square-foot showcase of more than 300 rare motorcycles, including bikes from the early 1900s that still can rev up and run, and a one-of-a-kind 1916 machine with a mysterious provenance (ask about the Traub). Though it sounds niche, the artifacts and the history of riding will fascinate even non-bike enthusiasts; groups can call ahead to request a guided walk-through.
Maggie Valley is one of the five mountain towns that make up Haywood County; the largest, Waynesville, is also worth a detour. Stroll along the compact main street, pop into the hipster café Orchard Coffee, or shop local makers like Axe & Awl Leatherworks, a family-run handcrafter of belts, bags and other leather goods, based right here. WING SZE TANG TRAVELLED AS A GUEST OF TRAVEL SOUTH AND VISIT