We came to Durango to see the fall leaves and experience a true change of seasons. My son and I regularly do trail rides as part of our vacations, and this has been the best yet. It was not one of those snoozy rides, but a fun one! Holly was a super guide and the horses were well taken care of!
We booked our stay at the ranch during the adults only week to celebrate a birthday and enjoy two things we love - horseback riding and fly fishing. Jeanne, Brian and the entire staff at the ranch made sure we had a wonderful time. They all went out of their way to create a week that would be filled with special memories. The cabins are absolutely delightful - comfortably furnished and well stocked. Our porch which looked out over the horse barn was a perfect place to unwind and enjoy the beautiful mornings and evenings when we weren’t busy having fun in the Colorado wilderness. Each meal was delicious and served with a smile. Many dishes were so unique that we all asked to take home the recipe! The staff helped coordinate very productive and memorable fishing experiences ranging from river wading to a day long float trip down the San Juan River and horseback rides were available each morning and afternoon. We would highly recommend Colorado Trails Ranch for anyone looking for A++ service, outstanding accommodations and the opportunity for amazing experiences in a beautiful setting.…
If you are even thinking about going to Colorado Trails Ranch....book it now-you won't regret it! We just returned from an amazing week there with our family of 5 (3 teenagers). It was the perfect mix between relaxation and activity. You could do as much or as little as you wanted to do. Aside from the well maintained grounds and beautiful scenery, the staff is exceptional. They go out of their way to make sure you're having a good experience. There were 35 guests on the ranch the week we were there. The horses are all well trained and well taken care of and you can tell they care about the animals. They match a horse to each person for the week, based on your age, size and experience level. We were all new riders and we were trotting and loping by day 2 or 3. The wranglers are experienced, patient, and friendly. They are people with a love for the animal and lots of experience. The head wrangler Holly was great, as well as Makenna, Cheyanne, Grace, and Thomas. They mix things up each day so you aren't always with the same wrangler. The trail rides are peaceful and the scenery is breathtaking....and no mosquitos! One day we did an all day ride where we weren't on trails the entire time and got to be in open pastures. We had a chuck wagon lunch on that day, which was a lot of fun! Perhaps what makes Colorado Trails Ranch the place it is , is Jeanne. She is the "retiring" manager that has been on the ranch forever. I don't think she will ever leave! On top of being just an amazing person, she just loves the ranch and you can tell! She takes the time to get to know you and will do just about anything to make your experience a great one. Customer service and satisfaction are their #1 goal and they could write the book on it! Accommodations: Cabins are all new and nicely furnished. We had a two bedroom cabin, each with it's own bathroom, and one living room to share. They had a nice coffee station set up and a small refrigerator. You arrive to a water bottle for each guest and chocolates! Plenty of towels, comfortable beds and pillows, and dressers to put your clothes in. They have a hairdryer in the bathroom, toiletries, and even pump hand soap! There was a nice front porch on our cabin and back porch that overlooked the barn! In the closet there were hangers for your clothes and a laundry basket for your dirty clothes. Laundry is easy, with detergent for you to use. I went home with all clean clothes! Ceiling fans in each room kept the cabin nice and cool in the evening. We would open the windows before we left for dinner and the cabin would get nice and cool. We would close everything up in the morning and the cabin was cool all day long. Activities: You had the opportunity to ride each day, but they offered other activities, too. Fly fishing, skeet shooting, hiking, white water rafting, they have a local masseuse come one afternoon, rodeo in Durango one evening, day trip to Mesa Verde, and a local singer/guitar player one evening. There was a nice balance between staying busy and relaxing. There is a pool and hot tub to use and a game room for kids. My kids were not bored the entire week! Food: I hardly had the opportunity to get hungry all week! Three delicious, homecooked meals each day. Breakfast items included: eggs, waffles, bacon, oatmeal, cold cereal, toast, english muffins, breakfast bowls, pancakes, sausage, yogurt, fruit , and fried bread. One morning you ride out to breakfast, which was a lot of fun! Lunch items included things like hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken pesto sandwich (these were AMAZING), steak and cheese sandwiches, and tacos. For dinner: prime rib, spaghetti and meat sauce, marinated chicken, bison, beef tenderloin, ribs and salmon. They have an "adult" dinner one night that was phenomenal (kids had pizza by the pool). They served some appetizers, salad, lemon sorbet, bison steak with potatoes and snow peas with a chimichurri sauce, and chocolate pot de creme. The meal was delicious! There is an old fashioned soda fountain shop with ice cream, etc that you can visit in the afternoons. Kids program: The week we were on the ranch there were only 5 kids, all teenagers. From talking with the staff, some weeks they have a lot of younger kids. They run a children's program normally, but our week was a bit different. The ranch is flexible and does what works for your family! Because we were flying from Boston, we arrived in Durango on Saturday and spent the night at a hotel downtown. We explored Durango on Sunday morning, had lunch, did a little shopping and then the ranch picked us up at our hotel. From that first interaction with Sean on our way to the ranch, down to our ride to the airport at 5 am with Jeremiah, the staff was friendly, interesting, and knowledgeable, but not over bearing or fake. They are just genuine nice people. There is no act here--they are the real deal! I did a lot of research on ranches before we booked this vacation. I must have called a dozen ranches from Wyoming, to Idaho and Montana. We wanted to find a place that offered more than horseback riding because we didn't know if we would even like it. Turns out we ended up loving it, but still participated in some of the other activities. My youngest son now wants to move out west! Jeanne-he may be applying for a job one summer in the future! All in all, one of, if not the best, family vacations we've ever had. Our goal was to spend some quality time with our kids before they head off to college in a few years. We played cards at night, have lots of fun stories and amazing memories! It was truly a vacation of a lifetime! Thank you, Colorado Trails Ranch!…
This ‘Guest ranch” makes you feel like a very special guest and does everything to ensure you have a good time. The horseback riding was excellent and the staff was marvelous. Very friendly, service oriented and happy. They enjoy what they do and that is obvious in the way the go about doing their jobs and interacting with the guests in such a gracious and welcoming manner. The food was excellent too and there’s never a danger anyone will go hungry! I had the opportunity to ride, white water raft, skeet shoot, fly fish, swim, relax and meet lots of very nice people from all over the US. I highly recommend Colorado Trails Ranch as a fun place for families, friends and even someone on their own, I’m sorry the week is over!
I came into this week with zero expectations. In the truest sense of the term, “city slicker,” you’ll find a picture of me. So to spend a week at a Dude Ranch I honestly thought I’d be bored by day 2. WRONG! I was so wrong it’s not even funny. This was and will be the BEST FAMILY VACATION EVER. The staff is incredible. They work tirelessly and always have a smile on their face. They truly make this place! You want to be around them and spend time with them. The activities- holy cow, we need 2 or 3 more days here to do it ALL! It’s fun for adults and parents alike- my family of four was exhausted every night because our days and nights were packed with fun and entertainment!!!! I can’t even begin to describe how good the meals are. Imagine being cooked a gourmet meal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for an entire week (made with high quality ingredients.) They even cater to special dietary need, but really all you’ll need is a diet after leaving Colorado Trails Ranch because the food is a 10/10. The cabins are beautifully equipped, clean, and offer a peaceful retreat after a busy day on the Ranch! For me, the absolute best part was watching my two boys morph into cowboys overnight- they rode horses, went fishing, went to cookouts, rafted, and lived their best lives while making memories they will cherish for a lifetime. I feel so blessed to have given them this gift!!!!!!!!! Thank you CTR for the best family vacation. I can’t wait to come back!!!!…
Long version - We are fairly well traveled, been to lots cities, countries, cruises, etc. We typically stay in 5-star properties when we travel. There was not a single complaint that we have about our trip. The staff here is unbeatable. It's better than "just ask and they'll do anything". You don't even have to ask, they just do it. Cabins - They are VERY well kept, extremely clean, and fairly new. Beds were comfy, nice furnishings, etc. Every detail was thought of - plenty of hooks to hang hats, etc. Food - Everything was delicious. Most meals weren't overtly fancy, but everything was great. They accommodated all special requests for vegetarians, etc. At breakfast there was plenty of milk options (almond, oat, cow, etc). Meals ranged from hamburgers, to eggs and grits, to an adult dinner with duck, friend polenta, etc. Most meals were in the dining room, but there were several dinners, 1 lunch, and 1 breakfast that were done "on the trail". Activities - I was concerned that my timid 8 year old wouldn't want to get on a horse or participate in the kids program. Jeanne assured me that my child wouldn't have to participate in anything with the kids program that she didn't want to and we could do as much family stuff as we wanted. Except once we got here, my kid wanted to do everything with the kids camp and nothing with us. Other families said the same thing, which was awesome. They got a kid with high anxiety on a horse, taught her how to ride, got her on trail rides, and ended the trip with her barrel "racing". You can ride as much as you want, the fly fishing for trout is incredible, the streams are amazing. You can shoot skeet, they take you white water rafting, tons of games in the game room, pool, etc etc. The kids tie-dyed shirts, had their own chuck wagon cookout, and were always doing something fun. Some other review said it best - it's summer camp for the whole family. The highlight of the trip though is the staff - I mean you can offer horseback riding anywhere.... but if you don't have good staff then the kids won't have a good experience and won't want to do it. There is something magical in the water at Colorado Trails. Between the staff, activities, and food - somehow they took 8 families that were complete strangers and turned us into 1 big family (all within the first 24 hours). A massive thank you to everyone who makes this place so special - and a special thank you to Jeanne. 55 years on the ranch and there's no question that she's the heartbeat of the most magical place I've been to.…
This such a fantastic ranch. The staff is super friendly, and willing to help and accommodate. The cabin we stayed in ("The Birdhouse") was really nice, with western themed furnishings, really soft, comfortable beds, and lots of windows to appreciate the amazing view. Our family of four (2 adults, 2 boys eight and ten), fit very comfortably. What really struck me, was the ranch itself is really well kept and clean, I noticed everything was very organized and well maintained. They have very nice buildings, with small shops, and a large lodge where they have internet, and meals. There's also a large barn and horse stables. All of it is so clean, and well maintained it almost looks new. We were only able to stay for one week, but it will be an experience we will never forget. Thank you CTR, your staff and ranch are top tier.…
We spent a fantastic week at this ranch - it offers excellent accommodation, super friendly and helpful staff, brilliant riding and fishing and all in the most wonderful location. We would not hesitate to return!
Nice cabins, you will never go hungry as the food is excellent. Great trail rides on wonderful horses.the staff is very friendly and helpful. This is the one to yo to if you are thinking of a ranch vacation.
Our grandchildren love our trips to CTR so much that this was our 4th visit. When asked if they might be getting tired of going there, the youngest said she would NEVER tire of the ranch and is hoping to work there when she is older. The kids stay busy with riding, swimming, rafting, power tubing... Adults can join in or just relax in a beautiful setting. Staff, cabins, and food are all outstanding. We will definitely be returning.
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