Silvies Valley Ranch
A remote ranch resort in the eastern Oregon high country with one of golf's most original ideas: a pair of reversible Dan Hixson courses, the Hankins and the Craddock, laid over the same ground. Add a cliffside challenge course and goat caddies and Silvies is unlike anywhere else in the game.
Photo: Silvies Valley Ranch via Google.
The verdict
Silvies Valley Ranch is one of the most distinctive golf destinations in America, a working cattle ranch turned remote luxury resort high in the forests and meadows of eastern Oregon. Dan Hixson opened the golf in 2017 and built it around a brilliant conceit: a reversible course, two par 72 layouts called the Hankins and the Craddock that share one footprint, one played clockwise and the other counter clockwise. The courses share nine greens and have nine of their own each, so the same land delivers 36 genuinely different holes.
Beyond the reversible courses sit McVeigh's Gauntlet, a wild seven hole challenge course down a cliffside, the Chief Egan par 3 course, and the famous goat caddies that carry your clubs and snacks. It is golf as adventure, remote enough to feel like an expedition and original enough to be a true bucket list trip for the player who has seen the usual destinations and wants something genuinely new.
Silvies Valley Ranch at a glance
- Opened
- 2017
- Designer
- Dan Hixson
- Type
- Reversible mountain
- Par
- 72 each way
- Courses
- Hankins and Craddock
- Green fee
- From about 150 dollars
Designer, opening year and format verified June 2026 from Silvies Valley Ranch and leading course databases. The Hankins and Craddock are reversible par 72 courses by Dan Hixson, opened 2017, sharing a single routing with 27 green complexes. The indicative fee from about 150 to 215 dollars reflects 2026 peak season rates, typically within a resort stay, and changes by season and demand, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The reversible routing is the headline. Playing the Hankins one day and the Craddock the next, you walk much of the same ground in the opposite direction and the holes transform completely: a green you approached from the left yesterday now sits across a different angle, with new hazards in play and a fresh strategy off every tee. It is a rare and clever piece of design that rewards two rounds far more than one.
The land does the heavy lifting, with dramatic elevation changes, mountain meadows, pine forest and big eastern Oregon skies. Then there is McVeigh's Gauntlet, a seven hole challenge course tumbling down a rimrock cliff with carries, drops and one of the most photographed short holes in the West, where the goat caddies come into their own. The Chief Egan par 3 course rounds out a property built for variety and fun as much as a card and pencil.
This is destination golf for the adventurous, walkable in spirit and best savored over several days. The remoteness is the point: few resorts feel this far from the everyday, and fewer still offer anything like the reversible experience.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Resort course; play is generally for resort guests on a stay and play basis |
| Green fee | From about 150 to 215 dollars, indicative 2026 peak season; usually bundled within a stay; rates vary by season and demand |
| Booking | Book as part of a Silvies stay; the season is short, so reserve well ahead for summer and early fall |
| On the day | Walking and caddie friendly; goat caddies on McVeigh's Gauntlet; allow several days to play it all |
| Getting there | Near Seneca, remote eastern Oregon; about three hours from Bend and a long, scenic drive from any major airport |
| Best months | Roughly June to October; the high country season is short, so summer and early fall are prime |
Access and fees verified June 2026; resort pricing and the short mountain season change year to year, so always confirm current rates, opening dates and availability directly before booking.
Where to stay nearby
Silvies is a destination in itself, with on site cabins, lodges and ranch accommodation built for the stay and play golfer in country where the nearest town is small and far. The remoteness is the appeal, so the simple play is to settle in for several nights, play the reversible courses both ways, and take on the Gauntlet with a goat.
For a wider Pacific Northwest golf trip, Silvies pairs naturally with the region's other Dan Hixson work, including the treeless links of Wine Valley Golf Club across the line in Washington wine country.
Looking for a base at Silvies or in eastern Oregon? See our recommended hotels and resorts.
Build an Oregon golf trip
We arrange the Silvies stay and tee times across the reversible courses, pair them with the best of Pacific Northwest golf and book the lodging around them. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Silvies Valley Ranch questions
Who designed Silvies Valley Ranch and when did it open?
The golf at Silvies Valley Ranch was designed by Dan Hixson and opened in 2017 in eastern Oregon. The centerpiece is a pair of reversible 18-hole courses, the Hankins and the Craddock, that share a single routing.
What is the reversible course at Silvies Valley Ranch?
The Hankins and Craddock are two par 72 courses laid over the same ground, one played clockwise and one counter clockwise. They share nine greens, with nine more unique to each, so the land yields 36 distinct holes.
How much does it cost to play Silvies Valley Ranch?
Indicative green fees run from about 150 to 215 US dollars in the 2026 peak season, typically as part of a resort stay. Rates change by season and demand, so always confirm directly before booking.
What are the goat caddies at Silvies Valley Ranch?
Silvies is famous for its goat caddies on the McVeigh's Gauntlet challenge course, where trained goats carry a small bag of clubs and snacks. It is one of the most unusual experiences in golf.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Tee time windows, course access changes and the trips worth taking. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year and format verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.