Dude Ranching

Here we were, camped out with a front row view of the Grand Tetons. With a view like that out our front door, we thought we would take some time to see some of the more historical places instead. It was another one of those cloudy, rain-filled days, but between the rain showers, we managed to see several historic buildings. In this post, we would like to share one of those places: the Bar B C Dude Ranch. The other sights from this tour we will save for another time.

We made our way down Cottonwood Creek Road, bumping over rocks and bouncing through puddles, until we came to a small parking area. The road continues down the hill onto the river plain and the location of the former Bar B C Ranch, but a gate blocked the way down. We peered over the bank, and it appeared that there were only a couple buildings and a corral. Tom decided to stay with the girls in the the truck as it was steeper than he’d like to trod in wet conditions with his bum ankle while I hiked down the hill to take a few photos. Once at the bottom, I was astonished to find more and more buildings tucked in and among the trees. I wandered around the tall grass and sagebrush, getting soaked in the process, but wanting to keep looking around each corner to see if there was more. In all there were about 30 buildings left of the 100 that were there in its heyday. The ones that stick out are the main lodge with the stone fireplace, the guest cabins with sod roofs, and one building off by itself with an old car frame resting next to it. The Grand Teton mountains provide a great backdrop for the location, but today they were in the clouds. The place was something Tom should have seen, so when we had another day, with sunny skies, we went back for him to experience it and to get more pictures with the mountains in the background.

Most of the buildings are log construction, but some are framed and sided with boards. Almost all seem to be rundown and in disrepair. Some are collapsing, while others are being fixed up. On some buildings, they are pouring concrete foundations to hold up the posts and while it takes away from the historical accuracy, at least they are saving the buildings. I wonder if a group of people could volunteer to restore the buildings in a shorter amount of time before they wither away completely. It is a shame that they have to board up and lock all the buildings to prevent people from destroying them. It was nice not to see any defacing like is seen in other parks, such as names and initials carved or written, irreparably scarring them.

The Bar B C Dude Ranch was started in 1912 and welcomed guests until 1985, but its heyday was in the 1920’s. It was the most famous dude ranch in Jackson Hole. They could host 50 “dudes” at a time, many who were wealthy guests from the east coast. For $300 a month, they gave them a quaint cowboy experience.

A few days ago, I mentioned that as a child, I really wanted a horse. Unfortunately, Dad said that once he got his first tractor, he no longer wanted to work with horses, so my wish for a horse was declined. It has me wondering if my frugal side should be hushed in favor of being a guest working at a dude ranch for a week. Would it be like in the movie City Slickers or would my farming roots pull through.

We also wondered if adults should get an allowance each week. You could decide to spend it at once or save it up for something bigger, like a helicopter ride, concert, or a small-plane ride in Alaska. What would you do with an allowance? Let us know if you think adults should get one and what you would spend it on.

Today was a good day, nice and sunny, with a light breeze, which was not too strong most of the day. We got some research done on the computer, a few things ordered, and takeout Thai food for dinner.

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