Anderson Ranch is a large river-bottom, flood-plain meadow on the left bank of the Elwha River; it lies immediately upstream of Goblins Gate. More fully, or historically, it was the Billy Anderson Ranch, and that name will sometimes be seen. It is quite near the beginning of the main Elwha River Trail, but is on the opposite side of the river.
To get to the Ranch, start from the Whiskey Bend Trailhead, where the main Elwha trail starts and follow it up-river through the Humes Ranch area (a popular day-hiking complex). Use the steel suspension Long Ridge Trail Bridge that (dramatically) crosses the river to give access to Long Ridge Trail. Then hike cross-country back down the other side to the Ranch. Or, much more direct, if the water is unusually low (late summer, fall, maybe), robust types ford the river from the foot of Rica Canyon Trail.
If the bridge is used (normal people, even at low water), there is another mile or two of river-bottom bush-whacking, to travel back down the far side of the river to the Ranch. About 3 miles up on the trails, and another couple back down, in the brush; around 5 miles one-way. Part of this is on the open gravel benches & bars, and is easy, but there are thickets, minor water-crossings, possible steep bank & hillside clamoring, and general/typical off-trail adversities.
There used to be a well-define row or band of very large Black Cottonwood trees, between the active river-channel and the main meadow. Some are still there, but the strip with the big trees (a dry sand-channel bounds the band, on the meadow-side of the trees) is being eated away at the upper end, and encroached incrementally along its river-front.
In the past, there was a good trail down the river from the bridge, to the Ranch, but it’s long-gone, except for some remnants & fragments, overgrown & let-go. The upper part, nearer to the bridge was completely buried in the catastrophic flood of 1967, and further downstream the river has eroded away large sections of the valley floor, taking parts of the old route. The trail was abandoned and maintenance ended, after the flood. The old piling-mounted wooden footbridge across the Elwha (piling-stumps used to sometimes be visible in the riverbed, just downstream of the steel bridge) was also washed out then, and the present steel suspension footbridge was built to replace it. Nowadays, the way downstream from the bridge is a good off-trail, cross-country practice-route.
The Anderson Ranch site is visible from a place across the Elwha River just far enough up the main trail to get warmed up good. There’s a spot where the trail crests at an open, rocky, promontory with a good view; a nice Madrona standing trailside. It’s a popular photo-op & loitering spot. Less than a mile up from the trailhead.