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ACTIVITIES
ON THE RANCH
Klondike
Ranch runs 650 cow/calf pairs on 1800 scenic
acres and summer pastures high in the Bighorn
Mountains.
We are constantly riding on the herd, moving
to new pasture and checking the condition of the animals. When we're not
in the saddle, we're "doing chores": fencing, doctoring livestock,
cutting and baling hay, and irrigating pasturelands. Guests are invited
to assist with any of these activities. At Klondike anyone can learn to
rope, herd cattle, and repair barbed wire fence.
Adventures
on Horseback
Each guest
has his or her own saddle horse, well mannered and ready to go any time.
Many visitors like to explore the remote reaches of the ranch or ride
into the mountains and camp overnight under the stars.
Hot Tub
Come
soak away any hard-earned sore muscles after a long days ride. Chat
with friends or simply relax to the sound of nature.
Rodeos
Rodeo is
a popular local sport in Klondike country. Professional rodeos in Sheridan,
Buffalo, and Kaycee offer exciting competitive action featuring stars
on the national rodeo scene. Equally enjoyable and every bit as impressive
are local rodeos. Ranch families participate in these events. Our guests
greatly enjoy them.
Fishing
Klondike Ranch
offers superb angling for wild rainbow and German brown trout in scenic
Crazy Woman Creek. This lovely water is a true American "blue ribbon"
trout stream. The creek and private ponds produce memorable fighting fish
up to 23 inches. Klondike supplies fishing gear at no added charge.
Wildlife Viewing
and Photography
Klondike
Ranch is home to whitetail and mule deer, antelope, bald eagles, coyotes
(and the occasional rattlesnake!). In the Bighorns you may see elk, moose,
beaver, porcupine, and a tremendous variety of colorful birds. We recommend
that guests bring video and still cameras with telephoto lenses.
Sky Watching
Klondike
country boasts wonderful nighttime skies for guests who enjoy stargazing.
Our skies offer a nightly celestial spectacle of stars, constellations,
meteors and other objects, including the Milky Way, seldom visible in
urban settings.
Reliving
the History of the American Frontier
Johnson County,
Wyoming has been called the crucible of America's frontier history. A
number of the pivotal events in the settling of the West took place within
a few miles of Klondike Ranch.
Jim Gatchell Memorial
Museum
The Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum of the West (in Buffalo, 14 miles and
25 minutes north of Klondike Ranch). This remarkable "window on the
past" offers a unique portrait of the people and events of America's
frontier era. In 1900, Jim Gatchell opened a little drugstore in Buffalo,
just as the period was drawing to a close. His customers included famous
scouts, cowboys, lawmen and cattle barons. He was a trusted friend of
the region's Native Americans, many of whom fought at the Battle of the
Little Big Horn. The "Old Timers" gave Gatchell thousands of
priceless artifacts of the vanished frontier era.
After
Gatchell's death in 1954, his family generously donated the collection
to the people of Johnson County. The museum houses one of the richest
collections of frontier artifacts in the Rocky Mountain West. Fascinating
displays feature items from the Johnson County Cattle War, the Dull Knife
Battle, the Battle of the Little Big Horn, and every other significant
event in local history.
Fort Phil Kearny
In 1866, the
Army constructed and garrisoned Fort Phil Kearny, a few miles north of
here. The fort was built on the Bozeman Trail to protect travelers headed
to Montana's gold fields. Two famous battles (the Fetterman Fight and
the Wagon Box Fight) are associated with the fort. In 1868, after several
violent clashes with Indians, the Army closed the fort. Sioux warriors
burned it to the ground before the cavalry was out of sight.
The TA Ranch
In the late
1880s and early '90s, the Johnson County Cattle War dominated the local
stage. A classic confrontation between large cattlemen and small ranchers,
it climaxed at the TA Ranch, just five miles from Klondike Ranch. Here,
a band of armed Buffalo citizens, led by Sheriff Red Angus, surrounded
40 gunmen hired by big cattle interests. The outnumbered "Invaders"
were rescued and taken into custody by a troop of cavalry from Fort McKinney.
Hole-in-the-Wall
Country
The "Outlaw
Cave" (featured in the classic motion picture, "Butch Cassidy
and the Sundance Kid") is a favorite tour site for Klondike Ranch
guests. Visiting this hideout of the notorious Hole-in-the-Wall Gang is
a spectacular adventure.
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