Badger Creek Ranch, supported by Full Circle Alliance, humbly honors the First Nation peoples: Ute tribes, Jicirilla Apache, Comanche, and any other tribes, who were the original stewards of the land. Through our conservation and preservation practices, we pledge to uphold their legacy by protecting the land for future generations.

Early Days of Ranching

 Ranching began in the region in the 1860s supported by the growing demand for meat, as the gold rush of that period brought a flood of settlers into the region whose hunting all but eliminated the wild game that roamed the area. The founders of the historic IM Ranch—one of the first in the area and part of present-day Badger Creek Ranch—drove longhorn cattle to the ranch in herds from West Texas and southeastern New Mexico along the historic Goodnight-Loving trail. This was the period of the open range…and overgrazing…and by 1883 the IM Ranch laid claim to several thousand head. Roundups on what is Badger Creek Ranch today were a major cooperative and social event among the ranching community.

Damage from overgrazing and other environmental, social and economic forces of the early 20th century were not kind to large scale open-range ranching, leading to a shift towards the more modest, sustainable, restorative ranching practices that are prevalent in the region today.

Next Generation of Land Stewards

 Full Circle Alliance (FCA) sponsors the next generation of land stewards at Badger Creek Ranch by providing stipends and scholarships for internship and apprentice programs. As the current generation of ranchers and farmers ages, there is a growing gap in the agricultural workforce. Many new agrarians come to this work with a passion for the land but little experience in agriculture. Full Circle Alliance partners with Badger Creek Ranch to mentor this next generation through practical experience on the land. The FCA program reaches beyond agriculture to include those interested in wildlife, water, forestry and soil, as well as those who connect nature and humans through recreation and outdoor education.

 Workshops and Retreats

Full Circle Alliance, along with partners such as The Quivira Coalition and Guidestone Colorado, has sponsored many retreats and workshops at Badger Creek Ranch, including Land Health Workshops, Women’s Retreats, Open Gates and Family Days at the Ranch.