When Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid hit international movie screens in 1969, Robert Redford was propelled into the limelight. Over 50 years later, the veteran Oscar-winning actor is still making waves in the industry. Now, Redford's long-term Utah ranch is on the market, giving us a fascinating glimpse inside the private life of one of Hollywood's most enduring stars. For sale for a cool $4.9 million (£3.5m), could you be the next owner of Robert Redford's equestrian estate?
Known as Horse Whisper Ranch, the property was named after Redford's 1998 movie The Horse Whisperer, and can be found in Charleston, Utah. Redford first started buying land in the area in the 1960s and some of those parcels went on to become the iconic Sundance Mountain Resort, which he established in 1969 and sold last year. Horse Whisper Ranch is positioned 16 miles north of Sundance and the community's iconic film festival – Redford was the first chairman of the festival board when it was founded in 1978.
The home's location is perfect for those looking to find their own private hideaway at a distance from the hustle and bustle. With rolling rural landscapes, an abundance of outdoor activities and plenty of culture right on its doorstep, the property offers the perfect balance between seclusion and connection. Redford purchased the property in 1996 for an undisclosed sum, as a place for his horses to graze during the winter months. Originally established back in 1914, it offers no end of space and potential.
The estate's main residence is a turn-of-the-century farmhouse that's cosy and inviting. Spanning just 1,460 square feet, the modest single-storey residence isn't your typical celebrity spread, but it's certainly a comfortable rural home with character.
Inside, the ranch house is modern and light-filled, with stylish furnishings, generous ceilings and a laid-back colour palette. Step through the front door and you'll find yourself in an attractive living room. There's also a family room with a floor-to-ceiling river rock fireplace, a space that Redford is said to have loved spending time in, according to People.
Elsewhere you'll find a spacious kitchen with an eat-in breakfast bar, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. Rustic wooden cabinetry and flagged floors impart a rustic farmhouse feel to the homey space. Plus, the wide picture window offers gorgeous views across the backyard and dramatic mountains.
The modest celebrity home features two bedrooms and two bathrooms, each smartly presented. Yet with an abundance of land outside the front door, there's plenty of room for development and expansion, should the lucky new owner decide to make some changes.
The fabulous farmhouse also features a charming garden surrounded by mature trees. The veteran actor married his second wife, painter Sibylle Szaggars, in 2009, and the pair will have undoubtedly soaked up the scenic views together at the picturesque property. Ideal for a family, the outdoor space is home to a sprawling lawn, an outdoor seating area and a sunken trampoline that Redford's grandchildren likely made plenty of use of over the years.
Yet the farmhouse isn't Horse Whisper Ranch's only asset. The 30-acre working ranch is home to a total of seven structures – some of which could be converted into additional guesthouses, or utilised for agricultural or commercial purposes.
Amongst the array of outbuildings, there's a garden house, a woodshop, an oversized garage with plenty of space for storing boats or an RV, and a beautiful hay barn, which could even be converted into a spectacular family home.
The spacious 3,200-square-foot woodshop is a beautifully appointed workspace, thanks to its rustic timber floors, large workbenches and wooden storage cubbies. Filled with light, it's the ultimate spot for cabinet making, joinery or carpentry and could even be leased out to a local craftsman.
There's an almost 2,000-square-foot garden hobby house on the property too, which is suited to a number of different uses, from retail to residential. Complete with its own kitchen and bathroom, the annexe boasts high ceilings and decorative natural timber fixtures, as well as plenty of windows that flood the spaces with light.
This particular room is already set up as a retail space, so an entrepreneurial new owner could open up a farm shop, coffee shop or even a store selling local wares and artisan products, as well as offering tours of the estate and perhaps renting out some of the outbuildings to keen travellers.
Already equipped for commercial purposes, the garden hobby house would make a perfect winery or brewery too since there's plenty of land on the property for growing grapevines or hops. What's more, the acreage comes equipped with an irrigation canal to make watering crops a breeze. The ultimate home with a job thrown in, the possibilities for Horse Whisper Ranch are endless.
Elsewhere, you'll find everything equestrian fans could possibly need to cater for a stable of horses. As well as expansive horse stalls, there are also ample pastures for grazing and an outdoor riding arena.
Much like some of Redford's on-screen characters, horses have been an important part of his life since he was a child, so saying goodbye to his equestrian estate, and perhaps the horses that reside there, will likely be a difficult move for the veteran actor. It's unclear whether the animals are included in the sale of the ranch, or if Redford will be taking them with him when it finally sells.
"For the last 25 years, my family and I have loved and embraced this ranch as a base for our horse program, running clinics and serving as a home for our many beloved horses," Redford told Mansion Global. "Looking ahead, we want to focus on expanding the facilities at our ranch located at Sundance in nearby Provo Canyon."
Redford's long-term rural ranch would have been the perfect place for the silver screen legend to escape the paparazzi and the pressures of Hollywood over the decades. Having served him well as a shelter from the spotlight, change appears to be on the cards for Redford and his family, especially in the wake of the star's health problems in recent years.
Now starting to downsize his property portfolio, The Old Man & the Gun star sold his life-long, 2,600-acre Sundance Mountain Resort for an undisclosed sum in 2020. Yet Mansion Global confirmed that Redford still owns approximately 1,800 acres of land in Utah, including his family home in Sundance. The legendary actor is also said to own properties in California and Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Yet saying goodbye to this breathtaking view will be no easy task. Positioned on the edge of Deer Creek Reservoir and the Provo River, the ranch boasts unobstructed views of Mount Timpanogos and Wasatch Mountain State Park, which is located right next door. If you've fallen in love with Robert Redford's rural oasis, you can find the listing details with Windermere Real Estate.
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