The Property
A custom-built bunkhouse on a working Wyoming ranch — raised from reclaimed timber, built to last.
The Bay Mare sits on Broken Arrow Ranch, just outside Sheridan, on land owned and worked by the family who runs it. This isn't a property dropped onto ranch land for the view — it's a structure built specifically for this ground. Heritage Woodworks raised it from reclaimed timbers, some dating back to the 1880s, pulled from old dairy barns and ranch buildings across the region. Cathedral ceilings, hand-hewn beams, exposed roof trusses — the kind of craftsmanship that was already a century old before this house was framed.
The great room is the heart of it. A dining table that seats ten, a full kitchen with a propane range and electric oven, and a propane fireplace for when the evenings cool down. Three bedrooms sleep eight: a main-floor king looks out over the backyard and the grain silo gazebo, a bunk room down the hall holds a sturdy twin-over-full, and upstairs off the loft, a queen and a single share the space. The loft itself is where people disappear — the only television in the house, a deep sectional, a chess table at the railing overlooking the great room below.
Outside, the patio is furnished and built for a crowd, with a Blackstone grill for cooking under the sky. Corrals sit directly out front. Open pasture runs behind the house, with horses in it when the season allows. The backyard is fenced for dogs.
The Build
The Bay Mare was constructed by Heritage Woodworks, the Sheridan-based timber frame company owned and operated by Matt and Kristin Hill. They source reclaimed timbers from structures dating to the 1880s — old dairy barns, ranch buildings, hand-hewn beams already a century old before this house was framed. Matt and Kristin take on a handful of projects a year, each one spec'd entirely around the owner's vision. Guests sleeping here are sleeping inside one of those builds firsthand.
Getting Around
Broken Arrow Ranch is just outside Sheridan, off the highway in Banner. The road in from the highway is dirt — after rain it can be muddy, and a high-clearance vehicle doesn't hurt. The nearest grocery store is about 14 miles west, roughly a 20-minute drive, worth stocking up on before you arrive. The Big Horn Mountains rise close behind the property. Yellowstone is roughly four hours.
Your Host
Check-in is keyless via smart lock. Tyler meets guests at check-in and is happy to walk you through the property and the ranch itself. The ranch manager and owners keep an office in the same building as the bunkhouse — separate and locked off from guest spaces, though you may see them or ranch hands coming and going during the day. They're good people, and if you're curious about how the land or cattle are managed, ask before your stay. There's usually something worth seeing.
Good to Know
This is high desert Wyoming, home to more than 60 species of birds and wildlife — mule deer and pronghorn move through regularly, and the raptors are worth watching for. Ticks and snakes are present in warmer months; long pants and basic awareness go a long way out here. The road from the highway is dirt and can be slick after rain. Cell service is reliable on the highway but spotty once you turn off — Starlink covers the house. Water is well water, filtered and UV treated, drinkable straight from the tap. Dogs welcome, two maximum, respectful owners only. Parking for two vehicles out front; trucks and trailers accommodated.
Most ranch rentals in the Bighorns are staged to look like a working ranch. The Bay Mare is on one. Corrals out front, pasture behind, ranch hands actually coming and going. You're not renting the idea of Wyoming. You're a guest on land a real family works every day.
Arrange a private chef to come out and prepare beef sourced directly from the ranch's own cattle, and you've had a meal that doesn't exist anywhere else in Sheridan County. That's not a marketing line. It's just what's possible when the people who own the land also raise what's on the plate.
And then there's the build itself — timbers a century old before this house was framed, raised by two people who only take on a handful of projects a year. The chess table at the loft railing, the bunk room steps built solid enough for kids to actually use. Someone always ends up up there with a book and doesn't come down until dinner.
Amenities
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The Bay Mare
Inside The Bay Mare
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Built By
Raised from reclaimed timber by Heritage Woodworks.
The Bay Mare was hand-built by Matt and Kristin Hill of Heritage Woodworks, a Sheridan-based timber frame company known for reclaimed-wood construction across the Bighorn region. They take on only a handful of projects each year, sourcing beams from structures dating to the 1880s — old dairy barns, ranch buildings, timber already a century old before this house was framed. Guests staying here are sleeping inside one of their builds firsthand.
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