Elk Creek Ranch is a traditional wilderness summer camp for teenagers, located on a working ranch in the Absaroka Mountains outside Cody, Wyoming. The Ridgway family has operated the ranch since 1957 — nearly 70 years — making it one of the longest-running family-owned ranch camps in the country. Our program centers on horsemanship, ranch work, and backcountry wilderness experiences. Campers (we call them "ranchers") live without cell phones or screens, sleep in rustic cabins, and spend their days riding, working with horses, fishing, hiking, and learning to be part of a small, close-knit community. Sessions run four weeks, and we keep our numbers small — typically 25 to 30 ranchers per session — so every kid is known and looked after.

Elk Creek has been in the Ridgway family for three generations. Hap Ridgway's parents started the ranch in 1957, and Hap and his late wife Susan ran it for decades. Today, Hap's daughters Melissa Stanley, Kyle Bishop, and Alyson Ridgway direct the program while raising the next generation of Ridgways on the same land. When you call or email, you're talking to the family — not a corporate office.

A few things set us apart. First, this is a real working ranch, not a riding academy or a camp with a horse program attached. Ranchers are each assigned their own horse for their entire session — they're responsible for that horse's care, and the bond they build is one of the most meaningful parts of the summer. Second, our setting is genuinely remote: the ranch sits at the end of a dirt road in the Sunlight Basin, surrounded by the Shoshone National Forest and grizzly bear country. There are no strip malls nearby, no distractions — just mountains, meadows, and the creek. Third, continuity matters here. Many of our counselors are former ranchers who grew up at Elk Creek, and some of our current campers are children of alumni. The culture has been built over nearly seven decades, and it's something families feel the moment they arrive.

No. We welcome complete beginners and experienced riders alike, and most of our ranchers arrive with little or no riding background. Because each camper is paired with their own horse based on their ability and temperament, the program meets every rider where they are. Beginners learn to saddle, bridle, and ride confidently over the course of the session. Experienced riders are challenged with more advanced work — longer mountain rides, helping move cattle, and refining their horsemanship. By the end of four weeks, even first-time riders are typically comfortable loping across a meadow.

Days at the ranch follow a rhythm that hasn't changed much in nearly 70 years. Mornings start with breakfast in the cookhouse, followed by work crew — ranchers rotate through different projects over the course of the month, from mending fences to clearing trails to helping around the barn. After lunch, the afternoon is spent riding — trail rides into the mountains, arena work, or helping wrangle horses. Evenings mean dinner together and an activity like volleyball or square dancing. Saturdays are special: an all-day ride with a packed lunch, exploring the backcountry on horseback, followed by a campfire sing after dinner — with lots of participation and sharing. Sundays are for relaxing: fishing, hiking, swimming, target and skeet shooting, then an early barbecue dinner followed by a soccer game in the horse pasture. Two or three times a session, ranchers head out on overnight pack trips into the backcountry — camping under the stars in some of the most remote wilderness in the lower 48. There are no scheduled "activity periods" with sign-up sheets. The week unfolds naturally, the way life does on a working ranch.

Many families find that the ranch environment is exactly what their child needs. Without phones, social media, or screens of any kind, ranchers reconnect with the physical world — and with themselves. The daily routine of caring for a horse, being outdoors all day, and being part of a small community provides natural structure without feeling clinical. We've seen kids who struggle in traditional school settings absolutely thrive at the ranch. The work is real, the responsibilities are meaningful, and the sense of accomplishment is tangible. We're not a therapeutic program, but the environment itself is deeply restorative, and we're happy to talk with families about whether it's a good fit for their child.

Ranchers are typically between 13 and 17 years old. Our average age is around 15. We occasionally accept mature 12-year-olds, particularly if they have prior sleepaway camp experience, but we like to speak with families first to make sure it's the right time. Campers who have attended at least two sessions over two summers and are 15 or older may apply for our Leadership Program.

The ranch is in the Sunlight Basin of northwestern Wyoming, about 45 minutes from Cody. We're at roughly 7,000 feet, surrounded by the Shoshone National Forest and the Absaroka Range, with Yellowstone National Park nearby. There is a small airport in Cody, but most campers fly in and out of Billings, Montana, about 120 miles away — it's much easier for coordinating group travel. We coordinate group travel for all campers through a flight agent, so families don't need to worry about getting their kids to a remote location.