Colorado is famous for the high peaks of the Rocky Mountains and great hospitality on their ranches. The Rocky Mountain Ranch has the best of both of these providing a great location for your horse riding holdiay. Situated right on the continental divide, about 100 miles west of Denver, every ride on this ranch has a view to write home about. The ranch is surrounded on three sides by forest or protected land giving an area the size of Britain to ride in with not a fence in sight. Excellent riding and lots of fun team penning the cattle each week. This ranch has a particularly good range of non riding activities and fully supervised children's program. The last 2 weeks from the end of August are always adult only weeks.
Trip length
7days / 6 nights
3-6 nights available at a daily rate
RIDING ABILITY
No previous riding experience is necessary to ride on this horse riding holiday. Riders weighing more than 97kg/215lb/15 stone may be limited to walking only rides. When you see the terrain you will understand why.
HORSES
The horses are mainly Quarter Horse with some paints, appaloosa and draft crosses. They range in size from 15hh to 16hh. There are about 100 horses on the ranch at any one time. Some are real schoolmasters while others are more sensitive and respond to the slightest leg or weight shift. Everyone gets to do some cattle work on this ranch. Once a week there is a team penning session. Here everyone splits into teams and tries to separate a few cattle from the herd and take them across the coral and into a pen. This is usually fast and fun!
ACCOMMODATION Authentic log cabins, some dating back 100 years, and a lodge house form the accommodation on the ranch. The lodge and cabins are scattered along a creek, some reached across a small bridge. The cabins have from 1 to 4 bedrooms for singles to families. The larger cabins with more rooms also have a private sitting room. The cabins are decorated in western style with carpeted floors and twin or double beds. Every booking group has their own shower and toilet en suite. All have coffee making facilities and many have fridges. Each has its own verandah where you can watch the sunset or just watch life pass by.
FOOD
Sometimes the food is gourmet and sometimes western but always delicious. There is an informal atmosphere and guests are always welcome to drop into the kitchen for a snack, a drink or just a chat. Vegetarians can be catered for as can other special diets with advance request. There is no alcohol served at the ranch due to the family atmosphere. Guests are welcome to bring their own, or the ranch staff will buy some for you from the local store. This can be enjoyed in your own cabin, sitting room or verandah. In the autumn adult only weeks you are welcome to enjoy alcohol on all parts of the ranch at any time.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
There is a huge variety of activities on offer and a program is done for each individual week. Non riders will not feel left out even if they do not intend to sit on a horse at all! Fly fishing instruction and fishing for trout are available both in stoked ponds and on the Colorado River. One day an all day river rafting program is available on the Colorado River. Mountain biking, guided hiking, Four Wheel drive trips into the mountain, a hot tub, swimming in the heated pool, 4 nearby golf courses to choose from (only golf involves a fee), not to mention evening entertainment such as campfire sing-a-longs, country and line dancing, old fashioned play acting and carnival nights.
CHILDREN There are counselor led programs for children from infants to teenagers. Activities include riding instruction, brushing the horses, river tubbing on the Colarado River, mountain biking, nature hikes, story telling, fishing, crafts, heated swimming pool, cycling, hay rides and wagon rides to mention a few. The counselors and program supervisors are college students selected for their experience, attentiveness and interests in child development and recreation. They treat the children with understanding, patience love and respect. The children very quickly feel at home and often make life long friends under these circumstances.
SHOP
There is a gift shop available on site which stocks western hats, souvenirs and crafts as well as more mundane items like postcards
Transfers A pre-booked scheduled shuttle service called 'Home James' transfers riders to and from Denver International Airport to the nearest town to the ranch. The ranch then comes out and picks guests up from there and takes them back to the ranch (about a 20 minute drive). The set shuttle times on Day 1 from Denver are 10am, 1pm and 5pm. On Day 7 the shuttle service departs the local town at 06:30am, 09:30am and 1pm.
If guests cannot meet this shuttle service due to the time of their flight then a private transfer can be arranged.
Please note that all our ranch prices are fully inclusive of all taxes, charges and gratuities. Extras that are commonly charged on site at ranches which we include in our prices are: state taxes (2-8%), local town taxes (1-5%), accommodation tax ($1-5/night) and gratuities (12-15% is commonly expected as the staff are paid largely via tips). Our prices include all of the these and are guaranteed not to be affected by currency fluctuations once booked.
It is possible to stay the Saturday night after the week long program, to make up a stay of 7 nights. Please enquire for costs.
The weight limit for this ride is 18 st/255 lb/116 kg, please enquire if you are an experienced rider exceeding this weight.
FURTHER DETAILS
As we are specialists in our field we have extensive knowledge of all our products from details of accommodation and meals to number/size/type of horses to pace of riding ... and much more.
Should you wish to receive further details of this ride please click here.
WHAT IS INCLUDED
This includes all activities mentioned, full board and lodging, a 15% gratuity, a 3.9% state tax and a local lodging tax.
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
Flights to and from Denver International airport car rental or transfer from Denver to and from the ranch and any alcoholic drinks.
There is a gift shop available on site which stocks western hats, chaps, souvenirs and crafts as well as more mundane items like postcards.
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We have an extensive range of Western Riding holidays across the world. Please click on the link below to go to our listings page:
What you see on our web site is exactly how much your invoice will come to and this will not change once booked. Unlike some other companies the prices on our web site are fully inclusive of often hidden extras such as: VAT, Sales Tax, state taxes, city taxes, service charges, non-optional tips, fuel surcharges which can add 20% or more to the advertised cost. Prices are available in £ sterling, Euros and US$. Once invoiced, prices are guaranteed against adverse currency fluctuations. Contact us for package prices which include flights from the UK and see each ride for exact details of all items in individual itineraries.
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