The Ranch at Emerald Valley

This trip was for our 40th wedding anniversary. It exceeded all our expectations. We went horseback riding and hiking every day. The food was fantastic and the accommodations very comfortable. However, by far the best part was the staff, especially Aaron, Amber, Audrey and Charlotte. They could not have been nicer or more accommodating. They truly made this trip special and we are very grateful to them.
Highly recommend this place and plan to return.

An amazing experience - rustic elegance comes to mind. The location is incredibly beautiful, the staff outstanding and the all inclusive delicious food will make your clothes a bit snug upon check out. Great place to disconnect, enjoy plenty of activities or just sit outside and take in the splendor.

Our only input would be to better soundproof the cabins that are shared. Our first night we had no one in the adjoining room, but another couple checked in on night 2 - and we heard every word of every conversation. Put a bit of a damper on our experience as we tried to be silent for the rest of the trip.

The cabins are very comfortable - ours had a gas fireplace, comfortable bed and a great bathroom.

Definitely a bucket list kind of place.

We stayed in the Copper Cabin, would highly recommend it. Close to the lake, hot tubs, lodge, large living room, bedroom, huge bathroom and walk in shower with natural stone floor. King size bed was sooo comfortable. The staff is so accommodating, professional & genuinely helpful. They don't miss a beat. We always wake up early and do lots of physical activities while visiting CO and I saw them wiping the dew off the firepit chairs at 6:00 am. Their cowboy coffee first thing to their gourmet dinners prepared by a chef is nothing less than five star delicious!

This was one of the best vacations I’ve been on. My husband and I stayed at the ranch to celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary and the staff made it so special for us! The grounds and wilderness are beautiful, the food was amazing (don’t miss the Saturday night cookout!), and the cabins are cozy and luxurious. We will definitely be returning soon.

My wife and I were invite to a family reunion at The Ranch at Emerald Valley in the summer of 2018. We were blown away by how beautiful the grounds were and the majesty of the lodge and the cabins. My wife and I were in one of the smaller cabins, which was still beautifully accommodated with a fireplace, several comfortable chairs, inside and out, and a big bathroom and shower so were had room to get ready for dinner each night. The lodge offers three meals a day each of which is stocked full of five star food and service. Not what we were expecting 40 minutes up a mountain into the wilderness. Lobster, filet mignon, venison, duck, and fried chicken are just a few of the options for dinner over our four night stay. Breakfast and lunch are buffet style but equally amazing! I've talked a lot about what goes on inside, but the outdoors is what this place is really about. The immediate grounds offer several open spaces for games and sports as well as two small lakes. The first lake, next to the lodge, is full of trout and the camp dog will help you fly fish; the lower lake offers canoeing and a trail head that takes you out into the valley for a beautiful hike through forest and open flower filled grass. The hiking trails away from the grounds offer challenging inclines and terrain, but pay off spectacularly with wonderful views of the mountains on either side of your valley home. We covered 5 miles and about 1000 ft in elevation one day and, though challenging, was one of the most inspiring outdoor experiences of my life. Craig, the ranch manager, and his staff made our trip the experience of a lifetime and I can't thank them enough for sharing their beautiful place with us for a few days. We would definitely go back given the opportunity, but we live in North Carolina so you'll just have to go for us for now!