Community Gathering

High Country Rancher Day 1

group of people in a grassy field

Coming Soon

In Person

Badger Creek Ranch and La Dolce Vita Ranch
Badger Creek Ranch
5795 County Rd 2
Canon City, Colorado 81212
Cost: $30 for one day or $50 for both days
Register
Group of 10 or more people standing in tall green grasses on ranch with mountain in distance and some clouds in the blue sky

Build a support network. Learn to develop ranch resiliency.
Deepen your knowledge of grazing planning and livestock nutrition in the high mountain West.

Join us for High Country Rancher Days, a two-day educational event on August 28th and 29th, 2026, hosted by Park County & Chaffee County CSU Extension. This unique event is tailored for new and long-time production ranchers in the Colorado High Country seeking to deepen your knowledge, build a local network, and improve your ranch’s resiliency in the face of uncertainty.

Participants will have the opportunity to learn from experienced local ranchers, expert speakers such as CSU Extension Veterinarian, Kathy Whitman, and NRCS Agent, Dixie Crowe, as well as interns and apprentices from the host ranches.

Key topics include:

  • Grazing planning as it relates to soil health, drought, and land monitoring.
  • Livestock health (mineral programs for Colorado Mountain Region soils/plants).
  • Local topics (trout conservation programs and/or range law and addressing conflict).
  • And, hosting interns and apprentices.
white dog lying on grass with two lambs in the background
Great Pyrenees livestock guardian dog loving every moment of its job at Badger Creek Ranch

Day 1: Location and lodging information

Day 1 will take place at Badger Creek Ranch (an hour northwest of Canon City, CO) and will conclude with opportunity for music and gathering with one another around the campfire.

DAY 1 AGENDA

  • 10 am – 12:30 pm – Welcome, Badger Creek Ranch Orientation and Tour with Chrissy McFarren
  • 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm – Lunch (provided)
  • 1:30 pm – 3 pm – Badger Creek Ranch Apprentice Share
  • 3 pm – 3:30 pm – Social Break
  • 3:30 – 5 pm – Dixie Crowe (NRCS) – Grazing Planning in Relation to Soil Health Presentation, Questions, and Discussion

Overnight Lodging Options: Tent camping sites as well as limited lodging are available at both host ranches (see below), so you are welcome to stay on or near Badger Creek Ranch or head towards Guffey, closer to where Day 2 of the event will be held. Additional accommodations nearby include RV camping, glamping, Airbnb rentals.

Options Near Badger Creek Ranch

Canvas tent with railroad ties as steps leading to the entrance. Tent is in front of a rocky hill in sunny, dry setting.
Overnight accommodations. Photo: Badger Creek Ranch

Options Near La Dolce Vita Ranch

Glowing tent under a starry sky with silhouettes of trees in the background.
Overnight accommodations. Photo: La Dolce Vita Ranch

For questions, contact Monica Pless at monica.pless@colostate.edu.

Thanks to assistance from funding partners – Western SARE and the Rangeland Living Laboratory, this opportunity to connect with local ranching leaders, gain hands-on experience, and network with peers in the industry is made available to you for just $50 for both days (or $30 for one day).

animated image of rows of green following the contours of hilly fields with a yellow circle as the sun rising behind the hills. Western Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education is written on the logo.
Depiction outlined in green of three mountain peaks, two pine trees, and a river flowing through the contours of the land. The image is partially encircled by an arm with the hand on the bottom right of the circular shape.
Rangeland Living Laboratory