Visitor’s Center

The following items are strictly prohibited at The Smith Family Ranch unless explicitly approved by the Smith Family management team

• The use of tents and canopies
• Amplified music
• The selling of food or other items outside of special events
• Alcoholic beverages (see below)
• Absolutely no drugs or illegal substances allowed on City property.
• Privately owned horses or ponies brought into the park.
• No vehicles allowed off the paved roads or on closed park roads.
• Lawn chairs and folding chairs
• Magic markers, spray paint, or aerosol cans
• Radios without headphones
• Glass bottles or glass containers
• Knives
• Spiked clothing or jewelry
• Fireworks and explosives of any kind
• Firearms and ammunition
• Chemical-based weapons, including mace or pepper spray
• Aerosol cans, with the exception of sun screen, bug spray, and hygiene products.
• Unmanned aerial vehicles (drones)(see below)
• Moonwalks, dunk tanks, or any equipment that calls for independent power (except by special permission).

Report illegal activities to 911 immediately!

Check-In: Campers may arrive at their reserved site between 1 p.m. and 10 p.m. and must have receipt (electronic or printed) of their registration throughout their stay.

Check-Out: Campers must leave before 12:00 p.m.

Occupancy: The level of occupancy at a campground is specific to each site. This level will be posted at each area and will be specified within the reservation system. Tents erected off designated sites are subject to removal. Camping between designated campsites is prohibited. When camping areas are filled to stated capacity, no other campers will be allowed. Camping is limited to 14 consecutive days at any one facility. Visitors using a campsite for 14 nights must vacate the facility for at least seven days before returning.

• Plan Ahead and Prepare
  • Know the regulations and special concerns for the area you’ll visit.
  • Prepare for extreme weather, hazards, and emergencies.
  • Schedule your trip to avoid times of high use.
  • Visit in small groups when possible. Consider splitting larger groups into smaller groups.
  • Repackage food to minimize waste.
  • Use a map and compass or GPS to eliminate the use of marking paint, rock cairns or flagging.
• Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
  • Durable surfaces include maintained trails and designated campsites, rock, gravel, sand, dry grasses or snow.
  • Protect riparian areas by camping at least 200 feet from lakes and streams.
  • Good campsites are found, not made. Altering a site is not necessary.
    • In popular areas:
      • Concentrate use on existing trails and campsites.
      • Walk single file in the middle of the trail, even when wet or muddy.
      • Keep campsites small. Focus activity in areas where vegetation is absent.
    • In pristine areas:
      • Disperse use to prevent the creation of campsites and trails.
      • Avoid places where impacts are just beginning.
• Dispose of Waste Properly
  • Pack it in, pack it out. Inspect your campsite, food preparation areas, and rest areas for trash or spilled foods. Pack out all trash, leftover food and litter.
  • Utilize toilet facilities whenever possible. Otherwise, deposit solid human waste in catholes dug 6 to 8 inches deep, at least 200 feet from water, camp and trails. Cover and disguise the cathole when finished.
  • Pack out toilet paper and hygiene products.
  • To wash yourself or your dishes, carry water 200 feet away from streams or lakes and use small amounts of biodegradable soap. Scatter strained dishwater.
• Leave What You Find
  • Preserve the past: examine, photograph, but do not touch cultural or historic structures and artifacts.
  • Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them.
  • Avoid introducing or transporting non-native species.
  • Do not build structures, furniture, or dig trenches.
• Minimize Campfire Impacts
  • Campfires can cause lasting impacts to the environment. Use a lightweight stove for cooking and enjoy a candle lantern for light.
  • Where fires are permitted, use established fire rings, fire pans, or mound fires.
  • Keep fires small. Only use down and dead wood from the ground that can be broken by hand.
  • Burn all wood and coals to ash, put out campfires completely, then scatter cool ashes.
• Respect Wildlife
  • Observe wildlife from a distance. Do not follow or approach them.
  • Never feed animals. Feeding wildlife damages their health, alters natural behaviors, [habituates them to humans], and exposes them to predators and other dangers.
  • Protect wildlife and your food by storing rations and trash securely.
  • Control pets at all times, or leave them at home.
  • Avoid wildlife during sensitive times: mating, nesting, raising young, or winter.
• Be Considerate of Other Visitors
  • Respect other visitors and protect the quality of their experience.
  • Be courteous. Yield to other users on the trail.
  • Step to the downhill side of the trail when encountering pack stock.
  • Take breaks and camp away from trails and other visitors.
  • Let nature’s sounds prevail. Avoid loud voices and noises.

No tents or canopies allowed without the expressed written permission of The Smith Family Ranch or NEXT Steps Youth Entrepreneur Program Management Team.

• Pets (including emotional support pets) are not permitted at The Smith Family Ranch, except for trained service animals. 
• Only service animals are allowed on the property and must be on a leash at all times. NO EXCEPTIONS!  This ensures the safety of all our guests and staff, as well as, your service animal and all livestock.
• Persons with pets must clean up after your pet.
• No pets allowed during festivals or large crowd events. 
• Written permission must be given for horses and other uncaged large and small animals that will be used specifically for lessons, trail rides, security and events PRIOR TO bringing them onto The Smith Family Ranch property.

Protect our farm animals. All of our farm animals are on a special diet and are fed measured amounts of food at the appropriate times during the day, so if you feed them or accidentally give them something they cannot digest, they can become sick and develop medical complications.

Help keep wildlife wild and healthy. Wildlife Services encourages you to avoid feeding wildlife such as ducks, geese, gulls, raccoons, deer, squirrels or coyotes. One way you can help reduce wildlife conflicts with people is by not feeding wildlife near human populations and in parks.

Wildlife Services experts are often asked to assist with wildlife damage problems related to animals that have been accidentally or intentionally fed by people. Feeding wildlife can lead to a number of serious problems:

• Human food is not healthy for wild animals, and they do not need food from humans to survive. Wild animals have specialized diets, and they can become malnourished or die if fed the wrong foods. Also, animals cannot distinguish food from wrappers or foil and can get sick eating these items.

• Feeding leads to public health concerns. Too many animals in one place increases the chance of disease transmission to people and among other wildlife.

• Animals accustomed to people often lose their fear of people and can become aggressive. Those that become too aggressive may have to be destroyed to protect people and property.

• Birds gathering near or on airports can become victims of bird-aircraft collisions, potentially causing flight delays, damage to aircraft, and loss of human life.

• Animals fed along roads tend to stay near roads, increasing the chance of vehicle-animal accidents.

• Large concentrations of ducks and geese can pollute nearby waterways, backyards and athletic fields. Some waterfowl species drop up to a pound of feces every day!

How You Can Help

Many people enjoy living near and watching wildlife. You can help keep animals wild by keeping the following tips in mind. 

• Do not encourage wildlife by feeding or leaving food for them.
• Don’t allow bird food to accumulate on the ground.
• Don’t place food scraps in gardens or compost bins, and use a closed compost bin.
• Keep pet food and water containers indoors, especially at night.
• If you have fruit trees, harvest or dispose of fruit when it is ripe.
• Use metal or durable plastic trash containers with tight fitting lids.
• Enjoy viewing wildlife at a distance. Respect their space and remember they are wild animals that should stay wild.

For more information or assistance with a wildlife damage issue, please call your WS state office at 1-866-4USDA-WS (1-866-487-3297).

• We require all guests to maintain a family-friendly atmosphere during their visit.
• Line-cutting, the use of excessive profanity, and disruptive behavior are not in keeping with our values and may result in removal from The Smith Family Ranch without a refund.
• Our dedicated staff and special guests are present to ensure everyone’s enjoyment and safety, so please treat them with respect and follow their instructions diligently.
• All group gatherings must conclude before 10 p.m.

Radios, televisions, musical instruments and all other noise-making devices are not to be used between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. in a manner that such devices may be heard by other visitors and must be kept at low volumes during other times.

Moonwalks, dunk tanks, or any equipment that calls for independent power are not allowed (except by special permission)

Smoking and vaping is strictly prohibited at The Smith Family Ranch (including the parking lot).​

• No alcoholic beverages can be brought onto The Smith Family Ranch premises (including the parking lot) without approval and written permission.
• Requests to bring alcoholic beverages onto the premises must be requested in writing through our online request form.
• No alcoholic beverages are allowed in the Wildlife Sanctuary and fishing area.
• Approvals will be granted in writing by a member of our Workshops & Special Events Management Team.

By visiting The Smith Family Ranch, guests grant The Smith Family Ranch  & The NEXT Steps Youth Entrepreneur Program the right to film, video, record or photograph them on premises for any reason without payment or consideration. The Smith Family Ranch  & The NEXT Steps Youth Entrepreneur Program requests that all photographs or video taken by our guests be used for their personal use and enjoyment only. Any use, reuse, or reproduction for commercial purposes without the consent of The Smith Family Ranch  & The NEXT Steps Youth Entrepreneur Program is prohibited. Professional photographers that want to conduct sessions on property with clients or those that want to photograph or video record for commercial purposes need to contact us directly for approval.

To ensure the safety and enjoyment of all guests, The Smith Family Ranch prohibits the operation or use of any unmanned aerial vehicle on, from, or above The Smith Family Ranch premises absent from specific written consent. This includes all UAVs, regardless of their size, weight, or purpose. Contact us directly if you have a request to use a UAV at The Smith Family Ranch.

• No vehicles allowed off the paved roads or on closed park roads.