8 mile dirt road into the mountains...what did I get my sister and myself into? Let me tell…read moreyou...something I had never experienced before, at least not all in one place. Amazing views, kind and accommodating people and lodgings, so much riding and so much good food all for what was a ridiculously low cost. The horses were obviously well kept and enjoyed their time with us, I hope, almost as much as we enjoyed ours with them. The food was clean, healthful and almost too much for my 5ft self. Nothing goes to real waste there as they do there best to be sustainable. It is a working ranch so there is a lot going on. Before anyone goes off on the animal cruelty thing, check yourself. They care for and about all of the animals on their property, the domestic and wild ones the same. If I lose some of you on this part, so be it: there is a feeling of faith there...nothing shoved down your throat but a simple reminder to be good to this land and to each other. Check on the pricing as they have summer months and a few other options. We went just as Labor Day was ending and got everything for what I think was less than their summer prices.

Disclaimer: I married into a family that loves this place and has been coming since 50 years ago,…read moreso there has been a heavy bias and favorable context for this place in my kind even before I went. I had seen the damage the fires had done and the lack of trees on the mountains were not a turn off for me, EXCEPT when I forgot to apply sunscreen. I finally went for myself with said family and extended family and it was a blast. Food, activities, entertainment, scenery, it was all fantastic. Staff is wonderful and treat you like friends. They have lots of stuff for kids aged 3 to teens and all those kids had a blast. Made a ton of great memories. Would recommend for anyone who likes active outdoorsy vacations/retreats.

Came to North Fork for a winter fly trip the day after Christmas. Jeff was awesome with…read morecommunication ahead of the trip and what to expect (he undersold the trip to be honest). There were four of us fishing and they provided two guides which was perfect as we had someone in our group who had never fly fished before and he was able to get more 1:1 instruction from guide Ryan. The more experienced anglers went with Joe, both guides were incredible and worked their butts off to get us on fish. We booked four hours and it was nonstop action from start to finish. I personally landed somewhere around 30 fish with some of them being serious toads, I broke my personal best several times during the day. The guides were willing to be as hands on or hands off as we wanted and provided tons of great insight and knowledge to use on future DIY trips. Having fished all over the country this was honestly the best four hours I've ever spent on the water and can't wait to make an annual trip out of it. I'm sure these guys would take care of you on a summer trip but if you get a chance to do a winter trip don't sleep on it!!

Fantastic experience. The guides and ownership are equally amazing. The waters are like nothing…read moreI've ever experienced and added bonus the lunch provided is delicious.

Triple Creek Ranch is a beautiful place . Lynn is the nicest person to deal with…read more Definitely would recommend you to go there for lessons and horse shows

If you're looking for a place to ride or learn. This is the place…read more They have great school horses for learning and there's always fun activities at the barn. It's definitely a place where you feel home.

The Smooth Alpaca Experience was a fun hour with the family. They have alpacas and goats which are…read morevery gentle while they eat small bunches of hay and pellets out your hands. The proprietor was quite nice and provided some very interesting facts and stories about the animals. Our son is almost two years old and was a bit hesitant at first but by the end was walking up to the animals and feeding them by himself. The animals all have movie star and celebrity names - very cute, and are all different colors. It was a bit hard to find and Google Maps first took us to the upper parking lot of the Red Rocks complex. But I was able to call and they provided us an address by text - the small farm is up a dirt road off the main road to RR. The whole experience was about one hour. Be prepared to get some hay on you! I recommend the experience and it is quite unique.

A Truly Memorable Alpaca Experience…read more We visited Smooth Alpaca Experience as a group of six, ranging in age from 12 to mid-60s, and every one of us absolutely loved it. Joe was wonderful -- fun, informative, kind, humorous, and incredibly knowledgeable. He made the entire experience engaging for both kids and adults alike. We especially enjoyed getting to know all of the alpacas, along with the hilarious three brother goats who definitely put on a performance for us! We learned so much about alpaca behavior, personalities, eating habits, the shearing process, and the care involved in raising them. It was also fascinating to see the finished alpaca products, including socks, hats, gloves, sweaters, and blankets, and to better understand the process from animal to finished product. Overall, this was a unique, educational, and genuinely enjoyable experience that we would highly recommend. Joe made the day extra special!

Oh, the sheer joy of it! For over a year now, my wife and I have been on this delightful journey of…read moreprocuring eggs from the English Rose Farm. And what an experience it has been! Whether the sun is blazing or the breeze is cool, we find our precious cargo chilling comfortably in a cooler, waiting for us. And oh, the eggs! Each carton is a treasure chest, unveiling a beautiful array of spotless, perfect eggs that are nothing short of a visual treat! We are absolutely smitten by them! They have become a staple in our kitchen, starring in numerous recipes that we whip up constantly! We usually get 2-4 cartons at a time, and the payment process is a breeze with Venmo. Right before the eggs are put outside for pickup, we make the payment. It's as simple as that! So here's to many more years of this wonderful egg-venture with English Rose Farm!

At English Rose Farm, enjoy procuring fresh-from-the-roost duck and chicken eggs whilst surrounded…read moreby a coterie of winsome mountainside beasts both resident and volunteer. Our time in Boulder County was brief (just shy of two years), but we spent much of it at English Rose delighting in Rachel's collection of rescues (of note, a wild donkey and spirited mare), prattling goats, and Scottish Highland mamas whose calves enriched our visits and guaranteed the unexpected. Our drives to-and-from similarly offered wildlife sightings, particularly springtime's nursery of kits and cubs and the odd awkward moose calf! If you are a Boulderite or live out at Lefthand, don't miss English Rose.

We had an absolutely amazing stay! This place is an absolute treasure…read more All attending staff went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable and had everything we needed Food is affordable and delicious, views from cafe and lounge areas are out of this world! Quintessential Colorado! The swimming pool and hot tub were a blast for the kids, meticulously kept. The fella doing maintenance was completely committed to safety and cleanliness as we witnessed him multiple times cking chemical levels and cleaning up on our short stay. No one made my kids (16,12,10) feel unwelcome as they explored, and respectfully used the pool, ping pong table and corn hole set. The surrounding nature is gorgeous to explore and there are beautiful horses on the site even in winter to visit and say hello to while out walking. We are very excited to come back in the summer and use the zip line, shoot some hoops play some volleyball and maybe even get on a horse for a ride. All 5 of my family members agree this is our favorite lodge that we have been to. Oh and our 2 room suite was huge! Thank you so much to the staff and family at Dawn of Hope Ranch for everything!

One of the best ranches I've ever stayed at, and I've stayed at ALOT. Dawn of hope is a Christian…read morehotel/ranch with sports courts including basketball and amenities like freeWi-Fi and a pool. The deck in the coffee shop has the most beautiful view and the custom service is top noch, The food is great aswell. The beds are comfortable and and I've never felt safer with my family. Overall I would recommend this establishment to everyone, even if your not Christian

A little north of Eldorado Canyon State Park, this Walker Ranch Park with several different…read moretrailheads are tucked in as if they never want to be discovered by anyone. How I found this hidden gem was solely based on the luck I had today. I simply wanted to go on a hike where I would avoid other people. And this place is exactly that (or I picked the right day with very few hikers and bikers.) Cloudy Sunday afternoon, the temperature was in its upper 60's. When I got to the Ethel Harrold trailhead, there were only two other cars parked. And this is a very small trailhead (just so you know.) This Walker Ranch loop is a loop but it's QUITE lengthy. if you take the whole loop, it'll eventually take you to Eldorado State Park. I didn't go that far as I started late (past 2pm.) I took the right turn simply based on my instinct when the trail split on the way. If you take the right turn, you'll come to a very tiny (mini) cascade to your left. There is a good elevation gain so it's a great trail to get your cardio going. I occasionally jogged where the trail wasn't so steep. When I reached this vantage point where there was a bench, I made a u turn to come back to where I started. But the view at that vantage point was absolutely breathtaking. During this time (mid June), all kind of colorful wildflowers decorate both sides of the trail so you'll have ample opportunities for photo taking. I'd say it's beginner and family friendly especially the first mile or two. Since I didn't get to see the rest of the trail, I can't really speak for the rest of it, however. If it gets too difficult for you, you can always make a u turn.

One of my fav hikes…read more 8.5 miles 1740 elevation gain One of the most interesting and diverse hikes thru forests, canyons . Open spaces Views to die for Great workout especially the stair ascent Try it you'll like it

The G R Bar Ranch has been one of the most fun vacations we have spent in Colorado. Located near…read morebeautiful Paonia, the ranch offers 4 cabins for a week long stay; cabins are a mile to a mile and a half from each other so you feel like all the ranch belongs to you. Each cabin comes with 2 horses and their tack. (You can get more for an additional price.) When the husband and I checked into the ranch and Arrowhead cabin, their ranch hand brought us a matching set of ponies and started to show us basic horse care. Once he realized I was an experienced horse person, he said for us to come get him if we needed any help. Other than the ranch hand coming back the next day to ask if I would trade my pony because they needed an easy horse for another family for Smitty, the ranch's pack horse who had not been ridden all summer but knew Smitty and I would be fine together, we had the ranch to ourselves. There are tons of trails to ride on, lakes to fish in, boats to paddle in, and 4 wheel roads to drive on (all inclusive). We did not see any of the other families the whole week. Now, if you are not such an isolationist as we are, you can go down to the main lodge for a visit with other families or the owners. The cabins are run by propane and slightly rustic. You have all the comforts of home except a TV and telephone which is what we wanted for our vacation escape. We did go into town to get fresh peaches and other food but basically spent an incredible week catching up with each other and pretending Arrowhead was our private cabin. From reading the guest book, families come year after year even leaving some personal items such as games and sports equipment doing the same thing we did, pretending this was their private get away. The only reason G R Bar gets 4 stars instead of 5 is because they advertise the great fishing in their lakes. Since we were there at the end of the season, most fish had been fished out and eaten. This made the husband a bit cranky as he is a catch and release man. Other than that, I cannot even begin to tell you how fabulous the G R Bar Ranch is for a family vacation. And once you go, you become their family and receive a Christmas card every year.

I have stayed at GR Bar Ranch several times, and each time was magical. If you love nature and the…read moreoutdoors, and you're looking for a private slice of heaven, this is the place for you. It is literally off the beaten path (you should have 4 wheel drive) and not one of those places where there are ten cabins next to each other and you wave to one another from your individual fire pits in the evening. No, this is the real deal! You are alone, you have no neighbors, and there is endless abundant nature to explore. I loved my early morning cup of coffee on the front porch. The air smells so good and just listening to the little sounds around me, the rustle of the leaves, the small animals and birds, was so soothing. It is rustic (everything runs on propane), but you will have everything you need in one of the most beautiful places there are. I was actually worried about my teenage son on a recent visit (there is no "free wifi" and cell reception is spotty or nonexistent), but he loved it! This is a wonderful place for families to connect the old fashioned way - play a board game, hike, fish, go horseback riding, or just relax. I have heard they also have great hunting for those so inclined. My family and I will definitely be back for another visit, and I can wholeheartedly recommend this beautiful place to anyone looking for a very special vacation spot. Five stars!!