10 Common Questions People Ask Our Dude Ranch
1. Do you have a less-than-a-full-week stay?
Answer: Yes! We offer a four-day, three-night family vacation:
- Sunday afternoon through some-time Wednesday OR
- Wednesday afternoon through Saturday afternoon.
Details in the “4 Day/ 3 Night Prices Section” of the Summer Rates Page.
2. How is the shorter stay different?
Answer: Our riding program is NOT nose-to-tail! It is based on a “curriculum” of learning objectives based on the level of skill you bring with you.
- If Sunday afternoon through Wednesday sometime. You follow the same riding schedule as the full-week guests.
- If Wednesday through Saturday, you have your own wrangler who will start you with the first learning objectives (depending on your skill) and build from there.
3. What type of riding is available? How are you different?
Answer: First, this is not a nose-to-tail riding program!. Our program is small enough to accommodate both proficient riders, and beginners. We are one of the smallest ranches in Colorado, and we enjoy being flexible in our programs and teaching.
Those who enjoy sight-seeing at a walk can; and those who want the faster jogs and lopes can too!
Our program uses a series of six steps to bring beginners from the ground up, starting with basic Dude Ranch Western Riding and ground manners. These steps are based on principles of Western Riding taught by the American Association of Horsemanship Safety and the Dude Ranchers Association Wrangler Safety programs. More details on our Riding and What Makes Us Different pages.
4. How often?
Answer: Every day but Sunday (Horses’ Sabbath)!
- Monday both AM & PM
- Tuesday AM (or Rock Climbing) and PM
- Wednesday All day ride or two shorter rides AM & PM
- Thursday white water rafting or AM ride for shorter stay folks
- Friday All day ride or two shorter rides AM and PM
- Saturday AM Gymkana (Ranch Rodeo!) and swim with horses in the pond.
5. Are there fast rides? Long rides? Family rides? Separate kids rides?
Answer: Yes, yes, yes, and yes!
Massage? Jacuzzi?
Yes! Yes!
6. What type of terrain is the riding in (mountains, meadows, rocky, flat, etc)?
Answer: We are in the Rocky Mountains. Although we have lots of meadows where we can jog and lope horses, much of our trail in the Roosevelt National Forest involves some climbing and descending.
7. What is there to do?
Answer: The list of activities is long!
- Shooting: rifles, black powder, & shotgun trap (with safety instruction)
- Rock climbing, belaying, and rappeling lessons
- Fun Fishing in nearby lakes for trout
- Serious Fly Fishing on nearby “Wild and Scenic” river
- Hiking
- World Class Disc Golf
- Private Riding lessons and Coaching
- Tomahawk Throwing
- Archery
- Horse Shoes
- Pool Table
- Fooseball
- Mountain Biking
- Adventurous side trips
- Jacuzzi
- Professional Massage
- and, of course, the hammocks…
Evening Activities include:
- Sunday Evening guided hikes
- Monday Square Dancing Lessons
- Tuesday Evening Kids’ Night Out at the Campfire and Tipi, & Adults’ Quiet Candle Light Supper.
- Wednesday Campfires with Cowboy Singers
- Friday Campfires with Cowboy Poetry
Summer Schedule of Weekly Activities
8. What is there to do nearby?
- Answer: Visit the Laramie Territorial Prison, where Butch Cassidy lived for a while in the late 1800’s.
- Visit Rocky Mountain National Park and say hello to the elk.
- Visit the village of Red Feather Lakes
- Visit the Great Stupa of Darmakaya
- Visit Old Town Fort Collins (a few hundred unique shops, galleries, brew pubs, tea houses, restaurants, a VERY cool toy store, and Ben & Jerry’s)
9. What’s new?
Disc golf course is known for being knarley! (Nice word for nasty!!!)
Obstacle course — we’re designing now. Should have up by the end of May.
10. How do I check availability?
Easy – just call or text us! 970-224-1222
More questions? Take a look at our Frequently Asked Questions page.