Embrace Your Inner Dude With The New Breed of Luxury Ranch Vacations
The real Wild West may be centuries behind us now, but it’s still possible to tap into your personal pioneer spirit—without packing a six-shooter. Whether you crave the eat-my-dust drama of an authentic cattle drive or something just a tad more civilized, no region offers a richer range of guest ranches than the American West. Native Coloradoan Irene Middleman Thomas rounds up her favorite ways to join the bridle party.
Vista Verde RanchSteamboat Springs, Colorado
Colorado’s Steamboat Springs is arguably the “horsiest” of the major mountain towns, shaped by more than a century of rich frontier history. But it’s the future of guest ranching that you’ll find at Vista Verde, with a level of personalized service simply not found anywhere else.
Dudes: Thanks to a wealth of activities and the proximity of Steamboat Springs Mountain Resort, Vista Verde is a great choice for families looking for a well-rounded getaway in warm or cold weather. In addition to a gorgeous summer season, guests seeking a beyond-the-slopes winter holiday will have much to write home about.
Digs: This unpretentious hideaway on the edge of the Routt National Forest, just a short drive from Steamboat Springs, consistently delivers on its primary promise: to make you feel like one of the family. Whether you choose a private cabin or a lodge room, you’ll be in a lushly appointed home away from home—Western-style. Cabins offer private hot tubs and wood stoves; lodge rooms offer balconies and sitting areas.
Grub: From cowboy coffee to crème brulee, Vista Verde’s professionally trained chefs know what keeps guests coming back for seconds. They pride themselves on walking the line between “ranchy and fancy,” and they should be proud; items like country-fried squab over grilled apple slaw with Dijon aioli regularly adorn the evening menu.
Fun: Summer includes horseback riding on the ranch’s 80 horses, mountain biking, hiking, rock climbing, rafting and kayaking. Winter brings more riding, Nordic, backcountry and telemark skiing, snowshoeing and sledding, as well as downhill skiing at nearby Steamboat Springs Resort.
Greenhorns: Vista Verde is known for its top-tier kid counseling team, with fully staffed programs for children and teens in both seasons. The winter activities list is particularly rich, with dog sledding, snowmobiling, sleigh rides and even snow miniature golf.
2009 Dates: Summer, June 7 though October 4; Winter, mid-December to mid-March. www.vistaverde.com
The Hideout at Flitner RanchShell, Wyoming
With nearly 100 years in operation, the Hideout at Flitner Ranch belongs to an increasingly rare breed: the working guest ranch. Which is not to say that the guests do any actual work. While there are cattle to be driven through Wyoming’s breathtaking Big Horn Valley (Near Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons) the focus here is on a more recreational form of wrangling.
Dudes: For young couples without kids and adventurous empty nesters, the Hideout can be just that—a truly unique adults-only option with a decidedly youthful vibe.
Digs: Though you’ll feel like you’re in the old West, you’ll actually be staying in luxe log cabins built in 1992. Plush, cozy furnishings fill the rooms, along with an outstanding offering of amenities: complimentary beer, soft drinks, snacks, and even wireless Internet.
Grub: The Hideout prides itself on serious gourmet cuisine; the chefs are all culinary school graduates, and the ranch also features guest chefs from around the world on a regular basis— including an annual two-week residency from a top Belgian chocolatier.
Fun: The Hideout has its own Quarter Horse breeding program and uses Natural Horsemanship to train its horses; many of the ranch’s handlers have attended Pat Parelli equestrian schools. Out of the stirrups, guests can while away the hours fly-fishing, hunting for dinosaur fossils on nearby BLM land, mountain biking, hiking, trap-shooting, swimming and day-trips to Yellowstone. When weather permits in the summer season, guests can embark upon an overnight expedition (by horseback or 4X4 vehicle) to its Upper Hideout mountain lodge at 8,000 feet (additional charge applies). Winter activities include snowshoeing and Nordic skiing.
Greenhorns: With the exception of July and August, The Hideout is adult-oriented, and does not offer a traditional kids’ program; activities are geared towards educating guests and treat children as “young adults” whenever possible.
2009 Dates: Open year-round. www.thehideout.com
C Lazy U RanchGranby, Colorado
The only ranch in North America to have ever achieved both AAA Five Star and Mobil Five Diamond awards, C Lazy U is the new gold standard for “New West” luxury. Just outside the growing town of Granby about two and a half hours from Denver, this sprawling four-season property rests against the southern edge of Rocky Mountain National Park. Decades of loyal return customers have recently inspired the management to offer guests the opportunity to purchase prime on-site real estate.
Dudes: C Lazy U is on the spendy side, but guests say it’s worth every penny…particularly families. With the exception of one weekly family ride, parents and kids play in different groups—a convention that’s popular with everyone.
Digs: Though no two cabins are alike, they all share exquisite appointments; hand-carved furniture, Old West antiques and luxurious linens are all in plentiful supply. What you won’t find in your room are telephones or televisions—but after a few days of delightful distraction, you won’t miss them.
Grub: On any given evening in the stately main lodge, you might sample the rosemary rack of lamb or savor the Rocky Mountain trout—always complemented by fine wines and sumptuous desserts. And the twice-daily sundae bar remains a perennial favorite with kids and parents alike.
Fun: C Lazy U boasts more than 175 impeccably trained Quarter Horse and Appaloosa horses and XX,XXX miles of trails on which to get acquainted with them. During the colder months, guests can “cowboy up” in the heated indoor riding arena, which is also a great venue for the outfit’s special clinics. In the summer, mix it up with tennis, archery, trap shooting, fly fishing, mountain biking and more. In the winter, riding trails also invite snowshoers and Nordic skiers—while the trout pond becomes an ice rink.
Greenhorns: Although equitation is the primary focus here, all the activities for kids and teens (separated into small riding groups) are top-notch. Even if you don’t have kids, don’t miss the Sunday Showdeo!
2009 Dates: Open year-round. www.clazyu.com
Tanque VerdeTucson, Arizona
Spanning 640 acres in the foothills of Arizona’s Rincon Mountains (just a short drive from Phoenix), Tanque Verde is one of the largest ranch resorts in the country. Bordered by spectacular Saguaro National Park, this is a desert-lover’s dream— surrounded by stoic saguaros, spindly agave, fragrant mesquite and a dizzying variety of other drought-resistant flora.
Dudes: Due to its resort-style nature, Tanque Verde literally has something for every kind of traveler—which is ideal for groups in which not everyone wants to spend seven days in the saddle.
Digs: Here you’ll find a wide variety of accommodations, ranging from casitas to lodge rooms to private houses. All are furnished in soothing Southwestern décor, and most have expansive views of the desert and/or mountains.
Grub: Tuck in for some hearty, traditional ranch fare, with a buffet-style breakfast and lunch and a restaurant-style dinner. If your idea of a balanced meal is a substantial salad bar followed by a trip to the ranch’s famous “30-foot Dessert Bar”, you’ve found your bliss—and the regular Mexican buffet never fails to cull trail-inspired cravings.
Fun: Due to its desert location, Tanque Verde is the perfect choice for winter travelers; their low season corresponds to high season in most mountain areas. In addition to 70 horses and a solid equestrian program, the ranch offers tennis, one indoor and three outdoor pools, a full spa, sauna, whirlpools, mountain biking, hiking, catch-and-release fishing, naturalist programs in the surrounding desert and golf nearby.
Greenhorns: Tanque Verde offers a fully supervised activities program for ages 4–11, including a children’s wading pool, playground and an on-site nature museum.
2009 Dates: Open year-round, with high season in the non-summer months. www.tanqueverderanch.com
