Life gets more interesting the minute you check in, usually on a Sunday. A welcome campfire might get going sometime in the late afternoon. You can get comfortable in your accommodations and look around the dude ranch.

The next day is horse orientation and training. You can, of course, ride as much or as little as you like. Some come to work on their equestrian skills. Some just want a good ride through the Colorado’s high country on a well-trained horse.  And all levels of experience are welcome. Even if every member of your group or family has a different level of ability, our wranglers will make sure each gets the horse that suits them best.

Every day, there are an array of rides to go on. Two-hour, half-day, full-day, etc… Often the different rides that go out meet up with each other for meals and then continue on their various courses. A cook accompanies you on overnight trips, as well, which kids love – there’s usually story telling, songs and s’mores around the campfire. But horseback riding is just one of the many things to do.

The week is a blank canvas, really. And so are the Colorado Rocky Mountains. You can float through a river canyon one day, get in an open-air four-wheel drive and head for an alpine vista the next. Visit a historic ghost town, a National Park or an artisan village. Hike, mountain bike, rock climb, shoot skeet, fish, swim or relax in a rocking chair and read. Any combination of the above is possible on any given day. It all depends on which ranch you choose (different activities are available at different ranches). And it also depends on you. There are no wrong choices. It’s all fun.