Highland Ranch: From Empty Land to 80% Occupancy in One Season

Highland Ranch sits on 80 acres near Glacier National Park. Jon Leonardo's goal was simple: build a premium outdoor experience that felt genuinely different. He found the product in Jupe.

"We saw the design and knew immediately it was something people would want to stay in."

Units were delivered, placed over a long weekend, and listed on Airbnb. By late May, Highland Ranch was open - no construction delays, no permanent build required.

$232 average nightly rate.

~80% occupancy.

100+ five-star reviews.

First season.

Guest response was strong from day one. Only two four-star reviews all season, both tied to minor operational issues unrelated to the units. One guest was so taken with the experience she went home, found land in another state, and ordered 10 Jupes - replicating the Highland Ranch model entirely.

Jupe addressed three things Jon needed: off-grid capability, ease of setup, and a genuinely differentiated guest experience. In a business full of moving parts, the Jupes turned out to be the one thing that simply worked.

"There are a million unknowns when you're starting something like this. These units were never one of them."

Near Glacier, rain regularly pushes campers out of the park and onto Airbnb. Guests who didn't want a wet tent but still wanted to be outdoors found exactly what they were looking for at Highland Ranch. What most operators treat as a liability became one of their most consistent demand drivers.

"Every time it rained, we sold out."

The units held up well across Montana's range of conditions. Jon left one standing through winter to test durability. No issues - year-round potential is real.

Flexibility was another advantage that paid off in ways Jon didn't fully anticipate. Jupe requires no foundation and leaves no permanent footprint, which meant Highland Ranch didn't need a complete master plan before it could start generating revenue. Units went where they made sense that first season. Now, as the team maps out a full buildout across all 80 acres, they'll move to wherever the plan calls for them.

"The beauty of Jupe is you can pick them up and move them. Nothing's permanent, nothing damages the land."

In year two, the site expanded. The Jupes scaled without issue. The operations took more work to keep up with.

"Doubling the units quadrupled the work."

For first-time operators, Jon's advice is straightforward: 10 units is a profitable, manageable operation for one strong person. The units aren't the limiting factor. The business around them is what needs to grow.

Two seasons in, Highland Ranch is planning year-round programming - corporate retreats, winter events, weddings - and expanding further. It's a real hospitality business, built without a single permanent structure, profitable from its first summer.