All-Inclusive Rate Information, Policies, and More

When is the Ranch Open?

The ranch is open for the dude ranch season from June through late-October and as a winter ranch from mid-December to late-March. We close down in the spring and fall as those times are fondly referred to as “mud season” here in Colorado, so the dates you see in our rate grids reflect our open dates.

Adult-Only vs. Family Times?

Yes!  Vista Verde is a perfect destination for family vacations AND adult-only vacations.  The two can intermix just fine, but we do set aside some special times during the year for adult-only vacations.  Typically that is most of January and early February for winter vacations and late-August through late-October for summer vacations.  Please take a look at our rates to get the exact dates for this year.

Yes it’s All-Inclusive!

For your ease and convenience, our rates are all-inclusive, and we mean it. The reasons for this are simple. Unlike many all-inclusive resorts and other ranches, we set a rate and do not nickel and dime our guests. If you are comparing rates, look closely. We lay it out clearly as to what is included, and what is not. And we do not add a service charge or gratuity onto your bill at checkout.

Contact us for more information or reservations at 970-879-3858.

Check in and Check Out

Summer Short Stays: Guests are welcome to check-in anytime after 4 p.m. on the day of arrival and check-out is 9:30 a.m. on the day of departure. Early check-ins or late check-outs are not available as we all are cleaning on our turnover day. We will help make your travel day run smoothly by taking you to Steamboat for shopping or lunch if your flight schedule leaves you with extra time.

Summer 6-night Stays: Guests are welcome to check-in anytime after 3 p.m. on the day of arrival and check-out is 10:00 a.m. on the day of departure. Early check-ins or late check-outs are not available as we close down operations in between guests. We will help make your travel day run smoothly by taking you to Steamboat for shopping or lunch if your flight schedule leaves you with extra time.

Winter: Guests are welcome to check-in anytime after 4pm on the day of arrival and check-out is at 9:30am on the day of departure. While we do our best to accommodate early arrivals or late departures, depending on the schedule of other guests, special exceptions may not be possible in all circumstances.

Group Size

One of the things we are passionate about is the sense of community that forms between our staff and guests.  The way guests connect with each other during mealtimes and out on the trail gives the ranch vacation experience a very unique feel.  Due to this, we limit the size of groups as a large group can deter from the community feel and camaraderie between the guests.  With groups of ~15 or more guests we recommend an exclusive takeover of the ranch so you can create your own personalized experience.  Please contact us for more details on dude ranch exclusive takeovers at Vista Verde.

Deposit and Cancellation Policy

A 50% deposit is required to secure most reservations, and the balance is due at check-out.  For parties of 10 or more, complete pre-payment is required prior to arrival.

We realize and appreciate the risks that our guests assume by traveling, and we recommend trip insurance as a way to protect your travel investment.  Unlike a hotel or large resort, our small capacity means cancellations impact our business and staff significantly.  Despite keeping a waitlist, we have found that last-minute cancellations typically are difficult to rebook.  Our cancellation policy ensures the sustainability of our business, so we can be here in years to come for you to enjoy!

• Your deposit will be refunded less a $100/person cancellation fee if cancellation is made more than 90 days prior to arrival.
• Between 90 and 45 days prior to arrival you may chose to roll your deposit to a stay in the following 12 month window.
• Within 45 days of arrival we regret that no refund is possible, regardless of the reason for the cancellation.  This includes illness, quarantine, or local or state restrictions on travel from your home destination for the dates of your planned stay.    However, you are welcome to send another party of the same size in your place.
• With weather and air travel creating travel delays from time to time, if your arrival is delayed we will work with you to adjust your stay to make up for the lost time at the ranch.

Please also note that in our mountainous setting, forest fires or low snow years are a possibility. And following 2020, we are keenly aware that state and local health mandates can result in closure of the ranch.

• In the event that a natural disaster or mandated restrictions leaves the ranch closed during your scheduled stay we ask that you consider rolling your deposit to a stay in the following 12 month period.  However your deposit will be refunded if requested.
• This same policy applies to a situation where the health guidelines limit us to in-room only dining and you don’t want to experience the ranch with those circumstances.
• If the ranch is able to be open during unique circumstances we will do everything in our power to give you an amazing vacation experience.  If you are unsatisfied with your experience we will come up with a mutually agreeable solution.

We highly recommend that you purchase trip insurance and understand the coverage.  We can help you purchase trip insurance via Red Sky Insurance when you book your stay for 6.95% of the deposit amount.

A Note about Child Ages

At Vista Verde, we pride ourselves in our fabulous children’s program. If your kids aren’t happy, you’re not happy, so we put a lot of effort, thought and resources into making their stay extra special.

The focus of our program is for families with children 6 years and up. Over the years, we have learned that this age range suits our program and set up best. It’s not that we don’t like the little ones, it’s just that it’s not as great of an experience for all when they are younger. In some situations, we are able to make an exception and make it work out to have a family with younger children. Please do call or email Stephanie if you have younger ones and want to know when or if it can work to come to the ranch. Her kids have grown up spending a lot of time at the ranch, so she can really speak from experience in knowing when it will be a good experience or not.