The Rocking M Ranch is the largest ranch that is located in Washington County. The approximate land area of Washington County is 1,474 square miles. The county seat is Weiser pronounced (wee-zer). Named after Sgt Peter Weiser of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the town is a gateway to Hells Canyon, the deepest gorge in North America. Named for the first President of the United States, Washington County was established in 1879 with its county seat at Weiser. Donald MacKenzie was one of the first white men in the area in 1811. Settlers came in the 1860s after gold was discovered in the area.

• Click here to go to the Washington County Economic Development Page.
  
• Click here to go to The State of Idaho Resource page.
  
• Click here for the local newspaper of The Weiser Signal.
  
• The Argus Observer the Ontario newspaper.
  
• Click here to see local events for Weiser.
  
• Click here for Bogus Basin Ski area.
  
• Sun Valley Ski area
  
• Brundage Mountain Ski area - or Hitt Mountain 208-355-2256
• Click here to go to information about the Weiser Idaho Airport
• Click here to go to information about the Ontario Oregon Airport

Interesting Idaho Facts -

Hells Canyon - North America's deepest River Canyon.

Salmon River Canyon - North America's 2nd deepest River Canyon.

Salmon River - America's longest free flowing river.

The Wilderness State - Five wilderness areas that include almost four million acres. The largest amount in the lower 48 states. The Frank Church Wilderness Area covers 2.3 million acres by itself.

Abundant Wildlife - Including the largest Elk population in the lower 48 states.

Native Americans - Five major tribes scattered throughout the state. Numerous festivals and museums to explore throughout the year.

Gem digging - The rare star garnet is discovered only in Idaho and India. You can dig for this rare stone yourself or pan for gold.

Or Click here to learn more about the state of Idaho

Contact the Weiser Chamber of Commerce.

Weiser Chamber of Commerce
8 East Idaho St
Weiser ID 83672

The Rocking M Ranch was assembled from many homesteads during the Great Depression. The last 3,000 acres were added in 1990. In 1980, the lodge was built and used as the ranch summer home for the Moore family until 1985. In 1986, the lodge started taking guests. During the first year, revenues were only $14,000. In 1995, gross revenues, including food, lodging, fuel sales, slip rentals, and marine sales, were approximately $300,000. The owners choose to reinvest all revenues for growth, and the operation does not show a taxable income.

From 1974 through 1989, the Rocking M Ranch became world famous as the primary birthplace of the Salers breed of cattle in America. The ranch sold breeding stock into 35 states, Canada, Japan Australia and New Zealand. The American Salers Association had its breed registry and office on the ranch until 1981. Today, the Salers breed ranks 12^th in size among 70 breeds in America.

In 1985, the owners of the Rocking M Ranch (the Roy Moore family) developed a branded beef program from the bloodlines of Salers cattle used on the Rocking M Ranch. That company, Maverick Ranch Lite Beef, currently is one of the fastest growing branded beef programs in America.

Today the agricultural operations are leased out to a local rancher and the Lodge is leased out for private, family and corporate retreats.

The ranch also has a long history of mining and mineral development. The historic ghost town of Mineral is on the ranch and once had a population of more than 1,000 people. Mostly silver and some gold were mined from the 1880's until World War II. Several of the original buildings still exist on the ranch. Many of the silver mines were very successful and several smelter operations existed. During the 1960's, 70's, and 80's, the ranch generated substantial income from exploration leases to major mining companies. The original volcanic source of the minerals has never been located, so it always entices prospectors and sophisticated mining explorations. There are also considerable amounts of copper and gypsum on the ranch, as well as silver. Minerals are found both on deeded and federal lands. The mineral rights are available with the ranch for an additional price.
Click here to view other information on the Ghost Town of Mineral.

The climate at the lodge boasts a 200 day +/- frost-free season, which is the second longest in the northwest. The climate is ideal for fruit trees, and several small orchards, planted by miners over 100 years ago, still produce apples, apricots, plums, cherries, mulberries, and pears. Basically, the year-round temperature could be compared with being about 20 degrees cooler than Phoenix. Due to the fact that the elevation rises more than 3,800 feet in five to six miles, the temperature varies about 20 degrees on the ranch. This provides a unique growing season for grasses, where the range starts turning green at the low elevations the first of March and progresses as the elevation increases. The higher elevations have warmer season bunch grasses. The high country may have some snowdrifts that do not melt until the latter part of June.

Rainfall varies from about 12 inches to 28 inches on the ranch. The region is considered semi-arid at the lower elevations. This rainfall variance is usually in the form of snow. The lower elevations can expect very little snow, with the south slopes staying open (providing winter grazing for elk, deer, and cattle). The high country sometimes receives more than 100 inches of snowfall annually. This provides ground water for the hundreds of springs in five major creeks and drainage areas that flow west to the Snake River (the Brownlee Reservoir). The ranch has been called "one of the best watered ranches in the West". Very few areas offer the climatic variation as the Rocking M Ranch. In part, this is due to the influence of the Brownlee Reservoir. The reservoir and the surrounding mountains affect the temperature and the moisture. Click here to view current weather conditions in Weiser.

There are almost no flat areas on the ranch as the slope to the hills is gentle to steep. The entire ranch slopes from east to west and there are five major drainages that run westward to the Brownlee Reservoir. The ranch elevation ranges from approximately 2,100 feet at the Reservoir to almost 5,900 feet up against the Payette National Forest. The ranch consists of mostly open grass and sagebrush country with some timber up along the National Forest. There are cottonwood type trees and some fruit trees along the creek bottoms.