2026 Dates:

• COMING SOON

7-night Pack Trips give guests the opportunity to explore the Paintrock Canyon Ranch before heading into the backcountry of the Bighorn National Forest on horseback. Spend the first two nights in the creekside safari tents and take a day ride on your first full day to become familiar with your horse before riding into the mountains. Day three will begin early to start the trip up the canyon with the pack horses, making our way to the mountain camp at the foot of Cloud Peak. Nights three through six will be spent in the Bighorn Basin. Mountain camp is simple but comfortable, and is based out of backpacking tents but complete with the comforts of a hot shower and meals prepared by a private chef over a campfire. Days will be spent visiting surrounding lakes, hiking and riding miles of trails, and riding out to the Ranchlands cow camp to spend the day with the ranch team. Evenings will be spent around the fire with new friends under a carpet of stars. The trip will end by packing back down the Canyon to cap the week with a farewell dinner and the historic Paintrock Inn for one last night sharing stories.

2025 Dates:

• September 28-October 3

2026 Dates:

• September 27-October 2

Join artist Katie Rodgers for a five-night creative retreat at the Paintrock Canyon Ranch. Learn the art of seeing and translating your vision to paper while surrounded by dramatic western landscapes. Host Katie Rodgers will lead sessions exploring composition, color theory, and creativity, to help you connect to your own creative process. 

2025 Dates:

• Write with Pam Houston: October 12-17

2026 Dates:

• Write with Molly Wizenberg: June 14-19

Join renowned writers for a five-night retreat at the Paintrock Canyon Ranch, where – amidst the dramatic western landscape, inspired by horseback rides that lead us worlds away from our regular lives – we’ll cultivate, harness, and make writing driven by our obsessions.

When we write about our own lives, many of us get stuck on the same worry: “Why would anyone care about my story?” Of course we want our work to be read, and we want it to matter, to connect deeply with readers. But the tricky paradox of writing personal stories is that our work has the greatest potential to speak to a broad range of readers when, against our impulses, we aim not to interest everyone; we must write as the very specific and idiosyncratic people we really are. Humans are endlessly weird and intriguing, each of us operating according to our own set of impulses, fears, and ruling passions. For a writer, those obsessions can power a whole life’s work.

If obsession isn’t a word that resonates, call it fascination, infatuation, preoccupation, hang-up – whatever you name them, the things that captivate you are a source of energy that is uniquely yours. They can guide and help you explore the questions that propel you in writing and in life.

2026 Dates:

• May 24-29

Traditionally, blacksmiths often forged small knives for everyday use. These would have been carried in a sheath on the belt — handy for cutting rope, foraging, skinning small game or used at mealtime for eating. They are some of the simplest knives that have been made by smiths for hundreds of years and are either a single piece of high carbon steel or sometimes laminated and fitted with a plain wooden handle. This is the perfect place to start for anyone interested in knife making and blacksmithing in general. Over the course of the workshop, guests will learn the basics of traditional blacksmithing through the process of making a small hidden tang blade, heat treating it and grinding to an edge. A pre-made handle will be supplied for fitting, as well as a leather sheath. 

No previous experience is required.

2026 Dates:

• Fundamentals of Horsemanship: June 21-26

• Stockmanship: June 28-July 3

Spend a week honing your horsemanship skills with renowned horseman Cameron Schryver. Cam is two-time World Champion Extreme Cowboy and all those that have had the pleasure of riding with him know that his teaching methods are clear, practical and above all, fun. By applying working ranch horsemanship and riding by feel, you will leave the week feeling a deeper connection to the horse and will better understand how to communicate, developing a better handle. The days are spent in small groups with one-on-one horsemanship instruction from Cam, educational demonstrations and using the landscape as your arena, as well as rides out on the ranch with our wranglers, putting the skills into practice.

2026 Dates:

• September 20-25

Celebrate Harvest Season at Paintrock Canyon with a special Ranch Vacation celebrating an immersive journey into the world of food and wine. Ride across the ranch during the day, and return to camp in the afternoon to explore the art of tasting and pairing. Through guided tastings, learn how the deep connection between the vines and the land shapes each wine’s distinct character. Meals will highlight local produce and dairy, Ranchlands meat, and a curated selection of wines from America and around the world.

This week is 21+