Review: Brasada Ranch in Central Oregon

“One, two, three, four, five bunnies!”

My youngest daughter was already bubbling over with glee, and we had been at Brasada Ranch, a luxury property near Bend, Oregon, for an hour. Mountain cottontail rabbits munched on grass and darted between sage bushes as she inched closer to them, counting as she lurked.

As for me, it was the fragrant sage and ponderosa pines that inspired joy; the grandeur of the Cascade Mountains to the east helped, too. Set on 1,800 acres in Central Oregon’s high desert, Brasada Ranch is surrounded by serene wilderness. Besides the manicured lawns of its 18-hole golf course and some stately modern cabins (which are private residences) within its bounds, the landscape is left to do its thing, and there are plenty of ways ranch guests can opt outside to appreciate it.

Here's how clients with kids might use Brasada Ranch as their own off-the-beaten-path playground.

Ways to Play at Brasada Ranch

My daughters, ages 12 and 5, were eager to saddle up and ride horses at the ranch, and Brasada Trails, the property’s equestrian area, proved an ideal setting to test their cowgirl skills, with more than 900 acres of trails, a pack of gentle horses and handlers as skilled at wrangling the animals as they are kids. 

Lottie was able to join the Little Buckaroos pony ride experience for younger riders. She started off roping a steer (made of hay, and with a plastic head and horns), with staffer Ethan sharing pointers as she twirled, tossed and tightened her lasso loop. Participating kids painted a horseshoe next, then it was off to their “ponies” — Lottie’s was a full-grown horse named Gunner. Of course, he gunned it nowhere, but rather clopped in a circle with a teeny and beaming rider on his back.

RELATED: A Family Guide to Portland, Oregon

Meanwhile, my oldest daughter and I rode Trixie and Groovy for the ranch’s one-hour classic trail ride; we put our skills to the test, angling our upper bodies forward and backward while traversing a few steep stretches of trail, and nudging our horses across small streams or when they paused to snack on wild sage.

The next morning, Lottie spotted Ethan again.

“Are you my cowboy boy?” she asked.

He was indeed the cowboy from her pony ride, but on this day, he was leading Brasada’s Rock Crawler Camp adventure, which got Lottie into the desert with a high-tech, remote-control car. The vehicle whizzed over rocky terrain and traversed lengthy dirt paths; Lottie had to troubleshoot whenever its wheels got stuck in brush or it flipped over. Once again, Ethan coached her, pointing out natural challenges to attempt. As a parent, I appreciated the break from playing coach, as well as Ethan’s ability to connect with my little one on her level.

Lottie wasn’t the only happy rancher. My husband reveled in four hours on the greens of Brasada Canyons. I took a long walk on the grounds solo (always a treat for a parent who’s rarely alone). And Olivia, new to cycling as of this winter, rented one of the ranch’s Stromer electric-assist bikes and rode like the wind along miles of the property’s paved and dirt paths. I joined her for one hour myself one day, laughing at a failed attempt to make it up a steep hill and taking a wrong turn onto paths reserved for golf carts. Everyone tested their mettle at one point or another — which is a box I love to check on a family vacation.

Other Spaces to See at Brasada Ranch

We spent half of one day at the family centric Sundance Pools and waterslide area, which offers everything from grotto-like hot tubs and a faux waterfall to a short-but-swift lazy river — even the tweens and teens found it entertaining to attempt to fight the river’s current here. The pool’s seasonal bar and cafe was closed (we were there between the hubbub of spring and summer break), but we made do with snacks and coffee from the property’s general store.

Admittedly, I did a good deal of lounging at the pool deck, but there were plenty of options to move. The property’s Athletic Club includes the pools, a large fitness center that overlooks them, locker rooms with steam rooms and a nearby fitness studio where yoga, barre classes and more are held. Tennis and pickleball courts are right outside (clients can check out gear from the staff at no charge) and bikes of all types are available to rent. For indoor play time, there’s The Hideout game room with toys, ping pong, basketball arcade games and even a couple Cruis'n World video consoles (no coins needed).

Dining at Brasada Ranch

Wild Rye, the ranch’s more formal restaurant, is impressive, to the point that clients won’t bat an eye at dining here multiple nights in a row. Seasonal availability guides chef Karl Holl’s menu, so guests enjoy the best-available local crops and meats year-round. On two separate evenings we ordered a plate of bruleed brie; we spread the cheese across grilled bread with marionberry jam made from local fruit. A wedge salad got its kick from Cascadia blue cheese, and my favorite dish of the trip, Holl’s Alaskan halibut, was garnished with asparagus, peas, turnips, almonds and a sauce of buttermilk and garden herb oil. Oregon wines pair well with all of the above, as do cocktails curated by the talented Scott Baird. 

RELATED: Review: Paws Up Montana

Lottie couldn’t be persuaded to try the fish on the kids’ menu, but she was perfectly satisfied with a burger and fries, plus a plate of s’mores fixings that we took right outside of the restaurant, where a giant bonfire awaits guests at sunset. On another night, she perked up at the word “pavlova” — a treat she’d heard about on an episode of “Bluey” and just had to order. I’m not sure I’d ever had pavlova myself, but I was unsurprised that the version at Wild Rye was delicious, made with strawberries, rhubarb and vanilla cream.

Not to be forgotten is Ranch House, a casual spot serving farm-to-table meals with — of course — views of the Cascade Mountains. This was our breakfast hangout, where pancakes were topped with Oregon berries and homemade pastries paired well with generously poured coffee. Guests can have lunch here, or pop over to Wild Rye for the smash burger on the early afternoon Small Bites menu.

Accommodations at Brasada Ranch

There are a few room and cabin types on the ranch, including the newer Cascade Bungalows, which blend mountain and Scandinavian style. These sleek spaces overlook their namesake peaks and are for adults only, as is the adjacent Cascade Adult Pool. 

Our family of four felt right at home in a two-story, two-bedroom Sage Canyon Cabin, which had a fully stocked kitchen, a sprawling back deck with a hot tub and giant windows overlooking Hole 10 of Brasada Canyons. At about 1,700 square feet, it was a comfortably rustic palace.

The kitchen was, of course, a huge benefit. We made tea each evening in our stove-top kettle and sipped it as we read by the living room’s fireplace. One night, we tried out the property’s Ranch Platter offering — all components were coordinated and delivered by the property’s dining team, then we prepared the feast ourselves in the oven and on the grill (cooking instructions come with the platter). For the adults, New York Strip steaks stole the show. The kids paired hot dogs with Caesar salad and roasted asparagus.  

Our final sunset at Brasada Ranch drew all four of us to the hot tub. From there, we watched the ombre sky change color and a couple of golfers take their swings in the twilight. We felt settled and smiley — four city dwellers with a real fondness for modern ranch life.