GREYCLIFF A Sweet Grass County ranch is giving new life to historic sheep wagons, offering visitors a chance to experience Montanas agricultural past while helping preserve a fading piece of Western heritage.Learn more about th ese historic sheep wagons: Montana Ag Network: Montana ranch revives historic sheep wagons into camping experienceAt the Greycliff Creek Ranch near Greycliff, ranch owner John Holifield has restored four vintage sheep wagons and turned them into an overnight experience for visitors. The project, now entering its second summer, combines horseback riding, outdoor meals, and a chance to spend the night in structures that once played a vital role in the West's sheep industry.Holifield moved to Montana from Dallas in 2015 and helped establish Greycliff Creek Ranch that same year. Today, the operation includes about 30 trail horses, 60 head of cattle, horse training services, guided rides, and special events. I made it my mission to maximize the place as best I could, he said.As he looked for new ways to showcase the ranch and the region's history, Holifield found inspiration in a longtime fascination with sheep wagons."I've wanted one for as long as I've been in the West," he said. "I thought they were super cool. I always said I'd rather have that than a camper." That interest led him to acquire and restore four historic wagons in 2024 with assistance from several companies and craftsmen in Billings and Bozeman. Guests can now rent the wagons as part of guided overnight excursions that include horseback rides, campfire meals, and breakfast cooked the following morning outdoors.The wagons themselves tell a larger story about Montana agriculture.Designed in the late 1800s, sheep wagons were built specifically for sheepherders managing large bands of sheep in remote areas. Typically equipped with sleeping quarters, storage, and cooking space, they allowed workers to spend entire seasons in the mountains and rangelands far from towns and ranch headquarters, Holifield said.They were designed in the later 1800s. They're kind of like the first campers," Holifield said. "Sheepherders who are working now are using campers mostly, but these guys would trail their couple thousand head of sheep up into the wilderness in the mountains." The history is especially significant in Sweet Grass County, where sheep production once dominated the local agricultural economy. The mascot of Big Timber High School is still the Sheepherders.This county particularly, which was part of my infatuation with these wagons, was especially through World War II, massive sheep country, Holifield said. "A lot of them have transitioned to cattle, but we still have a large wool production. The preservation effort has continued despite challenges. Last month, a wildfire came within feet of the ranch property, threatening the operation."It was pretty stressful," Holifield said. "I didn't sleep good for a while."Related: Grey Fire near Greycliff grows to 197 acres, 15% containedDespite the close call, Holifield said his dedication to the ranch and its mission has not wavered."I've always felt like kind of keeping these things alive is important, and if we don't, who will? And what will our kids know of these things?" he said. "I'm in ranching because I want to pass on this lifestyle to my kids."For Holifield, the sheep wagons serve as a bridge between past and present, and a way to share Montana's agricultural heritage with visitors while ensuring a fading piece of Western history is not forgotten. "No one might be doing it now, how they were," he said. "But even if we can keep it alive on some level, experience it for a night, it helps keep it alive."Tours and overnight stays at the ranch cost about $350 per person and can be booked directly through Greycliff Creek Ranch. Click here for more information. ...read more read less