“The ultimate goal of the tent design was to create a feeling that you are in nature without the negative factors.”
The rare island of deeded land, surrounded by the Kaibab National Forest, was ceded to homesteader Clyde Moose in 1921. Since then, the hidden ranch, 20 miles southeast of Williams, was used as a farm, sheep ranch and private recreation area.
Budge has an eye for extraordinary places. The former director of development for Under Canvas Inc., one of the leading glamping operations, combed the country to find similar pieces of exceptional property. “I did everything from finding the land to handing the zipper – or should I say, the key – to the operation team. I built a lot of camps, from the Smoky Mountains to Mount Rushmore to Grand Canyon,” he said.
Now, the Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management alumnus is directing that expertise to his own venture. Backland is a eco-friendly glamping resort with 10 tents, a spa and a restaurant in a purpose-built lakeside lodge. Because the tent resort sits on the footprint of the original ranch, there is low impact on the land made up of meadows and ponderosa pine forests. Unfortunately, the farmstead, known as Moose Ranch, showed symptoms of overgrazing, so Budge and his team are using regenerative agricultural practices to restore the soil.
“We believe we can improve the environment through what we do. Rather than merely focusing on ‘low impact,’ we strive to have real positive impact,” says Backland’s website. The company has already sown an acre plot with milkweed, a host plant for monarch butterflies.
“We are trying to maximize the opportunity to feel like you are in a remote location rather than stuffing in as many lodging units as possible. We have 160 acres but are trying to keep the impact on the land at 5%,” Budge said.
The lodging units are large canvas structures set on concrete foundations. The team poured cement for the concrete floors on waffle mats or waffle slab foundations, which reduced excavation and haul quantities and thus, minimized disturbance to the land.
“Energy efficiency was a design criterion for us,” he added.
The front wall of the tent with expansive glass doors and windows – 16’ wide x 8’ tall – gives a spacious and clean feel. Travelers sleep under the stars viewed through a 16’ wide skylight system and wake up refreshed with unobstructed views of nature out of the front glass. The tent unit also includes an ensuite bathroom with a toilet, walk-in shower and square, raised sink. Budge, whose undergraduate studies were in construction management and business, designed the tents.
“The ultimate goal of the tent design was to create a feeling that you are in nature without the negative factors. The skylights give feelings of being immersed in nature,” Budge explained.
The glamping tents are heated and air-conditioned and furnished with what one would expect to find in any upscale Scottsdale hotel room. In addition, Backland utilizes heat pump technology that pumps but does not create heat, so it is four to five times more energy efficient than other heating units.
Sustainability measures include water-saving processes. The Nebia by Moen showerhead installed at Backland is the leader in luxurious showers, with a low flow of 1.25 gallons per minute versus the national standard flow of 2.5 gallons per minute. The low-flow toilets use half the water of other toilets and push-button sink faucets reduce water usage, which is critical since Backland must haul water to the remote site.
“We are conserving water right now with landscaping that doesn’t need much water and laundry that is done off-site. In the restaurant, we have compostable dishware because we don’t have a dishwasher – that saves hundreds of gallons of water daily.”
Backland can utilize the existing septic system because of its water saving measures.
In the restaurant, French-trained Chef Jarrett Parten prepares breakfast and dinner daily. Patrons can enjoy gourmet meals indoors or out.
The nightly rate includes free use of kayaks and stand-up paddleboards at Backland’s private lake, beach toys for the children, a telescope for stargazing and binoculars for watching the wildlife attracted to the water. In addition, there are complimentary supplies for roasting s’mores at a firepit and two electric vehicle charging stations.
“This place is hiding back here,” said the glamping expert. “I’m not sure of any other place in the forest I’d rather camp.” QCBN
By Stacey Wittig, QCBN
Get more information at travelbackland.com.
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