My husband Patrick and I decided to have an adventure, so we hit the road and headed west, like many before us. An easy drive through Hwy 20 with high desert sage, Juniper-covered hills and winding canyons led us north on Hwy 395. Our destination, nestled in the ponderosa pines of eastern Oregon, is a combination of the Old West, Scottish Highlands, and luxury living.
Silvies Valley
Golfers have known about this place for 4 years. Cowboys have known about it for decades. Families homesteaded here over 200 years ago. Local veterinarian Scott Campbell acquired the 140,000-acre ranch in 2007 with a vision of adding economic stability to the area and restoring the riparian and grazing areas.
The scale and serenity of the land is breathtaking in its scope and beauty. Wild elk and antelope roam the native grasslands; we watched hawks, eagles, and migrating sand hill cranes heading back to Canada for the summer. Silvies River meanders through mountain meadows, filled with lush willows and native red-band trout, perfect for fly-fishing. Wildlife from black bear to bobcats roams this valley. During kidding season newborn goats arrive around the clock.
The Campbell family reestablished the working ranch that now raises organic beef and goat. In 2017 they added the resort with fly-fishing, target shooting, flights of Scotch before 7-course meals, and a rare reversible links-style golf course – only the second in the world behind the Old Course at St. Andrews in Scotland. Two 18-hole overlapping courses share fairways and greens, played in reverse on opposite days. There’s also the Chief Egan course and the challenging Gauntlet, seven holes in a rugged and hilly landscape. Goats trained as caddies wear specially designed bags they wear on a harness. “While a golfer may scramble to get to the green or traverse a ridgeline fairway,” says Campbell, “the goats are totally in their element.”
Our spacious king cabin was beautifully appointed with a spectacular valley view. Patrick propped up his feet, but not for long – we had massage appointments in the spa and afterward steamed in the Finnish sauna. You wouldn’t know you’re on the rustic Oregon frontier with this kind of luxury.
The next day we headed to the shooting range. Naturally Patrick and I were going to compete. Shooting a throwback Colt single-action and double-action revolver was a new experience for both of us. Two guns and a bucket of ammo kept us easily amused as we fired at near-range targets that spin or flip with each connection. I decided to let him win. Afterward we headed to the bar where Jeff Campbell brought flights of Scotch to life, sharing his knowledge of the myriad flavors from the Highlands to the islands to inland rye fields. His expertise and entertaining stories introduced our taste buds to the medicinal phenol brine and florals.
Silvies offers a genuine ranch experience, and the drive home left us longing to return. “I feel like we have friends we need to go back and visit,” Patrick said. The option of purchasing a year-round luxury home on the property is a new chapter in the ranch’s long history. Throw in golf, goats, spa and Scotch and my husband was hooked, just like those trout in Silvies River.
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