Grab your cup of coffee and read on to get a sense of the Colorado dude ranch life from guests who have visited. These campfire stories are sure to warm your heart and exercise your imagination!
A Family’s Dude Life
Getting back to your roots and into a Colorado Dude Ranch adventure
By Hilary Stunda
I was riding down the trail to the alpine lake, the warmth of the afternoon sun on my back, on Pancho, my horse for the week, and trusted partner. My thoughts quieted as we rhythmically swayed back and forth through the rustling of Aspen trees. The sky was a crisp blue; the leaves a verdant canopy.
My husband was beside me and two sons followed behind. Their horses were younger; a little friskier, which served them well—my kids enjoyed picking up the pace on occasion. By the end of our weeklong stay at the Colorado dude ranch they seemed to have changed.
No longer just “city” kids, they had been touched by the invaluable experience one can only get with horses, campfires and midnight stargazing. Read More »
Go Fish
A Colorado dude ranch family fishing experience
By J. A. Sturgeon
Dylan, my son, is fifteen and more interested in looking at the world on a computer screen than experiencing it in person. Most days, his father, Jim, and I aren’t much better. Today is different, though. Today, we are all standing in frigid clear Rocky Mountain water that swirls around our ankles, knees and thighs, seeming to suction from one side as it pushes on the other. Just standing firm against the current is more of a workout than I’ve had in months, but Dylan isn’t complaining. He’s as focused as Jim and I are, because today, we have a common foe. Read More »
Little Wrangler
What It’s Like to Be a Kid on a Colorado Dude Ranch
By Dan Christopher
Tim was always comfortable in his Atlanta neighborhood and generally didn’t stray too far from there, even on family vacations. So when his parents suggested a summer getaway to a Colorado dude ranch, his imagination kicked into high gear. “You mean we’ll go horseback riding, rock climbing AND white water rafting?”
Tim’s mom knew that her 9 year-old-son was a little shy for his age. So she was especially delighted to see his enthusiasm for checking out this new adventure. Read More »
Teen Wrangler
What It’s Like to Be a Teen on a Colorado Dude Ranch
By Dan Christopher
Andy and Cassie, teen siblings from Chicago, have unyielding relationships with their iPhones. When their parents told them they wouldn’t be using them for their week at the Colorado Dude Ranch, they were stunned.
“No way,” Andy had proclaimed.
Cassie wasn’t thrilled about giving up her phone, but the idea of horseback riding was too exciting. Cassie did a little research and found out there would also be white water rafting and trapshooting—suddenly Andy was more pumped than anyone. Read More »
Should Have Been Cowgirls
A ladies vacation in Colorado dude ranch country
By Chelsea Hall
I couldn’t have been more wrong. When my closest friends, Charlie, Tammy and Annie first approached me about taking our annual ladies vacation to a Colorado dude ranch, I was concerned. Visions of hot dogs, beans and wild children danced through my head. Like I said, though, I was wrong.
To begin with, we made our reservations for an adults-only week in September. My hotdogs-and-beans theory vanished with meal one meal. Read More »