The Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond and her husband, Ladd, have been so generous to open up their Oklahoma lodge on Drummond Ranch to visitors. In fact, people come from near and far for the opportunity to drive 18 miles into the country to visit The Lodge, which serves as a guest house for the Drummonds and a production location for the filming of Ree’s popular TV show. If you’d like to visit The Lodge on your visit to Osage County and Pawhuska, then you’ll want to read this!

1. Check the website for open dates.

To see which dates The Lodge is open for tours, simply check The Pioneer Woman Mercantile website HERE. The dates are usually posted at least several weeks (if not months) in advance. There’s also always a chance they could add more, so be sure to check back often. 

If The Lodge is closed to tours, there’s a good chance it’s because the film crew is in town and shooting the show. (And this means it’s likely Ree and Drummonds are in town). If The Lodge is not open on the dates you can come, don’t fret! There are plenty of other fun things to do in Pawhuska and Osage County when you visit The Pioneer Woman Mercantile. Be sure to open the Visit the Osage website (or download their app) before you come for more ideas. 

2. Pick up tickets at The Merc

Admission to The Lodge is free (thank you Ladd and Ree) but tickets are required. Visitors must go to The Merc (532 Kihekah Ave, Pawhuska, OK) the day of their lodge tour to get a ticket with directions to the Drummond Lodge. Tickets are available at the check out counters or the gift wrapping station – just ask one of the hospitable staff there for a ticket. While there is no cost to receive a ticket, they are only good for that day’s date and are not available in advance.

The Pioneer Woman Mercantile website says the The Lodge will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the open dates, but it’s best to check with the staff at The Merc before you drive out to the lodge.

PIN FOR LATER

3. Don’t be afraid to drive on gravel

If you want to visit The Drummond Ranch Lodge, you should know that you’ll have to traverse a few miles of gravel roads. That shouldn’t stop you though. After all, gravel roads have been used for decades.

You will want to exercise some caution. You can’t go the same speed you would on a highway, so slow down a bit. That said, it is just fine to drive faster than 25 m.p.h. Considering how beautiful the country is, the slower speed is perfect for you to soak it all in, and see if you can spot the wild horses which often graze along the road. And if your car gets a little dusty? Well, there’s a great car wash back in Pawhuska.

While we’re on the topic of driving, please don’t suddenly stop on the road side at the Drummond Ranch sign for a picture. There’s no law against it, but we don’t recommend it. The highway can have lots of traffic, and the speed limit there is 65. If you stop, you may create an unsafe situation for yourself and others. For this one, there are plenty of photos on-line to help you remember what you saw as you drove past. Here’s one:

4. Meet the staff at The Lodge

There are several folks who meet and greet visitors at The Lodge on Drummond Ranch. One of the regulars is our friend, Bill Sweeden.

Bill will be more than happy to answer your questions, show you around, and tell you all kinds of stories about life on Drummond Ranch. He’s usually wearing a hat and a badge, so he’s easy to spot. Ask Bill to show you around the enormous kitchen and maybe he’ll even show you what we like to call the “measuring cup heaven” drawer. 

5. Don’t miss the pantry behind the kitchen

One of our very favorite parts of The Lodge at Drummond Ranch is the newly renovated walk-in pantry behind the kitchen. I know jealousy is a sin, but I can’t seem to help myself from having pantry envy every time I walk into Ree’s. 

It is a huge, well-organized space with lots of natural light from the skylights above. It even has a rolling library ladder for reaching the top shelves. We missed this pantry the first time we visited; we included it here so you don’t. And the jaw-dropping pantry is especially worth a look since she Ree-did it!

6. Look for new Pioneer Woman products

When we stopped by The Lodge a few weeks ago, Bill pointed out a few new Pioneer Woman products that had just arrived, including a new teal Kitchen Aid mixer and a floral trashcan. He said both items were garnering lots of attention from Pioneer Woman product collectors and they debuted at The Lodge.

7. It’s OK to play kitchen

If you have made the trek out to The Lodge, we think it’s safe to say that you probably enjoy cooking and watching “The Pioneer Woman” on television. The folks at The Lodge have left a couple of pieces of cookware on the stove and counter where you’ve seen Ree cook so many of her delicious dishes.

So when you’re there, pick up a spoon and pretend to mix up Ree’s Knock You Naked Brownies in the mixing bowl. You know you want to and we promise no one will laugh at you. Indeed, they’ll be in line waiting their turn. When we’ve visited, Ann loves nothing more than to stand across the counter and take pictures of people like these. Somehow, she even gets the husbands to smile. 

8. Look for the wine glass above the mantel

On our last visit to The Drummond Ranch Lodge, Bill shared with us a little history of the building. In the stones above the fireplace, you can make out the shape of a wineglass. This is because that was the livestock brand of the family who originally built the building. See if you can spot it.

9. Enjoy the view

As impressive as the kitchen in the lodge is, the view is even more spectacular.

Also, while eating at The Pioneer Woman Mercantile is a treat, but dining outside at The Lodge on a nice day is heaven. We recommend grabbing something to go from the deli at the Merc (don’t forget a fruit flavored iced tea or lemonade) and eating your lunch on one of the picnic tables outside near the parking area at The Lodge. The view is absolutely stunning and you’ll enjoy this unique dining experience you can’t get anywhere else.

10. Don’t let the snake scare you

If you’ve watched Ree’s show on TV, you know that Ladd occasionally hides a fake snake to scare her. On our most recent trip, we found this realistic pretend snake waiting to scare us–so be on the lookout. Pro-tip: If the snake is moving, it isn’t fake. Back away slowly.

11. Ooh and ahh over the kitchen ware in the back

Are you a fan of Ree’s dishware? In the back section of The Lodge, there is a room with shelves and shelves and shelves of her products. Take some time and admire her beautiful collection. We think you’ll really enjoy it.

12. It’s ok to pet the dogs

When you visit The Drummond Ranch Lodge, you just may find one of Ree’s dogs there, hanging out on the couch and wanting to be loved by all the people coming through.

We know that Walter is super-friendly, and he has a spot behind his ears seems to love to be scratched. With all this talk of dogs, you might think this is a perfect place to bring your pet. It isn’t. On the Pioneer Woman Mercantile website, it says: “Very important: Please keep dogs and family pets at home. Country dogs can be very protective of the homestead.”

Do you have questions about visiting The Pioneer Woman’s Ranch Lodge? Let us know in the comments below. We’re happy to answer them or help you find someone who can.