Wickens Ranch Lodge - Winifred

Established in 1912 the Wickens family was one of the first to stake their claim in Central Montana. Four generations later we are still here carrying on the traditions started with that original homestead. Through the years we have expanded our cattle operation to include an outfitting and a summer ranch vacation business. We feel God has blessed us and given us the unique opportunity to make a living from the land and we take pleasure in sharing it with others.

If you¿ve been looking for a real hands-on working ranch vacation, the Wickens Ranch is the place for you. We are not your typical dude ranch; we take pride in offering a true working ranch experience, no head to tail riding or strict schedules to stick to. While at the ranch you will have the opportunity take part in the everyday workings of a real cattle ranch, each day there will be new riding opportunities as well as cattle work and daily chores. The week will be spent riding alongside our experienced cowboy crew gathering and trialing cattle to new pasture, sorting and branding calves, scattering bulls and even fixing some fence. You will have plenty of freedom with your mount; throughout the week you will also be receiving guidance about proper horsemanship and cattle handling techniques. We take a maximum of six guests at a time so there is no shortage of personal attention or opportunities to get involved and get your hands dirty.

The Horses

All the horses are our own personal ranch horses that will be chosen for you based on your ability. We have the old tried and true horses for the beginners and faster cow horses for the more advanced. We recommend that all guests have some prior riding experience before they arrive. Guest safety is our number one concern; having some prior riding experience helps ensure everyone has a safe enjoyable vacation.

Accommodations

In 2007 we build a new lodge primarily for our outfitting business, in the summer it doubles as lodging for ranch guests. The lodge has all the amenities of home; three private bedrooms, loft, two bathrooms, full kitchen, rock fireplace and laundry facilities. In addition to the lodge we do overnight trips where wall tents and range tipis makeup the accommodations.

Meals

We guarantee you won¿t go hungry around here. Three generous meals a day will be provided; all our beef is home raised and cooked over the open fire.

After the work is done

After the days work is done evenings are spent around the campfire rehashing the events of the day while local musicians provide nightly entertainment. Throughout the week we will take time to explore the historical aspects of the area looking through the remains of old homesteads and scouring the badlands for dinosaur bones.