Apprenticeship Program
Paintrock Canyon Ranch
Location: Hyattville, WY
Start Date: mid-April (somewhat flexible)
Length of Apprenticeship: Approximately 7 months, mid-November end date
Stipend: $1200/month
Application Deadline: November 15, 2026 (We will be in touch to schedule interviews with selected candidates by December 1st)
About the Ranch
The Paintrock Canyon Ranch sits at the foot of Northern Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains, marking the mouth of Paint Rock Canyon Creek. Covering roughly 80,000 acres, the landscape varies from productive irrigated fields to rough juniper hills cut through by red rock arroyos. We adapt our grazing strategy to match these environments with the ultimate goal of improving soil health and production, as well as the well-being and performance of our livestock.
The farming operations here distinguish the Paintrock from our other properties. We irrigate using a mix of gated pipe, flood irrigation, and center pivots, which allow us to use our fields either for intensive, high-density grazing or for hay production based on seasonal demands.
In the summer we move a majority of our cattle up Paintrock Canyon to the Forest Service pastures. We rotationally graze them there for several months, taking turns staying with them, monitoring grass, and shepherding them through the forest.
As the headquarters property for Ranchlands, the Paintrock is also the site of several of our other enterprises, such as guest stays (which run from late May to early October), The Collective’s artist residency program, and other events. While the ranch crew is not directly involved with guest stays on a day-to-day basis, the coming and going of new people every week creates a distinctly different atmosphere on this property than our other ranches, which are exclusively focused on cattle operations.
Apprenticeship Details
Type of Work
We use a combination of horses, dirtbikes, and working on foot to manage the cattle. We irrigate fields near our headquarters during the spring and summer which becomes a high priority and time-consuming task. Portable electric fencing is a tool that we use frequently year round in order to better control recovery periods, increase forage utilization and for ease of gathering/drifting cattle through larger pastures with a small crew. Apprentices will become comfortable and proficient in designing, building, and maintaining temporary electric fences independently in varying terrain. Apprentices will have the opportunity to participate in all aspects of cattle work throughout their time here including doctoring, sorting, branding, weaning, and pregnancy testing.
The apprenticeship begins by spending the majority of time alongside our senior crew members as they learn to navigate the ranch and are taught the necessary foundational skills. As time progresses the apprentice will be encouraged to make decisions and plan and execute projects on their own with support. There will be a mix of working independently, as a small group, or with the entire ranch team.
We believe that the success of the ranch depends on a cohesive team that is composed of individuals who truly enjoy the work they are doing. The apprentices who are most successful have strong communication skills and are excited to take on the challenges of living and working remotely alongside a small crew.
Housing
You will live in a private room in a shared house with one or two other apprentices. The house has a full kitchen and laundry, two bathrooms and three bedrooms. There is generally no cell service at the ranch, though we do have very good Wifi in the houses and headquarters buildings and cell service can be accessed in certain spots. We have a Garmin Inreach satellite device that can be used while working in more remote parts of the ranch.
Town/Amenities
The ranch is located 10 minutes away from the town of Hyattville. There are no amenities in town, other than a post office and the Paintrock Inn, a bar operated by Ranchlands. Ten Sleep, a small town with a few restaurants, is 45 minutes away, while the nearest grocery store is in Worland, 50 minutes away. You will never be required to use a personal vehicle for anything work-related, but you will need your own car for trips to town during your off time.
Other Things to Know
This apprenticeship is partially funded by The Ranchlands Collective, our nonprofit organization dedicated to education, land stewardship, and expanding pathways into ranching. As part of this support:
- Paintrock apprentices are expected to spend one evening per month during the guest season at Camp, socializing with the guests and sharing with them about your experience. Part of their stay at the Paintrock includes learning about The Collective’s initiatives and meeting participants of the program, and many of them become donors who make the program possible.
- Apprentices will participate in periodic check-ins with a Ranchlands Collective program coordinator to discuss learning goals, progress, and any support needed.
- Attendance for all apprentices is required at the annual Collective Summit. Dates are TBD but will be shared with you as soon as confirmed. The Collective will also sponsor 2-3 workshops or educational field days over the course of the season on topics such as soil health, graze planning, horsemanship, or ranch economics.
- Participants may occasionally be asked to contribute short reflections, photos, or testimonials to help share their experience with donors.
- These contributions help the Collective demonstrate impact, strengthen the apprenticeship pipeline, and expand opportunities for future apprentices.
