Exciting Update for Summer Dude Ranch Vacation Planners!
We’re thrilled to announce that Sundance Trail Guest Ranch has recently lifted the Sunday or Wednesday arrival day restrictions for half dude ranch bookings. This means more flexibility and convenience for planning your perfect getaway! The following summer dude ranch activities schedule may help you determine what days you’d like to be on the ranch.
You will not need your watch – take it off!
Sunday Afternoon
- Guests arrive & settle in rooms
- Take a deep breath!
- Tour ranch & meet horses & staff
- “Barn Orientation Class” – Ground Manners, Catching, Haltering, Leading & Tying Knots
Sunday Evening
- Hospitality & appetizers on front porch
- Supper & ranch orientation & meet folks
- Introduction to Cowboy Poetry
- Sunset hike
- Dessert for those who return (Just Kidding!)
Monday Morning
- Breakfast
- Barn orientation – “Horse Instincts and Communication”
- Arena demo and practice (Walk, Whoa, Turn)
- First ride for skills practice and/or arena time
Monday Afternoon
- Lunch at picnic tables
- Start horseshoe tournament!
- Ride horses into National Forest: Bubba’s Hill, Lady Moon, Hunter’s Camp, or Aspen Canyon.
Monday Evening
- Supper
- Cowboy singing with Lars & Amy Larson around the campfire with s’mores fixins.
Tuesday Morning
- Breakfast
- Rock Climbing Class at Stony Point
Tuesday Afternoon
- Lunch
- Horse grooming & tack lesson (This is where we teach guests how to do our chores!)
- Ride to Bubba’s Hill, Lady Moon, Hunter’s Camp, or Aspen Canyon
Tuesday Evening
- Kids cookout with scavenger hunt, field games, and storytelling around the fire (possibility for camp-out in the tipi if kids are interested)
- Adult hospitality and candle-lit dinner (generally interrupted at least once by kids to show off their seven kinds of poop found on scavenger hunt… horse, donkey, goat, sheep, rabbit, chicken…etc.)
- Adult quiet evening of conversation on front porch to the sound of kid’s laughter at the campfire.
Wednesday Morning
- Breakfast
- Horse grooming and tack
- Ride to Elkhorn Creek or Lady Moon Trail Head
- This is our all-day ride! Around 5 1/2 hours of saddle time (7 miles out and 7 miles back)
- This ride is strictly for ages 12 and up. We rarely make exceptions, as kids under the age of 12 (unless very avid riders) tend to get tired and sore before we make it to lunch.
- All riders will be evaluated for ability to do the all day ride.
- All riders 12 and under will take their morning ride, meet parents at the trail head for lunch, and then go to Red Feather Lakes Village for an ice cream cone or return to the ranch and ride again.
Wednesday Afternoon
- Lunch at Mt. Margaret trail head
- Ride, hike, play
- Return to fish, rifle & trap range
- Some prefer to nap, read or soak in Jaccuzzi after 5+ hours in the saddle!
Wednesday Evening
- Appetizers & Dinner
- Square dancing lesson at the carriage house gazebo!
Thursday
*Horses day off for full-week guests
Thursday Morning
- Breakfast
- Riflery, rock-climbing, or sightseeing Old Town before whitewater rafting
- Riding for half-week guests
- Pack Lunches before departing the ranch for the day
Thursday Afternoon
- Rafting or Sightseeing
- Old Town Ft. Collins
- Rocky Mountain National Park
- Laramie Territorial Prison
- Some rafters stay in town to explore, shop and/or enjoy dinner in “Old Town” Ft. Collins after their white water adventure.
- Dinner & free evening to relax or soak in Jacuzzi
Friday Morning
- Ride to destination of your choice (There are lots and lots of trails still to explore!)
Friday Afternoon
- Lunch at “Lunch Rock” in the forest
- Last Chance to try what you haven’t done yet or would like to try again!
- Ride, Hike, Fish, Rifle & Trap range, Archery, Roping lessons, Horse shoe tourney
Friday Evening
- Dinner
- Campfire with Cowboy Poetry
Saturday Morning
- Breakfast
- Gymkana Arena Games – The Sundance Dude Rodeo!
- Start Check-out
- Box lunch or buffet available
- Hugs & Farewells
*All rides are subject to cancellation in the case of inclement weather