The Ranch At Rock Creek

Following the Homestead Act of 1862, people over the age of 21 were allowed to claim a federal land grant in the Western territories. As was typical, The Ranch originally began as a mining claim. Nearby Philipsburg came to life during the silver mining boom of the late 1800s. Sapphires were first discovered in the Rock Creek drainage in 1892.

Along side the mining boom, Utah cattle baron Fred Burr introduced cattle ranching to the Flint Creek Valley in the 1850s - a pursuit that has persevered through the decades. In the late 1800s, this land was homesteaded by WW. Shaffer and P.W. White.

It has changed hands through the decades, but has operated continuously as a working cattle ranch during that time. In the 1940s, The Ranch was purchased by F.S. LeGrow. Subsequent owners include a former member of the Roosevelt administration, named Hobson, businessman Bucko Staninger, military officer Paul Burdette, Donna and Dean Strand and Max Watson. Current owner, Jim Manley, spent 20 years looking for the perfect ranch, following his childhood love of the frontier West. Manley searched for specific qualities in a ranch, including a river running through the property and a nearby ski hill. In 2007, his search for the perfect ranch ended. After several years enjoying The Ranch with family and friends, he decided to share the experience with others. He added many wonderful features and it soon became the all-inclusive luxury guest ranch it is today.

James E. Manley is Chairman, CEO and founder of Atlantic-Pacific Capital, Inc., which was established in January 1995.

Previously, Mr. Manley was a co-founder and Managing Director of Everest Capital Limited, a global investment advisory firm for a family of hedge funds. Prior to establishing Everest Capital Limited, he was a Vice President with Prudential Securities Capital Markets after starting his career in the High Yield Bond Department at Merrill Lynch & Co. Mr. Manley is a member of the board of directors of Wisdom Tree Investments and the University of Virginia Health Foundation. He holds a BS from Arizona State University.

The Ranch is proud of its responsible stewardship of the ranch land and Rock Creek. Rock Creek is one of few American waterways that has earned the Blue Ribbon status. Our guides and guest practice catch and release at all times to preserve this viable fishery. The freestone mountain stream boasts seven species of fish: Westslope cutthroat, rainbow, cut-bow, brown, brookie, bull and the Rocky Mountain whitefish.

The Ranch at Rock Creek is dedicated to serving the Granite County community and surrounding area through the support of local organizations and events that improve the lives of our fellow citizens. We host prom for our local high school every year and host the annual fundraiser event for our local hospital foundation.

Executive Chef Josh Drage celebrates real food from local farmers and ranchers by creating unique menus and dining experiences that mirror Montana seasonal bounty. The Ranch is committed to purchasing meats and produce from the region and thanks producers for their hard work and dedication to quality during The Ranch's Autumn Harvest Weekend in mid-October.

The Ranch is unique because our sustainability path has actually been in our property’s plans since The Ranch opened. Our location and role as a working ranch means that we naturally partner with our neighbors and nearby ranches in the area. We naturally coexist with our surroundings by the activities that we offer, the food that we prepare and the accommodations that we have built for our guests.

In 2014, Activities Director Patrick Little founded our Clark Fork Cleanup effort. Volunteers from The Ranch at Rock Creek and partner organizations have removed three tons of trash and recyclables from the Clark Fork River. In 2016, we removed 800 lbs. of trash from Rock Creek. In 2019, we partnered with the Westslope Chapter of Trout Unlimited to install fish screens on irrigation diversions on our four miles of private access on Rock Creek. Installing a screen at the headgate, prevents fish from getting stuck in the ditch. In the process of installing a fish screen, the irrigation infrastructure used to divert water from the stream is typically updated to the latest technology.

Our team has successfully eliminated single-use plastic water bottles across property. We used to buy 40,000-50,000 plastic water bottles a year. Now, we use refillable, glass water bottles and stock all accommodations with these bottles only. In addition, we have replaced all plastic straws with Hay Straws, which are biodegradable straws made from the bi-products of wheat production. The amenities in our bathrooms are now housed in refillable, multi-use bottles, instead of the single-use plastic shampoo and conditioner that are still common in many hotels.

Our entire team has worked hard to decrease vehicle traffic by carpooling to work (for those of us who live in Philipsburg) or walking (if we live in staff housing). To promote this initiative, we all got together and rebuilt the walking path between staff housing and The Ranch, which is just about a mile long. We ask our guests to also consider walking and biking around property to get to meals and activities, as opposed to requiring rides.

The most popular time to visit is May through October due to all-inclusive activity offerings. However, spring and fall are prime fly fishing and horseback riding seasons. Winter is gaining in popularity as The Ranch now includes all-inclusive downhill skiing and snowboarding at nearby Discovery Ski Area, in addition to over a dozen included on-Ranch winter sports. Seasonal celebrations including Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Autumn Harvest Weekend, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Eve.