What Began as Family Became an Invitation
The story behind how a family’s dream in the woods grew into a place of stillness, renewal, and connection.
When Terina and I purchased a family property in Priest River, Idaho back in 1999, our intention was simple — to build a place for our family. A place where we could gather, rest, and enjoy the beauty of creation together.
But soon, a deeper purpose began to stir. We even planned a lodge and gathering space where 12 to 24 people could come. What we thought was our family property was slowly becoming something more — a place of restoration, where executives, leaders, and ministries could pause, reflect, and reconnect.
We hosted a few friends and extended family there and even invited young boys from the foster system to learn to fly fish on our pond. Those were sacred moments — glimpses of what was possible. Though we never completed everything we envisioned, the seeds of something greater had already been planted.
A decade after selling that property, we thought that chapter had closed.
But in 2018, another door opened.
That year, we found Petty Creek in Alberton, Montana — just 30 minutes from Missoula. At first, it felt familiar: another “family property” where our kids and grandkids could ride horses, hunt, fly fish, and make memories away from the noise of everyday life. But as the seasons unfolded, we began to see the same stirring we’d felt all those years ago.
The peace that drew our family here began to draw others too.
What started as a family retreat has become a space for transformation — where couples rediscover connection, and where leadership and ministry teams step away from their routines to find clarity and renewal.
Petty Creek Mountain Ranch has grown into more than a place — it’s a rhythm of stillness and purpose. A place where people reconnect with creation, with each other, and with what matters most.
What began as family has become an invitation —
a place where uninterrupted connections foster stillness, growth, and renewal.
At Petty Creek Mountain Ranch, we believe restoration begins in stillness.
If your group, team, or ministry is ready to step away from the everyday and reconnect, learn more about hosting a retreat here →
