Come join us for a taste of the wild west. Your week long package includes lodging, all meals, unlimited horseback riding, an overnight pack trip, a longhorn cattle drive, whitewater rafting, fly and spin fishing, rifle and trap shooting, archery, a trip to a local rodeo and so much more!
We booked this family vacation on some thing that was different than we’ve ever done, and I’m so happy to say that we booked a black mountain it was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. Most of my family had never ridden A horse before, the staff couldn’t have been greater about teaching and being patient with all of us. The ranch is run by some of the best people I’ve ever met And definitely will become long-term friends. Whether you’re an experienced rider or brand new they are over the top to accommodate all. They have amazing activities ranging from archery, shooting, fishing, camp out, and much much more your entire family would love this vacation. My five-year-old was scared death of horses and had no interest of riding them, but Avery I was over the top patient and by the end of the trip he did the lake ride and the cattle round up and asked when we can go again. The property and views are absolutely stunning with a mountain views all around. Be prepared to go home one full pants size larger because the food is over the top and it’s so good you never want to stop eating!! I would definitely say if you’re looking for an amazing experience this is the place.
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Date of stay: July 2021Trip type: Traveled with family
Room Tip:Be prepared for an amazing experience make sure to pack for all sorts of whether scenarios
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.
My wife, Billie, has already highlighted our trip, a review I thoroughly agree with, from the perspective of a “horse nut”. I’d like to offer a few comments for those of you who may not be a “horse nut” or just don’t know yet and may be hesitating to visit BMR. Personally, I’d rather be side casting a live shrimp off an 18 foot flats boat in three feet of water to a tailing bull redfish in southwest Florida than sitting in a saddle and trusting my life to a horse I never met before on a mountain trail. However, In the family spirit, I stowed my flip flops and shorts, bought a used pair of cowboy boots off eBay for $19 and a couple pair of Wrangler jeans from the Salvation Army Thrift store and accompanied my wife, youngest daughter and two granddaughters (horse nuts all) to Black Mtn Ranch. I figured maybe an hour or two every other day or so on a horse, and in the meantime looked forward to a lot of fly fishing, white water rafting, skeet shooting, maybe some archery and a ton of “me time” hanging out with the two Tom Clancy novels I brought along. As they say, “man plans, God laughs”. From the time I arrived I got caught up in the most friendly environment and people you could wish for. My everyday high was spending time with my girls who were doing what they loved. I ended up riding almost six hours the first full day at the ranch and rode some part of every day except the white water rafting day. I never cracked a book but did some shooting while the girls were doing some high speed riding stuff in the ring. The owners of Black Mountain Ranch, the Mays family, don’t run this place out of sight behind a desk somewhere. They are out mingling with the guest from early morning until late at night constantly asking how things are going and if you need anything. They couldn’t be more gracious and concerned about your enjoyment. They will do anything to make sure you are having the time of your life. So did I leave BMR a horse nut? Nope, but I did realize I was nuts about sharing a wonderful week with my girls, great guests and real people. Wranglers, owners and staff who don’t have to buy pre washed jeans with holes in them from a fancy department store. The dirty sweat stain on their cowboy hats ain’t fake, and the buck knives and leatherman tools on their belts ain’t bling. So if you want to feel good about America’s young people again, appreciate this beautiful country that God has given us, and just hang out with decent real folks, horse nut or not, get on out to Black Mountain Ranch. Please make sure to read Billie’s review along with this, and hear it from a horse nut. Bob (Billie's cowboy)
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Date of stay: August 2020
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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.
This was our third trip to BMR, and we are already working on booking for 2021. The May family who own the ranch are some of the nicest people you will ever meet, and that is reflected in the people that work there with them. The wranglers work so hard to give each family the experience that they are looking for. Each family has their own wrangler for the week and every trip is unique based on what you want to do. You can ride as much or as little as you'd like, we rode over six hours on two of the days we were there. There are also a bunch of other activities to do, shooting is my kids' favorite. There is also a nice pool and hot tubs to relax in.
We have ridden a number of the horses they have over the years. We started as beginner riders on our first trip, and had horses that reflected that, and now are riding horses that need more skill. There is such a large herd of horses, that they will be able to find the perfect horse for you. The level of riding skill among the guests can vary widely, and all can be accommodated. The horses are really well looked after, they are so healthy and happy.
The cabins are lovely, very comfortable and clean. This year was a little different with COVID restrictions, but everything was very safely done. The setting is just spectacular, views that go on for miles. The sunsets are beautiful! The food is great, very plentiful, which is a good thing when you are active all day.
Overall, this is one of my favorite places in the world and we will return year after year (my kids already have plans to work there when they are old enough). The number of guests who return multiple times I think is testament to what an amazing place it is.
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Date of stay: August 2020
Rooms
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Service
Room Tip:We stayed in Golden Eagle, which is closest to the saloon and dining hall
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.
Wide open spaces, gracious accommodations, great and plentiful food, lovely energetic staff and HORSES Summer camp for adults: fly fishing, roping, rafting, riding, swimming, BBQing, camp out, lots of furry beings., horses.
The May family have created a welcoming paradise and are wonderful hosts sharing their love of the outdoors and animals. Interesting guests from all over. This was a great way to celebrate getting vaccinated and re-enter to a new year
Loved Butch my horse, handsome fun wrangler Arturo, the donkeys, the ducks, the cattle drive and mostly hanging out with fresh air with the horses.
Already booked for next year⛰
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Date of stay: June 2021Trip type: Traveled with friends
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.
The trip to Black Mountain Ranch exceeded every expectation I had. The room was fantastic and perfect for the occasion, the food was great and Chef Bob put his own twist on several dishes. I can promise you won't go hungry! The activities outside of the horses were all a lot of fun. They split you up into small groups to do most of the riding activities and make sure you have a horse to your liking. They go to great lengths to make sure you are comfortable with what you are doing and extremely flexible in making sure you are getting to do what YOU want to do. We had a spectacular Wrangler in Jo and also got to work with Chris. They took time to personally teach Horsemanship to help you truly learn how to ride a horse properly. This is not just a "nose to tail" trail riding experience and they gear again to each persons abilities and desires. The ranch owners are extremely friendly and engaging as well as always being available. Besides the horses there are a lot of other animals there for the kids to interact with. Lastly, I am not sure what I thought a cattle drive was going to be (I figured it might be kind of lame honestly) but it was great and way beyond my expectations it was a real cattle drive that you can participate in in any way you desire. This was a spectacular trip and my wife and I would love to do this again.
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Date of stay: July 2021
Rooms
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Room Tip:If you do not like climbing a hill, request a cabin closer to the dining hall.
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.
This is a must do vacation. I have been to several ranches over the years and Black Mountain is tops. I have never returned to the same ranch twice as I like new experiences, but I am already in the process of booking another trip there this Summer. As I told Bryce and Nolan (owners), the staff is simply amazing and go way above and beyond in ensuring you are well taken care of. Bobbo the chef put out exquisite meals, Amy the manager ensured all ran smoothly, Emily the Stable Manager always ensured the horses were groomed, saddled and appropriatlely matched with their rider and my wranglers T and Jo went above and beyond to take care of me. Can't say enough about the place. Do yourself a huge favor and get out there ASAP!!!!
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Date of stay: June 2020
Value
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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.
By far our best vacation ever. This exceeded our expectations by far! Location: The most beautiful setting high in the mountains. The ranch is surrounded by gorgeous scenery away from the hustle and bustle of life Activities: You can be a busy or as lazy as you please. Your wrangles will accommodate your needs as you wish. there is a basic itinerary of activities that you can partake in if you wish, but I would suggest to join in everything. We did all the rides, overnight camp, cattle drive, white water rafting (included in the fee), shooting... and more. all were so enjoyable Horses: they somehow get the appointment of horse and rider perfect every time. all guests were happy with their horses, as were we. being novice riders, we felt safe and secure, with great horses who you can see are extremely well cared for.Our wrangler, Maggi, was amazing. she taught us so much wrt to riding, and was an absolute pleasure Accommodation: the cabins are clean, very comfortable and serviced daily. with great views of the valley. the hot tubs behind the cabins in the forest are a must after a long ride. Food: come hungry! the food is 5 star and plentiful The staff: they make this place as great as it is. good fun, engaging and amazing with the kids. probably the main reason for us wanting to return next. Thank you BMR for the most memorable holiday - and we will be back next year!
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Date of stay: June 2024
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Trip type: Traveled with family
Room Tip:Book early - it is popular
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.
The memories of our original BMR vacation are the standard to which we have held all other dude ranch experiences. The fact that our original stay occurred over 9/11 forever etched BMR in our memories. Our recollections are of feeling very safe, friendly spirited horses, sociable wranglers, abundant food, beautiful skies, pack camp, rustling cattle, rafting, cool nights, hot showers & soft beds in our private cabin. Add in a small group, cattle rustling and roping, skeet shooting, archery, Jakes Lake, lunch/dinner rides, saloon games, and breathtaking golden Aspen trail rides. These were the essence of our 2001 BMR experience.
Fast forward 20 years, the ranch grounds have grown, with updated cabins & dining hall, big barn, massage studio, new animals {shout out to the lovable donkeys, goats, & chickens} and best of all the May family has expanded in beautiful directions enhancing the ranch experience. The friendly ranch culture, abundant activities, incredible horses, & surrounding forest and meadows have matured and expanded but the silence in the night, the crispness of the mountain air, the beauty of the sky, and the rush of the horses running out to pasture are baked into the DNA of this incredible ranch and ranch family.
Again, BMR is the ranch that sets the standard on how to create the perfect ‘Dude’’ ranch experience. To Nowell, Lynn, Brice, Cyndy, Ryan, Amy, and the full May family - Thank you for sharing your slice of heaven with my family.
Hats off to all the wranglers, with special hugs to Emily who keep all the wrangling parts moving, Branden who was Everyman and everywhere when needed, and our personal wrangler Josh, on his 1st year, who keep us smiling, upright, and on top of our saddles.
Big hug to Chef Bob, extraordinaire, and his kitchen team. Each meal was a labor of love and delicious, heck, we would come back just for the food. To Chris, the resident cattle baron, your heart, your humor, and gentle guidance made our stay 1000x more special.
So thank you all and see you next year Karen Mark, Bradley, & Sheri
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Date of stay: July 2021Trip type: Traveled with family
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 have looked forward to coming to “Black Mountain Ranch”, for the last 4 years. The owners, wranglers, chef, are wonderful, warm, informative people, who make every visitor, adults, children, feel comfortable with every level of riding ability, especially those new to riding (“beginners”). The wranglers are an experienced, friendly group of people, who make everyone feel comfortable. The cabins are lovely, and housekeeping will come by every day if you like. The food is great, as well. An A+ recommendation! Coming back for a 5th year in 2023! N & G Buck
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Date of stay: August 2022Trip type: Traveled as a couple
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.
I first sought a dude ranch vacation because of my fond memories as a kid going on a long weekend family trip to south Texas Dude ranch (Bandera, Texas). In 2002 I took my three oldest kids to Black Mountain Ranch and we loved it. Fast forward to 2020 and our 13 y/o daughter is ready for a similar trip and BMRanch was an automatic selection and it has only gotten better. The food is superb, the wranglers (95% female) are so friendly and hard working, the owners make you feel like family immediately: trading post and saloon are run on honor system. This is a working kind of vacation but the first morning back in Plano, Texas I already missed the entire ambiance of the ranch, horses, cool weather, riding, fishing (caught 8 rainbow trout in their lake). This is heaven for the kids and ideally age 9-17. Extra tips: every August the Perseus meteor shower occurs over North America and we were there to see it in 2002 and spectacular so far away from the city lights. Every night the horses are released to pasture in a stampede which is not to be missed. The sunsets are gorgeous. On the overnight camp out on the mountain, 6 of the kids chose to sleep under the stars, rather than in their tents, and woke up with mild frost on their sleeping bags—in July! The whitewater rafting day was sooooo much fun and exciting. The Saturday cattle drive is real and legit and you will be ready to herd cattle by Saturday. We watched the movie, “City Slickers” to get psyched up for the trip! This is a bucket list trip. I was 43 my first trip, 61 this trip, and will be 62 for next year’s trip! You will not forget this trip and your kids will certainly always remember it. Robert Wilcox, MD
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Date of stay: July 2020
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
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.
Yes!
Our family of five was assigned our own wrangler and every day he asked us what we wanted to do that day. You could work in the arena, ride through a meadow, lope up a mountain road, ride the single-track trail up to black mountain...The wranglers were great at creating activites forevry level of rider!
There were teens there during our stay, but I they don't actually have "teen outings". If your teens like the outdoors there will be plenty for them to enjoy. If they bond with other kids I'm sure the wranglers would take them on a ride without parents. They will definitely enjoy the white water rafting and rodeo! The shooting and archery range would be fun as are the nightly bon fires! Very family oriented!
The ranch is a couple thousand feet above Denver, we spent 2 nights in Denver hoping to acclimate but it didn't really help although we did enjoy Denver. Most guests did well with the altitude but be prepared to move slow. I've had some major cardiac issues and I was still able to participate in everything I wanted to do but I was real slow at climbing the hill to our cabin. No problem, I just stopped in the dining hall and enjoyed a cookie on the way!
There are more places to choose from in the Mc Coy area.
LOCATION
United StatesColoradoMc Coy
NUMBER OF ROOMS
12
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