Piney River Ranch
Piney River Ranch
4.5
About
We are officially closed for the 2022 season. See you June 21st 2023! Mountain ranch offering summer activities - hiking, canoeing, horseback riding, restaurant, lodging. Opened June 21st through the last Saturday in September annually.
Duration: More than 3 hours
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
226 reviews
Excellent
140
Very good
52
Average
10
Poor
11
Terrible
13
Patricia V
Pisa, Italy1 contribution
Sep 2023 • Family
I was really excited about this “glamping” experience with the kids. Once we got there, all you can fiend is a crappy tent, cheap sheets, nasty blankets, LOT’S of hair on my bed (pretty sure they didnt wash the sheets). A grill that is falling apart is just left there. During the night we nearly froze to death. We used 3 packs of wood to keep the tent from freezing. My husband had to wake up every hour to check on the wood and make sure we had enough to make to the morning. All the guests on the tents next to us left before 8am because we all had the worst night ever. There is NO atmosphere. Everything is cheap but the $400 you spend to go. SO overrated. Save your money, go for a day trip and leave. You’ll thank me.
Written September 29, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bruce F
2 contributions
Aug 2023 • Friends
Piney River Ranch is a beautiful spot. HOWEVER the ridiculous drive up which is about 45 minutes each way, makes the trip not worth it. WHY The dirt road you need to navigate to get there is in RIDICULOUS condition. I am talking a jolting, bone jarring, suspension damaging, nerve rattling experience. If you have.a jacked up Jeep Rubicon ok- head on up. Or a rent car you don't care if you take years off of the suspension. Head on up. Otherwise there are too many beautiful places in the Vail Valley that you would be better off visiting.
Written August 15, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jaclyn L
60 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
Be prepared for the journey to get to the ranch - pay attention to the information they provide to you, they aren't joking! We just considered it the first part of the adventure, but I would strongly recommend an SUV or truck to maneuver the dirt access road! The ranch was beautiful, our wrangler was excellent, and Tank and Marley were fun to ride. This was our first horseback riding experience, and everyone made us very comfortable and safe throughout. Very pretty views along our ride, and we even saw a moose off in the distance!
Written March 23, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kara
2 contributions
Jul 2020 • Family
Awful bumpy rocky roads which damaged car. Beautiful scenery is tainted by the commercial operations and large crowds. Tourists everywhere enroute concerned about their cars and confused by the driving directions. No cell service. Ranch is not wiping down boats or boat equipment to prevent COVID.
Written July 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Yianni A
Foster City, CA4 contributions
Jul 2022
We went horseback riding and had an amazing experience. Nunu was our guide and was one of the best tour guides I've ever experienced in all of my travels. She was extremely laid back and made sure that each horse fit each person's personality and experience. The only downside to this tour is the 10 mile unpaved sandstone road, but the struggle to get to the ranch was well worth it.
Written July 15, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Madalynne T
2 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
I would like to start off by saying my husband and I had a great time!! The food was good, service was lovely and the views were amazing! Our guide was friendly and down to earth. The horses were tame and precious!!:)
There is one major downfall….the road to get to the ranch was unexpected to say the least. You have to drive a good 30-45 mins on a dirt road on the side of a mountain. It definitely wasn’t safe for those who drive teslas, mustards, Kias, etc . It’s a long bumpy, terrifying drive. Be sure you have a good vehicle and your gas tank is full. I do believe the website needs to state the road conditions to give a fair warning to those who visit!
Other than that, worth every penny! 💞
There is one major downfall….the road to get to the ranch was unexpected to say the least. You have to drive a good 30-45 mins on a dirt road on the side of a mountain. It definitely wasn’t safe for those who drive teslas, mustards, Kias, etc . It’s a long bumpy, terrifying drive. Be sure you have a good vehicle and your gas tank is full. I do believe the website needs to state the road conditions to give a fair warning to those who visit!
Other than that, worth every penny! 💞
Written September 7, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bradley E
Edwards, CO2 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
We live locally in the Vail area and have enjoyed numous day hiking trips to Piney River Ranch. Absolutely love it. Well worth the 45 minute dirt road adventure. We have a Jeep but have seen numerous standard two wheel drive vehicles making the trip. No problem really. Kust more comfortable perhaps in a truck, SUV or Jeep.
We decided to replace our day hike with a two hour horseback ride and it was great. Highly recommend thevouting if you wish to jump into the saddle. No experience needed really ss the horses are virtually on auto pilot .
We decided to replace our day hike with a two hour horseback ride and it was great. Highly recommend thevouting if you wish to jump into the saddle. No experience needed really ss the horses are virtually on auto pilot .
Written September 3, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
npzgal2017
North Naples, FL5 contributions
Jun 2022 • Couples
What a beautiful place to explore! You feel “Welcome” as soon as you arrive! Had the most awesome trail ride with “Nunu” the Wrangler. She carefully fit riders to horses, and had so much energy and knowledge along the trail. Fantastic Experience all around!
Worth the Bumpy ride to get there !!
Worth the Bumpy ride to get there !!
Written June 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jill G
Tucson, AZ52 contributions
Jul 2021 • Family
Piney River Ranch restaurant was a great place for a meal after our 5.5 mile hike! We really enjoyed the nice, speedy service and the food was very good. Expect ranch house dining on picnic tables and benches, both indoor and out, and it’s done very comfortably with great views of the lake and nearby mountains. We had the Tempura Cauliflower (delicious!), a Chicken Quesadilla (which had a significant amount of chicken), a grilled Ham and Cheese sandwich (good), a Chicken Sandwich (good), and a Kale salad (delicious and substantial). Definitely worth stopping to eat here if you’ve driven all the way up for the hike.
Written August 1, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Averagewhitegirlkait
Nanuet, NY33 contributions
Aug 2020
Free access to the ranch! With lots of the hiking trails. Bumpy road on the way down but worth it to get to the lake. My only complaint was the upper pine trail was NOT worth the time. The waterfall and view at the top was underwhelming. The best views are at the bottom and the by the lake.
Written August 18, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We will be in a Honda Oddysey minivan. Will the road be passable in this vehicle without 4 wheel drive?
Written June 24, 2017
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