Broadleaf Ranch - Riverside-Albert, NB

Rising Tides & Stars Region

Dark Sky Destinations Partner

BROADLEAF RANCH – RIVERSIDE-ALBERT, NB

Accommodation: The partner with the largest space on our network is fittingly set on a very active ranch. The Broadleaf Ranch experience and accommodations extend throughout an entire mountain that has been in the family for several generations. You’ll find a restaurant at the ranch that offers delicious meal options, including breakfasts on weekends and during the high summer season. There are several cabins near the ranch along a playground and fields for lots of room to play and for the livestock. Two dormitory-style log cabins offer options for large groups perfect for sports teams, school trips, etc. They come complete with two large washroom facilities and showers for these units. A campground is also available by the ranch in the summer season. With 18 serviced sites with water, electricity and sewer make for a ‘real cowboy’ experience of sleeping under the stars possible. As you begin your way up the mountain, after a few minutes, you’ll reach additional units that are so unique. These are ‘glamping’ style cabins with the most interesting design. Some as lighthouses, some as chuckwagons and even some covered-bridge styles. All are overlooking the southern direction with exciting views of the Bay of Fundy and Nova Scotia in the distance. Believe it or not, but you can keep trekking up the mountain to finally reach the Mountain Chalet, which is very private and ‘away from it all’! The Mountain Chalet is equipped with bedding and linen (there are 12 beds total + plus a pull-out couch in the basement: the two bedrooms upstairs each have 2 double beds, the two main floor bedrooms each have 2 double beds and 1 single bed and the bedroom on the lower level has 2 double beds), as well as a full kitchen with full-sized fridge, stove with oven, microwave, toaster, coffee maker and coffee, pots/pans, dishes, cups/glasses and utensils, BBQ, and a Hot Tub. The Chalet has WIFI and a smart T.V. There is a campfire pit outside, and the wood is provided. The Mountain Chalet is not pet-friendly.

Accommodation Style: Country Cabins (3) - 4 guests, Dormitory Cabins (2) – Groups Glamping Units 4-5 guests, Mountain Chalet – 12+ beds Operating Period: Most units are year-round

Description: You could fill a book about Broadleaf Ranch’s amazing amenities, activities indoor and outdoor, and the ranch experience complete with horse rides and summer activities, including stargazing. The winter months don’t slow down with horse-pulled sleigh rides, skating, snowshoeing and being a destination all year for ATVs and snowmobiles when the snowpack is good. It is the perfect destination for an action-packed stay for families, groups, or couples, or for those who simply want to enjoy the laid-back atmosphere this unique ranch experience provides. A CVA Astro-destination Top Experience

The property is so immense that we have numerous Bortle readings at various points of accommodations ranging from Bortle 3-4 down by the barn and cabins, to a solid Bortle 3 mid-mountain at the glamping units to a Bortle 2-3 at the Mountain Chalet at the top of the mountain. Astrophotographers will enjoy the conditions at the Mountain Chalet. At the same time, nightscape and Milky Way photography enthusiasts will relish the unique glamping cabins in the foreground of a rising night sky and Milky Way in the direction and views from these units. Anywhere on the property is perfect for observing the night sky, meteor showers at peak nights or using binoculars and telescopes for some more serious astronomy.

Astro-strengths:

Nestled along the coast of the Bay of Fundy and facing a southern sky while enjoying enough distance from the nearby community, the sky quality at Broadleaf Ranch is one of our top-tier partners with some of the best conditions. As you proceed up the mountain there are very few lights thus increasing the ambient light glare/pollution to very low manageable amounts.

Bortle Zone: Bortle 2-4

Visual Equipment: Binoculars

Visual Equipment Rental Cost: Inquire upon booking. Perfect for: beginner to advanced astronomers, astrophotographers, nightscape and Milky Way photographers, couples, and nature lovers.

Booking details: PRICING AND RESERVATION PROCESS (POLICIES)

Accommodation deposit(s) are non-refundable and non-transferable.
Deposit will be refunded on adventure activities due to extreme weather conditions.
A 2-night stay minimum stay is required between June-September

Waiver Form

All participants must sign a Waiver and Release of Liability Form before participating in our adventure activities. Ask your host for more details. Book directly with Cliff Valley Astronomy or contact Broadleaf Ranch at 1-800-226-5405 or at info@broadleafranch.ca .

CANCELATION POLICY:
Details at booking.

Key celestial events in the 2024 season