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Wildlife abound including elk, deer, and prong-horned antelope, which can travel at speeds of up to 60 miles an hour, making it the second fastest land animal on Earth next to the cheetah. We see long-legged Sandhill cranes, what McElwain calls "living dinosaurs" because they date back millions of years. e ranch is also home to the meadow lark (the Wyoming state bird), turkey vultures, jackrabbits, porcupines, and rodents known as bushy-tailed woodrats. McElwain, who has a degree in anthropology, points out the unusual landscape: rocky cliffs or outcroppings composed of exfoliated granite pushed up from the Earth's core thousands of years ago. Climbing the rocks without ropes — called "bouldering" — is a popular sport. Chef Nancy Weintrub prepares bountiful family-style meals beginning with appetizers and drinks and followed by such cookout favorites as cheeseburgers and baked beans, steak (of course), plenty of fresh vegetables, fruit, and home-baked bread and desserts. Don't miss Chef Mike Clark's "killer" breakfasts that, on one morning, featured a "deconstructed huevo ranchero," a pan- fried black bean cornbread cake topped with chorizo and Mexican cheese, and garnished with a dollop of crème fraîche, cilantro, and crumbled corn chips. On one memorable evening, we dine at "e Headquarters," a lodge which includes a second floor "museum" showcasing fascinating cowboy art, western gear such as elaborate, hand-tooled saddles, and Native American regalia, including a wedding dress embellished with ivory, hand-beaded moccasins, and adornments. On the lower level, guests can belly up to the long oak bar dating back to 1885 or check out the game room with its own mechanical bull. ere's also a collection of wagons — both antiques and replicas — that include a stagecoach, a surrey (with fringe on top), and an early-1900s sheep wagon, what McElwain calls "the F150 of the day," a reference to Ford's powerful pickup truck. We learned that Wagonhound was named after a creek which runs through the property. Back in the Gold Rush days, wagons crossing the creek often broke their "hounds," the part of the wagon that connects the tongue and the axle. e staff includes college-educated guides like Ethan Young, who has a degree in outdoor recreation and tourism management with a minor in agriculture business from the University of Wyoming. "I love sharing this type of lifestyle with people who haven't grown up around it," he says. Eleanor Doolittle graduated from Colgate University in upstate New York with a degree in English literature. Why did she take the job? She calls it "identity capital — do cool things and you become a cooler person." Head Wrangler Jeff Schiltz, a former electrical contractor from New York who grew up watching Gunsmoke and Bonanza on television, used to vacation at guest ranches in the West. He's now living his dream. "Every boy of my generation wanted to be a cowboy," he reflects. "I've learned to appreciate simple things, and one day at a time." Reid Creek Lodge welcomes guests from early June to late August, and beginning in September, is open to elk hunters through Wagonhound Outfitters. Guests can fly into Casper- Natrona County International Airport, where lodge staff will pick them up for the hour-and-a-half drive to the ranch. Private and corporate planes also fly into the nearby Converse County Airport in Douglas. 307.358.7036, wagonhound.com/reidcreeklodge Reid Creek Lodge, which can accommodate up to 22 guests, includes personal chefs and guides << ranchandcoast.com 84 SEPTEMBER 2024 RANCH & COAST MAGAZINE