GOLF GETAWAYS
By Danny and Alice Scott
BETWEEN BEND AND BOISE
SILVIES VALLEY RANCH IS ALL ABOUT GOLF, GOAT CADDIES, GREAT FOOD, GOOD TIMES Photos by Alice Scott
“mission and promise of caring for our environment, livestock, family and friends.” Dr. Scott Campbell and his wife, Sandy, returned to their Oregon ranch roots after opening over 900 Banfield vet clinics with PetSmart. They sold their shares and wheeled their fortune into a land venture with new goals — to create jobs, improve habitat and build tourism by sharing the American West lifestyle. The upshot is a fun-filled, 140,000-acre working ranch and golf retreat on deeded and leased National Forest and BLM lands in and surrounding Silvies Valley Oregon. .
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The key to your cart At check-in, guests saddle up in their own golf carts for transport around the ranch during their stay. Special lithium batteries and heightened suspension
40 | AZ GOLF Insider | ANNUAL 2018
orget the notion of a dude ranch, folks. Midway between Bend, Oregon, and Boise, Idaho, Silvies Valley Ranch and Retreat is a serious business with a
The clubhouse (above) includes a pro shop, bar, restaurant and open patio with panoramic views. Tours of John Hopper’s homestead (below) reflect the simple life of long ago.
propel a fast (really fast) ride over the terrain where cattle graze. Elk and pronghorn antelope herds also appear, safari style, on general manager Colby Marshall’s eco-tour. Also a native rancher and former D.C. environmentalist, Colby knows where the wildlife roam. He unravels yarns of history along the way, like how, long ago, the French paid fur trappers to eradicate 200,000 beavers to deter settlements. Beavers’ damming is pretty darn important for creating a spongy environment for vegetation growth. Dams washed out and the water table dropped, making it difficult for homesteaders. When the Campbells bought the property, they instituted a wetlands restoration project. Culvert systems fixed the water flow and the spongy meadow returned, along with deer, elk and birds. Now international foresters flock here to learn how to solve water issues. Remnants of seven homesteads reflect the 1800s heritage. The seven
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