John Maley’s 28,000-acre ranch sits on the eastern edge of Steens Mountain Wilderness, a sprawling high desert in a remote corner of southeastern Oregon that’s thick in season with sagebrush, juniper and mountain mahogany.

Here, “social distancing” isn’t lifesaving advice during a pandemic. It’s a way of life.

“You don’t drive to town to get yourself a coffee,” said Mr. Maley, who lives on the ranch with his wife, Alexa, and sons Oscar and Eli. The closest house is 10 miles away and the nearest town of any size, Burns, is almost 100. They often don’t visit for three months at a stretch, so loading up two or three shopping carts during a single visit to the supermarket is the norm, not a sign of panic hoarding.