Take A Tour Of Robert Redford's 30-Acre Utah Ranch That Sold For $6.5 Million

In the heart of Utah's horse country, acclaimed actor, director, and producer Robert Redford has left parts of his own there. After nearly 25 years, the Sundance Kid sold his captivating 30-acre horse ranch for $6.5 million (July 2021). Originally listed for $4.9 million, the breathtaking pastoral estate overlooks the 12,000-foot Mount Timpanogos amidst the Wasatch Range in Charleston, Utah. Known for his association with the Sundance Film Festival, the Sundance Institute founder purchased the land in 1996 for an unknown amount. Represented by Compass's Steve Mavromihalis and Jaisa Bishop of Windermere Utah, the Oscar-winning director made a considerable profit of about $1.6 million.

Located 16 miles north of Sundance Village, the Horse Whisper Ranch, named after Redford's 1998 film "The Horse Whisperer," was mainly used by the director and his family to facilitate their beloved horses, especially through the winter months, per Man of Many. The property mostly consists of the expansive acreage, including seven structures like a charming 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom cottage with 1,491 square feet, a garden hobby house, a woodshop, and a spacious garage. Additionally, facilities include covered stalls, a hay barn, a training ring, and the pasture, per Realtor. For over 50 years, Robert Redford, now 85, has cultivated his legacy for the arts, conservation, and nature preservation, all within the area of Sundance. Besides establishing the Sundance Mountain Resort, Redford owns properties in California and New Mexico, including 1,800 acres within Sundance. Read on to learn more about Redford's road to Utah!

Settled on the northern edge of Deer Creek State Park/Reservoir and the Provo River, Robert Redford's horse sanctuary is a living landscape dedicated to preserving nature. Surrounded by the Wasatch Mountains, the immense land is a wide-open space with green pastures situated in the Charleston/Heber City area. Upon working in a stable when he was a teenager, Redford once said that his relationship with horses goes beyond just riding them. Along with his family, the Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid star have maintained the ranch for nearly 25 years, serving the animals and establishing a legacy, per Wall Street Journal.

A horse's dream. The extended buildings on the property are fascinating and functional. A 1,996-square-foot garden hobby house with a black antique free-range stove is perfect for making lunches and snacks while out on the ranch. The space is multi-functional and appears clean like a modern farmhouse with natural timber fixtures and lots of natural light; there's also a bathroom and a bonus room for storage or producing other products. Included is an office area with a lovely timber ceiling set up for potential retail. A craftsman's paradise, more rustic wood-framed quarters include an extensive 3,200-square-foot woodshop covered with timber flooring, wooden storage cubbies, and workbenches. With a large garage and breezeway hay barn nearby, there's also an irrigation canal to assist with watering the crops, per Love Property.

Redford's former farmhouse cottage is like a weekend getaway, equipped with the basics after a long day out on the ranch. The director and his former wife, Lola Van Wagenen, purchased their Utah property together in the early 1960s, where Redford built their home on the land as with the Horse Whisper Ranch. According to the listing on Realtor, the small farmhouse was constructed in 1914 but has been completely renovated since then. A working ranch, the driveway is accessible from the road to the main house with an attached two-car garage. Life at 3291 West 2400 S is simple, with sufficient room to play.

Now, step inside the relaxed rural home with an interior that offers comfort and tranquility throughout. The palette is neutral inside and out with plenty of light and modern touches. The actor loved the cozy family room with a focus on the floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace, decorated with large river rocks and a simple wooden mantel. Moving on, the quaint kitchen features custom-wood cabinetry and stainless-steel appliances with an eat-in breakfast bar and a picture window with gaping views of the mountains. The most recent updates to the home are the granite kitchen countertops and the bathroom tiles, per Realtor. The bedrooms are also beautiful and sophisticated with modern touches. The backyard appears minimal, with space for an open patio with a lush fenced-in grassland that surrounds it. There's also an in-ground trampoline for children to play on.

Known for Hollywood films such as "Ordinary People" and "The Way We Were," including being legendary actor Paul Newman's sidekick, Robert Redford followed an additional path to Utah's pristine lands. The director purchased a parcel, formerly known as Timp Haven, in 1969 and cultivated it into what is now the Sundance Village. The artist became captivated by the area in the early 1950s when he traveled back home to Los Angeles from the University of Colorado. Already a ski dwelling, the area combines the arts and recreation community, especially with his distinguished Sundance Mountain Resort, per Dwell. Redford's colleague, Sterling Van Wagenen, established The Sundance Film Festival in 1978, becoming the largest independent film festival in the U.S. Inspired by the film festival he attended in Park City, Redford founded the Sundance Institute in 1981.

Actor, director, producer, and environmentalist, Robert Redford isn't afraid to go beyond anything less than excessive. Over the years, the artist has preserved about 1,845 out of 2,600 acres of his mountain resort, including partnering with Utah Open Lands to protect over 300 acres of untouched natural habitats, per Herald Extra. This spawned the creation of Redford Family Elk Meadows Preserve under Stewart Falls, which includes hiking and cross-country skiing trails. Even though Redford sold the ranch, along with the recent sale of the ski mountain resort in 2020, his mission of land preservation and the dream of Sundance remains for all who embrace it.