The Grand Ranch Experience
Story By: Kyle Callen
Photos By: Brandon Bunch
Large crowds herded through safety rail-lined walkways, jockeying for a position to rush an unobstructed picture of one of the seven wonders of the world has never sounded all that exciting to me. The UTV and off-road lifestyle that so many of us live, allows us to get away from those very herds. Exploring the trails less travelled, ultimately ending up at more amazing viewing spots—a more intimate look at the world as it was intended.
It was day two of our FATCO tour, and it led us through property owned by the Bar 10 Ranch. Now just 70 miles south of St. George, UT, we found the sprawling 200,000 acres of working cattle ranch nestled against the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Ripping down a dirt road from hill tops into the secluded ranch, the views were endless. As we dropped into the valley, we passed the main lodge surrounded by tall and rugged mountains. There was no time to stop and explore. We had to get to the North Rim before the sun dropped below the horizon.
With day-ending rocks around every corner, we were hard on the gas, acting like we were racing King of the Hammers. The sun was barely peeking from behind the mountains as we made our final descent, the sky and canyon walls lit up in pinks and oranges. Rarely in life I am speechless, but as we parked and got out, there were no words to describe what our eyes were seeing. My copilot NJ and I grabbed a drink and stood in awe. At the bottom of the mountains, the Colorado River connected 2 vertical walls full of color. Other than our group and a faint sighting of a campfire at the bottom of the canyon, there wasn’t a person or guard rail in sight—this is the way I want to see the world. I was so grateful to be present in that moment, as that image is seared into my brain forever.
Bouncing our way back up the trail, my mind ran wild with thoughts; what an experience it must have been for the Pioneers seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time and getting there by horse and covered wagon. Then, how can I get more friends and family on the next ride to have this unimaginable experience? The lights of the lodge were now in sight and our bellies were rumbling. Making a right turn under the Bar 10 Ranch archway and up to the lodge, the smell of dinner was pronounced.
As we stepped through the front door, we were greeted by a huge great room with family-style dining tables on either side of a massive rock fireplace and comfy leather couches as the centerpiece. The crowd gathered and ate a delicious dinner prepared by the Bar 10 Ranch staff—a spread of cowboy tacos using meat raised right there on the ranch, desserts, and drinks. Of course, we all came prepared with our own libations. As we sat down to eat, the ranch manager stood up on the fireplace and greeted us, and gave us all a great history lesson on the ranch.
In the early 70s, a man named Tony Heaton decided teaching school was not for him. He and his wife, Ruby, took out a staggering amount of loans from the bank to get his dream moving forward. In 1972, the ranch opened. With cattle grazing and a growing family, Mr. Heaton’s dream was becoming a reality buying up small ranches on the Arizona Strip and ultimately ended up with a little over 10,000 deeded acres and over 200,000 acres of grazing rights on BLM and Arizona State lands.
As was common in these isolated expanses, access to the ranch house was simplified by adding an airstrip to the property. Coincidentally, about this same time, tourists began running the Colorado River in rubber rafts. When cattle prices fell, and interest rates soared, Tony recognized a business opportunity in the Colorado River. Tony offered rafting companies the option to use his airstrip to fly their patrons back to Las Vegas. He quickly organized teams of mules, and he and his four young sons were soon bringing wet, sunburned, awestruck tourists up from the river to his ranch.
The journey took one hour by mule to the rim from the inner canyon, and another hour in an old converted school bus to the airstrip. Relieved of their passengers, the large empty rafts would have to continue down through the remainder of the Grand Canyon. Tony worked with the tour operators to restock the boats with a fresh batch of rafters, flown into his ranch. That first year the Heaton’s ferried just 125 people, but by 1983 they were seeing 1,000 people per summer.
The family decided to build the lodge to expand the experience for the river runners. The family had to transport all building materials over eighty miles of dirt road in a cattle truck. Later, they added Conestoga Wagons to provide additional private sleeping. In 1985, the Heatons set aside the mules in favor of helicopters and quickly saw the numbers of visitors to the Bar 10 Ranch increase to 6,000 per season. Today, two of their sons, Kelly and Gavin, work full time with their families, preserving the Bar 10 heritage for future generations and accommodate over 12,000 visitors per year.
Tony passed away suddenly on October 14, 2005, at the end of a perfect day at the ranch, doing what he loved best: riding his horse; herding cattle; and working with his sons.
After hearing all the amazing stories, the group finished up dinner. Those of us that were cleaned congregated around the comfy leather couches. Cold cocktails and tall tails around the fireplace were on the agenda for the evening. The common quarters of the Bar 10 Ranch felt more like a home than a lodge. It was warm and inviting, right up until we had to go out into the frigid weather to get to our beds.
I knew we would be staying in covered wagons, but wasn’t sure if it was an old timely covered wagon or a modern-day version with all the amenities of a hotel room. Climbing the small wood ladder into the canvas-covered wagon, it was far from a modern amenity-filled room. There was nothing but a queen bed, a small standing area, and a battery-powered lantern. I was thrilled. NJ, not so much… But we forged on. But to be honest, the canvas-covered wagons with a few sleeping bags were quite the experience, providing ample comfort and warmth. Thankfully, attached to the nearby lodge was a row of shower rooms and bathrooms.
The next morning, as daylight broke over the mountains, the crew started milling around. There wasn’t much time to explore the property before we made dust back to the trailers. Skeet shooting, horseback riding, UTV trails, and many other activities right on the property—I wish we could have stayed a few more days to explore everything Bar 10 Ranch had to offer. With an onsite gas pump, we fueled up. Wandering through the gift shop before paying, they had all the essentials on hand, plus a lot of delicious looking snacks and trinkets. Final preparations were made and we were headed off the ranch. The views, the people, the amenities, and the fun left a lasting impression on us all, and we can’t wait to go back and spend some more time at the Bar 10 Ranch to continue our exploration. To book your own adventure, head to www.bar10.com… You won’t regret it!
