Montana ranch employs autistic adults as guides and wranglers

Kathryn Nordberg established Erik’s Ranch & Retreats in Montana to provide meaningful employment and housing for autistic adults.

The ranch operates on 230 acres near Livingston, Montana, and offers activities like horseback riding, fly fishing, and nature hikes. Most of these experiences are led or assisted by paid neurodivergent members who also live on the property. Nordberg founded the nonprofit after considering how her son, Erik, would live as an adult.

She first opened a boutique-style hotel in Edina, Minnesota, where autistic adults live independently and work under the guidance of life coaches. In 2014, she expanded this model to the Montana ranch. The facility features cabins designed specifically for neurodivergent guests, using muted earth tones, dimmable lights, and silent hardware to prevent sensory overload. The ranch addresses the low employment rates for people with cognitive disabilities, which Cornell University researchers found were below 50 percent in 2024.

Staff members like Jacob Thoresen, who has worked at the ranch for 10 years, report gaining independence and confidence through the role. While the ranch faces land-use regulations that limit expansion to seven more cabins, Nordberg continues to grow the program. The organization currently employs 27 autistic young adults and aims to serve 30 members regularly.