The Ranch
Family owned and operated for over 100 years
When Alvin Kesterson was a teenager he had big dreams. The youngster grew up surrounded by lush forests, quiet meadows and the Umpqua River, all contained within his family's ranch. Kesterson wanted to share its beauty with others. So he dreamed of a day when a portion of the 2500 acre Big K Ranch would be set aside as a guest ranch, where cowhands herd cattle and sheep while anglers experienced the bounty of the Umpqua. Today, that dream is a reality. "This type of thing has been in my mind for a long time. Elkton needed something like this, " Kesterson said. A working ranch
Charles Franklin Kesterson established the Big K Ranch over 100 years ago when he bought 400 acres of land along the Umpqua River. Native tribes had fished and hunted on the property for generations before that. The area's first white settlers had camped nearby for a time in the 1800's, until the population center drifted toward present day Elkton, about 10 miles northwest of the guest ranch. Over the years, the Kestersons acquired small tracts of property from adjoining landowners until the ranch grew to its present size. Sheep and cattle, plus some logging, supply the family with most of its income. But Kesterson was not sure that farming would keep up with the property's tax burden. The idea of a guest ranch took serious form in the late 1980's. Alvin saw it as a way to give the family the means to ensure holding onto the ranch. "We're not a development company. This is our heart and soul," says Kathie Larsen, guest ranch manager and Alvin's daughter. "It's an exciting venture for us."
One Man's Story
"There's something about The Big K that keeps calling me back."
By Gary Lewis
Author Hunting Oregon, Deer Hunting, Freshwater Fishing Oregon & Washington
When my tires hit gravel and I topped out on the long ridge and looked down over the rolling fields, I knew I'd found one of Oregon's special places. After a long day on the water, boating more than my fair share of the Umpqua's scrappy smallmouth, I was glad to relax on the deck. With my family, we watched the afternoon give way to evening, a rosy glow on the slopes above the lodge.
The Big K Guest Ranch is where serenity meets service. We sat in the open air and ordered teriyaki chicken and beef tri-tip, served with fresh bread and salad. After dinner we walked by the pond and played ping-pong in the game room downstairs. No ringing of telephones disturbed our nerves and every face we met wore a smile.
In our private cabin, no sound disturbed our sleep and with the curtains drawn, we weren't aware that the sun was well up in the morning sky. Fortunately, The Big K crew is used to their guests sleeping in. We had a bounty of fresh fruit, eggs, potatoes, pancakes and other good foods waiting for us in the lodge.
Southern Oregon is good game country and The Big K is right in the heart of it. Blacktail deer browse on the hillsides dappled with sunlight filtered through oak trees and tall firs. Roosevelt elk bugle from the ridge tops and long bearded Rio Grande turkeys feed in the fields and slopes. And the fishing. Spring and fall chinook, coho, striped bass, shad, smallmouth bass, sturgeon and steelhead. There are few rivers in the world that can boast better fishing. Someday I'll walk that riverbank again and catch smallmouth out from beneath the ledges and salmon in the deep green water. There's something about The Big K that keeps calling me back.