Generations of Stewardship

Every property has a history. Ours has a lineage.

It began with Doc McKahan, a retired Army veterinarian who homesteaded these 160 acres in 1919 with dreams of raising cattle and, surprisingly, pine martens. He spent years improving the land, surviving harsh Wyoming winters, proving his commitment to this remote corner of the wilderness. When financial hardship forced a sale, the land found its way to Slim Bassett, a man who understood the country and saw its potential.

The Bassetts weren't just landowners. They were part of the fabric of this place. Slim ran an outfitting operation, guiding hunters and fishermen into the backcountry, sharing his hard-won knowledge of these mountains and valleys. It was the beginning of a hospitality tradition on this land — nearly a century of welcoming guests to experience Granite Creek and the Gros Ventre Wilderness. His friendship with Dr. Donald MacLeod, Jackson's second full-time physician, would shape the property's next chapter. MacLeod loved this land enough to trade medical services for two acres where he could keep horses and mules, building a cabin where he could escape to the quiet rhythms of ranch life.

When MacLeod and his daughter Janet, along with her husband Larry Moore, eventually purchased the property, they continued the outfitting tradition, connecting people to this wilderness, teaching them to read its signs and respect its power. After Larry's untimely passing, the property entered a new phase of purpose.

Safari Club International's Conservation Fund recognized something special here: a landscape perfect for teaching wilderness leadership and conservation ethics. For years, they brought students to learn what it means to be a steward of wild places. They studied the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, tracked wildlife, and developed the kind of intimate understanding that transforms observers into advocates. This conservation education legacy resonates deeply with our own mission at The Hawken.

Each generation that held this land added something essential. Doc McKahan's pioneering spirit. The Bassetts' deep knowledge of the backcountry. The MacLeods' love of horses and open country. The Moore family's commitment to sharing this landscape with others. SCI's dedication to teaching the next generation of conservationists.

We inherit all of it. Not just the land itself, but the responsibility each previous steward shouldered. The Hawken continues this tradition of welcoming guests to this wild corner of Wyoming, adding our own chapter to a story that spans more than a century of hospitality on this land. Through our partnership with Ricketts Conservation Foundation and our commitment to citizen science, habitat restoration, and conservation education, we're ensuring this landscape remains wild and thriving. It's a story of people who loved this place enough to preserve it, improve it, and pass it forward. Now it's our turn.