Ride Description

A summer holiday at this Western Colorado Dude Ranch will never be forgotten! The magnificent Rocky Mountain scenery and the clear Colorado weather combined with great horse riding, plenty of other activities for all the family and warm hospitality will provide the vacation of a lifetime.

The ranch lies at 8,600 feet in the Central Rocky Mountains Park Country. At this elevation, there is an abundance of aspen and ponderosa pine and the vegetation is generally lush with wild flowers along the river that runs through the ranch. This region has plenty of wildlife, including bighorn sheep, elk, deer, bear and mountain lion. Your hosts invite you into their high country home to share their ranch lifestyle, their love of horses and their passion for the true West. Arriving as a guest and leaving as one of the family, you will love the western spirit : easy going, fun loving and hard working.

The ranch was settled in the 1880s when "Gold Fever" was running rampant through the region. Numerous remnants of the period, such as old abandoned cabins, can still be seen. After the turn of the century, mining gave way to ranching as the economic mainstay. By 1920 the area caught the interest of a Colorado Springs family who were impressed with the sculptured mountains and pristine beauty.The family purchased the ranch as a summer retreat and built the main ranch, now used as the lodge. In 1930 the ranch was acquired by a prominent Colorado Springs attorney who developed it into a unique guest ranch. Thus began a tradition of excellence in western hospitality.

You can spend the entire week riding both morning and afternoon, enjoying the company of a good horse and extraordinary scenery. You will appreciate the wranglers and the thorough instruction provideed. Beginners will be made to feel comfortable on the most gentle of horses, while intermediate and advanced riders will be matched with a horse that will perfectly complement their abilities.

Various rides leave the ranch twice daily. You will have the choice of destination rides aimed at especially beautiful spots, or instruction rides to sharpen your riding skills, leisurely rides, or more advanced rides. You can ride in groups or with your family; half day or all day. The all day rides take you deep into the wilderness, often climbing above the timberline. An overnight pack trip is available too.

There is also the opportunity to work in the arena, doing team-penning or practising for the Ranch Rodeo. Whatever you choose, you will have a wonderful time in the saddle.

Every evening will have an activity planned to round off your fun filled days. Evening plans range from cookouts and hay rides to western dancing and square dance. You can also relax on your porch, or by the fire as you listen to a western singer. Not to be forgotten is the special night where parents enjoy a sumptuous dinner in the lodge while the children have a hotdog roast and hayride, and the teens have pizza by the pool.

Saturday evening is always a wonderful night of singing and entertainment at the sing-along. Each evening will be a perfect end to your day at the ranch.

Food & Accommodation

Accommodation is in cabins, all within a short walk of the dining room, corral, river and pool. Each is tastefully decorated with many antiques and handcrafted items and each has a big deck area for relaxing. All cabins have daily housekeeping provided.

Most of the cabins have two bedrooms and a private bathroom, and some have adjoining sitting rooms with open fireplaces.

In addition to the cabins the ranch boasts a number of common areas in which guests are free to relax at their leisure. These include the games room, a reading area by the fireplace, the recreation hall, heated pool and hot tub.

Long after leaving the ranch you will be talking about the food which is a source of pride to the ranch cooks. They do all their own baking and all three daily meals are prepared using fresh ingredients with most dishes being prepared from scratch. You can count on plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables to accompany the wonderful steaks, chicken, turkey, fish and pasta dishes. The ranch holds a cookout virtually every day!

One of the favourite cookouts is the Breakfast Ride. The morning begins with a light breakfast of homemade breads and fruits followed by a ride into the National Forest for a real cowboy breakfast cooked over an open fire. After breakfast you can enjoy a morning ride before heading back to the ranch for a late lunch.

Activities

You are welcome to make full use of the heated swimming pool and hot tub. The ranch is also perfectly located for a number of other activities. Fishermen will be in trout heaven at the ranch. Whether a died-in-the-wool-fly -fisherman or a first timer, there will be fishing to suit you. A famous river runs right through the ranch and there are miles to fish. Although catch-and-release is encouraged, your hosts understand that sometimes you would like to have fresh caught trout with one of your meals and the ranch cooks would be delighted to prepare your fish. Not far upstream is the reservoir with a variety of fishing. Fishing gear is available to guests.

Whitewater rafting is offered several times a week with a choice of trips depending on how much excitement you are looking for! These trips are approximately one hour away but your hosts usually make a day of it by arranging a visit to the historic South Park City, a reproduction of an 1880's Colorado mining town. All whitewater trips are on the Arkansas River which is home to some of the best whitewater rafting in the States. Your hosts use a certified guide service and will be happy to make a booking for you once you arrive at the ranch and plan your week.

For children there is also a jungle gym and the heated pool, not to mention all the glorious rocks that supply endless nooks, crannies and viewpoints for exploring. Family activities in the evenings include dancing, hay-rides and sing-a-longs. The Petting Zoo remains ever popular with its various poultry, goats, sheep and miniature horse and there are opportunities for children to take part in a rodeo to show off their accomplishments in the saddle. There is also a horseshoe pit for a game of Horseshoes, a makeshift volley ball court and even the opportunity for some goldpanning.

Although your hosts do not intend to separate families in any way, optional programmes geared towards specific age groups are offered. All have qualified counsellors and activities for children include fishing, hiking, nature study, western crafts and picnics.

The ranch is also perfectly located for combining your holiday with a stay in the Colorado Springs area. You can easily fly into Denver or Colorado Springs, and then use the shuttle service directly to the ranch, or rent a car. In the Springs you will find myriad options such as the famed Pike's Cog Railroad, the Garden of the Gods, historic Manitou Springs with all that it has to offer, Pike's Peak, the Pro-Rodeo Hall of Fame, US Airforce Academy, Olympic Training Centre, Cave of the Winds, Seven Falls and so much more.

Horses

Type of horses: Quarter horses and crossbreds.

Nature of horses: Forward going, responsive, kind tempered, reliable, gentle.

Height of horses: 12hh - 16.2hh

Weight limit: 250 llbs

Tack type: Western

Further Details

Languages: English

Health requirements: A reasonable level of fitness is required, especially for those planning full days in the saddle.

Age limit: None

Tuition: Yes

Included: Accommodation, all meals, horseriding, children's programmes, fishing, swimming, hot tub, and on-ranch activities. taxes and gratuities.

Not included: Rafting, overnight pack trip, transfers.

Travel Information

Fly from the UK to either Colorado Springs or Denver International Airport. The distance from Colorado Springs Airport to the ranch is 65 miles and is about an hour and a half drive. From Denver International Airport it is a 2.5 to 3 hour drive. Alternatively, there is a shuttle service directly to the ranch if you do not wish to hire a car.

Airport: Colorado Springs

Airport 2: Denver International Airport

Tailor Made Ranch Programme

If you like, you can spend the entire week riding, both morning and afternoon. Beginners will be made to feel comfortable on the most gentle of horses, while intermediate and advanced riders will be matched with a horse that will perfectly complement their abilities.

Various rides leave the ranch twice daily. You will have the choice of destination rides aimed at especially beautiful spots, instruction rides to sharpen your riding skills, leisurely rides or more advanced rides. There are rolling hills and steep mountain trails, river rides, meadow rides or combinations of these. You can ride in groups or with your family; half day or all day. Each person will be able to tailor their riding and almost any request can be catered for.

The all day rides take you deep into the wilderness, often climbing above the timberline and affording views that will take your breath away. The unique rock formations of these mountains are reminiscent of the old westerns, of Cowboys and Indians and a time long gone, but not forgotten.

In the summer, an overnight ride that heads for a remote camp at Allen Creek is offered. Being out there, surrounded by spectacular scenery and sleeping under the stars if you so choose, fosters a real sense of camaraderie.

There is also opportunity to work in the ranch areas. Team Penning (working cattle on horseback) has become one of the most popular activities, or you can practise for the Ranch Rodeo events.

As a general rule, mealtimes are 8.00 am for breakfast, 12.30 for lunch and 6.30 pm for dinner. Ride times are posted each morning in the dining room along with a daily schedule. The following is a brief highlight of a typical week's activities and events. Guests are welcome to do as much or as little as they choose.

Sunday :

Check in and relax on the porch of your cabin. Enjoy the business of the humming birds as you rock peacefully on a porch swing or hammock. Put on your swimsuit and jump in the hot tub and let your muscles soak after the long day's travel. Dinner is at 6.30 and afterwards you meet in the Rec Hall for a Guest orientation. Then you can slip into a comfortable bed and enjoy the silence and the cool mountain breeze as you drift into dreams of the Wild West.

Monday :

After breakfast, pull on your boots for the morning ride. Monday mornings allow you to get your horse and saddle adjusted just right, and to give you some safety pointers after which you take a short trail ride. At 2.00pm you will enjoy another wonderful ride in the mountains with a spectacular view of Pike's Peak. Join your hosts outside in the evening for a chicken-and-rib cookout, then brush off your cowboy boots for a night of western dancing at the Rec Hall.

Tuesday:

Tuesday morning begins with a light breakfast of homemade breads and fruit followed by a ride into the National Forest for a real cowboy breakfast cooked over an open flame on top of a beautiful hillside. After breakfast you can enjoy the morning rides and then make it back to the ranch for a late lunch at the lodge. Around 2.20 pm you can go out on one of the varied rides, being back in time to relax and freshen up before dinner. Then, after a delicious dinner, join your hosts and other guests on the Rec Hall porch as a Cowboy Singer serenades you with songs and poetry of the Old West.

Wednesday:

Guests who choose to take one of the fabulous whitewater rafting trips will need to pack a lunch after breakfast, grab a towel and head down to Buena Vista. There you can raft down the snowfed Arkansas River. It is a family orientated trip open to children 7 years and older. What a great break to soothe those aching riding muscles!

Or you can splash through the class II-IV rapids of Brown's Canyon. For those who choose to stay at the ranch, the rides will go a little longer and faster to explore some of the wild scenery surrounding the ranch. Lunch is at the pool, then its back to the barn for more riding. After dinner, head on down to the Rec hall for a horse-drawn hayride into the National Forest.

Thursday:

Ride options include two half-day rides or an all-day ride. The half day rides vary with options for trotting and loping. You may also choose to go on the eight hour ride to the remote overnight campsite on Allen Creek (a minimum of four is needed and the trip is subject to weather conditions). Here, in this gorgeous setting, you can sleep under a tarpaulin or under the stars. Wake up to the smell of a cowboy breakfast being cooked over an open fire. Pack up and head back to the ranch in time for Friday lunch. If you did not choose the overnight trip, kick up your heels after dinner for a little more western dancing and a lot of square dancing.

Friday:

Whether you choose the Gold Mine ride or the River Ride, you will have a chance to be out all day. If you went on the overnight trip you'll be back in time today to enjoy a lunch cookout at the pool. You could also choose a more advanced half-day ride or practise in the arena for the big Ranch Rodeo on Saturday.

Better yet, try your luck at Team Penning - working cattle on horseback. For dinner, the adults need enough time to get "duded up" for a special "fancy dinner" in the lodge, while teens can enjoy a homemade pizza party. The younger children have a hot dog roast and s'mores and then go on their own hayride to learn some old cowboy songs for the Saturday sing-a-long.

Saturday:

After breakfast you have a chance for one last trail ride. It could be an advanced ride, a mosey, a family ride, or practising in the arena. After lunch, head down to the arena where the wranglers will have your horses ready for the Ranch Rodeo. Now is the time to Cowboy-Up and show what you've learned all week......Then it is a steak cookout and after that everyone gathers at the Rec Hall for a sing-a-long.

Sunday :

Today finds you saying your goodbyes after breakfast. Take all your fabulous memories with you and remember what they say at the ranch : "There are No Strangers in our Corner of the West!"


Children's and Teens' Programmes ;

Two great, optional programmes geared towards specific age groups: 3-5 year olds (Broncbusters) and 6-11 year olds (Wranglers) are available. Both have qualified counsellors, and provide a great way for your child to to enjoy the west. Activities for the children include riding, fishing, hiking, nature study, western crafts and picnics. The 6-11 year olds have their own horse for the week and they go out on trail-rides both with the children's group and their families. The 3-5 year olds are led around the ranch on a quiet horse where they can build their confidence and knowledge for when they are old enough to ride alone.

Children also love the evening family activities such as dancing, hayrides and sing-a-longs. Also, the Petting Zoo remains ever popular with the goats, and miniature horse for the children to experience firsthand.

Teens:

Youngsters 12 years and older are welcome to participate in the teen programme. The teens meet with the counsellor at the beginning of the week to make their plans, which can include riding, fishing, day trips, and more. The teen programme is less structured than the Children's programmes, allowing for that much needed teen independence. And, of course, teens are welcome to join in all adult rides and activities.

Having these fun and optional programmes is an opportunity for everyone to do their own thing, and yet spend the holiday as a family.

Unfortunately, no children's programmes are offered in September, and evening activities are curtailed.

Minimum group size: 1

Maximum group size: 10

Ability description: Beginner to experienced

Type of ride: Tuition and trails

Total riding time: Flexible as detailed by the programme.

Departure dates: Sunday to Sunday. Other days by arrangement.

Pricing: 25th May - 29th June : Double occupancy = £897 per person
Single occupancy = £1016 per person
6-11 years = £777 per child
3-5 years = £658 per child
Under 3 years = £180 per child

29th June - 31st August : Double occupancy = £1016 per person
Single occupancy = £1135 per person
6-11 years = £896 per child
3-5 years = £777 per child
Under 3 years = £180 per child

31st August -28th September : Double occupancy = £837 per person
Single occupancy = £956 per person
6-11 years = £628 per child
3-5 years = £420 per child
Under 3 years + £105 per child