Dude ranches are usually linked with summer vacations. We imagine city dwellers escaping to enjoy nature and mountain air, learning horse riding and new songs by a campfire. But visiting a ranch in winter? Oh, what a great time!
In the colder months, Colorado’s dude ranches provide various activities, such as skiing and horseback riding in the snow. There’s also dog sledding, sleigh rides, tubing, and more, according to Courtney Frazier, executive director of the Colorado Dude & Guest Ranch Association.
“You’ll enjoy the evening campfires and comfortable cabins,” says Frazier. “Some of our ranches even have full spas to relax in after a busy day of exploring the Rocky Mountains.”
Get ready: Here are five dude ranches that are perfect for winter getaways with features like a private ski mountain, a high-quality food program, and a murder mystery weekend.
C Lazy U Ranch
The C Lazy U near Granby has an ideal setting. Days on the 8,500-acre ranch start with traditional “Cowboy Coffee” around an outdoor firepit with the crisp mountain air and end with toasting s’mores. In between, there are horse and sleigh rides through the winter wonderland. Also, a Zamboni is used to maintain a pond on the property so you can skate or join a pickup hockey game.
Guests can also go fly-fishing in Willow Creek, a tributary of the Colorado River. Some sections build up ice shelves, but the creek is still flowing and the fish are still biting.
Three daily gourmet meals are included in the all-inclusive rate (expect to pay $587 per person/night or more), and the winter dining menu includes dishes like carmel apple venison, pheasant cordon bleu, duck confit perogies, and rose glazed pink prawns.
Devil’s Thumb Ranch Resort & Spa
Go speeding through the snow — on a sleigh, cross-country skis, or with snowshoes strapped to your feet. Devil’s Thumb Ranch near Granby is a cozy winter playground with some distinctive offerings, including comfortable rides in a heated snow cat that travels the snow-covered Ranch Creek Valley.
The resort also offers fat tire bikes that can ride through powder, and Winter Park Ski Resort is just 10 miles from the ranch if skiing is on your mind. After playing in the snow, book a spa treatment and relax in a copper soaking tub or enjoy a heated river stone massage. Rates vary widely, depending on lodging, meal, and activities booked. Expect to pay at least $460 a night for lodging for two people.
Vista Verde Guest Ranch
Vista Verde is a luxurious dude ranch near Steamboat Springs that mixes the Old West with upscale amenities. The food program is impressive, featuring winter dishes like carrot cake waffles with walnut syrup, Cuban sandwiches, and gnocchi with short rib ragu.
During dinner, you can choose a wine pairing. The ranch's cellar, which has over 90 selections, has been praised by Wine Spectator.
There are many ways to work up an appetite at the ranch, such as using fat tire bikes, snowmobiling, tubing, and backcountry ski touring. There are also groomed trails for beginners. A three-night stay in late winter starts at $2,295 per person.
Three Forks Ranch
Three Forks Ranch, located near the Colorado-Wyoming border, is known as the “West Kept Secret.” This 200,000-acre ranch has a special partnership with the Mayo Clinic, a nonprofit healthcare organization that provides certified coaches for the wellness facility to offer nutrition advice and personal training.
Staying at this all-inclusive resort includes spa treatments, and guests staying three nights can book two services in advance. The ranch also offers private skiing on a snowy mountain with 20 runs, and heated snowcats transport guests to the summit. Nightly rates start at $1,995 per person.
Sundance Trail Guest Ranch
Sundance Trail offers several options for winter visits near Red Feather Lakes, including the Country Inn stay with lodging, meals, and morning horseback rides. Alternatively, guests can choose the bed-and-breakfast option.
Guests can enjoy horseback rides through the Roosevelt National Forest, relax by the fireplace, and stargaze in the jacuzzi. If they gather a group of 8-12 people, the ranch will arrange a Murder Mystery getaway. In between meals and horseback rides, the group can try to solve the mystery. Nightly rates for bed and breakfast start at $230 per two-person suite or $170 for single occupancy.
Three Forks Ranch
