Step Back in Time at Sommers Ranch Homestead

Step into the life of early ranching families in the Upper Green River Valley at the Sommers Ranch Homestead Museum. Situated along the banks of the Green River outside Boulder, Wyoming, this beautifully preserved homestead captures the rugged spirit of frontier ranch life. It also highlights the deep connection between people, land, and livestock that shaped western Wyoming’s history.

Complete with original buildings, period furnishings, and sweeping mountain views, the homestead operates as both a historic site and a living history museum. It is jointly managed by the Museum of the Mountain Man, the Sublette County Historical Society, and the Sommers family. The homestead celebrates the endurance and ingenuity of generations who carved a life out of the high plains.

The Sommers Ranch Homestead was established in the early 20th century by Albert and Mary Sommers. They came as part of the wave of settlers who arrived in the Upper Green River Valley to raise cattle and build a future from the open range. The ranch has remained in the family for over a century. Today, it symbolizes continuity and stewardship in a region where ranching remains a vital cultural and economic force.

Recognized on the National Register of Historic Places, the homestead showcases the cooperative ranching traditions that have long defined this part of Wyoming. Its buildings are open, its barns smell of hay, and the surrounding pastures are still grazed much as they were a hundred years ago.

Visitors are free to wander the main homestead complex. It features more than a dozen original and reconstructed buildings that tell the story of ranch life through the decades. Knowledgeable volunteers and interpreters, many of them descendants of local ranching families, are on hand to answer questions and share personal stories.

Highlights include:

The Main Ranch House: Furnished with period artifacts, tools, quilts, and family heirlooms, the house provides a vivid sense of domestic life in the early 1900s.
The Log Barn and Corrals: Built with hand-hewn logs, the barn displays antique tack, branding irons, saddles, and early-era ranch equipment. The surrounding corrals demonstrate the scale and rhythm of cattle operations before modern mechanization.
The Ice House, Root Cellar, and Chicken Coop: These smaller structures reveal how ranchers stored food, preserved meat, and kept livestock through harsh Wyoming winters.
Blacksmith Shop and Machine Shed: Visitors can see where tools were repaired, horseshoes forged, and early tractors maintained– all vital skills in an isolated frontier setting.

Walking between the buildings, you’ll notice that everything is arranged for practicality, not ornament. The authenticity of the site gives the impression that the original ranchers have just stepped out to check the herd.

What makes the Sommers Ranch Homestead especially engaging is its interactive approach to history. During open-house days and special events, visitors are encouraged to try traditional ranch skills and domestic crafts.

You might learn to:

Rope a steer head under the guidance of a local rancher.
Churn butter or make homemade ice cream the old-fashioned way.
Split wood, milk a cow, or grind grain using early 20th-century equipment.
Wash clothes by hand in galvanized tubs and hang them on a line.

Children are especially welcome to get their hands dirty by feeding chickens, petting calves, and trying simple pioneer games. These activities connect all ages to the daily routines that sustained families long before electricity and highways reached this corner of Wyoming.

Each summer, typically in late August, the Sommers Homestead hosts its Annual Open House, a beloved community event that draws hundreds of visitors. This free celebration includes live demonstrations, traditional music, wagon rides, and homemade treats served in the yard. Local ranchers, historians, and volunteers dress in period attire, offering visitors an immersive experience of the early ranching days.

Beyond the open house, the site is used for educational programs, heritage tours, and youth field trips organized through the Museum of the Mountain Man in Pinedale, WY. These events help preserve not just the physical buildings but the living knowledge of ranching, storytelling, and rural craftsmanship.

Here’s some of the most important things to know about your visit to Sommers Ranch Homestead.

Location: Roughly 8 miles west of Boulder, Wyoming, off Highway 191.
Season: Open seasonally, usually June through early September, on select weekends.
Admission: Free, though donations are encouraged to support preservation efforts.
Access: The homestead is reached via a graded gravel road suitable for most vehicles.
Facilities: Picnic tables, portable restrooms, and shade tents are available during open events.
Nearby attractions: Combine your visit with a stop at the Museum of the Mountain Man in Pinedale, or enjoy fishing and camping along the Green River.
Before Visiting: Check the Museum of the Mountain Man’s website for current schedules and special event dates.

Get in touch

What to Do at Sommers Ranch Homestead

A Glimpse into Wyoming’s Ranching Heritage

Exploring the Historic Buildings

Hands-On Living History Experiences

The Annual Open House and Community Events

Practical Information for Visitors

Stay at Highline Trail RV Park