Dude Ranch with a Pool?

Adding a swimming pool to our list of ranch amenities was not an easy decision here at Vista Verde Ranch.  We resisted it for years for a long time for many reasons.  Although a luxury ranch, we didn’t want our all inclusive dude ranch to feel too much like a resort.  We didn’t want a…

The Dangers of Dude Ranching

Most people enter the dude ranching business because they love people, horses, the outdoors, or just the Western way of life. Most don’t know that entering the business will have a profound impact on their lives. It starts with finding out that the people you serve daily are really amazing folks. Wait a sec, suddenly…

The Doors are Open!

We kept telling people all summer that the indoor arena would be ready to go by the time we have snow here. We didn’t really mean it needed to snow in September to prove that point! Nonetheless, we had our first snow yesterday (it’s gone already) and today used the indoor arena for the first…

The Girls

Normally when I use the term, “the girls”, I am referring to my mini-me’s Maggie and Ella. But these days at the ranch that term is used for the gals out in the pasture- the new breeding stock for Vista Verde Ranch. The three young ones- Houston, Patty and Little Buck stuck around all summer…

Dude, Where’s my Ranch?

Dude, Where’s My Ranch? As seen in Macaroni Kid, by Joyce Shulman The west is overflowing with guest ranches that range from uber-luxury to affordable.  Here are a few to check out. Vista Verde Ranch in Steamboat Springs, Colorado is a small luxury ranch with beautiful facilities and accommodations.  An extensive family program is coupled…