Running Y Ranch Resort
Location: Klamath Falls, OR
The Running Y Ranch Resort master plan builds on the existing recreation core to create a more complete year-round destination for residents, members, and guests. Centered on expansion of the sports and fitness campus, the plan envisions new aquatic, court, play, and open-space amenities that respond to growing demand while reinforcing the resort’s identity as a place rooted in recreation, wellness, and the southern Oregon landscape.
Working from the existing sports and wellness facilities, SZABO Landscape Architecture shaped a phased framework for an expanded spa and fitness center, outdoor pool and water play areas, indoor court facilities, playgrounds, sport courts, open lawn areas, and supporting parking. The plan organizes these elements as a connected campus rather than a series of stand-alone improvements, allowing future phases to build naturally from the amenities already in place.
The design responds directly to Running Y’s setting at the base of the Cascade Range, where forest, open land, wetlands, and distant mountain views define the character of the property. Landscape spaces are intended to extend that experience into the recreation core through open lawns, pedestrian connections, pool terraces, and outdoor gathering areas that feel integrated with the broader resort landscape.
A key focus of the plan is expanding family-oriented recreation while supporting year-round use. Running Y already offers indoor swimming, tennis, volleyball, trails, and a wide range of seasonal activities, and the master plan creates room for those amenities to grow in a more coordinated and flexible way. New outdoor recreation areas will help distribute use across the site, relieve pressure on existing facilities, and create a stronger balance between active play, informal gathering, and everyday leisure.
Because the vision is phased, the site plan establishes a long-term structure for circulation, adjacencies, and amenity zones that can evolve over time without losing coherence. The result is a clear framework for future investment that strengthens the resort’s recreation offerings while preserving the character of Running Y as a landscape-centered destination.
