Yes, I do highly recommend this place. After driving on a dusty dirt road for nearly an hour, coming to this tucked away alpine spot certainly was a treat. While in Vail for a quick getaway for a short weekend, I found this on a whim. As lucky as I felt I also got to learn about their history that is ending soon come end of September 2026 due to the owners' difficulties in renewing their lease with Denver Water. This ranch is an event place, paddle boarding place, hiking paradise, wild animal watching, etc. all in one. Per the information I read, the current owners have operated it for the last 15 years. This is one of the iconic places when it comes the outdoorsy stuff you can do in Vail. I wanted to do the hike to the waterfall and yet as sooo. As I learned from one of the workers that it takes about 6 hours to complete the whole round trip journey, I regrettably forego the opportunity. "I guess I will come back to do it before the official closure of the business" was what I thought and yet that's roughly two months away. Will I make it then? I shall see.. As the drought continues to threaten the entire region, I felt that this area could also utilize some moisture. Fortunately however, some wild flowers as well as the whole lushness of the greenery were still intact (as of early July in 2026.) So if you want to enjoy this beautiful property before it's completely shut down for good, go here before September 27, 2026. There is still time. read more

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Sometimes you need to get off the beaten path to find the most beautiful places this country has to offer. Piney Ranch is just north of Vail, Colorado and truly heaven on earth. While the ride is extremely bumpy to get there, it is well worth it. The views along the way are wonderful, but once you enter the grounds you see a wonderful little camp with amazing views with many activities available. You can just sit and enjoy the scenery while enjoying a nice beverage and good food, or you can explore the area with a wonderful, well manicured and marked trail, lake for fishing and boating and breathtaking scenery for photography. If you have a long lens you may capture some great wildlife.. maybe even a moose on the far side of the lake. Piney Ranch hosts many weddings and some of the staff are residents at this great community. It took approximately an hour from Vail and I would not attempt to drive the bumpy road in the dark or rain. An SUV would be best, but we saw sedans making the trip. No camping available. read more

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Nice place. Great for photos in the summer months. Algorithmic references: activities, beauty, destination read more

A holiday weekend wedding brought me up the windy bumpy dirt road leading to this destination. The accommodations for guests was spectacular. Well insulated lakeside cabins, a yurt, and even some glamping tents (complete with a wood stove). while the cabins did not have running water there was a bathhouse featuring a handful of conventional toilets along with two sinks and a hand drying machine. If one doesn't want to walk up the hill to get to a restroom there are two latrines that sit much closer to the cabins. There is limited parking near each cabin however the staff are awesome and allow you to drive up and drop off. I was surprised at how modern, spacious, and clean the cabins were (ours featured a double bed in the front room, and two sets of bunk beds in the back room). There is also a porch facing out to the lake with plenty of seating for a handful of friends. The window shades were a bit tricky (tho I was amused watching two postdocs try to figure out the puzzle). Turns out you just have to manually pull them down, or push them up (no string required). The back room with the bunk beds did not have much in the means of ventilation. The inhabitants reported getting the window open a crack, but eventually resorted to keeping the door to their room wide open. The venue I must say is absolutely spectacular for a wedding. The ceremony took place on a gorgeous deck that leads straight up to the dining area. The food for the wedding was ok with the standouts being the mashed potatoes and green chili and cheddar cornbread with colorado honey. As far as herbivore fare went, the vegetarians at our table were a bit disappointed. Bartenders were efficient and friendly and the wait staff were pretty good too (some guests hid their silverware so they could go back up to the buffet for seconds). The dance floor was the perfect size and the deck offered a great place to cool off during a slow number. We even got to see a moose up close and personal as she dined just feet away from the deck in the early evening. The venue offers fire-pit smores packages which ensure that your guests get to keep the party going all while enjoying a tasty treat. Overall - amazing place to attend a wedding. I look forward to coming back to explore the waterfalls and hiking. We'll definitely pay closer attention to the turns we take on the way back to Vail. We got mixed up a bit leading to over an hour on those bumpy dirt roads. read more

My favorite place in Vail!! The bumpy road is definitely an adventure but the views are well worth it. We always spend a morning hiking and then enjoy lunch at Piney. The food is good but the scenery makes it top notch. The little gift shop always has cute merch too. When our children are a little older we plan to stay for a couple of nights in the cabins. I love this place!!! read more

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What a view! What a valley! The hike was very friendly to all. The lake is very flat and calm. Definitely suggest to get a canoe and go out. Fishing on the stream was fun as well. Definitely fish out there. During the summer it felt cool throughout the day and not hot. read more

Piney River Ranch - Hiking trail - Guest Houses Near Me - Vail, Colorado

Piney River Ranch is hands down the best wedding venue in Colorado. Pictures just don't do justice to how breathtakingly beautiful the mountains and lake are surrounding this venue. The building itself is an extremely well maintained rustic barn offering space for a covered outdoor cocktail reception with bar, as well as a separate indoor dining space with a bar. If you're looking for a venue with a barn or rustic feel, look no further. Catering is included with the venue fee and it is phenomenal. Piney holds tasting event in the months prior where you are able to taste menu items to help narrow down your choices for your wedding day - we loved everything that was offered we had a hard time choosing our ultimate menu. Piney staff were absolutely top notch as well. Shoshana was incredible both leading up to our big day as well as on our wedding day. We drove to Piney with my husband's parents to show them the venue on an impromptu trip and Shoshana was so helpful and gave us a tour without hesitation. Piney event staff the night of our wedding were professional and helped our guests quickly - I honestly couldn't ask for more. To be transparent, this venue isn't for every wedding though. One of the things I loved the most about this venue is there is a 30-45min dirt road that leads to the venue - no paved, smooth roads. It's bumpy and it's not a perfectly maintained road, but that's the best part. If you book with Piney you also need to book with a transportation company, DO NOT have your guests drive - ESPECIALLY at night/after drinking. The other thing I LOVED about this venue is that there is NO cell service on the road or at the venue. NONE. You and your guests get to be in the moment and present for your wedding - it's amazing. My wedding day was perfect and I can't imagine getting married anywhere else. Honestly, this place is magical. read more

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We got married at Piney River Ranch and hands down the most amazing venue. Both Monique and Brittany were so easy to work with. Our wedding was so magical, mainly because of how awesome this venue was. Absolutely picturesque and a dream come true. If you are looking for a wedding venue, I highly recommend this location. EVERYBODY commented on how this was the most amazing venue and wedding they have ever attended. In addition, we have hiked the area. The waterfalls are gorgeous, and it's so nice to get back to the trailhead and grab a drink and a quick bite to eat. read more

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Fantastic hiking, canoeing, fishing etc. All this was exceeded by the view from the deck. The next time we are in Vail valley (we have gone for years) we plan on spending an entire day out here. Everyone one we dealt with was friendly and helpful. The drive was on a maintained dirt road. We were in a sedan and the road was mostly just packed dirt/gravel. There were a couple sections that were more rutted and required a more careful approach. read more

Amazing scenery, relaxing setting, calming and beautiful! The trail is easy but if you want a more difficult hike you can continue past the trail and head up the mountains. Parking was free when we went. The drive was rocky but BEAUTIFUL -best with a lifted vehicle. If you're going for the scenery and adventure then why would you rate the food? But- the food was still very good and NOT overpriced. I was surprised by the lower price compared to the high prices in Vail. The food was fine. The employees were very friendly and helpful. I haven't stayed overnight at the ranch but I'd like to. read more

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The drive up from Vail was beautiful too. The last 3.8 miles was all bumpy road. I missed the fall leaves this year. Came a little late in the season. We had a dry summer. The water level is low. But the hike was still nice. The ranch must did good advertising. So many people here on the weekend. There were a lot of parking, so it wasn't a problem. read more

Piney River Ranch - Guest Houses Near Me - Vail, Colorado

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NB: This is the home of, but is not the same as, Piney River Adventures ("PRA"). PRA's a snowmobile business run out of the same location, but they don't run the lodge and (newly renovated) bar and restaurant. The lodges and restaurant at Piney River Ranch have been newly purchased by some Pepsi bigwig and he's seriously upgrading the place. Piney River Ranch sits on the shores of Piney Lake, a lake that has a picture postcard setting looking up at the western side of the Gore, in all it's splendor. Their cabins, yurts, and teepees sleep about 65 folks and there are few amenities (e.g., no running water in the lodging area and so you have to walk to the outhouses), but the location is spectacular. If you don't feel up to spending a night in those rustic conditions, at least go up for a day hike or some fishing on Piney River or Lake. The locals claim they have all 5 types of trout (that would include Lake Trout and the 4 more normally styled species) and the hiking is grand: 2.5 miles up to a cool waterfall at the head of the valley and then some much more challenging trails up to some lakes and the ridge of the Gore, too, if ya really wanna get serious. It's about a 10 mile ride over dirt/gravel roads to get there from the Vail N. Frontage Rd, but well worth the trip. read more

The view from this venue is stunning. But EVERYTHING else is a complete mess. If you are just desperate for a venue because they are one of the few venues open during COVID, just beware that it will be expensive and you will be disappointed. Here is what was missed on our wedding day. And this was after a special trip to PRR to meet with Brittany, (sales and event manager) to go over again, the details. However, Brittany was ill, so one of the owners and manager of the facility, Monique Busold, was in charge the day of my wedding. I have not spoken to Monique, nor did she ever reply to single email I sent with the same details. *The bathroom on the hill was dirty and no toilet paper. Asked for it to be cleaned, never was. We were promised a closer bathroom to the event; it was not there. *It was moved to a different room, which I guess was ok but far too big for 20 guests. *I asked for snacks and drinks to be in both changing rooms upon arrrival.. ..there were none. The coordinator I hired separately was able to get me a glass of wine; no one else received anything but water. *My signature drink, a cosmopolitan, which is a martini, I did not have a martini on the day of my wedding. I had a seabreeze or some version of.... (martini glasses were rented, no communication with the bartender). Apparently, the bartender told the wedding coordinator that a martini is a shot and could not be served on property and refused to use to the glasses. *I did not have a single appetizer, heard from others they were delicious. *The meal was supposed to be served buffet style, why we technically needed more space and it was moved. We wanted and requested buffet to mingle with the group, so people could choose what food they prefer, for covid purposes to self serve and so their food would be hot. (I also had menus printed, for buffet style). The vegetarian meal was served even though Josh's sister was not present at the wedding; numbers of those attending were updated via email. Communication was poor. *Instead the meal was plated, was cold, over cooked and FAR TOO much food on the plate, honestly... it did not look presentable or appetizing. I would give the meal a 0. *I asked for the remainder of the cake to be wrapped up, since everyone had their cake slices taken, no one even had the chance to try it. Where is communication? sense of service? We had 2 slices packaged and put in our room. The remainder of the cake should have been frozen. *The flu was broken in our tent (honeymoon nite) so the tent was full of smoke or freezing. There is no one on staff to help. *Apparently an event order is supposed to be on site to run through the details of an event for all to follow. We did not have one. WE spent in all around 26K (probably more) for a wedding from 4-8 pm. The view was incredible but the service and food were deplorable. Honestly, I don't know what would have happened had I not had the wedding coordinator I hired there to do her job and the ranch's job as well. The ranch's response: Sorry and a $200 credit for food we did not eat and they did not serve. read more

Absolutely worth the long drive up on a non paved road. Once here the scenery is outstanding and simply world class. The food is average at best, do not expect great food, so you will not have high expectations. However its just fine read more

First Impressions : I have been wanting to stay here for ages. My wife, dog and I finally snagged a two night stay over the 4th. Around $360 total for two nights. We chose one of their "glamping" tents that were apparently new this year. The entire ranch was much smaller than I anticipated. There is a main lodge/gift shop/bar/patio, a banquet area, cabins in a row right on the water, tents behind the cabins. A giant yurt, an older cabin and port-a-johns bunched up together. The tent was equipped with two comfortable twin beds, a queen bed, a few furnishings including a lamp, a bench and a few stools. We had a wood burning stove though we never used it. We opted to bring additional bedding (sleeping bags) to ensure our warmth. There is a large open area with a rug when you first walk in. Very spacious. Enough for a 100lb dog, my wife and I for sure. The front porch was nice to take in the views with two wooden chairs and a fie pit out front. I was initially pretty surprised to find that unlike the photos of the tents, these things are ~15ft from each other. What I would consider RV park closeness. We were right in the middle of three. I gather that because the glamping tents were new this year they opted to have a stock photo of what the tent looks like. I don't want to imply that PRR was being deceiving. (They've since changed the web photos) I just was really surprised to see these things so close. But look at that view!!:) So we cared for maybe another 5 minutes and continued on. They do not have showers here. I think the website says they have no showers only a "bathhouse". (Toilets) For seasoned campers like us we looked past it but I think it's worth mentioning for those staying for a wedding, or those who assume "glamping" means there may be. The bathrooms are not very clean but considering where you are. Running water is awesome. Our Stay: Upon our check in we got our directions and headed down to our spot. Very easy to unload our car as you can park (at least one vehicle) right next to the tent. The front area bar etc. was closed for an event so I think it's worth noting if you're just there for a stay. If there is an event you might be restricted from everything. Night 1 the 16 person yurt guests arrived at 11pm (quiet time is 10pm) they partied until about 1:45am and kept slamming the port-a-john doors. Needless to say pretty sleepless night but we woke up to an awesome view again!! We happened upon the management and they were very apologetic about the late night arrival of our loud neighbors and were surprised themselves that they showed up late. I couldn't figure out why they let them in because they even stated that the front gate gets closed at "quiet time". They (management) specifically Monique were very kind because of this. They stopped by our tent and chatted for a bit and made sure to explain to the large group that they need to keep it down. More people showed up the next night. In the mornings we woke up to trash everywhere. An animal had gotten into the open top trash bags that get left out every night. Food wrappers, cans, paper towels everywhere. I was shocked. Yes they should have convenient receptacles but there are animal proof trash bins available. Not wanting to add to this mess we walked our trash up to a main disposal area. That view is amazing though!! We had hikers who just park at the main lot and are not paying guests of the ranch walking through the area. The hiking trail and main lodge are all situated so that one can tour the area without bothering guests. Yet one after another they'd walk by and want to look at/inside our tent. We obliged, because, what the hell...Look at that view. Staff was kind to us for showing strangers around. They brought us a few beers on ice! We just ended up understanding that the site is ultra tight, not very private and it's either leave, stay there and be mad or be friendly and enjoy the experience. The last night was a little more quiet. All in all it's worth taking a trip up to see if it's your cup of tea. We enjoyed the view but would just rather have a little more privacy. Road: I've read some pretty interesting things about their road into the ranch. Varying from "bumpy" to "I couldn't eat when I got there because I was so jostled and you need an SUV". PLEASE do not believe the latter. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. However, having lived in CO for about 15 years now I can say without a shadow of doubt that most vehicles will be able to get up this road without issue during the season. The worst spots still allow for plenty of clearance of most non sports car type of vehicles. I took our brand new Subaru Forester and left the jeep at home. We saw SUV's, sedans, Lexus', BMW's. The entire way there is enough room for two cars to pass. Go slow, be aware and you'll be fine. Consider where you've chosen to stay. A high mountain lake. It truly doesn't get much simpler. read more

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It's an adventure just getting there. A great spot to have lunch and canoe with kids. Our kids aren't old enough to enjoy a hike. Someday we'll add that. We just visited and saw a moose while canoeing. Love this place. read more

Their website as of today Sunday June 16, 2013, said that they were open as of Yesterday (Saturday June 15). We took our father, since it's father's day, and loaded everyone to come there to have lunch and hike. When we got there, it's closed and construction is taking place. I had to use the restroom and started to go towards the restrooms that I have used last year we came. I just saw a worker come out of the restroom. Then a lady rudely pops out of a workman's trailer on site and tells me that they are closed and that I am trespassing. I let her know, they were open according to the website. She just kept repeating they're closed and I'm trespassing. I said, well, I'm just going to use the bathroom then. She said, they were out of order and no running water. So either she lied or that worker just peed on the floor in there or something. I told her, I'm going by the information I had available to me. She kept saying we were trespassing and she would call the police. There was another family there that checked the website too and they were upset. She told them they were trespassing also. That is surely no way to treat a family of 8 who wanted to come and spend money at your establishment which we do about twice in the Summer. So we no longer will. You don't want us there, we won't come. Also, the road to get there is long and horrible. I don't know who is in charge of the road but it's really THE WORST ROAD I've ever driven on. The food isn't even worth it but the view is so nice we were going to forgive the food. But after "been-there-done-that" a couple of times, it's really not worth it anymore. read more

View...Gorgeous. Lodge...AWFUL!! I usually like writing nice reviews but this deserves a mention... We were there as well on Father's Day and the woman who worked there threatened to call the cops on us as well! We are nice normal people just there for a day hike. THE WORST customer service I have ever encountered! Seriously! Mean French waiters are nicer than these people. Go for the hike but don't bother with the restaurant and bar or lodge...bring your own lunch or camp outside the lodge. Apparently the management has been rude to numerous other locals who are just using the road to get to the trail (not their property) and they too have been threatened with having the cops called on them. Anyhoo...I can only hope the owners see these reviews and decide to make some changes...that location is too beautiful to be brought down by the owners of the lodge. If you are looking to get married here or have an event...make sure the management doesn't threaten to arrest your guests! read more

The gentleman at the Vail welcome center recommended this place for kayaking. The nearly 12 mile drive to this place was an adventure to say the least. The road (trail) was narrow and rocky with little room to pass but it certainly added to the experience. When we arrived we were taken aback by the beauty of the lake and the surrounding mountains. It is unreal!The gentlemen that helped with the kayaks were friendly and helpful. We later decided to grab a bite to eat before heading back to Denver. The little restaurant had a limited menu but everything was fresh and delicious. It was a great experience. read more

Piney River Ranch - Guest Houses Near Me - Vail, Colorado

MUST Visit while staying in the area! The drive is a fun 11 mile dirt road full of views, and once you get there, the views are one of a kind! There is a hike to a waterfall, or you can rent a canoe. A lot of times a moose is out and about. The staff is super friendly. Its simply a must visit!! read more

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Had a blast riding horses today and the cowboy was a character. Horses were very safe, cowboy was fun but most of all amazing scenery. Be prepared though u have a 12 mi crazy bumpy dirt road to the ranch. Well worth it but u will need a truck or suv read more

Piney River Ranch - This is piney lake - Guest Houses Near Me - Vail, Colorado

We had the pleasure of working with Monique and her staff at Piney River Ranch for my daughter's wedding. An INCREDIBLE venue for any type of event but words cannot describe how beautiful Piney River Ranch is/was for our wedding, with a vision of rustic elegance it did not disappoint. The Bride and Groom, along with family and guests were taken back by the beauty. The day was outstanding from the natural beauty to the attentiveness of all the staff. If you are looking for a mountain setting for an event Piney River Ranch should be your first choice. The food prepared by Jane and her staff, it was delicious! Through the evening and the weeks that followed people have complimented how flavorful the food was and how well it was presented for the 180+ guests. The staff was helpful and kind to all our vendors, along with superior customer service to our wedding guests. Thank you to Monique and her staff for a wonderful time had by all!! read more

Piney River Ranch - Piney River Ranch, Vail Colorado - Reception - Guest Houses Near Me - Vail, Colorado

A hidden gem right outside of Vail that I will be sure to recommend to anyone and everyone needing to get away for a few days! The Ranch is the absolute best getaway destination for people looking to disconnect with the world and reconnect with nature. Not only are the amenities themselves beautiful, but the staff was incredibly friendly and welcoming. Any questions I had they were happy and eager to help! I also brought my two dogs up with me and the staff treated them like the princesses I have trained them to think they are (haha). My stay was only 48 hours (I wish I could have stayed for longer) but in that short time I truly got to relax. The first day we took out some canoes and enjoyed the lake. I took my dog on the hike to the falls the next day, which took about 2 hours round trip. The scenery was incredible and you truly feel like you are lost in the wilderness. After the beautiful hike it was time to enjoy the peacefulness you can hardly find anywhere else in this day and age, and I sat down outside the cabin with a book. The view looked fake. Whether it was the clear blue sky in the afternoon, the sunrise or the sunset, the entire place looked like a fake postcard! And the cabin itself was above and beyond what I expected. Talk about luxury hidden in the mountains! We stayed in the Osprey cabin which sleeps 8 and was incredibly comfortable and cozy! Each lodging unit (cabin / tent / yurt) has its own fire pit and grill! The last day I got on a horse for the first time in probably 15 years! The instructor was very helpful and made me feel comfortable and safe in a situation I was quite nervous about. The ride was 2 hours and, to sound like a broken record, absolutely breathtaking. It was clear that the horses were well trained and were comfortable on the terrain which in turn made me comfortable. Piney River Ranch is truly a little slice of peace and quiet everyone deserves! read more

The pros: I had my wedding at piney and it went very well. The scenery is breathtaking, the food was delicious (from outside caterer, not cooked by the ranch itself), everything was set up and ready for us on time, and we had lots of much needed help getting everything into place. We had a lot of compliments and I'm very glad I chose that venue. The cons: Yes, it is very hard to get in touch with the management and in general the communication leading up to our event was frustrating though that is partly because the ranch is so remote and has poor phone/internet connection. Also, we were not informed that although there were many people spending the night at the ranch the water and electricity were turned off before 11pm leaving many of us stumbling in the dark and thirsty after drinking all night. I wouldn't have minded as much if I had been informed of this so I could let people know and provide more water. And while the road to the ranch is very long and sometimes bumpy, they seem to surface it regularly and my accord handled it fine. Just don't drive your porsche. Overall: I was concerned about how everything would go with the poor communication we'd been having but in the end they really came through for us. I'm definitely going back, probably every summer- but I'm bringing a lot of water with me if I spend the night again! And candles. And let's face it, it's more romantic that way. read more

The scenery and setting is beautiful. The facilities and restaurant are adequate but nothing special. The service from the staff was great with the exception of the manager Andy Berst who should get out of a service-related business immediately. It is easy to have a great experience in a beautiful setting but the measure of a business isn't when things go right, it is how they are handled when things go wrong. Mr. Berst is smug, rude, arrogant, condescending, lacks empathy and common decency. Three in our party went on a horseback ride which was supposed to be an hour but it was cut a half-hour short due to an afternoon storm. We asked if any refund, rain check or discount was available and Andy Berst rudely and aggressively stated that, "they don't have to give refunds and that it was the risk was on us because we came in the afternoon when storms happen more often." He reluctantly gave us $20 back but because of his negative, smug, and arrogant attitude he left us never wanting to return. If you go to Piney River Ranch take some pictures and enjoy a hike but pack a lunch as I would not recommend supporting the businesses. I would never book an event (especially a wedding) or conference or stay in their cabins because, if you have a problem, Mr. Berst will most certainly make it worse. I personally do not recommend going there until they get a new manager. read more

Our family visited to hike and have lunch, and it was awesome. Spectacular lake with canoes, followed by a 3 mile hike to a very cool waterfall. The dirt road to get there was totally fine, well worth it!! read more

This place was so beautiful, I didn't want to leave. I asked the employee at the cash register if they were hiring and she laughed. They have a quaint little bar and restaurant- the food looked totally delicious, but I had a horrible stomachache from the crazy, bumpy dirt road that you have to take to get here. So I had to eat bland food- grilled cheese and tater tots- instead of the amazing-looking pork sandwiches. They have a good beer selection and the bartender/server was a super nice guy. Next time I brave that dirt road, I'm going to stay on this resort for at least three days. You can go horseback riding, canoeing, and hiking. It is a gorgeous place. read more

First it is gorgeous! The hike is really beautiful. The road is rough to get there But once you arrive it's worth the drive. I give 2 stars for the ranch. Make reservations well in advance. The owners were quite mean and were not interested in having people enjoy the amenities. They are not interested in customer service. read more

Best Bloody Mary my husband has ever had. Good, though not excellent, burgers. Overall, we were very happy with our lunch here.

If for the view and hike around piney river, it would get 5 stars. But the food is horrible and overpriced, I would give 1 star if I could. Kids got $10 hotdogs that were mostly burnt and the sausages were terrible. I had their tacos which were also mediocre though the pickled onions were a saving grace. Obviously there are no other options for food so there's no impetus for improvement but one certain wish for better food at such a beautiful setting. read more

We went for a hike, we didn't stay at the ranch. My one interaction with the ranch was that the two parking lots both had signs saying "NO OVERNIGHT PARKING." As we were backpacking this was a problem. So we asked at the desk and we were told that the parking lot outside their gate allowed overnight parking, despite the sign the ranch had put up. It's not even their parking lot but they put a sign up forbidding overnight parking! I'll give them a point for a polite desk clerk. read more

My old man and I were excited to take the trip out for the day to canoe, fish and hike on Piney Lake. The view is absolutely amazing, however, the Lodge is a waste of time. The customer service was horrible. Upon our arrival, the lady at the desk was already on the phone. We politely waved and waited for her to get off the phone. Rather then acknowledge us after the call, she went into the back and disappeared for a good 15 min. We eventually went to the bar to ask the gentlemen there for some help. Rudely, he informed us to go back to desk and someone there would help us. I could understand if he was too busy to help but there was literally NO ONE else in the lodge at the time. The lady returned eventually and allowed us to buy water. We decided they didn't want our business based on the reaction we decided that day. It's sad that such a wonderful spot has such lackluster service. Go for the view, but don't waste your $$. read more

Piney River Ranch is the perfect venue for people who want a rustic Colorado wedding. Monique is super helpful and customizes your event to fit your needs. Even though my husband and I live in the Vail valley, we are both transplants from other states. This venue was the perfect spot for our needs, it was very private, outdoors, yet an indoor spot with heater lamps and safety from the rain. Our friends were able to stay the night for a little post reception fun, while our family/other guests were able to head back down the mountain. The food was great, actually better than the tasting. All of our guests left saying "best wedding ever". I highly recommend Piney River Ranch to all futures couples. read more

If you want a wedding, event, or want to stay overnight in the most pristine place on the planet I highly recommend Piney River Ranch. The views are spectacular, the food divine, the staff amazing and Monique, the manager, was out of this world friendly and easy to work with. She made my son and daughter in laws special day so memorable. Our whole family stayed in the cabins on the lakefront and watched as moose grazed on the grass in the lake in the morning. Pure Heaven!!!! read more

Everything supplied by nature was perfect. Everything supplied by the ranch was sub-par. Our greeting consisted of "your room is over there". We stayed in one of their "glamping" tents. The view from the tent (and all of them) is the back of cabins. The mattress was extremely cheap with an unpadded metal frame around the edge. We stayed 2 nights so were there for most of 3 days. During that time, restrooms were not maintained at all. In the men's room, one toilet had backed up/overflowed which was never cleaned up. The other had no toilet paper for our entire stay. Sinks were full of dead bugs in both men's and women's. I preferred to use the porta-potty to the restrooms. Food was OK (nothing special) but very expensive. Staff had loud (read that as "probably drunk") visitors come by yelling about the party. Bedding was totally inadequate. We had a warm sleeping bag so we were fine but gave the bedding off the extra beds to our "neighbors" since their kids froze their first night there. All-in-all, I felt that the staff was very unprofessional, the accommodations were mediocre, and the service was poor. The overall atmosphere was more like a summer camp than a resort. I would recommend visiting for a day, but would never suggest staying there. read more

Brittany was such a pleasure to work with and has become a friend after having our wedding at the one and only, beautiful Piney River Ranch. She was always quick to respond to all of our inquiries during our planning process. It is always great to work with someone you WANT to work with. From the moment we met her on our first trip up to Piney, to the evening spent tasting food at Cowboy Catering, all the way to and through our big day, she was there to help and guide us through the process. Always willing to go the extra mile to make sure our wedding day was perfect and exactly how we envisioned it being, she came through every time! We look forward to seeing Brittany every time we are back in Vail! Brittany gets 5 stars! As does Monique, who happened to randomly know my dad from her trips to St. Louis. Piney River Ranch, although a trek to get to is more than worth the drive! I would recommend it to anyone and everyone looking to get married in the Rockies! read more