I have a mild obsession with discovering new fun things to do around Black Butte Ranch… and I’m amazed that even after decades of coming here, I keep adding to my list! I’ll share some fun ideas, but don’t hesitate to reach out for something more personalized to your group.
You can’t have an outdoor fire on the ranch (besides gas fire pits), but just south of the ranch is Graham Corral Horse Camp. It’s a summer park for those who like to camp and ride horses and it has a number of fire pits. In the winter the park is closed for camping, but you can still use the fire pits… and it’s a very short walk from the ranch.
If you drive South on Hawksbeard towards the back of the ranch until it T intersects with Mahonia. Take a left and stay on Hawksbeard and just when the meadow on your left opens back up, notice a notch in the fence line on your right where a walking path starts. During the winter when there’s snow, a fun thing to do is to send someone out early to get a roaring fire going (there is often wood you can find there… or bring your own). Then tell the rest of the group you have a surprise night walk (be prepared for the normal groans and demands to know more… don’t give in). Drive to the trailhead and park on the side of the road.
Hand out a few flashlights and someone who is in on it and knows the trail, leads the group into the dark wintery forest. It’s a sensory experience… the blanket of white snow, cool air, not a sound to be heard or a light to be seen anywhere… until… you catch a faint glow of a fire in the distance. There waiting for your group is hot chocolate and the makings for smores! Have a few questions to toss around the group… there’s a sweet intimacy when you’re all gathered around a fire on a cold night. You’ll have the entire place to yourself… it’s a unique, unexpected experience… and one that they will be talking about long after the fire has gone out!
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