An Overview of Young Life’s Washington Family Ranch
Camping is an essential part of the operations of Young Life, a Christian organization dedicated to introducing children and young adults to Jesus Christ and supporting them to grow in their faith. Located in Central Oregon’s high desert, Young Life’s Washington Family Ranch (WFR) consists of two camps, Canyon and Creekside, as well as a ranching operation, Muddy Ranch.
The Canyon camp, established in 1999, functions mainly as a summer high school camp but is open all year and welcomes various other guests for conferences, educational, family, and staff retreats, service projects, and seminars. With accommodation capacity exceeding 600 guests, it offers an array of self-contained housing options with flexible dining and dedicated meeting areas.
Some examples include Alexandra Lodge (bunk rooms, private bathrooms, and ample lawns and courtyard), Canyon View Lodge (two-person rooms, private bathrooms, residential kitchen, dining space, two lounges, and fireplace), and Ranch House (eight rooms, shared bathrooms, kitchen and dining areas, lounges, and game room).
Among Canyon camp’s notable amenities are its swimming pool, zip lines, indoor sports center, and outdoor sports fields. Guests can indulge in a game of basketball, dodgeball, volleyball, and ping pong, among others, in the 88,000 square feet indoor sports center, which also features climbing walls, a skate park, and a workout center. The outside sports fields are great for sand volleyball, soccer, and disc golf.
The Creekside camp, opened in 2011, is WFR’s latest addition. It operates as a middle school students’ summer camp from mid-June to mid-August. Creekside can accommodate up to 550 guests and staff. Five camper dorms with movable walls allow guests to choose from rooms with six, eight, 14, or 16 beds. Staff resides at Boomtown, which comprises four buildings, including dorm-style housing facilities and family suites.
The camp features a centralized layout, water park, dedicated kitchen, dining hall, and numerous meeting rooms. Guests can also enjoy various outdoor activities at the Creekside’s open-air Canopy and Splash Pad.
Dennis Washington, a Montana entrepreneur, acquired Muddy Ranch in 1991 and donated it to Young Life six years later. Formerly known as Muddy Station, it spreads across 64,280 deeded acres, including 13.5 miles of John Day River water frontage, and holds a 17,000-acre grazing lease by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
With an elevation ranging from 1,325 feet to 4,745 feet, Muddy Ranch’s surroundings offer a home to various wild animals, including elk, pronghorn antelope, mule deer, coyote, and cougar. Bitterroot and wild onion are the most prominent representatives of its edible flora.
The ranch’s team strives to make the best use of the given natural resources, including the land, cattle, wildlife, and water. It has achieved financial sustainability through stewarding livestock and selling natural grass-fed beef, growing and selling hay, performing restoration activities, and offering outdoor programs.
The latter include guided fishing and hunting trips. The ranch mainly offers fly fishing but can arrange spin rod fishing, too. Novice and experienced anglers alike can enjoy a relaxing float on the John Day River, ranked among the country’s longest free-flowing river systems. They can opt for a day or overnight trip, while available fish vary depending on the season, with steelhead and smallmouth bass being common catches.
Currently available only by invitation, Muddy Ranch’s hunting trips include big game and bird hunting, shooting, and ranch tours. Developed by the ranch’s Outdoor Advisory Board, the program invites guests — prospective Young Life supporters who can contribute to WFR’s future expansion.
Like all Young Life camps that become financially self-sufficient after their initial purchase or upon completing construction, WFR camp revenues realized by the camper fee cover its operational, maintenance, and administrative expenses in their entirety. Fundraising is necessary only for financing major capital projects.
Currently, WFR is working on three projects: renovation of the Currant Reservoir Dam, the Canyon Multistage Zipline, and Muddy Road. The dam project will ensure WFR has sufficient water supplies in the long term and can weather severe dry spells.
The Canyon Multistage Zipline will enable guests to have a bird’s-eye view of the surrounding hills and canyons. Muddy Road is the road to WFR, and thus an essential part of the camp’s infrastructure. The project aims to upgrade its gravel base and add more culverts, flashers, and grading.
