About the Ranch

Long standing members of the Dude Rancher’s Association, McGinnis Meadows Cattle & Guest Ranch is situated along a wide-open meadow at 3,300 feet elevation with a year-round creek and surrounded by tall timbered mountains. Moose pass through the ranch, and elk too! Homesteaded in the 1890’s by the Davis family, you’ll find remnants of the past, such as their original house site, the later used “Davis Place,” and the “Old Orr Place.” Still used today are little log houses nestled along the edges of the tree line and the meadow. Cattle moved into the valley in the 1920’s.

With their love of riding and carrying on the Buck Brannaman style of horsemanship, Shayne and former wife, Jo-Anne established the guest ranch in 1998.  Riding is our main focus with a strong emphasis on horsemanship—be it in the arena, on the trail, driving cattle in the mountains or working cattle here at home.  Guests leave here better riders with plenty of tools they can take home with them for their own horses and in their own lives.

The Ranch has been featured in…

  • The West Australian Travel magazine in an article titled A Montana Ranch Where the Horse is All, June 2015.
  • The July 2014 Issue of America’s Horse. PDF version of article titled All About Buck can be read here.
  • CNN’s “6 Best Places to be a Cowboy” 2013.
  • Cindy Meehl’s film debut, the documentary BUCK. Winner Audience Award of the Sundance Film Festival. Now owned by Sundance Selects, www.sundanceselects.com, BUCK has shown all over the world, and is available on DVD!
  • November 2010 McGinnis Meadows Cattle & Guest Ranch also referred to as the Jackson Ranch was featured in a popular magazine in Italy, “Cowboy’s Magazine“. Yes there are cowboys in Italy! A very nice article was written on the ranch by Journalist Drew Mischianti and the photos by photographer, Natalia Estrada. The two joined us for the Buck Brannaman Clinic Week at the ranch in July 2010.
  • Horse & Rider Magazine’s February 2011 issue features McGinnis Meadows Ranch as one of 50 Great Escapes; We’re featured as a great escape vacation spot for horse people.
  • The February 2009 issue of Western Horseman Magazine: As one of the Best Holidays if you are looking for a Buck Brannaman style Horsemanship Vacation.
  • Featured in the April 2005 issue of Cowboys and Indians magazine. Renowned western journalist, Guy DeGalard, recounts his visit with us in his article, “McGinnis Meadows Ranch. The best of both worlds.”
  • Trails Less Traveled Magazine February 2003 issue Vol. 4 as a special guest ranch vacation with your horse.
  • Featured in the January 2003 issue of Western Horseman Magazine, Riding Vacations in Montana as a premier working vacation.
  • Actors Ewan McGregor, and Charley Boorman, pulled in to McGinnis Meadows Ranch to experience a day as cowboys on their journey around the world on motorbikes. See their experience at the ranch on Bravo’s documentary, “Long Way Round,” and also in their book, Long Way Round. Chasing Shadows Across the World.
  • One of our own, Brianna Heilig starred in the Bull Frog Production on Nickelodeon’s “A Walk in Your Shoes.” Brianna switched places with an actor on the “All That” show. While she experienced stardom on the set for a day, Mark experienced life on a ranch for a day. Brianna preferred her life here at the ranch.