TripAdvisor Traveler Rating based on
129 reviews
Pioneer hospitality and an Oregon Horse Ranch vacation near John Day Oregon await you at this Fossil, Oregon Bed & Breakfast. Immerse yourself in a peaceful ranch environment rich in history and love on a 9,000 acre working cattle and hay ranch in the beautiful Butte Creek Valley, three miles West of Fossil, Oregon.
We had an amazing stay at the Wilson Ranch Retreat! The accommodations are rustic but comfortable and spotless. Getting to ride along the family to bring in the cattle from the pasture was THE highlight of our stay. If you ever wonder where your grass-feed, pasture-raised, low-stress beef comes from, check out Wilson Ranch Retreat! We learned a ton about ranching in Oregon from Kara at the family-style breakfast. This will become a regular trip for our family!
The place is located in a very nice area about 3 hours from Portland. We stayed in one of the rooms which most of them share bathrooms in the house. The horses are fantastic! And every ride was just a bliss in terms of scenery, security and helping. Everybody was so welcoming and calm. We could also help gathering the cattle which was such a reminder what it takes to produce natural and good meat. Kids are welcome and have lots of space to run around. The family breakfast is so rich you don't need anything else the full day. Why wasn't it perfect and I don't give an excellent. Simply because the kitchen is outside. You must not use the kitchen that is in the house but have to walk across to a small hut which has basic kitchen setup. That is not ideal especially in the evenings when it is dark and when you have kids. Further note that there is only plastic and paper utensils. Maybe usual but from an environmental perspective it is better to bring your own plates when you visit! Or maybe Kara offers a couple of utensils even just for the sake of saving plastic.... The rest of the stay was excellent! And I totally recommend the Wilson Ranch! THANK YOU!
My wife and I stayed in the spacious Homestead Room with private bath, decorated in "Old West". There is long family history here and it felt comfortable in the house, almost as if we were staying at Grandma's house. The B&B is well-organized, clean and welcoming. Host Kara was wonderful and entire staff was friendly and polite. Our guided horseback ride in the ranch hills was unforgettable, the views spectacular.
This proved to be a perfect base for exploring the amazing sites of the John Day National Monument. Accommodations are not fancy, but quite comfortable, and we felt like family from day 1. We especially enjoyed the lively conversation at the huge, family style breakfast. We didn’t go riding, but other guests loved getting up into the hills on horses. Our hosts Kara and Brian did everything to make us feel at home, including helping us find good places to eat dinner (not a lot of choices). There is a little kitchen for guests to use for cooking. As city folk, we loved getting a taste of a very different life.
We’d driven or biked by signs for Wilson Ranch Retreat in Fossil, and finally used the website to book a stay in the end of September. This bed and breakfast has been going 20 some years and the pins in the map attest to many visitors. What a delight! I worked with horses in my young days, and am horse crazed. This is a real working ranch, not some dude ranch. We chose among six rooms, all clean and comfy. In the Homestead room, there is even a Sleep Number bed. All the rooms included a delicious family style ranch breakfast at 8 sharp, with Kara or Phil, of the Wilson family. They shared multi-generational knowledge about raising cattle, fire season from June to December and so much kindness and wisdom. At breakfast, you might meet guest from other countries or a couple who'se returned 4 times. We had a one hour horse ride the day of our arrival, and a 2 hour ride the next day. The horses are well-cared for and experienced with inexperienced riders like my husband, whose more familiar on a bicycle. On the one hour ride, Brian Anglin, Kara's husband, shared his work as the Fossil Science Department spoke of several other subjects he teaches. His students are fortunate. 2nd day we got to see Brett and Caitlin work stray cows off the property. They have so many skills. Near the bed and breakfast, there is a well-equipped summer kitchen for guests to fix meals and store food. Both nights, the dinners we fixed we ate at the picnic tables adjoining the fields and watched the sunset light change on the hills. One evening I saw a peasant fly up. The quiet is a balm. As they say ‘Unplug and replenish’ For rest, riding, good people, and/or replenishing, come to Wilson Ranch Retreat! From Kara, I learned about opportunities among many other things. We're already planning a return visit next spring.. Susan Hayden and John Beaston