So, many of you reading this have been to our ranch and consider it your home. If this is you, feel free to skip to the bottom and read our update on ranch activities :). But for those of you considering staying with us, or anxiously awaiting your first stay here this summer, I figured I would post what an average day on ranch looks like. It is one of the most frequently asked questions when people are thinking about booking with us: how exactly does a day in the life of Covered Wagon Ranch work?

Well, first is breakfast – the most important meal of the day! Our chefs will tempt you with everything from eggs to order to a daily pastry. And after you’ve had your coffee and start to look more awake, Kurt or Melissa will sit down and visit with you about what you would like to do that day. You have several options with riding: either a shorter morning ride, or an afternoon ride, or a full day ride where you would take a delicious sandwich with you for lunch on the trail. We have a horse program that we would put up against literally any guest ranches. There are over 100 trails to choose from, so feel free to tell us if you like/dislike scenic rides, mountain views, pretty meadows, serene lakes, or anything else! (Really though, if you have a preference, we definitely have a ride for you). We also keep track of what horse you rode and where you went so coming here year after year you never have to see the same territory – or we can take you back on your favorites.

If riding is not your cup of tea, or you simply are still a little bow-legged from the previous day, we can set you up with one or more of our friends in the canyon to do another kind of adventure: whitewater rafting, fly fishing, or zip lining. Or if you would like to take advantage of our proximity to Yellowstone National Park, we can make you a lunch and point you in the direction of any sites you have heard about! We also have several hikes to go on, from the ranch or feel free to hike a trail that we ride (though we warn you, some of them are quite long).

Rides go out around nine a.m. after you have gotten an orientation from one of our wonderful wranglers. And your day is completely up to you! Whether it is sitting on your cabin’s front porch with a good book or going on an all day ride into the Rocky Mountains, we try to make each of your stays as personal and perfect as possible – so just let us know what you are feeling like doing that day.

In the evening, appetizers (and unofficial drinks) start at 6:30 with dinner following at 7p.m. Then, if you can heave yourself up from the table (because some physical effort will be required – our chefs are a little too good at their jobs) we have a fire every night outside the lodge. Everyone feels free to hang out and chat about their days. On Friday nights, we also do a cook-out: a barbeque with live music, roping lessons, and maybe some hilarity watching the crew try to dance.

Every day at Covered Wagon is different, and you can make your vacation as active and full or as relaxing and moderate as you would like.

So now for the update! The ranch is up and running, and this is the first week all of our cabins are full. It is so nice to be back in the routine of things. Your horses are moving up those mountains and getting back into shape (as am I) and we are all so excited to be rolling for the summer of 2014. The weather has been unseasonably warm, but not quite warm enough to take a dip in the Taylor Fork yet! The colt and filly are growing and love all the new attention – as does baby Braxton! We hope you are all doing good and can’t wait to see you here soon 🙂

 

-Eryn