The Paintrock Canyon Ranch is located at the western base of the Bighorn Mountains. The ranch’s 80,000 acre range extends toward Cloud Peak, the highest mountain in the Bighorns, and is characterized by creeks, springs, meadows, and canyon walls reaching thousands of feet above. It is teeming with rich populations of elk, deer, turkey and bobcat. Paintrock Creek, the largest aquifer coming from the Bighorns, is home to some of the best trout fly fishing in northern Wyoming. 

Stays are designed to intimately explore and experience the natural world and this unique landscape. Our goal is to put you as close as we can to the heartbeat of the Paintrock Creek and Canyon, as well as the red wall of hills that Native Americans lived and thrived in. You will leave with a deep understanding of the rich history of the area and the important role that ranching plays in restoring our natural resources, while exploring nooks and crannies that only a few people have ever seen.

Bring your own horse - Stalls are available on-site for riders bringing their own horse. Please read the Guest Horse Guidelines if you plan to bring your horse!

Guests cannot bring their own horses on pack trips.

All levels welcome

From beginners to advanced riders, rides on the ranch can accommodate everyone in between.  Horses will be in Western tack. Accompanying non-riders are welcome for ranch stays. 

Riders on pack trips should have at least a basic knowledge of horses and riding.

The terrain changes from deep orange and burgundy sandstone hills to monolithic rock formations to high mountain meadows, pine forests and lakes. 

The accommodations at Paintrock Canyon Ranch are designed to put you as close to nature as possible, but with all the comforts of home. Large, safari style tents are stylishly furnished with full-sized beds, bedside tables, dressers and chairs. These sturdy, elegant tents are located next to the Paintrock creek at the entrance to the spectacular Paintrock Canyon. Ranch Vacation guests will spend five nights in the creekside accommodation. Pack trip guests will spend the first and second night of their stay in these tents before heading out to the backcountry, and will then return for their final evening on the ranch. For guests continuing from the ranch onto a Pack Trip, you can expect a more typical backpacking style camp with single person tents.

The Ranchlands dining experience features ranch-to-table gourmet meals, featuring traditional comfort foods with a modern twist, and providing an organic encounter with cuisine. Meals are prepared by a private chef and incorporate Ranchlands beef and local produce and dairy whenever possible. 

2026 Dates:

• May 17-22 - Ranch Stay

• June 7-12 - Ranch Stay

• October 4-9 - Ranch Stay

Enjoy 5 nights on the ranch and 4 days of riding amongst the varying ecosystems the Paintrock Canyon Ranch has to offer. Take a long canter to the top of Lumen Canyon or Courthouse Rock. Spend the afternoon learning about the 2,000 year old Native American petroglyphs at the nearby Medicine Lodge Archaeological Site or fly fish in one the many fishing holes near camp. Itineraries are completely customizable and all activities are optional, so you can get as involved in ranch life as you like, or relax and take it easy.

Limited to ten guests per week.

2026 Dates:

• August 30-September 4

• October 11-16

Spend four days completing five different rides, taking in the vast and varying landscapes of the ranch and surrounding area. Canter through the Red Hills at sunset, ride all the way up Paintrock Canyon to the Bighorn Basin, and spread out to trot through sagebrush fields below the Red Wall. Explore new trails and see parts of the ranch that are only reachable on longer and faster paced rides.

This week is designed for advanced riders who are comfortable at a walk, trot, and canter in open spaces and in a group.

2026 Dates:

• May 31-June 5

Sessions in composition, color theory, and creative practice — held both en plein air and in the studio — with studies of horses and other living beings of the ranch.

Expect daily inspiration from the landscape itself: the rolling meadows, rushing streams, and carved, colorful valleys that you’ll translate back into your work. Open to artists at any level, the workshop is built to help you refine technique while deepening your understanding of your own creative process.

2026 Dates:

• Write with Molly Wizenberg: June 14-19

• Write with Laurel Braitman and Larissa FastHorse: July 5-10

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:

• 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. 

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+