Dude Ranches
When it comes to thinking about Colorado, the mind can easily wander to days of the old west when cattle ranching and wrangling was the norm. If you want to experience a little bit of that nostalgia yourself when visiting the state you might want to start investigating some options now so you’ll be ready to ride in the spring thaw. Many ranches offer an all-inclusive vacation that includes civilized delights such as wine cellars, delicious meals and relaxing massage treatments in addition to the authentic experience. Some ranches are open year round (like the Sylvan Dale ranch) since the 3200-acre ranch offers winter activities that include horseback riding, hiking, fishing, and more. But others like the Vista Verde Guest Ranch don’t open until early June (partially due to its elevation of 7800 feet). There are tons of options to choose from running through the alphabet and ending with the Zapata Ranch located on 103,000 acres where guests can ride and learn about the ranch’s 2500 head of bison. If you’re interested in learning more about where your wrangling vacation might be spent we suggest you contact the Colorado Dude and Guest Ranch Association at 1.866.942.3472. Saddle up!
Christmas Tree Fun
There’s no doubt about it living in Colorado affords you some of the best Christmas tree selection opportunities of just about anywhere else in the country. But before you head out to your favorite Christmas tree farm to select “the chosen one,” here are some tips and pointers to make sure your trip is as enjoyable as possible. When heading out, try to make it a day trip for the whole family if possible, and remember to bring snacks and liquids, or plan (route) a stop along the way for a meal. This is a big day, so make a true “event” of it if possible. Remember to wear old clothes since you don’t want to have to worry about tearing or staining (from sap) clothes that you don’t want damaged. Also remember to (more…)
Love Hiking and Horses? Try Ride & Tie
I always say that when living in Colorado you enjoy one of two outdoor activities: snow skiing or horseback riding. This site will cover a lot about snow skiing, but I wouldn’t be paying homage to “all things Colorado” if I didn’t include a section on one of the most incredibly fun things to do for horse enthusiasts as well. And that’s Ride & Tie.So, what exactly is this Ride & Tie thing, you ask. To borrow from the Association’s definition, it is an endurance race, run on trails and cross-country, generally 20 to 40 miles or more in length, involving teams of one horse/two humans, competing against 10 to 50 other like teams. The humans alternate riding the horse a mile or so, tying it to a tree, and taking off running, while the other human catches up to the horse, unties it and rides past the other human, and so on. The human teammates are mixed or matched pairs: young, old, female, male, fast and not-so-fast, all racing the same course. They work closely with (more…)