The Story of Hideout Ranch in Arizona
In the foothills of Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains, The Hideout was home to horses and cattle... and us, Craig and Tamara J Lawson. Even though we lived in the breathtaking Shenandoah Valley, we just couldn't shake the desert dust from our souls - dust that had settled in each of us after spending years riding and working cattle in the Sulphur Springs Valley of Southeastern Arizona. What had always been second nature to us - taking neighbors and friends riding or inviting them to help work our growing herd of Black Angus cattle - suddenly became our life's goal: our own ranch and guest operation, Hideout Ranch.
After months of searching, we finally found significant acreage ideally located in the southeastern corner of Arizona, snugged against the New Mexico state line and nestled midpoint between the Chiricahua Mountains five miles to the West, and the Peloncillos five to the East. So, in the spirit of long-ago wagon trains, we packed up, left "Back East", and headed toward the sunset in a caravan of trucks and trailers. The cattle had already embarked on their own journey west, and we pushed to prevent them having too many days at the stockyards until our arrival. After four days hard driving and plenty of adventures across the country, we drove through the gates on the third bright April morning of 2008. It didn't take the horses long to find water and settle to grazing, and the cattle, retrieved from the stockyards that afternoon, were comfortable enough on their new range for one young cow to drop her calf — the first born on Hideout Ranch — their first night home.
Since we'd met in 2001 while wrangling on a guest ranch, we both knew one day we'd be back in the desert, taking guests on horseback through the mountains and astounding scenery of the American west. Being one with the animals and the land is more than what we do. It is who we are. Ranching and cowboying — and sharing it with others — have always been who we are.
Hideout Ranch has changed with blinding speed since we first rolled through the gate. It's taken on a life of its own, infusing a fresh vitality into the valley. There are new horses, new cattle, even adoptive wildlife. There are new buildings. There are additions, subtractions, and adaptations to old buildings. Even subtle changes in the landscape. Pastures and roads now have names. There are new gates, new trails, and invigorated passion for riding through the mountains and sharing that tranquility with others.
