Travel: The Family Dude Ranch – Grand County Style

A surprising thing happened to my family. We became a bunch of dudes. All of us are born and breed city folk. We know about parking hassles, crowded restaurants and constant din of metropolitan living. We don’t know nothin’ about horses, cook-outs, or peace and quiet. For a week we exchanged the glow of streets lights for those of the nighttime stars. We swapped our Volvo for a horse named Ace and exchanged our busy life to be pampered cowboy style at the Dude Ranches of the Grand County of Colorado.

Before, when I’d think of a dude ranch, my mind would conjure up visions of the film City Slickers. But, these are not those kind of dude ranches. There was no big cattle drives, no harsh conditions and no Jack Palance. These guest ranches are family vacation destinations for rest, relaxation, fun, frolic and of course, riding. Young and old alike can live out their cowboy fantasies while being treated like the king and queen of the rodeo. And for the active child, it’s a perfect place for them to get to know nature, learn how to ride a horse, and just be kids getting dirty and loving it.

We checked out two ranches – Latigo and Drowsy Water – completely different but both amazing places for families looking for peace, quite, adventure and lots and lots of horses.

Latigo Ranch:
Okay. I’m going to go with a cliché. This place is magical. There is just something about it that I can’t put a finger on. It’s one of those places that seems to have a soul, it’s own character. It’s not just the jaw dropping beauty of the land, the seemingly endless vistas of Aspen or the tranquil setting. It’s all just so amazing. And so are the owners. There are two couples who run the place, all friendly and fascinating. One pair will amaze you with tales of when they lived with a tribe in the Amazon. And the other pair, the husband gave up with career as a scientist to cook and co-run the ranch.

The main lodge was built in 1923, it was a homestead and soon after became a working dude ranch. Currently, the main lodge is where all the dining goes down with three generous meals lovingly prepared and served each day such as perfect pancakes, grilled steaks and delectable dishes like a tomato stuffed with corn soufflé. The lodge has a big porch, a perfect spot for socializing, spacing out and/or taking in the spectacular view of the valley and the property’s pond, which is stocked with local trout.

Latigo is all about their horses. They match you to your own horse by your riding experience, height and weight And this horse is who you’ll be riding for your entire stay. That way you’ll get to know the horse and build a relationship with them. When I arrived at the ranch I hadn’t ridden a horse since I was a kid but by the end of my visit I was trotting along the trails without a fear in the world. The rides, led by an amazing crew of wranglers, take you through amazing trials along the rocky mountains. So gorgeous that you’ll feel like you were dreaming or you just popped into a Zane Grey novel.

Accommodations: The cabins are dotted along the hillside, are very roomy and perfect for families. Ours included three bedrooms and a large living room. But a couple of things are missing. TVs and telephones. So you are forced to live unhooked while staying there, which is actually pretty awesome, although for media and technology addicts it can take a bit to get used to. But you do get the occasional deer peering in your window, chipmunks frolicking on your porch and a total almost eerie quiet. Plus you’ll get some of the best sleep you’ll ever had.

For the Kids:
The kids get their own wrangler who’ll watch, entertain and delight your child while you go riding, hiking or just relax. They’ll keep your kids busy with arts, crafts and walks through the sprawling ranch. And there is a great playground for kids with climbing structures and teepees as well as a kid’s clubhouse up the hill. And when they’re not doing all that. They’re learning to ride their own horse. Our daughter fell in love with her ride Misty. And the pond in front of the main house is reserved for kid’s to practice their fishing skills. And if they’re lucky enough to catch one of the trouts, the cooks in the kitchen will cook it up for dinner.

What To Do: Along with the optional wrangler led rides that occur twice a day, there is plenty of time to relax. The large social club has a pool table, piano and oodles of puzzles and games.

Special Activities: Fly fishing instruction, archery, shooting, and nature hikes. And if you’re feeling really adventurous, you can go on a special overnight ride.

Highlight: One of the most charming traditions at Latigo is the branding ceremony. At the end of the stay, families design their own simple logo and the ranchers create a metal brand, heat it up and you get to leave your mark on the main cabin’s dining room. The best advertisement for this establishment is the amount of dots around some of the brands. Each dot signifies a return visit. And some feature five, ten and even twenty dots, proving that people come back again and again to bask in the of the magic of Latigo.

For more info: Visit here Latigo Ranch.

Drowsy Water Ranch:
Where Latigo Rnach is all about peace and quite, Drowsy Water is more about a good old-fashioned rowdy good time. There is a little stream that meanders around the property located in a private valley between tall mountain. There is much more of a summer camp feel to Drowsy Water with a family carnival, staff talent show and a kid’s rodeo that keeps the whole family entertained. All meals take place, family style,  in a large log cabin with standard fare such as BBQ, pork loin and a hearty beef stew. When we were there, almost every family was a return guest. Each and every year they made their pilgrimage to Drowsy Water and many scheduled their visit with other close family friends … all reuniting at the ranch.

Accommodations: There are a variety of rustic red cabins throughout the property. Some are intimate cottages along the stream while some are dotted along the trails. There are two large properties that are great for large families or extended groups traveling together. The main house has multiple units that share a big living room. And there is another five-bedroom cabin that has a charming front porch that looks over the ranch’s tranquil fishing pond.

What To Do: There is a great big common area, like a giant front yard, where kids can play and run while the adults rest in one of the arm chairs and catch up on their reading. There’s also a pool that gets pretty popular on warm days. They also usually offer  hayrides, river rafting trip, a country dance, and a adult hot springs trip. Plus there are wrangler led horse rides every day from long to short from beginner to advanced.

For the Kids: The kids have their own young and enthusiastic wranglers who keep them busy with games, walks and of course, rides. There’s also a playground with swings, a slide and an adorable hidden teepee. This ranch is very family centric with all sorts of kid friendly details working into all the activities.

Highlight: The early morning breakfast ride to a morning spread on a mountain top. Eating scrambled eggs, sausages and sipping coffee on the top of a rocky mountain is worth the trip.

For more information on Drowsy Water Guest Ranch go here.

Both of these ranches make you feel at home, like your part of the family. Down home cookin’, clean mountain air, oodles of fun and of course oodles of horses make both of these places a irrestible way to get away with the family. We for one will someday be back. We want a dot or two or three next to our family brand at Latigo for sure.