Tom Cruise Built a Ranch Nestled in the Forest & Escaped There to Raise Baby with Katie Holmes — Pics Inside

• Tom Cruise and his ex-wife, Katie Holmes, share daughter Suri Cruise.
• The couple raised Suri at Cruise's ranch in Telluride, Colorado.
• Suri's first publicized photos were taken in this estate that Cruise later sold.

Tom Cruise and his ex-wife, Katie Holmes, met in 2005. Shortly after they went public with their relationship, the two announced that they were engaged. The actor proposed to Holmes at a restaurant atop the Eiffel Tower.

Cruise and Holmes welcomed their daughter Suri on April 18, 2006, a few months before they got married. The two tied the knot in November 2006 in an extravagant ceremony and reception at an Italian castle.

Cruise opened up about his relationship with Holmes in an exclusive interview with Oprah Winfrey. He said that 12 hours after he and Holmes learned that they were expecting their first child, they went to see a doctor in the middle of the night for privacy reasons. Still, someone leaked the news that the actress was pregnant.

The leak didn't stop Cruise from wanting Holmes to experience privacy while pregnant, so he bought a sonogram machine, and they'd have a doctor come to their house to ensure Holmes had their baby as easily and safely as possible. Suri was born exactly one year to the day Cruise and Holmes went on their first date.

The actor admitted that he had wanted to be a father his whole life. Cruise wanted to be a dad who his kids could depend on. He dreamed that as a father, he would always be there for his kids and love them. The actor doesn't believe that a child can be spoiled with too much love. He noted:

"You can never give a child too much love. There is just no way."

When Suri was born, the couple didn't feel the need to release her pictures immediately. They ignored the media, who felt they were owed a look at their baby. Instead, the two enjoyed being parents and invited only close friends over. Cruise said they had taken pictures of Suri, whose name means red rose, and intended to release them when they were ready.

The "Top Gun" star's Colorado estate is full of sports-oriented amenities that befit an action movie actor.

Eventually, the couple released Suri's picture three months after she was born. The photos were released on the cover of Vanity Fair alongside an interview with the girl's parents. A portrait of Cruise, Holmes, and Suri taken on the hillside at the actor's 320-acre ranch in Telluride, Colorado, became the magazine's cover photograph.

Cruise and Holmes loved their privacy and wanted to raise their kid in a safe place away from the public eye. Cruise's ranch in Colorado, nestled in the forest, became a perfect escape place where the pair could enjoy family time with Suri.

Inside Cruise's Colorado Ranch

Cruise's 320-acre property is situated at the end of a gated mile-long driveway. A forest of aspen trees surrounds the road leading to the gate, while the thick snow creates an atmosphere of astounding natural beauty.

The mansion, which is located just 12 minutes from Telluride, borders a national forest on three sides. It provides tranquility, picturesque beauty, and privacy for those on a retreat. Since it's on top of an escarpment, the house gives guests the feeling that they are in a film.

The ranch sits at an angle atop the hillside, which allows its owner to look down at planes arriving at a nearby airport. The house's exterior is made of native stone and bleached cedar timbers that show its guests they will be warm despite the snow.

Cruise sold this Colorado home for $39.5 million just two months after it was listed. The property's listing agent, Dan Dockray of LIV Sotheby's International Realty, noted that the ranch was in contract approximately one week after its listing. Dockray added that the estate is awesome, unconventional, has no match, and was priced in a range that made it lucrative.

Telluride also doesn't have many estates with costs above $20 million. Even in cases when such assets are present, they are not subject to bidding wars like Cruise's property. People are also loving the idea of living in areas such as Telluride, especially after the pandemic led to many moving away from densely populated zones such as New York City and Los Angeles.

Cruise spent several years designing and building the native stone-and-cedar home on the ranch. The mansion, which was completed in 1994, years before the actor met Holmes, is approximately 10,000 square feet. The four-bedroom house is planned in a typical mountain format, with wood-beamed ceilings, wood-paneled walls, and stone fireplaces.

The stone fireplaces promise warmth in the cold snow. The house also has a guaranteed flow of light and fresh air due to its generous windows and the general air of open-plan living. Several cozy corners are in this house, which is made of uniquely paneled walls and sleek, artfully designed vaulted ceilings.

Cruise, Holmes, and their family used to spend long hours in the kitchen, dining room, and living room. The family room has a huge stone fireplace made by local craftsmen. The quiet mountain estate has six bathrooms, a spa, a recreation room, a gym, a library, and an office.

The mellow bedrooms give one a blissful night's sleep, and in the morning, sun-filled terraces provide the perfect spot to take a morning coffee and breathe in the mountain air. Other guests can have their meals at the dining table of this magnificent mountain masterpiece as they play games.

The ranch also contains a 1,600-square-foot three-bedroom and three-bath guesthouse. Cruise's family used to call the guesthouse the "bunkhouse" as it is developed like the main quarters amid stands of aspen, which the locals refer to as "quakies." The actor's massive home also hosts a three-car garage.

The "Top Gun" star's Colorado estate is full of sports-oriented amenities that befit an action movie actor. Some of the sports features are a large court for ice hockey, tennis, and basketball, a track for a dirt bike and snowmobile, and a wide network of trails for hiking, snowshoeing, and all-terrain vehicles.

The trails are special because they give one gated access to tens of thousands of acres surrounding the national forest and stunning views of a 14,000-foot mountain peak. The first publicized picture of Suri with her parents was taken up the mountains near this splendid estate.

The 61-year-old actor's mansion hosted many of Holmes' family members after she gave birth, including her parents and her brother and sisters and their kids. Cruise's mom, his sister, and their children were also present.

Cruise and his family had a favorite spot in the mansion called the "Lookout." This place gave a magnificent view of Wilson Peak and was where the actor's family held their cookouts. Everyone would gather at the fire pit—where stones were placed and curated by the kids, sit around the fire, chat, and share tales while relaxing on axed timber benches.

The family did various things at the Lookout. One night, they'd do hot dogs and s'mores, and another night, a barbeque followed by 39 flavors of ice cream. They also almost ate every meal together. The kids brought the mansion alive as they flopped around the master bedroom, making jokes, chatting, and just hanging out.

Cruise and Holmes had created a beautiful and loving home where they lived as a family in the Colorado mansion. Unfortunately, the two parted ways after their divorce. Cruise has also sold the house, where they made many memories as a family with their daughter Suri.