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!!

Is this place for real? Barns in denver are the biggest rip off ever…read more Lease a horse for 3 x the going rate locally and then require the person to take 8 lessons a month to the tune of $600 a month lol and then on top of it!!!! Charge the "client" for all the fees of owning a horse like shoeing. I have news for your idiots. The point of leasing is to avoid those costs of ownership not pass them off to the leaser. Secondly, I don't want your god damn lessons. What if you have a person who knows how to ride and has 30 years of experience? You are going to require them to take 8 lessons a month? Lol I will never step foot in this place

This place is great although tricky to get to your first time. Turn east on mineral and take an…read moreimmediate right on the dirt road. There were really nice horses and farm animals. We had my daughters birthday party here. The girls had a wonderful time. There's a gazebo to have lunch and cake afterwards with a cute playground. The yard was a little messy but we got there early and picked things up a bit. The staff was super friendly and accommodating. It was a party the girls will never forget! Thanks Coventry Farms.

As someone who has been riding for more than 20 years and has been around horses my entire life, I…read moredon't write reviews for barns lightly. I've also worked in veterinary clinics that treat horses and large farm animals, so I'm very familiar with what proper horse care, safety, and professional management should look like. Denver Equestrian Riding School truly stands out. The horses here are absolutely wonderful--well cared for, happy, and clearly loved by everyone on the staff. It's obvious the team puts the horses' health and wellbeing first. They are attentive to the horses every day, and having a highly respected veterinary group located less than two miles away provides another layer of confidence that the horses receive excellent care. The facility itself is fantastic--well run, organized, and welcoming. Whether I'm in a private lesson or a group lesson, the instructors are knowledgeable, supportive, and genuinely fun to ride with. They create a learning environment that is both safe and encouraging, which is something every rider should look for. What really makes this barn special is the atmosphere. Everyone--from the staff to the riders--shares a true love for the horses. It feels less like a facility and more like a community. There's a real sense of family here, where people support each other and enjoy being around these incredible animals. If you're looking for a place that truly cares about the horses, the riders, and the overall experience, Denver Equestrian Riding School is exceptional. I'm grateful to ride here and always look forward to my next lesson.

Attended Horses and Happy Hour on July 19, 2024. It was not a pleasant experience, and I didn't…read morefeel I received value for my money at all. I mentioned many times that my "horse" (the owner corrected me and said it was actually a Pony) was tired and did not want to do anything but walk in a straight line back and forth inside the arena. The pony refused to pick it up to a trot or even a cantor. I do know how to ride a horse, and the owner of the facility was rude and kept chiding me and asking me if I was afraid and questioning my ability to ride a horse or pony. I repeated myself to my assistant and to the owner, who both brushed aside my comments that the horse was tired and did not want to or could not perform. I don't think they should have used this particular animal in the first place, since I overheard them saying she had been in a show earlier in the day, and her eyes even looked exhausted/sleepy. Her name (the horse) is Mystery. I think they should have picked out another horse for me when I voiced my displeasure and it was apparent that this horse did not want to follow my instructions, or anyone else's. I did not want to have to resort to being mean or cruel to the animal to "force" it to do anything. I had to brush my own horse before and after this farce of an experience. Very highly Not Recommended. Also, our entire time inside the arena actually on the horses was about 30 minutes. Thirty minutes on a horse, even if that horse or pony was in good shape, is still not a good value for 145 dollars. The happy hour was awkward and comprised of the owners standing in the middle of the room; the conversation was about them, and a bit more about them.

Our family loves this place. Our son uses the Right Step program which focuses on therapeutic…read moreriding for special needs kids. My daughter has taken lessons through Coventry Farms for a-typical children. In both programs, they meet the child where they are at and then make them stronger. They also have a handful of summer camps that my daughter just loves. It is amazing the power that these animals have had on both my children. My son couldn't walk before we started and we were told he may never walk. Through this program, he became so much stronger that he is not only walking, but almost running. My daughter has a peace about herself when she is here. It is amazing that I have to fight her to clean her room, but here she couldn't be happier to clean after any horse.

I called and reserved a stall a week in advance, and once we arrived, we were informed that they…read morehad no room for my horse, so we had to scramble to find a different place to stay.

Great way to spend time with friends and trying something new! We came here on a Friday for a 2…read morehour tour at 1:30pm. There were 4 in our group and we were paired with a couple other parties for a total of 7 or 8. Our instructor was super friendly and helpful, made sure we were safe and showed us all the best spots/views. It was cold at the top, so be sure to bundle up! 2 hour was the perfect duration for us as we started to feel the cold and tire out/get hungry. It's definitely pricy but if you split the tide with someone, it's totally worth the experience! @azfitfoodfun

We have rented with Grand Adventures winter (snowmobiles) & summer (ATVs). Always great service and…read morehelpful staff. Highly recommend.

WOW what a time. My…read morefriend and I signed up with this company to take us on a 2 day extreme class IV/V Overnight rafting trip on the Arkansas river. We both have experience with this company from rafting the Upper Salt River in AZ. Unfortunately the water levels didn't cooperate but, the rafting company modified the itinerary to give us the best possible adventure possible. Day upper upper Browns Canyon which led to class I've and the use of duckies. Operation am not a fan but, half of our group loved them. We were then driven 1.5 hours away for our dinner and tent camping (3 miles from our put in). Ryan and Eric our guides cooked a great meal and catered to the group. We awakened to a mist and heavy fog, which we were served pancakes and sausages for a warm breakfast, and let's not forget hot coffee. We then departed at 8:30 for our trip down the Royal Gorge were we hit class in rapids, lots of class 3s, great geology, good company, lots of fun and a great experience. Ryan our lead guide and Eric did a great job for 2 days of providing us a great experience and memories. You have many choices but from a personal experience this is the best company to deal with. We are already planning next year's multi day trip.

We "dodged a bullet" with this company. They called us less than an hour before our trip to cancel,…read morenot because of dangerous conditions, but because another group canceled, and they didn't want to take 3 of us out. No integrity and no remorse for ruining our trip. Fast forward, we found an amazing company that agreed to work us in the same day and, after speaking to several people in the area, it is well known that Wilderness Aware Rafting has less experienced guides and get stuck in the river holding up "traffic" most days. Literally no one locally has anything nice to say. In hindsight, I am glad we didn't go with them.