A 30-acre estate in Provo, Utah, inspired by The Lord of the Rings, has received a $5 million price cut and is now listed for $38 million, Realtor reported. The 32-room property was previously asking $43 million. It includes a nearly 23,000-square-foot main house, a 6,200-square-foot guesthouse, a private pond, waterfalls, pools, sports facilities and private trails.The estate is set in the South Fork of Provo Canyon, among Utah’s ski mountains. Listing agent Kerry Oman of Summit Sotheby’s International Realty said there had been interest from potential buyers, but none had decided to purchase the property. “We had some good activity,” Oman said. “Some very capable candidates came in to see it, but it didn’t work for them.”The price was then reduced to make the property more attractive to buyers. “We decided to make it more enticing to buyers,” Oman said. “We wanted it to be enough (of a drop) so that people would notice.” He described the 30-acre estate as “one of the most remarkable properties anyone has ever seen in Utah” and said, “It’s really pretty spectacular.”The property was originally designed for an owner who wanted a home influenced by The Lord of the Rings. According to Oman, the original owner worked with architect Michael Upwall and Magleby Construction to create the design. The house was completed in 2014, with features inspired by the fictional world appearing throughout the property.
A fantasy-inspired main house
The main house measures 22,958 square feet and has six bedrooms, seven full bathrooms and three partial bathrooms. Its design combines stone, reclaimed wood and large glass walls, while several details draw directly from the fantasy-inspired theme.At the entrance, a porte-cochere features large circular openings described as “hobbit circles” leading towards the front door. The house also has circular fireplaces and windows, including a short hobbit-inspired door in one of the bedrooms.Inside, the architectural features include reclaimed barn wood, stone quarried in Utah, double-height timber walls, a winding staircase, a floating hallway and vaulted ceilings. A three-storey library and office is located on the main level.The property also makes extensive use of its mountain setting. Large glass walls and circular openings provide views of the surrounding landscape. Many rooms look towards Mount Timpanogos, the second-highest peak in Utah’s Wasatch Range.“Besides the design influence of ‘Lord of the Rings,’ everything is centered on the views,” Oman said.The lower level of the main house adds several recreational spaces. It includes a large games lounge, a theatre, a bunkroom, a golf simulator, a gym, indoor basketball and racquetball courts and a climbing wall measuring more than 50 feet.
The property has an outdoor kitchen and covered areas for dining and relaxing. (Photo: Realtor)
Pond, guesthouse and waterfalls
The estate was bought by Julie and Greg Cook in 2017. The couple later made major additions to the property. Oman said they added a large pond, a guesthouse and waterfalls in 2019-20.“In 2019-20, they added a large pond and the guest house and the waterfalls,” Oman said. “It really enhanced the property.”The 6,200-square-foot guesthouse has two bedrooms and sits over a private 1.5-acre pond. The pond has a dock, streams, waterfalls and natural stone diving platforms. The estate also has an outdoor pool, multiple patios and terraces, expansive lawns and private trails.The guesthouse is described as a two-bedroom lake house, adding another living space separate from the main residence. The property also includes an eight-car garage, an outdoor kitchen, covered dining and lounging areas, multiple fireplaces, a bar, a sauna and a hot tub.Together, the main house and guesthouse provide the estate’s 32 rooms. The buildings sit on a 29.56-acre lot.
Close to Provo and ski resort
The estate is located in the South Fork of Provo Canyon. Oman said it is about 15 minutes from Provo and close to skiing. “It’s a side canyon. You’re really close to skiing. It’s 25 minutes from the Sundance resort, but you’re up on a bench,” he said.The property is also about 30 minutes from private airports, according to Oman. He said it is around 45 minutes from Salt Lake City and about an hour from the airport there.Greg Cook is a co-founder and executive at DoTerra, which sells essential oils and other wellness products. The couple also founded several nonprofit organisations, including the Cook Center for Human Connection, founded in 2020.
