Visiting Walnut Hollow Ranch
TL;DR: Walnut Hollow Ranch, a Harvest Hosts location in the Smoky Mountains, offers a unique RV camping experience with beautiful views, a working cattle farm tour, sustainable beef production, and various amenities for RVers and campers.
A Harvest Hosts membership offers members the unique opportunity to visit small businesses all across America and learn more about them. These businesses could include anything from a winery in Minnesota to an auto museum in Indiana or even an alpaca farm in Minnesota. With over 5000+ locations to choose from, the opportunities for overnight camping with no camping fees are truly endless. One such unique and enjoyable host location is Walnut Hollow Ranch.
Located in the scenic Nantahala area of the Smoky Mountains, this working cattle ranch welcomes all sorts of visitors. With a set of pastoral views perfectly framed by mountain ridges, this Harvest Hosts location is not to be missed. Continue on to learn all about this 155-acre farm, its history, and all there is to see and do when visiting.
The History of Walnut Hollow Ranch
Walnut Hollow Ranch informally began in 2001, when the farmland for the business was initially purchased. Hailing from New Jersey, Charlie Kissling, the owner, always had an interest in and admiration for cattle, quality food, and the mountains. The farm operation began to allow Charlie to pursue a career in agriculture. The first of his black angus herd arrived in 2005. Since then, the ranch has been raising cattle and producing all-natural, grass-fed beef year after year, and the rest is history.
The Business Today
In 2011, Walnut Hollow Ranch added agritourism to its list of offerings, transforming the business into what it is today. Currently, they operate a full RV campground with hookups or dry camping available. As far as activities to enjoy, farm visitors have so much to choose from.
One of the best parts of staying here is the opportunity to meet Charlie and learn about the ranch. Charlie especially enjoys introducing his ranch and sharing his wealth of knowledge about sustainable, regenerative management of productive pastures, genetics, animal husbandry, and environmental and conservation practices. He specifically prides himself on producing the highest-quality, boldest-tasting premium beef possible. Any questions you may have can be answered on a tour. At the farm store, you can also purchase various cuts of beef in small batches or bulk (advanced reservation suggested).