The A Bar A and its sister ranches, Big Creek, State Line, and Sheep Rock, are collectively known as the Gates Family Ranches.
This landscape has attracted people for millennia. Prior to European settlement and subsequent displacement of indigenous people, this area was home ground for the Ute, Arapahoe, Shoshone, and Cheyenne tribes, among others.
The first European explorers arrived in 1811. Fur trapping, mining, logging, and ranching opportunities drew settlers and by the late 1800s, there were many small homesteads and mining claims in the North Platte Valley. Guest ranching at A Bar A has been continuous since 1922 when Princeton University graduates Andrew Anderson and Edward Hubbell and their families purchased the Ranch and founded the hospitality operation along with their cattle operation. Their mission was to share the Western cattle ranching experience with guests from around the country.
When Charles C. and Hazel Gates of Denver purchased A Bar A from its original owners in the early 1960s, their vision was to preserve the authentic guest ranch experience while protecting the surrounding landscape and carrying forward the ranch’s cattle ranching heritage. That commitment continues across the Gates Family Ranches today.
The extraordinary landscape provides the setting, but it is the people and relationships that define the A Bar A experience. Generations of guests and staff have built lasting connections here, creating traditions and memories that endure from one season to the next. We remain grounded in the values of our past while continuing to evolve, improve, and thoughtfully care for this remarkable place for generations to come.
One thing many guests comment on is how the Ranch never changes, but it always gets better. The images below span nearly 100 years, but so many of the places and activities remain unchanged. Tradition is central to the A Bar A experience.