guest ranch

colorado family dude ranch adventure vacation packages

Virtual Tour is Here!

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That’s right!  Sundance Trail is joining the digital age!

Are you considering visiting us for the first time and want to see what we’re all about?  Maybe you’ve visited us in theDiningRoom past and just miss the ranch.  Whatever the reason, we invite you to take advantage of our new virtual tour and take a walk around the ranch!

Clicking here will take you inside our main lodge and from there you can simply click and drag to navigate around the room.  Want to move into the dining room?  No problem.  Simply move your cursor and click to move into the different rooms or even outside!  Just keep clicking to take your own, self guided tour of Sundance Trail.

Tired of clicking and want to jump to a specific area?  No problem.  Barn

  • Click here to visit the dining room.
  • Click here to see what kind of fun you can have in the rec room.
  • Click here to head down to the barn.
  • Click here to get an idea of what our rooms are like.

RecRoomOver the coming week, we’ll be implementing this fantastic tool into our website, travel sites and more!  We hope you find this as fun and exciting as we do!

Dude Ranch Never Ending Summer – Doncha Wish! August 2014

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Dude Ranch Cowboy and His Horse
A Cowboy and His Horse

 

I have some bad news,
and some good news.

The bad news:
September is right around the corner, and the summer of 2014 is soon to be a memory.

And some good news:
There is still time to book an incredible week of dude ranch living with us in August and September.

Ask us about a 20% discount for the month of August!

small2011-02-08 241
Pepper Loves Being Painted Pretty, and Taking a Bath with Her Cowgirl!

This is also a great time to thank our guests for  the wonderful reviews they’ve shared on  TripAdvisor!

The base rates can be found at     https://www.sundancetrail.com/rates
– be sure to subtract 20% for August!

And please don’t hesitate to call or text any time.
970-224-1222

If we’re out on horses, we’ll call you back the    minute we are back inside.

You can start booking your reservation at  https://www.sundancetrail.com/contact- us/guest-ranch-reservations

Colorado_Dude_Ranch_Hummers

Colorado Dude Ranch Wildfires and Wildflowers

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Humming Birds are here!
Humming Birds are here!

Sundance Trail
is up to our
knees in wildflowers!

Boy what a difference a year can make!

A year ago we were worried about wildfires, this year we are enjoying wild-flowers.

I just received a call from a soon-to-arrive guest, asking if the smoke was bad. She had

Flip is charming a new friend!
Flip is charming a new friend!

seen some sensational reports of the South Fork and Prescott evacuations.

South Fork is 350 miles from here!

Prescott is more than 900 miles away.

No smoke here! Just sunshine and blue skies!

Our hearts go out to our neighbors in the south, and we pray for their safety every day.

Eight week old filly, Aspen, makes friends with Lukas.
Eight week old filly, Aspen, makes friends with Lukas.

North Colorado dude ranches are having the greenest summer that we’ve seen in years!

Our neighbors have started their first hay cutting, and it looks like a bumper crop year.

Our horses are grazing our pastures.

I even saw a mosquito!

So come on up! We have bug spray,  just in case she (the mosquito) ever comes back!

New kitty: "Murphy"
New kitty: “Murphy”

In the meanwhile here’s a few pictures I took this week with our new camera.

Oh! I almost forgot!

Ellen is offering a further 10% off for July!

With a poke from Aspen, Naomi says: "Hello!"
With a poke from Aspen, Naomi says: “Hello!”

Sundance Trail Ranch

970-224-1222

SundanceTrail.com

Momma Jazzy and baby Aspen are mowing the lawn.
Momma Jazzy and baby Aspen are mowing the lawn.
Dude_Ranch_Sundance_Trail_NamelessFilly_20130412

Colorado Dude Ranch: Hello’s and Good Byes

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New Arrivals and Sad-Joyful Departing’s

Hello Nameless Filly!

Welcome! One day old!
dude ranch mommy horse
Jazzy is now pretty thanks to Justin

Last summer, Justin rescued a very skinny and remarkably ugly little gray mare named Jazzy.

Under his skillful watch, Jazzy blossomed into a fat and loving all-around children’s horse  –  a favorite!

dude ranch spring baby
Filly, age 10 days

In March, Jazzy started looking “funny.” You know, this big bulgy

dude ranch mom and baby
Mom & Baby taking a walk while their shed is getting housekeeping

tummy started sticking out. Not worms, not

melanoma, not too much beer. The obstetrical experts (Justin and Ellen) examined her to find…. a kick! ANOTHER kick! A BABY!

Little nameless filly was born April 12th. Then it snowed, and snowed and its still snowing! So the tractor shed was renovated into the mom and baby nursery, where they are both doing quite nicely, thank you!

Baby is now old enough that she will approach us and allow us to hold her head and pet and generally love on her.

Justin: Best Wishes on your New Dude Ranch Adventure!

Due Ranch Barn Manager Justin
Due Ranch Barn Manager Justin

Sad for us, a

Great and Joyful Adventure for You!

Although he told us: “I have a dream that when I grow up I will be the CEO of Wal-Mart or NASCAR,”  it came as no surprise when Justin told us that he is buying his own dude ranch.

He’s a cowboy through and through, and it will be heart warming to watch his dreams grow and unfold.

On the secret staff Page, Justin introduced himself to his staff with these words:

Hello there my future minions… So Justin Ripley here (Believe It Or Not) I am your Barn Manager but I do anything and everything needed on the ranch. I have a dream that when I grow up I will be the CEO of Wal-Mart or NASCAR until then I am just playing..

I am from Indiana, a Vet Tech, horse trainer, and former Military. I needed a break from the real world so I moved to Colorado a few years ago to follow my childhood dream of working on a dude ranch for a summer. Ends up I refused to leave so I took over managing the ranch for awhile. Then I was off to AZ to play with the rattle snakes and cactus at another ranch. I would not recommend taking up Rattle Snake Charming anytime soon.

Guest Ranch Barn Boss!
Boss!

Dan and Ellen decided to rescue me from a horrible death from snake bite.. I have been at Sundance since Nov 2010 and have fallen under its spell.

And now the spell of his own place!  Yee-haw! Here are his websites:

http://www.1880sguestranch.com/

https://www.facebook.com/RbarSminiatures?fref=ts

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/a-cowboys-dream-the-1880-s-guest-ranch

Justin & Cyril dancing
Justin & Cyril dancing
Dude Ranch Justin Graduation
Dude Ranch Justin Square Dance Graduation

Justin is now working on fleshing out his Business Plan, Balance Sheets,  PPM Offer and all that other fun stuff.

Not sure if Ellen’s “town job” gives us enough income to invest, but we sure do plan on being customers. We can’t wait for the opportunity to visit. Yes, dude ranchers tend to vacation at dude ranches! And summer in Montana is beautiful; both weeks!

Happy trails, Justin. We welcome you into the neighborhood of dude ranchers and wish you all the happiness in the world.

Happy Trails

Some trails are happy ones,
Others are blue.
It’s the way you ride the trail that counts,
Here’s a happy one for you.

Happy trails to you,
Until we meet again.
Happy trails to you,
Keep smilin’ until then.

Who cares about the clouds when we’ere together?
Just sing a song, and bring the sunny weather.

Happy trails to you,
Til we meet again.

flatstanley

A Unique Sundance Trail Guest

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Introducing Flat Stanley to Our Dude Ranch Life:

Flat Stanley is a pal of our friend Julian Byrnes from New York. He loves to travel and Julian suggested that he might enjoy  experiencing a Colorado Dude Ranch vacation. Flat Stanley arrived and immediately threw himself into the excitement of winter in the Rocky Mountains.

He had to be a little careful on his first few days because it was very windy and blustery up here and he doesn’t have a whole lot of body mass. He was afraid he might blow away!

He braved the wind in the afternoon though to help me feed the horses.

Flat Stanley also helped me feed the chickens.

Finally the wind died down enough for Stanley to go riding with me. He was very excited when he learned that we had a horse named Stanley on the ranch. So here is Flat Stanley riding Little Stanley. We went up into the woods so that Flat Stanley could look out at the Mummy Range of the Rocky Mountains and check out some Aspens and Ponderosa Pine trees.

After a long day on horseback, kicking back in the hot tub is the perfect way to relax.

And even better if it’s followed by an evening in front of a roaring wood fire.

Just before he had to leave, Stanley was lucky enough to meet another ranch friend. Madam Moose stopped by to check on us.

Unfortunately, Flat Stanley had to be on his way. We’ll miss him but we’re sure he’s having a great time in South Carolina with Ellen and Dan. I’m sure there will be more stories of his adventures upon their return. From the staff at Sundance Trail, we hope you had a fabulous winter and have exciting plans for the coming summer. Maybe we’ll see ya up on the mountain!

www.SundanceTrail.com

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A very BIG special thanks to Ms. Marian, who was Stanley’s wrangler!

Colorado Dude Ranch: Sundance Trail & High Park Fire

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Goodbye, Daphne Duck! Rest in Peace, High Park Fire. You are now just an Adventure Vacation chapter in our Colorado Dude Ranch History!

colorado dude ranch horse smoke
We still have Smoke (a very old horse), but no fire!

Joy and Gratitude!

  • So many folks have called or emailed – we are deeply moved by your friendship and concern. Thank You! Feel free to reply below.
  • The High Park fire is no longer news. More than half of the fire fighters (and TV vans) have all moved on to other parts of the state, with our prayers and gratitude.
  • The fire met the containment perimeter cut by fire fighters and stopped dead in its tracks, miles from here.
  • It stopped growing about three days ago.
  • And then a bit of rain cooled it off. Remaining fire fighters are mopping up.
  • Yesterday almost all of the evacuees went home.

    dude ranch fire 6/10/12
    In the beginning.... Pyro-cumulus clouds, about 27 miles from here, June 10th, 7:30pm
  • Our ranch family is now smaller by five humans, five dogs, four cats, two horses, and a very awesome DUCK.
  • Gary, Carol, Jeanie, Penny & Ron, we are so glad to have gotten to know you better! You are no longer good neighbors, now you are dear dear friends.
  • For the dude ranch, very little changed.
  • Sundance Trail continued on with our guest ranch life, always watching closely and fully prepared with fuels mitigation, sprinkler and foam throwing systems (& a few miles of
    Dude Ranch Duck
    Daphne the Dude Ranch Duck!

    hoses!), strengthening defensible space, staff training, evacuation plans, back-up vacations with neighbor ranches for guests, safe pasture for horses…. and, of course, groceries!

  • We have been preparing for this for more than 5 years, since long before the beetle kill adventure began.
  • Thanks Dave, for getting us started with those Colorado Forestry Service fuels mitigation grants so many years ago! And thanks to our friends and neighbors who were there for us; Dickie & Christine, Luann, Jim Beck, LeAndra, Patti & Dennis.
  • A HUGE big thanks to our Glacier View Fire Department and Greg and Andrea. You folks left your homes, livestock and businesses to lead the crews to protect our homes. We are grateful to you and will not soon forget your generosity and dedication.
  • We’d love to hear from you! Send us a reply here.

    • Sundance Trail Dude Ranch & High Park Fire Colorado

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    Wow! So many emails and phone calls! Y’all make us feel very cared for.

    The fire remains at least 25 miles south east of us and on the other side of the river ( a major big protective fire line).

    Our prevailing winds continue to be from the west or northwest, pushing the fire away (and filling Fort Collins with smoke). A wind from the south will push the fire north, but still far west of us. A wind from the east will push the fire far south of us. Our concern is high winds from the south-east; pretty unusual. We are watching closely and we are prepared.

    Staff fire training is complete. We own our own foam system to cover the lodge. We have set up impulse sprinkler systems around defenable buildings as a precaution. The last few beetle killed trees will come down today. All is well, we are prepared. Actually, thanks to Nick, Victor, James and a few others, we have been well prepared for a couple of years now. (We have been expecting this since we moved here – Smoky the bear has caused almost one hundred years of fuels to be left on the ground – Mother Nature is trying to balance out our arrogant foolishness.)

    Neighbors closer to the fire are bringing their horses here. Thanks to Dicky and Christine’s loaning us their 10-horse trailer, we can move all of the horses to Luann’s corrals in Owl Canyon in less than three hours.

    In other words, we are expecting the best, prepared for the worst, and watching closely.

    Now join us in praying for rain.

    And we are starting the summer dude ranch season. Yee-haw!

    Sorry no pictures on this post – have been off buying horses! Have bought 6 new horses in the last two weeks – all are “honeys”! Pictures of Ralph, Dharma, Rio, Guss, Soda-Pop and Gene soon.

    10 Common Questions People Ask Our Dude Ranch

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    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.

    Summer Vacation Plans Made? Time to Make Reservations!

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    Dude Ranch Vacation Events near the Sundance Trail Guest Ranch

    Lots of great summer family adventure vacation opportunities coming up this summer. Here’s just four:

    #1 Greeley Stampede June 22–July 4, 2012

    Colorado Dude Ranch Rodeo
    Rodeo Events at Sundance Trail Guest Ranch

    Dust off your cowboy boots for one of Colorado’s largest summer festivals and rodeos. Dating back to the 1800s, Greeley’s Fourth of July celebration puts the “Yeehaw!” in Colorado’s western culture. Justin Moore, Credence Clearwater Revisited, Montgomery Gentry and Luke Bryan will headline this year’s Stampede.
    greeleystampede.org

    #2 Colorado Brewers’ Festival June 23–24, 2012

    If you’ve tasted a Colorado-brewed beer, then you know why Colorado Brewers’ Festival is wildly popular. 30 Colorado breweries, showcasing more than 60 cold and fresh handcrafted beers, fill Fort Collins’ historic downtown. Summer has never been more refreshing than at this beer-lover’s paradise.
    downtownfortcollins.com

    #3 Cheyenne Frontier Days July 20-29

    Summer family adventure vacation
    Thanks David Hobby!

    Cheyenne’s world-class rodeo is truly the Daddy of ’em All. Known for its fast pace and large number of contestants, the CFD rodeo ensures that visitors see more rodeo action (over 40 bulls and 70 saddle and bareback broncs daily) than they can see at any other rodeo. Every event is performed in each of the nine daily performances, so any day at Cheyenne Frontier Days is a good day to see an exciting, action-packed
    rodeo.http://www.cfdrodeo.com/

    guest ranch family adventure vacation
    Family Time -- Roman's Gang

    #4 Larimer County Fair & Rodeo August 3 – 7th

    The Ranch 5280 Arena Circle Loveland, CO Mary Starck, 5280 Arena Circle, Ste 100, Loveland, CO 80538 mstarck@larimer.org (970) 619-4009 Aug. 3-5
    www.larimercountyfair.org

    Pet Friendly Colorado Dude Ranch Vacations

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    guest ranch vacation dog
    Me! Waiting to greet you!

    You Dogs and Horses are welcome here! You can be part of your family’s adventure vacation!

    Hi! I’m Jack-jack, the official Sundance Trail Guest Ranch Dog. My job is to be so happy I can barely stand it!

    Also, I lead some special “dog-only” activities like

    • chasing the cats and the goats (when they want to play too, otherwise they just sit there);
    • sometimes taking naps with the kittens:
    • playing with kids!;
    • sniffing noses with the miniature horses (who are only about 30 inches tall and weigh the same as me!);
    • NOT chasing the big horses (unless you want to get kicked!);
    • checking EVERY tree and, well, you know…!

      KIds and dogs on the dude ranch!
      RJ, Me & Annie
    Ranch Vacation Baby-sitter!
    Baby-sitting

    I just talked with a couple of dogs who asked about our dog and horse “culture.” Here’s what two people thought: Dude Ranch Delight – Dog Friendly Guest Ranches, Bark Magazine, July/Aug 2009 and Pet Friendly in the Rocky Mountains, Colorado, The Pet Gazette, May/June 2006.

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