T
wo decades ago, the Double JJ Ranch was a modest dude
ranch in Rothbury, Mich., just a three-hour drive from
Metro Detroit, where single adults could attend "sum-
mer camp" and immerse themselves in the everyday life of
horses and modern-day cowboys.
Then Joan and Bob Lipsitz of Bloomfield Hills discovered the
2,000-acre horse-lovers' heaven. And it's been happy trails ever since.
After purchasing the ranch — which opened in 1937 as the Jack
and Jill Ranch — the couple initiated a long-term development
plan that eventually transformed it from singles-only dude ranch to
family vacation mecca, replete with a golf course, rodeos, outdoor
swimming pools, a swimming hole, lakes, multiple eateries, dozens
of horses, winter sports and more. Now called the Double JJ Ranch
& Golf Resort, it is divided into three themed areas: the JJ Frontier,
which offers fine dining, homestead condos and a golf course; the
Ranch, providing vintage bunkhouses, an outdoor pool, canoeing,
1,500 acres of horseback riding trails and a honky-tonk hot spot; and
the Back Forty, which features cabins and an equestrian center. The
facility's latest and greatest amenity,
a new water park at the JJ Frontier, is
undoubtedly the icing on this western-
style cake.
This past February, Gold Rush
Indoor Waterpark debuted with a
splash at the resort with 60,000 square
feet of indoor fun. Its Miner's Plunge
dares visitors to plunge into a bowl-
shaped slide and spin before dropping
to the pool below. Thunder Canyon
simulates a white water–rafting experi-
ence, while Stallion Falls allows guests
to surf down a twisting slide aboard a
single or double tube. And Rustler's
Gulch, a lighting-fast body slide, offers
steep acceleration, light and dark areas
and a splashy finish. Those with sports
on the mind will want to splash their way to Golden Pond, an activity
pool with basketball, volleyball, a balance walk and ladder climb.
Younger cowhands can test the waters at a toddler pool and the
multi-level Lost Mine, which induces awe from the little ones with
slides, cranks, handles and an 800-gallon dumping mine cart. Also
on hand: A Spider Climb for those who like to test climbing skills,
as well as rope bridges, an arcade, lazy river and more round out the
water park options.
Left: The Gold Rush Indoor Waterpark's Thunder Canyon simulates a white-water
rafting experience. Top: Bob and Joan Lipsitz of Bloomfield Hills purchased the
Double JJ Ranch in Rothbury, Mich., almost 20 years ago. Above: Acclaimed
course architect Arthur Hills designed the ranch's Thoroughbred Golf Course.
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•AUGUST 2007 21