The Ranch at Rock Creek on Calm
Narrated in a gentle, unhurried pace, Calm’s sleep stories are meditative tales designed to usher you into dreamland. Thanks to a collaboration with writer Dibs Baer, you can visit The Ranch at Rock Creek on Calm and live a day in the life of one of our wranglers.
Drift off to sleep under the Big Sky with the tales from Sara Jane as she leaves River House and saddles up her horse for a ride on Repeater Ridge. Inspired by the hardworking females from our past and present, this story pays homage to the homestead history we seek to preserve. Read about how this story came about and look for the special Ranch at Rock Creek discount code for a Calm subscription.
The Inspiration
The Ranch at Rock Creek has made it a mission to help people relax and reconnect to nature. The all-inclusive nature of our hospitality allows guests to be at ease as they explore Montana. During the pandemic we began to foster a community of like-minded souls across the world who crave life in the slow lane. Starting in 2020, we shared “Respite on Rock Creek,” a daily glimpse through a window into our world. Thanks to this daily feature on Instagram, Forbes featured us as one of 10 Boundary-Breaking Accounts Curing Wanderlust on Instagram.
The changes in our modern world have pushed people to seek a better work/life balance during the last few years, mirroring the reason so many of our staff have moved here in the first place. Our community on Instagram also led us to see how beneficial nature can be, even if it’s a virtual tour.
Images from Dibs’ trip to The Ranch. Courtesy of Travel Curator and Dibs Baer
One of our former guests, writer Dibs Baer got in touch with us in late 2020 with the idea of channeling the peacefulness of The Ranch into a calming story for others.
“During the early months of the pandemic I found that Calm’s sleep stories really helped me with anxiety, especially the travel sleep stories because they felt like an escape. I thought about my happiest place I’ve ever traveled to and it was hands-down The Ranch. It was the most beautiful, uplifting, peaceful trip I’d ever been on and I never forgot it. It sounds cliché but it was kind of spiritual and life-changing. I knew it would make a perfect sleep story.” Author Dibs Baer
When Dibs contacted Calm, they were on board. It was time to begin researching the people who’d been ranching this land since Montana was a territory.
The original homestead at The Ranch at Rock Creek, River House.
The Back Story
The Ranch and Montana, in general, have a history of strong female cowgirls and ranchers. In the 1940s, The Ranch was purchased by F.S. LeGrow. He hired well-known horse trainer, Grover Bowles as The Ranch’s manager. When Grover died, his wife, Hazel, and daughter, Sara Jane, took up the reins running The Ranch. Sara Jane’s Cottage is named after this enterprising woman.
The Running of the Horses. Photo by Allison Beggs
While the mining and trapping histories of Montana speak primarily of men, ranching is common amongst both men and women. Women across Granite County have long been a large part of the ranches in this area. They are skilled riders, farmers and ranchers. When Dibs began her research, every one of our wranglers was a woman. They interviewed Social Media and Website Manager Krista, Barn Manager Hailey, Lead Wrangler Ariel and Master Naturalist Kelsey to gain insight on the lifestyle and environment.
Rustic bunks in Sara Jane’s Cottage at The Ranch at Rock Creek.
The Sleep Story
The narrator in the sleep story is Sara Jane, in an homage to Sara Jane Bowles. She is also a jill-of-all-trades like most ranchers. She knows a little bit about everything, so she can lend a hand and impart her wisdom during her daily tasks.
Barn Manager Hailey Laird and Wrangler Brittney Johnston at Whiskey Ridge.
“I don’t mind showing you a little homestead hospitality as I mosey around our ten square miles on my daily chores. You may see why they call it “the Treasure State.” My ancestors may have been looking for gold and silver, but the real natural wonders fly across the big sky and migrate through the land.” ~ From The Ranch at Rock Creek, Calm Sleep Story
We hope you take this leisurely tour of The Ranch’s 6,600 acres. If you find your eyes closing before the end, we don’t blame you. That means Sara Jane, Dibs and Calm have worked their meditative magic. Use our code at calm.com/rockcreek for 40% off a year subscription as you have a listen. Sweet Dreams from Sara Jane Bowles and The Ranch at Rock Creek!
We hope you enjoy this relaxing window into our world.
About the Calm Story Author Dibs Baer
Dibs is an LA-based entertainment writer and the author/co-author of six books, including Lady Tigers in the Concrete Jungle: How Softball and Sisterhood Saved Lives in the South Bronx, named a Best New Book by People magazine, and the New York Times bestseller I didn’t Come Here to Make Friends: Confession of a Reality Show Villain. During a 15-year Stretch in NYC, Dibs was the executive editor of In Touch Weekly and their stories have also appeared in Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Women’s Health, Seventeen, Gotham, Hamptons and Vegas magazines. See more at dibsbaer.com
About Calm
Calm is the #1 app for sleep and meditation. Our mission is to make the world a happier and healthier place. It’s both simple and big. Through our website, blog, and app—filled with meditations, sleep stories, music, movement, and more—we’re redefining what mental health care looks like in 2021 and beyond. With over 100 million users worldwide, 100,000 new users daily, and our growing partnerships with major companies, we’re having a positive effect on more and more people each day.