Spur of the Moment Ranch is Open 365 Days a Year! Our reservation system does not allow for same day reservation because we do not have a 24 hour check in desk, but don’t let that stop you! If you are making a “Spur of the Moment” getaway and the Ranch is your destination, please do not hesitate to call 715-276-3726! We will do our best to accommodate you! Don’t forget about the Ranch during the holidays! If you have family in the nearby area and need a space of your own, the Ranch is perfect! If you have family spread throughout Wisconsin & neighboring states, the Ranch might be perfect! With 8 cabins, we have room for you whole group!
- “Winter is a season of recovery and preparation.” – Paul Theroux Winter at the the Ranch is a whole lot slower, more still, and endless enjoyable quiet. It really is a beautiful time of year for enjoying the bright evening sky around a campfire, a good book in front of the gas fire place, or a winter recreational activity in the snow! The Ranch sits on the Nicolet State Trail making it perfect if you plan to snowmobile! We are with miles from two groomed cross country ski trials and Paul Bunyan down hill ski area. The local forest is great for a quiet hike with your snowshoes! Enjoy the sounds of the animals who make these woods their home all year long. It is not uncommon to see an owl or an eagle, a deer, bobcat, or snow shoe rabbit. If you enjoy the campfire or the cabin porch in the late evening or early morning, you may even hear the coyotes yipping an howling. The winter months make for a more forgiving reservation accommodation as long as you keep the line of communication open. It is not uncommon for a Ranch guest to call the day before or morning of and make a reservation because the snow is good and visa versa, cancel because the trails closed. For goodness sake, don’t forget the kids! The local snowmobile clubs, ATV clubs, Fire Departments & Auxiliaries, Townships, & businesses always have events happening! Card Board Sled Races, Recliner Races, Ice Fishing Tournaments, Ice Golf, & more! I have not met a family who doesn’t enjoy a great competitive game of cribbage or spoons!
- “In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.” – Margaret Atwood Spring at the Ranch is defiantly an evolution! From the thaw and mud in March to the spring cleaning in April to the flowers & opening of fishing and ATV season in May, spring is all about smelling like dirt, in a GREAT way! The Ranch goes from brown to green and if you are lucky you won’t miss out on the wild flowers or trilliums covering the forest floor. The lilacs or cherry & apple blossoms in the trees are so fragrant & beautiful. There is nothing more relaxing than sitting on the decades old swing, listening to the birds, letting the sunshine warm your back & face! If you have horses, an early spring getaway to trail ride is just perfect. The ATV trails don’t open until May so the trails are quiet! With our safe horse accommodations, its an easy way to let your horses have spring fever & know they are safe while traveling! Don’t have enough riding time under your belt so early in the season, we also have a paddock area you can ride in to take the crazies out. . . Don’t forget about opening of fishing weekend. Whether you are fishing the lakes & streams with your friends or you choose to bring the family & enjoy our local Mountain Kid’s Fish Pond Breakfast, it is always a great weekend. No worries, we provide the soap!
- “Summer is the annual permission slip to be lazy. To do nothing and have it count for something. To lie in the grass and count the stars. To sit on a branch and study the clouds.” – Regina Brett Summer at the Ranch is such a busy time of the year for the Ranch & for the guests who enjoy it. Individuals, couples, families, & friends are just some the groups who make their way to the Ranch and enjoy time here and in Northern Oconto County in the summer time. Many of our summer time guests enjoy the local swimming holes, Bass Lake, Green Lake, Chute Pond beaches. They test out the natural rock slide, Slippery Rock. Take on the challenge of Jumping Rock in the Chute Pond County Park. Hike the endless trails in the National Forest, Butler Rock, Chute Pond Overlook, Old Baldie aka the Southern Overlook, Hager Mountain, Cathedral Pines, or Quartz Hill to name a handful! In the summer of 2026, be sure to get in on the Saturday Morning hikes with us, your hosts! Its a great way to enjoy the forest and relax because you don’t have know if you’re going the correct direction! Summer also brings out the ATV’s, UTV’s, Boats, Kayaks, Bikes & Horses to enjoy the trails & the waterways. The best part about summer is all the wonderful cooking smells coming from those outdoor kitchens, grills, & campfire pits! Breakfast, lunch, & dinner is always an adventure when your are enjoying time with your friends & family. Walking the Ranch on an early Sunday morning as people start to clean up and pack up from the weekends adventure always seems to hold the same sediment, “Why did the weekend have to go so fast?” Take an extra day or two and enjoy a “stay a little longer discount” in the heart of summer! You have earned it!
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“Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale.” – Lauren DeStefano Fall is a favorite time of the year for Northern Oconto County and Ranch! With the many granite out cropping’s & one of the last standing public accessible Fire Towers in Wisconsin nestled into the National Forest, it truly is blessing to enjoy the fall colors from high above the tree line. Many times the first show of color often hits in late August with the Ash trees and finishes out in vibrant oranges & reds as the Maples & Oaks take hold mid to late October. Fall is not only a great time for the changing colors, but it is one of the biggest reunion times of the year here at the Ranch. Families spend their days recreating in the forest to come back & enjoy an evening of food, laughter, & campfire fun. It is also a great time of year for our horse groups. The Ranch is filled with visiting horses exploring the National Forest. The different groups come in on a Thursday or Friday, horses are lively, nickering, and excited to be around other horses just as their people are in the human world. By Sunday, there is a sort of calmness, relaxation, & ease into packing up for the journey home. Even the horse dogs are laying under trailer tongues or sitting in their respective passenger seat quiet & enjoying the last adventure & slow start to the day! There is something to be said for the fall afternoon sun, cool evening, & beautiful sunrise that brings a certain peace on the Ranch! Whether your recreational passion is ATV’s or UTV’s, horses, bikes, kayaks, boats, hiking, or something else, extra sip of coffee on the front porch & a slow start is good for all! Let’s not forget about our late November Hunters! Many of our hunting groups have been enjoying the Ranch & the Forest for years! Some long enough, its just become a “hunting camp getaway” and they no longer hunt! We love this too.
In all things Spur of the Moment, be sure to enjoy the Ranch in your favorite season, doing your favorite recreational activity, as many times throughout the year as you wish! All year long we do have some sort of discount going; be it our Winter discount, Stay a little long discount, Camp store discount, or Sarah is sick of this pile of wood – campfire discount, mention it and she will probably giggle & gift you an all evening campfire log! Happy Trails & See you 365 DAYS A YEAR!