A visit to the Reesor Ranch in Saskatchewan’s Cypress Hills combines history with cowboy heritage, hospitality and a chance to explore the natural prairie amid jaw-dropping landscapes.
It became the first ranch in the province to be designated a Provincial Heritage Property, representing the shift in the early 20th century from large corporate ranches to smaller family run operations.
The story began in 1900 when W.D. Reesor moved from Ontario to the Cypress Hills to manage the Markham Ranch Company, with his wife, Alice, and children following two years later.
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Disaster struck in 1903 when the ranch went broke after losing more than half its herd in a bad storm.
However, the Reesors stayed to continue ranching and filed a homestead claim in 1904.
They started with a modest house, but by 1917 they had completed the impressive ranch home that still stands today. It was among the first in the area to have electricity and running water.
The large size was designed to accommodate two families, since one of the Reesors’ sons, Frank, and wife, Hazel, moved in and shared in the ranch work.
Important to receiving a heritage designation is that the house and other buildings have “historical integrity.”
The house is mostly original and purposely kept that way, and the Old Log Barn from 1905 was built using hand-hewn logs harvested in the Cypress Hills.
The Reesor family still operates the ranch, with Theresa and son Jason (fifth generation on the ranch) having the most contact with guests, including doing most of the cooking.
Opening the ranch to guests started gradually with a bed and breakfast in part of the huge house. Over the years, they built additional accommodation and self-contained cabins, and plan to add a campground.
The social heart is their Ranch Hall Grill, where meals are served, with barbecue steak using locally raised beef being their signature dish.
Supporting local businesses even includes the beer on tap from a brewery in Maple Creek and specialty ice cream made in Medicine Hat.
Horseback rides rank as the most popular activity, heading into the hills, through pockets of forest, across native grasslands and stopping for sweeping views over the Battle Creek Valley.
The Cypress Hills had better moisture conditions than many places this spring, so when we visited in early June, everything was lush green with wildflowers ablaze.
Trail rides come with a unique twist.
Most places have their horses ready and saddled, but here, guests learn how to brush and saddle their horses as a way of getting acquainted before the ride.
Another option is all-terrain vehicle tours, which provide access to parts of the ranch that are farther afield, with even more amazing views.
Hiking is popular, with a three-kilometre route marked through prairie and forest to a set of conglomerate cliffs.
Shorter walks head to tipi rings and conglomerate outcroppings in the hills above the yard. These formations look as if millions of rounded stones were cemented together, which they were millennia ago through natural forces.
The reddish-tinged rocks are covered in lichen, and a rare species of lichen was discovered here that is globally endangered.
During our visit, Theresa was excited to tell guests about another walk where she found several wild orchids. The Cypress Hills are known for the abundance and variety of orchids, including rare species.
Guests also use the ranch as a base for exploring Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park right next door. Because the ranch is almost on the border, it’s easy to access both the Saskatchewan and Alberta sides of the park.
While the ranch is located in Saskatchewan, the only road approach runs through Alberta along Graburn Road just inside the Alberta border, with a short access road to the ranch yard.
The ranch, which has won a list of tourism awards, attracts guests from around the world, with most being from Saskatchewan and Alberta. This year looks especially busy with more people in the mood to travel within Canada.
We have visited the Cypress Hills many times over the years and thought we had seen most of the top spots, but the ranch introduced us to a new set of spectacular vistas and more ways to enjoy them.
