Old Corrals and Sagebrush

American West Photography - Old Cattle Corrals

Ian Tyson said best with the now famous line “I like old corrals and sagebrush…”

These photographs capture the weathered remnants of old corrals, standing as silent witnesses to the history of cattle ranching in the American West. The worn wood, often splintered and bleached by decades of sun and storms, speaks to the enduring hardships of life on the range. The rugged structures, set against vast, open landscapes, evoke a sense of isolation and resilience. Each post, beam, and wire tells a story of cowboys, cattle, and the unforgiving land they worked. Some corrals are nestled in dusty valleys, surrounded by rolling hills or jagged mountains, while others stand in flat, arid plains where time seems to stand still. In the soft light of dusk or the harsh midday sun, these old corrals serve as a powerful reminder of the frontier era, evoking a time when ranching was the lifeblood of the West, and the spirit of the cowboy was inseparable from the land.

Contact me directly if you’d like a western photography print of these old corrals for your home, office, or commercial space - rob@robhammerphotography.com

Photograph of an old wood corral in front of an iconic Western backdrop at sunset in Utah

Old wood cattle corrals in the American West

Black and white photograph of wood cattle corrals

Old cattle corrals covered in snow

Montana Cattle Ranch

Morning sun shines on the Sierra Nevada mountains and a cattle ranch outside Bridgeport, CA

Photograph of the cattle pens on the C-Punch Ranch near Lovelock, Nevada

Photograph of wood fence posts reflected in water at sunset on the Diamond A Ranch in Arizona

Wood corrals on a cattle ranch in Colorado

Sunset on a cattle ranch in Arizon

Black and white photograph of wood cattle corrals in front of an iconic Western backdrop

Arizona Cattle Ranch

K4 Ranch - Prescott, Arizona

Western photography when it comes to cowboys and cattle ranching has been around a long time. You might argue as long as the profession itself, since the legendary L.A. Huffman did it back in the 1800’s. Art collectors like to hang fine art photographs of the action - cattle branding, bucking broncs, stampedes, etc. And all of that is damn sure fun to photograph, but what about the quiet moments? Before and after the action when a cattle ranch is at rest. Those are just as fun to photograph, and important to show as a piece of the story telling puzzle. Last week I was fortunate to visit the historic K4 Ranch outside of Prescott, Arizona. It’s got a rich history in the cattle world as well as for it’s horses with notable bloodlines coming from the famous Driftwood Ike, among many others. Being there for the action is always prefered, but I find myself being very grateful for the off times that make way for images you would never otherwise have time to see or make.

Click here to see more of my photos series on Cowboys in the American West.

Contact me directly for prints of my cowboy photography. All images are available in different sizes for your home, office, or commercial space.

Photograph of a revolver gun in the console of a cowboy's pickup truck

A cowboy’s revolver

Photograph of early morning light on the horse corrals at the K4 Ranch in Arizona

Horse corrals on the K4 Ranch in Prescott Arizona

Photograph of a bucket of horseshoes on a cattle ranch in Arizona

Photograph of used horseshoes sitting in a bucket on a cattle ranch in Arizona

Ropes from King’s Saddlery hang on a cow skull on the K4 Ranch in Prescott, Arizona

Photograph of a cowboys roping dummy

Photograph of a roping dummy on a cattle ranch in the American West

Photograph of a cowboys shoeing station on an Arizona cattle ranch

A cowboy’s shoeing station for his horse on a cattle ranch in Arizona