West Branch History

West Branch is an extension of the Bill Rice Ranch. The Bill Rice Ranch is a revival ministry that was founded in 1953. The most notable extension of the Ranch is its summer camping ministry. Begun in 1953 to reach the Deaf, the Ranch has grown now to reach thousands of hearing and deaf young people from around the world every summer. In addition to the camps in Middle Tennessee and Northern Arizona, the Ranch has specialty camps on the Philippine Islands.

West Branch was established in 1989 in Flagstaff, Arizona. Over 37,000 people have attended our camps and conferences, first in Flagstaff, then throughout the West via West Branch on the Move.

The Flagstaff property was a wonderful gift from the Lord which allowed us to begin ministry in the mountain and pacific states. In fact, gaining the Mt. Elden property was really a miracle! After years of searching for campground locations, we were able to purchase this acreage in beautiful Flagstaff for a fraction of its value. Still, the cost was more than we had! God provided, and West Branch was begun!

From the beginning, the Mt. Elden property was intended to be a temporary location. Its location within the city limits of Flagstaff, its age, and its small size made it not feasible to continue a camping ministry there for an indefinite period. Because of this, the Bill Rice Ranch signed papers for a new location in December of 1997. The 155-acre parcel is located in the city of Williams, Arizona, and is in an ideal location because of the combination of its privacy and easy accessibility. The view of the San Francisco Peaks, Arizona’s highest mountains, is spectacular too!

God used our original location in Flagstaff in a great way (1989-2004). Many were saved and countless individuals made important spiritual decisions in their lives. Many former campers are still serving the Lord in local churches, some in full-time ministry. Now we have begun a new era. It is our goal to establish incremental growth and over time to see many lives affected through the camping opportunity. In fact, we have already hosted over 6,000 campers on our new camp location. Between the developing camp ministry and the ongoing West Branch on the Move ministry with events throughout the West, we are very blessed with opportunities to serve the Lord.