We are an ecumenical retreat center and many of our guests hold religious affiliations, but everyone is welcome here. The founder of the Ranch, Maggie Kahin, said, “All are really God’s children. All will be received.” Guests come for a variety of reasons – hiking, horseback riding, fishing, programs given by renowned speakers, the community formed each week with other guests and our staff, the beautiful surroundings and the chance to renew their spirits.

   Our priority is to make the Ranch experience available to anyone who wishes to join us. Our guests help with dishes and clean and re-make their cabins at the end of sessions, allowing us to keep a smaller staff. Generous donations cover a portion of our operating expenses. If the fees are a burden, we have scholarship help available – please ask.

Guests arrive between 3 and 6 pm on Sundays at the start of a seminar week and depart the next Saturday morning. We have dinner at 6 pm on Sunday, followed by an orientation at 7:30 pm.

The rest of the week generally follows this schedule:

7:30 am Morning Prayer in Chapel

8:00 am Breakfast followed by brief meditation and announcements

9:30 am Morning activities: i.e. organized hikes, trail rides

12:30 pm Lunch

5:30 pm Sharing Time in Living Room (Guests are encouraged to lead)

6:00 pm Dinner

7:30-9:00 pm Seminars – Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

   Absolutely. Our wranglers match up riders to horses suitable to their experience and offer orientation rides at the beginning of each session. We tailor rides to age and experience levels. All of our horses are calm, friendly and experienced in trail exploration. More experienced riders are also welcome to ask for challenging rides as the week goes on.

   We also offer daily guided hikes, as well as canoeing and fishing on your own. Only two activities are required of guests: helping your dish group and cleaning and remaking your cabin before departure. All other activities—riding, canoeing, reading, hiking, fishing, napping, seminars, etc. — are up to you. More information is available on our Activities page

   The petroglyphs on the Ranch were drawn by the Sheepeater Indians from a few hundred to several thousand years ago as part of vision quest experiences. Seminar guests are welcome to view them whenever they wish but feel free to ask staff for a guided tour since some are difficult to find. Because the petroglyphs are such a significant archaeological and cultural feature, we allow limited access to them by non-Ranch guests: Only archeologists, American Indians, school and university groups, and groups organized through the Dubois Museum will be considered for permission to study the petroglyphs and our other cultural resources and any groups wishing to view the petroglyphs must obtain permission from the Ranch Director.

   Mostly definitely. In fact, families have been coming to the Ranch from the beginning. Many of our programs are interesting to kids and we have kid-friendly rides and hikes. Children 12 and under come at no charge! Please note, however, that we are not able to offer childcare services either during the day or during our evening seminars. 

   Please leave your pets in the safety of their own homes.

   We serve a variety of dishes, but all are tasty and filling. “The food is so good that I ate too much” is about the only complaint we hear. Let us know your special dietary needs from vegetarian to gluten intolerance; we always help.

   Rustic but comfortable. We recommend that you check them out for yourself. Click on The Ranch, and then the link to Cabins.

   Summers in Wyoming are usually dry, with occasional brief storms. Nighttime temperatures are generally in the 40’s and 50’s. Afternoons rarely get above high 80’s. With wide variation in temperatures throughout the days and weeks, it’s good to be prepared for either warm or cool weather.

   Guests come by both car and plane. We’re six hours driving time from Salt Lake City, eight hours from Denver, 20 hours from Minneapolis, and about the same from Seattle. The Jackson Hole airport is the largest airport near the Ranch, about a two hour drive away. We shuttle passengers to and from the Jackson Hole airport for a fee. Check the Travel link for more.

   Many guests find the Dubois Museum and the Big Horn Sheep Center interesting and informative. Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons are, of course, magnificent and two to three hours away. Hot springs and white water rafting are available in both Jackson and Thermopolis.

   Twenty minutes away, Dubois Clinic provides basic health care from M-F, 8-5 and a nurse practitioner has an office in town. Otherwise, hospitals in Riverton and Lander – 90 minutes away – are the closest. The majority of the staff are certified in CPR and trained in first aid.

   Weather is variable – warm days and cool nights are the rule, so layers are helpful. Click on The Ranch and then Supplies for a complete list of what to bring. We have laundry facilities on site, including a washer, dryer, clothesline, and laundry soap. There is a donation bucket in the laundry room to help us cover expenses.

   Depending on availability, we do offer a daily rate for guests who can only stay for a few days. If you want to come during a seminar week, we ask that you arrive with other guests on Sunday afternoon to participate in our orientation Sunday evening. We have a winterized cabin for off-season use.