DANCING RAIN RANCH

The Dancing Rain Ranch is owned by Laurie Vitt and Jan Caldwell, two internationally known biologists. As a result, we offer several opportunities typically not offered by other cabin rental businesses.

Weekend or Nightly Rentals—Available to everyone, including but not limited to families, hunters, fishermen, bicyclers, bikers, ATV explorers, 4-wheelers, horse enthusiasts (pastures available), amateur and professional naturalists and photographers, and movie stars.

Sabbatical and Research Opportunities—With enough lead time, we can offer extended rentals for University faculty seeking solitude in a pleasant atmosphere to write books and research articles, prepare textbooks, or conduct field research. We welcome faculty in all areas, including but not limited to biology, anthropology, history, English and literature, music, economics, chemistry, physics, and Native American studies.

University Class and Museum Field Trips—Because of the high biodiversity in the region and easy access to large tracts of public lands, the Dancing Rain Ranch is in an ideal location to act as a center from which to run field trips for courses in ecology, mammalogy, ichthyology, ornithology, herpetology, and entomology. We can accommodate courses of approximately 15 students.

Family Eco-Weekends—Special arrangements can be made for families wishing to experience a weekend of interactions with the local fauna directed by Laurie Vitt and Jan Caldwell. We offer a hands-on experience, which varies with season, but can be custom designed depending on the interests of the family. The Eco-weekend usually includes sampling insects and other small organisms from ponds and streams, techniques in identification, and observations on the natural history of these animals in their natural habitats. Birds, amphibians, and reptiles are common, and the eco-weekend can also include bird watching and identification and nightly visits to ponds to observe amphibians and other wildlife.

Seasonal Highlights—The region has high bird diversity in spring and fall because it is along a flyway for migratory birds. In addition to the typical migratory birds (e.g., painted buntings, scissor-tailed flycatchers), bald eagles reside along the river. Year-round resident birds include red-headed woodpeckers, pileated woodpeckers, flickers, blue jays, cardinals, chipping sparrows, turkey, bobwhite quail, and a wide variety of waterfowl. From February through the summer, an ever changing cacophony of frog calls can be heard from ponds on the Dancing Rain Ranch. These can be easily observed and photographed at night. Species include green treefrogs, gray treefrogs, spring peepers, pickerel frogs, narrow-mouthed toads, leopard frogs, bullfrogs, and green frogs.

 

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