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Photo courtesy of Triangle T
Linda Kelly - owner of Triangle T on wagon.
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Dennis Begin
Balancing Rock Man.
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Dennis Begin
The Rock Saloon.
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Dennis Begin
Bar in the Rock Saloon.
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Dennis Begin
Horse - name Patches.
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Photo courtesy of Triangle T
Horse Trail through the Rocks.
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Dennis Begin
Buffalo Rock.
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Dennis Begin
Cabin [Casitas] for rent.
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Dennis Begin
Movie set from 3:10 to Yuma.
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Pat Begin
Dennis Begin and Stagecoach
Story by Dennis Begin
The American Southwest is known as ‘ranching country'. With wide-open ranges, the Sonoran Desert is ideal for raising cattle, horseback riding and escaping the city. There are ten guest ranches near Tucson that project the feelings of the Old West. One of those guest ranches in Southern Arizona is the Triangle T Guest Ranch.
Triangle T is located just off US I-10, mid-way between Benson and Willcox, Az. and less than two kilometres from The Texas Canyon Rest Stop (Exit 318). This is the land of massive granite boulders which dominate the landscape and are often seen in early black and white western movies. The massive boulders were formed from a granite intrusion of monzonite and smoothed out by wind and rain.
The 160-acre property was first owned by David Adams of Texas and then bought by Metta Tutt in 1927, when it became both an exclusive guest or dude ranch and a movie set. In the following decades, various owners expanded and enlarged the ranch. Many famous people have visited the ranch over the years including General John Pershing, Roy Rogers/Dale Evans, John Wayne, Gregory Peck, Steve McQueen, Kenny Rogers and John F. Kennedy. Mostly writers, artists, and actors sought out the ranch for its beauty, peace, and solitude. These same reasons draw people to this idyllic location today. For a more up-to-date list of visitors, check the history section on their web page, www.triangletguestranch.com.
A unique event took place at the ranch during the Pacific War (1941-45). On December 7, 1941, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. It was Diplomat Tadashi Morimura, who had relayed information back to Japan about the precise location of American ships anchored in the harbor, including the USS Arizona. Morimura was really Takeo Yoshikawa, an experienced naval officer who was also trained as a spy. The Americans quickly arrested 22 Japanese adults and 15 children and interned them at the Triangle T Ranch. In May 1942, the Japanese prisoners were exchanged for American prisoners.
By the 1990s, various owners had let the ranch deteriorate. In 2005, the ranch was sold to Linda Kelly from California, who had little experience on a ranch but purchased the Triangle T unseen. When she took possession, Linda quickly discovered the ranch had multiple challenges. The first hurdle was to work with the Humane Society to remove 100 feral cats. The buildings also needed painting, roofs leaked, plumbing and septic tanks had to be replaced and, in general, the buildings had to be renovated to meet current building codes. There were also problems with finding skilled labour and financing an old ranch. Gradually, the on-going renovations dramatically transformed the ranch. There are now ten casitas (cabins) that can be rented, along with 18 serviced RV sites and camping areas. Weddings, family reunions, and retreats are a common occurrence on the weekends.
The major activity at the ranch is horseback riding — either renting one of the ranch's eight horses or bringing your own horse. Other activities include mountain biking, bird watching, rock climbing, swimming, and hiking. The Rock Restaurant, built in the 1970s, has a massive rock wall behind the bar. The décor is a western theme, including a large mural on the east wall. The restaurant is open only on Saturdays, featuring live music and dancing. When Lynda first bought the ranch she was looking for a cash flow business, but as she explained, with a sense of humour, "…no one told me the cash would flow in the wrong direction".
The ranch and the rocks provide a great landscape for television and movies. On the small screen, the ranch was used in The Young Guns, The Lone Ranger and High Chaparral. Some movies that were filmed at the ranch include Duel in the Sun (1946), Ambush at Dark Canyon (2011) and Dead Man (2012). One of the buildings from the original 3:10 to Yuma (1957) movie is still on the ranch.
Not far from the ranch are two interesting attractions. The first one is the Amerind Museum/Art Gallery, where visitors can learn the story of the First Nations people from Alaska to South America and from the Ice Age to the present. Amerind is also a private archaeological and ethnographic research and library facility. Not far south is the second attraction, the Cochise Stronghold, a tribute to the Chiricahua Apache Chieftain who is buried somewhere in the nearby Dragoon Mountains. Cochise used the ranch property as his winter home.
Lynda and her partner, Don Beesley, see the future of the ranch moving towards a greater wellness and healing centre. Linda was originally in the healthcare business, and the ranch has provided alternative healing opportunities. A vortex on the ranch has powers bringing inner peace and harmony. The ranch is a spiritual place for the mind, body and human spirit. Keep in mind, there is no television or phone for the general public, although WiFi is now available. The ranch is very ‘unplugged' on purpose. Lynda stated, "We want people to visit, step back in time and just be with one another." Visitors need to embrace the motto of the ranch "Discover the Magic…Treasure the Memories."
The Triangle T Ranch has been the subject for several magazines, being featured in True West Magazine, Hotel Impossible, National Geographic Travel Magazine, Arizona Highways, and now Snowbirds and RV Travelers.
Triangle T Ranch is definitely worth a visit.
E-mail ttgr@earthlink.net, ph. 520 586 7533