Colorado Dude Ranches

C Lazy U Ranch is an all-inclusive guest ranch in the Rocky Mountains that is open year-round and delivers down-home experiences mixed with high-class amenities. The ranch has been serving guests since 1919, offering something for everyone.

Enjoy a spacious guestroom with beautiful appointments, solitude, and first-class comfort. Most guest rooms have western style furnishings, personal touches, and stone fireplaces. There is always daily housekeeping service along with nightly turn-down service, plush robes, and cocoa, tea, and coffee in each room. There are 40 accommodations, ranging from individual rooms to private cabins, including three-bedroom cabins ideal for families. Every cabin has fridges, bath products, in-room safes, new beds, and the previously mentioned amenities.

The ranch offers a range of activities for guests of all ages or you can explore the ranch on your own. There is a Kids and Teens Program that lets teens socialize while younger kids learn about life on the ranch. The activities vary somewhat depending on the season, with options like skiing, snow tubing, horseback riding, and fly fishing. While staying on site, you can go mountain biking, do archery, enjoy trap shooting, or enjoy one of the indoor games. To get the most out of your stay, the ranch also offers Wi-Fi, shuttle service, photography, ice, complimentary sports equipment, umbrellas, sunscreen, newspapers, boots, and more.

C Lazy U Ranch, 3640 Colorado Hwy 125, P.O. Box 379, Granby, CO, Phone: 970-887-3344

Vista Verde Guest Ranchis just to the north of Steamboat Springs, giving you amazing views of the Rocky Mountains. The ranch delivers western hospitality and AAA Four Diamond amenities and is all-inclusive with room for up to 52 guests. Enjoy luxury dude ranch accommodations in luxurious cabins with one to three bedrooms and one to three bathrooms. They also have private hot tubs on decks, wood stoves, and living rooms. Or opt for a lodge room with sitting areas and balconies. Every room, whether in the lodge or a cabin, has a snack bar, a stocked fridge, a hairdryer, a coffeemaker, robes, and more. There is daily housekeeping and turn-down service but no TVs or phones in the rooms. The Vista Verde Guest Ranch has resort-like amenities, such as a kids’ cabin, swimming pool, and Indoor Riding Area. You will find free wireless internet in the Main Lodge. Make use of the swimming pool or the Fitness Center that includes weekly yoga. The Coyote Corral has the Kid’s Cabin as well as the low ropes course. The Great Room is perfect for views and socialization with other guests. In the summer and autumn, enjoy an in-depth horsemanship experience, hiking, paddleboarding, massages, fly fishing, the kids’ and teens’ program, photography, rafting, kayaking, rock climbing, yoga, cooking, and mountain biking. In the winter, enjoy the snow for skiing and more.

P.O. Box 770465, Steamboat Springs, CO, Phone: 970-879-3858, Vista Verde Guest Ranch Video

Lane Guest Ranch is a mountain resort that is just outside of the Rocky Mountain National Park and has been hosting guests for more than 50 years. This ranch hosts couples, honeymoon couples, families, family reunions, and individuals. Overall, the ranch can accommodate around 60 guests, who all have access to the comfortable accommodations. There are 25 units perfect for couples or families up to 6. Each unit has queen beds, a private bathroom with a tub/shower, a TV with DVD player, a radio, a minibar, a lighted makeup mirror, and a hair dryer. Most also have private patios featuring hot tubs and are surrounded by gorgeous natural landscaping. Several buildings can sleep 12 or more guests.

If you want to cool off, go for a dip int eh ranch’s pool. Other activities include Wi-Fi, lunch rides, horseback riding, jewelry and cooking classes, fishing guides, and massages. Although there is no on-site laundry, the ranch does offer one-day laundry service for a small fee. The ranch serves breakfast and dinner in the lodge and lunch is served by the pool. All meals are included int eh stay and made with fine ingredients. You can also order a complimentary birthday cake. Enjoy morning coffee when you want and access fresh fruit 24/7.

P.O. Box 1766, Estes Park, CO, Phone: 303-747-2493

Colorado Dude Ranches for Families

The Majestic Dude Ranch has farm to table food, breathtaking scenery, and amazing weather. You can stay in an intimate two-person suite or a spacious cabin perfect for families or groups of friends. All rooms have Temper-pedic mattresses as well as aromatic diffusers complete with a range of essential oils. Standard Cabins have a master bedroom with a king bed plus two twin beds in a separate room and two bathrooms. Large Luxury Cabins can fit parties of eight and more with floor-to-ceiling windows, porches, and large living rooms. There is a king-sized bed and a queen bed in separate bedrooms plus a sleeping loft. Luxury Suites are ideal for couples with a king bed or two full beds and a bath.

The lodge and gym have free Wi-Fi, with unlimited gym access. If you need to do laundry, use the ranch’s free washer and dryer, which includes detergent. Relax in the Game Room with a pool table, giant Jenga, darts, puzzles, board games, ping pong, and foosball. Unwind in the 24/7 hot tub and sauna or go for a swim in the outdoor pool. Whenever the urge strikes, stop by the bottomless cookie jar for a snack. All stays are all-inclusive. Get a drink in the Saloon, where you will find local craft beers and award-winning local wines.

42688 Road N, Mancos, CO, Phone: 970-533-7900

Drowsy Water Ranch has been hosting guests for more than 90 years, giving those guests access to the 700-acre family guest ranch that sits in a private mountain valley. The cabins and lodge have a western flair, all showing off a historical cabin feel but with refurbishments and remodels to give you modern amenities.

Enjoy the vacation package that offers a range of activities for all ages. The ranch is designed to put everything within walking distance, including the swimming pool, game area, and fishing pond. There is always evening entertainment and guests get to enjoy horseback riding on one of the ranch’s over 100 horses and get horseback riding instruction first if you need it. If you want more adventure, consider rafting, mountain biking, or enjoying the ranch’s zip line course. There are also guided or solo hikes available. Other activities include pack trips, hayrides, campfires, song fests, western dancing, steak fryes, trout fishing, gymkhana rodeos, and programs for children. Relax in the Lodge with its games and library. Three meals are included every day with your stay. You will always find coffee in the main lodge. Most meals are family style and in the dining room, although outdoor meals also occur regularly.

P.O. Box 147, Granby, CO, Phone: 970-725-3456

Colorado Dude Ranches for Couples

RC Guest Ranch is a history 100-year-old ranch that was founded over a century ago. The property has 50 acres of land and nine comfortable cabins. Guests of the ranch are treated to western hospitality and natural landscapes. The cabins range from one to three bedrooms and each have propane heat, bathrooms, and kitchens. The cabins are clustered by the main Ranch House and each was built during the early 1900s with round logs and unique floor plans. The ranch supplies bath and bed linens for all guests as well as utensils for eating and cooking. The cabins also have private decks perfect for enjoying views. The ranch’s location makes it ideal for viewing wildlife, fishing, hiking, biking, photography, and horseback riding. The property is pet-friendly, including for dogs, cats, and horses with advance notice for a small additional fee. The ranch also offers day trips that take you on horseback to a gorgeous nearby spot with your guide or overnight full-service trips that feature a camp cook as well as a guide. There are also drop camps, wilderness adventure trips, progressive camping, and progressive backpacking. Creede is just 17 miles away from the ranch with a Victorian Main Street and Creede Repertory Theatre.

37531 Hwy 149, P.O. Box 186, Creede, CO, Phone: 719-658-2253

Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch is perfect for hosting dude ranch vacations, family reunions, weddings, overnight business retreats, and more. The ranch has been providing western hospitality since 1946. The cabins have daily housekeeping services and have up to three bedrooms with full amenities, including kitchens.

The guest ranch delivers seclusion without a feeling of isolation in its 3,100 acres of land by the Rocky Mountain Foothills. Enjoy riding the ranch-raised and -trained registered quarter horses and take advantage of customized plan. During a dude ranch vacation, guests get their own horse during their stay along with adventures in the arena and on the trail along with Western riding instruction. Upon arrival, there is a welcome wagon ride. Guests also get to enjoy guided nature walks, campfires with s’mores, trap shooting, bass fishing, and the option to participate in ranch chores. The game room has billiards and ping pong and there is a heated outdoor pool, volleyball, horseshoes, and space for four-square, basketball, pickle ball, tennis, and shuffleboard. You can add-on options like massages, private riding instruction, guided fly fishing, and white-water rafting. Every vacation package also includes hearty ranch-style meals. The ranch also raises natural, free-range and grass-fed cattle for beef.

2939 N County Rd, 31D, Loveland, CO, Phone: 970-667-3915

4UR Ranch is an all-inclusive luxury resort tucked among the Goose Creek Valley in the San Juan Mountains and has 3,000 acres of land, complete with six miles of private trout streams. There is nightly turn-down service. There are four cottages in the Adirondack style, featuring stunning views and wide graceful porches. The cabins are centrally-located for convenience and range in size to accommodate anything from a couple to a group. One even has six spacious guest rooms. All rooms have robes, shampoo and cream rinse, hair dryers, umbrellas, irons, flashlights, and fiber-optic service.

Guests at 4UR Ranch can enjoy horseback riding, hiking, historic natural hot springs, and more. Enjoy the geothermal heated outdoor swimming pool, the fitness center, poolside yoga, children’s programs, and fly fishing. In terms of riding, you can enjoy trail riding, obstacle courses, natural horsemanship instruction, and all-day lunch rides. There is a game room plus more games in Palmer House, including pool and foosball. Every stay includes gourmet cuisine along with morning coffee and tea delivery plus picnic baskets upon request. The ranch also takes of transportation to the local airport. You can add fishing guides, massages, and alcoholic beverages as well. Maude’s Bar has premium liquors, locally crafted beers, and more plus an extensive wine list.

One Goose Creek Road, Box 340, Creede, CO, Phone: 719-658-2202

Black Mountain Colorado Dude Ranch hosts guests each summer to deliver the feeling of enjoying the west. This ranch delivers all-inclusive week-long vacations for those in search of an adventurous western experience. The ranch is family-run and has decades of experience delivering award-winning vacations. The ranch is typically family-friendly but also offers Adults Only Weeks. Standard suites have two bedrooms/lofts and are suites in a larger building. Or you can opt for a private cabin in a standalone building with two to three bedrooms. There are also premium private cabins, which are custom log cabins built onsite using local materials and have two to three bedrooms. All accommodations have full private baths, coffee and tea stations, mini fridges, and wood-burning stoves. Guests of the ranch get to enjoy unlimited horseback riding for the true western experience. Those who want something more from their ranch experience can also go on a pack camp trip, enjoy trap or skeet shooting, or go fly fishing. Every meal is always included in your stay, so there is nothing to worry about during a stay at the ranch. Adults will enjoy the ranch’s fully-licensed saloon that has cold beer as well as a cold bar. For convenience, the ranch offers a free shuttle from the closest airport.

4000 Conger Mesa Rd, McCoy, CO, Phone: 970-653-4226