Pride Month Profiles: Paca Pride Guest Ranch
Visit for the day or stay for several, learn about permaculture, and meet the alpacas.
As I stopped at the front gate at Paca Pride Guest Ranch to take a photo, a car coming out stopped and the driver asked if I was thinking about staying there. She said she and her kids had an amazing time and that I definitely should. Several chickens made way for my car as I pulled in and walked up to the main building where I found a cozy lounge and gift shop. Owner David Capocci explained that in 2004, he and his husband Glenn Budlow were already fans of the region, keeping a yurt six months each year at the Triangle Recreation Camp 14 miles further up the Mountain Loop Highway.
![](https://snohomish.imgix.net/images/archive/20210424_110230_HDR.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=b4a0be6c277046900e95f2f518cbde1c 320w, https://snohomish.imgix.net/images/archive/20210424_110230_HDR.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=f429cb8ccc9fce8b128792da93a8d831 540w, https://snohomish.imgix.net/images/archive/20210424_110230_HDR.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=ca687d92fd2dc9bd75d68dff2cab45d4 768w, https://snohomish.imgix.net/images/archive/20210424_110230_HDR.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=42bec81ad294a2a56e43f1158b36924a 1024w, https://snohomish.imgix.net/images/archive/20210424_110230_HDR.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=4f2d52c0afc1778a07c804f47cb4eacd 1200w, https://snohomish.imgix.net/images/archive/20210424_110230_HDR.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=3a4a650aa9c45d7ae4dd7172509814c1 1440w, https://snohomish.imgix.net/images/archive/20210424_110230_HDR.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=d525471e51335af1170d4542f6a99876 1920w, https://snohomish.imgix.net/images/archive/20210424_110230_HDR.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=2560&s=9795322e536ea5101555622e9f22d10c 2560w, https://snohomish.imgix.net/images/archive/20210424_110230_HDR.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=3840&s=f20022287d87a0c9382d21f9a7b4f133 3840w)
Clockwise from left: David Capocci, co-owner Tim Leingang, Glenn Budlow, Kobe, and Titus
Finding themselves at a crossroads, they decided it was a perfect time to leave the corporate world and Capitol Hill in Seattle behind. "We needed to get out of our blue bubble and come out to these red mountains and manifest the change we wanted to see in the world through hospitality and becoming the proverbial innkeeper." They envisioned a base camp where people could camp and hike, realizing most people do one or the other because they don't want to leave their belongings unattended.
Their 17 acres are absolutely beautiful, but in order to compete with other destinations along the river, Capocci and Budlow joined the exploding agrotourism and locavore movements by establishing a family farm. "Everything here is very transparent," Capocci explained. "We tie everybody into that and show folks how those natural concepts occur. We put Mother Nature in the driver's seat and nudge her at the edges, keeping things in balance. We use chickens and alpacas to bring abundance to the mountain meadow ecology."
The guest yurt is close to the main building but far enough that its little spot in the trees with chairs and a hammock is a perfect place to relax. The proximity just means you're not far from the guest restroom with hot water and a real shower. Future plans include additional yurts plus hot tubs and a barrel steam sauna, but for now there's also a deluxe guest room with a private bath in the main building, and lots of room for camping. You can pitch a tent on the grass or one of their covered tent platforms.
Need to cook? A covered outdoor kitchen is available, too. If you're bringing a big group together once it's safe to do so, the larger Roundhouse Yurt is available for games, slumber parties, or even yoga and meditation. For now Paca Pride is truly a place to disconnect, with no cell service at all. Need to check in with the outside world? Wifi is available throughout the campground and ranch.
![](https://snohomish.imgix.net/images/archive/Mountain-Loop-Big-Four.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=7aed0d426fd3f06c228e762aba5c40a3 320w, https://snohomish.imgix.net/images/archive/Mountain-Loop-Big-Four.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=86869fae7b86322e5139760eae88582e 540w, https://snohomish.imgix.net/images/archive/Mountain-Loop-Big-Four.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=ddda5ad27da99c8924328e03d44f72a8 768w, https://snohomish.imgix.net/images/archive/Mountain-Loop-Big-Four.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=8aa168d7f9611a235879680fff7bb641 1024w, https://snohomish.imgix.net/images/archive/Mountain-Loop-Big-Four.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=b8f554c265ee3ca7801b3de4822fb03d 1200w, https://snohomish.imgix.net/images/archive/Mountain-Loop-Big-Four.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=d896ecb3ce466d32e83adec6a6f590b9 1440w, https://snohomish.imgix.net/images/archive/Mountain-Loop-Big-Four.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=76c34e8ac6d35a1a6b26924b1093062b 1920w, https://snohomish.imgix.net/images/archive/Mountain-Loop-Big-Four.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=2560&s=78a15860b1c4182f8ab297a088f4e501 2560w, https://snohomish.imgix.net/images/archive/Mountain-Loop-Big-Four.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=3840&s=3ff019288f00f0fa54dcbbedca92ee9f 3840w)
Paca Pride is located on the Mountain Loop Highway and offers easy access to beautiful hikes and daytrips.
By now you've likely stayed at a lot of hotels and vacation rentals that were mostly just a comfortable place to be, but Paca Pride is a place to do. Even if you don't want to hike, kayak, or explore, a day on this well-run farm is fascinating and fun. The friendly alpacas are rescues, all males who were deemed unsuitable as breeding stock, but they and the chickens play an important role in the "land first" farm operations.
Interested in seeing it for yourself? You don't have to schedule a stay. Paca Pride is open 10am-5pm every day and the gift shop alone is worth the visit. Grab some high-quality alpaca socks, hats, and blankets plus some fresh eggs and local honey.
Even if you never pictured yourself staying on a farm, you'll want to by the time you leave.
![](https://snohomish.imgix.net/images/archive/20210424_110423_HDR.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=815090355efdeccd68c7d31e95a6b7eb 320w, https://snohomish.imgix.net/images/archive/20210424_110423_HDR.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=bbedaefe2d092adf312ecb2f028fa089 540w, https://snohomish.imgix.net/images/archive/20210424_110423_HDR.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=58f160b8eab23221fa9d4a63d7063f13 768w, https://snohomish.imgix.net/images/archive/20210424_110423_HDR.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=9e9813b83cb76a2388e458bc91b19679 1024w, https://snohomish.imgix.net/images/archive/20210424_110423_HDR.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=2607522394e9ed06c2506a8cb4b754c8 1200w, https://snohomish.imgix.net/images/archive/20210424_110423_HDR.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=447744196d07ab6e4298450c1ad83f0c 1440w, https://snohomish.imgix.net/images/archive/20210424_110423_HDR.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=15345a2b8611eca69af2e250ffb9696e 1920w, https://snohomish.imgix.net/images/archive/20210424_110423_HDR.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=2560&s=2fc811f69b0ec7a46b45fc208165ef3d 2560w, https://snohomish.imgix.net/images/archive/20210424_110423_HDR.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=3840&s=8235447a3d679c2a302469217626629e 3840w)