USA · Mountain
Silvies Valley Ranch
Eastern Oregon's high-desert golf ranch — at 4,700 feet elevation, on a working cattle ranch in the Silvies Valley. Both 18-hole courses are fully reversible, meaning you can play four different rounds on the same two layouts. Golfweek's #14 resort course in the US. Famous for its goat caddies (literal trained goats that carry your bag). Fly to Portland and drive four hours, or charter into Burns, OR.
BEST TIME TO GO
June–October
EST. COST / PERSON
$1,500–$3,500 CAD
BOOK IN ADVANCE
4–12 weeks
TRAVEL TIME
5.5–6h flight from Toronto
MUST-PLAY COURSES
McVeigh's Gauntlet
Golfweek Top 50 US Courses
Reversible 18-hole course on a high-altitude cattle ranch. Plays as two distinct layouts depending on wind direction. Goat caddies on select loops.
Chief Egan
Companion reversible course. Together with Gauntlet, four distinct 18-hole rounds on two courses.
Hankins Course
13-hole par-3 course. Short, fun, included with most packages.
WHAT A TRIP LOOKS LIKE
Arrive the Ranch
Land in Portland and drive through the Cascades, or charter into Burns. The Silvies Valley at 4,700 feet has a dry, clear air quality that hits you immediately after four days of Ontario humidity. Settle in, walk the property before dinner.
McVeigh's Gauntlet — Direction 1
Dan Hixson's Golfweek Top 50 reversible course opens the trip — play it clockwise first, learn the holes, and read the high-desert terrain. The cattle that cross fairways occasionally are not a rules issue; they're a feature.
Chief Egan
Hixson's companion course plays through a different section of the valley with its own reversible routing — a more exposed stretch of the ranch with broader views and a wind that arrives from a different angle. Afternoon at the ranch's shooting sports or on the river.
Hankins Course + Goat Caddies
Morning round on Hixson's 13-hole par-3 course — short, walkable, and the ideal setting for a group skins game. Afternoon loop on McVeigh's Gauntlet with the goat caddie option, which is the kind of experience that makes a golf trip genuinely memorable.
Gauntlet Reversed — Ryder Cup
Host the trip's competition on the Gauntlet in its reversed direction — four distinct layouts across two courses gives every player a level starting point. The high-altitude ball flight and ranch wind keep every match interesting.
Chief Egan Reversed & Depart
Final morning round on Chief Egan's alternate routing — completing the set of four distinct 18-hole rounds across two reversible courses. Portland drive or Burns charter, then depart.
GROUPS 12+ — For groups of 12+, Silvies books as a full ranch buyout — all accommodation, all tee times, and all meals under one group rate. This is the recommended approach; it simplifies logistics entirely and the ranch's kitchen output improves when they're cooking for a single group.
BEST MONTHS
Ready to plan Silvies Valley Ranch?
Tell us your dates and group size — we'll take it from there.