LEAVENWORTH, Wash. — Refuge River Ranch is the winner of Best Roadside Attraction in 2022's Best Northwest Escapes viewer poll.
About five minutes outside Leavenworth, you can experience the perks of ranch life in a breathtaking setting.
Refuge River Ranch sits against the backdrop of Sleeping Lady mountain and is home to a menagerie of special needs animals.
"Refuge is a safe place, and we're on the river, and we're a ranch with a lot of rescue animals,” said owner JodieK, a single mom who also acts as caretaker for all the ranch creatures. "They're my fur babies. It just feels good."
Every animal has a story. Billy the Kid, an alpaca, was born with trouble thriving and lost his eye. Dudley the pig suffers PTSD and scars from two separate dog attacks.
The ranch is now their forever home and for $20, visitors can take a tour.
"It is not a petting zoo. It is an hour-long guided tour,” JodieK said. "I say we're perfect for ages 5 to 85."
Admission helps fund the ranch, and each interaction also offers the opportunity for education.
"Every time an animal has to get a new home, you're literally lowering that animal's life expectancy,” she said. "I honestly believe that about 90% of our rescues could be eliminated with just a tad bit of education.”
In the alpaca enclosure, she teaches guests how to crouch and approach sideways so the sensitive animals don’t get scared. She demonstrates how to properly hold a chicken, protecting its fragile legs and bones. When it’s time to meet Dudley, she explains a common misconception about pigs as pets.
"A mini micro teacup pig — you've heard of those? They're very popular. There's actually no such thing. Because you will never have a pig less than 100-300 pounds,” she said.
Other animals on-site include horses, Nigerian Dwarf goats, barn cats, miniature donkeys, and a white-breasted meat turkey named Mr. Turkey, who was meant for a dinner table but now follows JodieK around like a dog.
Some of the rescues are “situational” — previous owners could no longer care for the animals or were unprepared for the upkeep.
"It's not that they're mean, abusive, horrible people like you see on TV. They're actually very loving people that love animals,” she said. “They just have such big hearts that they forget to stop and think."
She hopes the tours help enlighten people about the real work it takes to run a ranch and care for herd animals.
JodieK finances Refuge River Ranch, with help from volunteers and donations. She hopes it will eventually become a self-sustaining endeavor.
"On hard weeks, I google ‘condos,’” she said, laughing. “There are very hard times. But there are also very rewarding times. Makes it worth it. It is something that I'm passionate about sharing, and preventing more rescues."
You can book a tour or buy a gift certificate online. JodieK is also in need of a specialized van to transport smaller animals to and from veterinary appointments, and you can donate to help. There is also a garden apartment available for nightly rentals on the property.
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