A Gateway to Thrive
Land-based health and wellness programs at the Star 6 Ranch, in the Bow Valley, on the lands of Treaty 7.
Welcome to the Community.
The Star 6 Ranch Foundation is a registered charity rooted in a historic ranch in Kananaskis, fifteen minutes east of Canmore.
We believe time on the land, with animals and with each other, helps people find steadiness, confidence, and connection. Our programs make that experience accessible to youth, families, first responders, and communities across the Bow Valley, Mînî Thnî, and Calgary, regardless of ability to pay.
What Happens Here: Programs Rooted in Land
Life on the Land
Our free annual community connection day: workshops; horses, music, food trucks, and an open gate for everyone.
Raven’s Nest
A seasonal girl's’ camp rooted in the traditional teachings of Iyethka women, created and led by Mini Thni knowledge keepers.
Equine Programs
Horsemanship, confidence, and calm; Mountain Stone Equine’s youth programs and our 1-1 Equine Connection sessions.
Lucent Festival
A weekend of connection, nature, and community, hosted at the Star 6 Ranch with our partner Embodied Living.
The Change is Real, and Measurable.
Highlights of 2025, our first full year:
46
days of health & wellness programs
1000+
participants engaged
13
community partners & collaborators
39%
program dollars supporting Indigenous programs
People Arrive Restless and Leave Grounded.
Research consistently links time in nature with lower stress, better mood, and stronger communities, and equine-supported learning with confidence and emotional regulation, especially for young people.
Each of our program pages shares the evidence behind the work.
“It is easier to connect to self when there is a connection to land and space.
Nature is healing, and this land is magical.”
Program Participant
“This is not a traditional setting for mental health care – it is not a clinic, not talk therapy, not a medical facility – the location and equine experience is unique and very approachable.”
Program Participant
The Gate is Open.
Come to a community day, bring a program idea, or help someone get here. A donation of any size helps us keep these programs free or subsidized for the people who need them most, and we would be so grateful for your support.