Nighthawk Ranch is much more than just another camp experience. Kids and teenagers ages 10-18 with cancer (first phases of treatment behind them) have the opportunity to live on a ranch and to develop skills that will show them just how incredibly capable they are.
The Nighthawk
Nighthawk Ranch was named after…. you guessed it- the Nighthawk! This graceful bird is prevalent in the area around the ranch, especially in the summer. The male Nighthawk has a dramatic booming display used during the breeding season. He flies around at a moderate height, then dives straight toward the ground. Somewhere just about two meters from the ground he turns upward.
At the bottom of the dive, he flexes his wings downward, and the air rushing through his wingtips makes a deep booming sound. The dives are directed at females, young nighthawks, intruders, and even people. It is during this mating ritual that the distinctive nighthawk sound can be heard.
Each session is limited to seven (7) campers to allow each participant to have personalized support. Campers are encouraged to not only challenge themselves, but to cheer on others as they all meet challenges head-on and handle them with strength and joy. By the end of each one-week session, the spirits of the campers really do soar!
About Us
Tom and Dorothy Evans both grew up on family farms. They settled in Colorado in the late 1960’s, have two children (son, Jack, and daughter, Krissy) and four grandchildren. All are active in ranch activities throughout the year.
Tom is an engineer with over 40 years of experience in the petroleum industry. As such, he has started and operated several companies and has received multiple patents for innovative oilfield water recycle technology. Dorothy has worked in various capacities with several companies and has been managing Tom’s oilfield service companies for over 25 years.
Nighthawk Ranch was conceived in the late 1990’s as a way for Tom and Dorothy to give back to the community by providing a safe healing place for children recovering from cancer to regain self-esteem and build hope and confidence in their future. Because of their fond childhood memories of farm life, they designed Nighthawk Ranch to provide a unique high mountain working ranch experience that encourages achievement through a variety of activities. At the ranch, renewal is supported by fun and challenging activities, good nutrition, exposure to animals and wildlife, good camaraderie, and the spiritual uplifting that nature provides.
Mission Statement
The mission of Nighthawk Ranch is to provide a safe, healing environment for 10-18 year olds recovering from cancer with the goal of increasing self-esteem and hope for the future.
What makes Nighthawk Ranch different from other camps and ranches?
Many camps for kids with cancer are available all over the country, each offering water sports, ropes courses, archery, arts and crafts, and other camp-like activities. And these are all great – we have them too! We also spend a night camping under the stars where you can enjoy the tradition of s’mores and stories. Campers can try their hand at building a log cabin. Nighthawk Ranch also offers a great music program featuring outstanding talents – and there are lots of instruments to play.
As the sun rises, Nighthawk Ranch is already bustling with activity as the goats, cows, and horses wait to be fed. Our campers awaken early, enjoy a quick snack (breakfast comes after the animals are fed) and then turn their energy and attention toward a day that will be packed with ranch projects and horsemanship sessions. A camper can put aside his or her own troubles in the immediate job of caring for the horse. Horses are large and strong, which challenges a person to overcome his fear in order to work with the animal. Horses mirror moods, too; they respond negatively to negative emotions, teaching the camper that his behavior can affect others, and making it necessary to modify behavior in order to work successfully with the animal.
One of the highlights of ranch life is being able to ride horses, go on trail rides and join in on a cattle drive through the hills and valleys surrounding the ranch. Nighthawk Ranch campers have many opportunities to enjoy and be inspired by the majestic natural environment that makes this such a beautiful location.
So is Nighthawk a Ranch… or a Camp?
It is both! Nighthawk Ranch is a unique place that offers activities a typical camp offers (archery, ropes course, camping, etc.), but we also offer our campers a chance to experience the activities that come with living on a working ranch.
We hope you like animals.
Campers wake up bright and early each day to feed the cows and horses. Each camper is responsible for grooming and caring for her or his own horse, which will be the horse they also learn to ride. Horses and cows are not the only animals at Nighthawk Ranch. Camp participants will see deer, goats, rabbits, dogs, and many other species of wildlife roaming around the ranch. For kids and teenagers who love animals, this will be an experience that will stay with them forever.
We are located in the hills of South Park County in Guffey, Colorado, 60 miles west of Colorado Springs and 32 miles north of Canon City, surrounded by the Pike National Forest. The main facility is a beautiful, modern 10,000 square foot mountain log home, where the campers eat, sleep, hang out, and play (lots of indoor activities on the lower level). It is surrounded by 320 acres of awe-inspiring nature, including pine and aspen.
All one-week sessions at Nighthawk Ranch are 100% FREE! Because of our relationship with Angel Flight Central (AFC), we are able to not only accept kids from Colorado but from surrounding states as well. Travel expenses are completely paid for so there is absolutely no cost to the families.
With all the care and support of the staff and volunteers, the natural beauty of the land, the wonder of the wildlife, and all the activities, campers will have the time of their lives. At Nighthawk Ranch, kids and teenagers can do what they do best … just be kids!
2980 County Rd. 102
P.O. Box 265
Guffey, Colorado 80820-9703
https://www.nighthawkranchcolorado.org
[email protected]
Phone: 719-689-5634
Fax: 719-325-8342
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