Paradise Guest Ranch in Wyoming caters to big family groups with lots of youthful energy
By Eileen Ogintz
Caylee LeFan, the youngest of four siblings, was just four when her family first came to Paradise Guest Ranch near the town of Buffalo in the northern Wyoming. Now she’s 34. She’s here for the 14th time with her husband, three kids ages 13, 7, and 3, and her parents, siblings, their kids, and grandkids—21 of them.
“I’ve been all over the world and this is my favorite place,” she said.
Her mom and dad, Martha and Larry Walker, explained that with kids and grandkids and great grandkids spread all over the country, it’s difficult to get everyone together at the same time at the same place. It takes more than a year of planning but it’s well worth the effort, the family agreed.
“We treat them but we are really treating ourselves to have everyone together,” Martha Walker said. “It is the joy of watching them enjoy themselves.”
Caylee LeFan added there is something for each family member to do, whether riding, fishing, hiking, joining the kids’ activities (today is the kids’ rodeo!) “I don’t have to worry about my kids here. You can let them run loose, you can’t do that at home,” she said. “It is a completely stress free vacation.”
And that’s not always the case when traveling with extended family. Here there are no arguments about who is cooking or cleaning up, who gets to pick the activity of the day or who is picking up the dinner tab.
Kevin Walsh came solo from Ohio with his two granddaughters Remi Plant, 11, and Lila Lant, 9. “They’ve never experienced anything like this,” he said. “They have never seen mountains.” The ranch borders the Big Horn National Forest, including Wyoming’s highest peak. While the girls ride and join their newfound friends at the kids’ activities, he does his own thing, he said, working out, reading by the pool. “One night every single kid was playing outside…no electronics. It was great to see.”
On the last full day at the ranch, the kids performed in a “rodeo” of sorts. At various skill levels they demonstrated skills they had picked up in barrel and pole racing. One of the littlest ones, a girl about 3 years-old, fell asleep on her pony after finishing her barrel race and had to be carried out of the arena. But she woke up in time for the last event – finding the kids boots scattered about the arena by the wranglers. Everyone left with smiles on their faces, and the prospect of the popular Saturday Night Steak Dinner in mind.
Remi Plant opined that the kids’ overnight was her favorite activity; Her younger sister loved the swing dancing and the chance to paint her face — and her horse for the kids’ rodeo. “I want to come back,” Remi Plant said.
They just might. Ask Lilly Bryant. At 19, she’s working here-as two of her older sisters did—bringing along a friend Grace Brockenbrough to work here too.
Bryant, who is from North Carolina, said she first started coming here with her family before she was in 1st grade. “I have such good memories here,” she said.
That’s the point of course. Barb Lessner, widowed last year, decided to bring her three kids and grandkids from Wisconsin. They last were here as a family in the mid 1990s. Her grandkids, who range from 13-8 are the right ages, she said. (Though this is one of the rare ranches that has day care for young kids, they must be six to ride on their own. And while the family all live in Wisconsin, they are all busy so “it’s nice to have quality time together.”
“It’s nice to have an active vacation,” observed Jason Lessner, “Rather than just sitting around the whole week.”
It’s also a plus to be away from electronics—for adults as well as the kids, said Lisa Walbridge, here with her family from Seattle for the first time. If there isn’t good Wi-Fi or cell service, she said, her office can’t disrupt her vacation. She and her husband are already thinking of which friends might want to join them next time.
This week there were 37 adults, 4 teens (13-17) 18 kids (6-12) and three 3-5 year-olds – 62 guests in all. The maximum number typically is around 7, with families spread out in 18 cabins that range from one to four bedrooms. (That helps, one son in law said, for each family to have their own space
Marie and Antonio Castilleja’s two girls are Larry and Martha walker’s great grandchildren. Marie Castilleja is especially appreciative of the organized kids’ activities that give her and her husband some adult time with plenty of family time as well. “It’s exactly the same as when I was a kid,” she said.
And these days, you can’t say that about too many places.