In the cozy lobby of the Circle Z, owner Diana Nash shares some history of this iconic local guest ranch that turned 90 in 2016.
“My mother-in-law, Lucia Nash, originally purchased the ranch. I married into the family in 1993 and first came to the ranch just after we were married. This is where would spend time with Lucia and where we would later come to vacation after we had our son.
I grew up in Montana and that’s where Rick (Nash) and I met, at the University of Montana in Missoula. I was a surgical and recovery room nurse for 20 years and when I had my son I retired. Preston is now 16 and a good rider. He loves the ranch and this area but really enjoys rock climbing, skiing, tennis, and music production. He’s very artistic. My husband still runs an automotive restoration business in Missoula.
Rick always sat in on ownership meetings and I gradually became involved. When Lucia had a stroke several years ago, Rick and I became even more involved. We have since assumed the ownership role and have no plans to do anything different for the ranch. It will always be a horseback riding ranch—simple and low-key but very nice.
We’ve done some upgrading and remodeling since the cottages were built in the 1920s, while still trying to keep the same style and feel of them. Three years ago, we added the Recreation Room on the site of the original lodge that had burned to the ground in the late 1940s. A ramada was built on the concrete pad in the 1980s and then it was enclosed to house games for children, including a pool table. Last summer we also built a couple of shade ports and round pens for our horses.
When we have family and kids, mostly around the holidays, our capacity can go up to 45 but 35 is really the preferred maximum. That makes for a more intimate group. We haven’t marketed a lot to the foreign business but we do get people from the U.K., Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and a lot from Canada. But most guests come from Arizona and California.
A lot of our guests have their own horses and are good riders. We also get some beginner riders and guests who have never been around horses and this is a great place for them to learn. People come back again and again because they feel like they’re coming home. Every week we have both returning guests and new guests.
We have 120 quarter horses and eight experienced wranglers. Safety is number one. We still breed and train our own horses and we get two to five foals each year. I was around horses most of my life and my brother runs a ranch in Montana. I always wanted to be a cowgirl on a ranch.
Our cooks prepare fresh wholesome and delicious meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinners) that are served buffet style. We often have cookouts for lunch rides. We do bar rides to the Wagon Wheel in Patagonia and sometimes trailer the horses and do rides in the San Rafael Valley, a favorite with our guests. We offer morning and afternoon rides and all-day rides, providing sack lunches for guests. The Boot Room has a supply of boots for guests with any shoe size. Guests often donate their boots and hats as well.
The total acreage of the Circle Z, including leased land, is approximately 8,500 acres. We recently acquired a property that we have been riding on for some years. We’re pretty much surrounded by Forest Service and state land now, so there’s not a lot to add.”
Congratulations to the Circle Z for keeping this treasured horseback riding guest ranch alive and thriving.