Wind River Ranch

Colorado’s Premier Christian Family Dude Ranch

A Mountain Top Experience for the Entire Family

Are you tired of being tired after your vacation?

Where to eat? What to do? Will everyone enjoy it? How do we get there? The decisions are endless and exhausting.

At Wind River Ranch, we take care of all the details for you. Our executive chef will prepare your meals, our wranglers will guide you through scenic Rocky Mountain National Park, and our exceptional staff will help your family rest, relax, and renew in a Christian atmosphere that is truly family friendly.

For over 80 years, guests have enjoyed the jaw-dropping beauty of Wind River Ranch. The ranch is perfectly placed between the majestic Longs Peak (14,259’) just beyond our front gate and the Twin Sisters Mountain range as our back yard. God’s beautiful creation surrounds you; from the soaring spires of Rocky Mountain National Park to gentle meadows blanketed with wildflowers. Wind River Ranch is the ideal spot for a summer vacation, far away from the heat and busyness of life.

A few of the reasons our guests return year after year:

• Each staff member at Wind River Ranch is hand-picked to be an ideal role model for children of any age. You will love the servant hearts of our staff!
• WRR’s facilities and activities are premier. Picture perfect mountain cabins, full housekeeping service, morning activities for the children and teens, amazing meals prepared by our executive chef, a new resort pool and hot-tub, and of course, our top-notch horse program.
• WRR is convenient to Denver International Airport (90 miles) and guests love that Estes Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, and Starbucks are less than 7 miles away.
• WRR offers a different Christian guest speaker each week to help re-charge your spiritual batteries.
• WRR is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit ministry, so guests do not have to pay sales tax on their stay and lodging. That really adds up as a savings!
• At WRR there is something for each member of your family to enjoy. From daily horseback riding, private riding lessons at no extra cost, a climbing wall and zip line, a heated swimming pool and a giant stone hot-tub, a basketball and sand volleyball court and a great outdoor fire pit to roast smores and gaze upon the stars. All the activities make the numerous hammocks, rocking chairs, and hot tub all the more inviting.
• In addition to the amazing activities found on property, our staff can help you book any number of private excursions:
  • A round of golf at the Estes Park Golf Course or Marianne Buttes in Loveland
  • A day of fly-fishing in Rocky Mountain National Park or on the Big Thompson River
  • A power-packed day of rafting on the Cache Le Poudre River west of Ft. Collins
  • A gorgeous hike on one of the 355 miles of hiking trails in this area
  • A massage in Estes Park where you hear the river rush by as you relax

At Wind River Ranch, you can be as active or relaxed as you want to be…

It’s your vacation – why not enjoy it!

Thank you for your interest in our ranch! We invite you to search our website for details on schedules, activities, and accommodations. If you have any questions or would like to make a reservation, please give us a call at 1-800-523-4212.

Blessings,
The Staff at Wind River Ranch and Ministries

Please take a minute to view our new Promo Video found in the top right corner of this home page. You will also find two Testimonial Videos just below the Promo Video. At Wind River Ranch, we know that where you stay is very important to the overall experience. This is why we just completed master bedroom and master bathroom remodels on our deluxe cabins. Please go to the Cabin tab on the home page and check out the cabin blue print tab found to the right of the main Cabin tab. Here you can see photos and the unique layout of each cabin. The ranch has updated the mattresses, added elegant western bedding and remodeled each master bedroom and master bathrooms with granite counter, copper sinks, slate walk in showers, and many other touches. We want your cabin to feel like Home.

THE HISTORY OF WIND RIVER RANCH

Wind River Ranch was homesteaded in 1889 by an itinerant pastor named E.J. Lamb. The ranch was oringinally a mountain retreat and a working cattle ranch that covered over 500 acres. Rev. Lamb was one of the most influential settlers in the area; he built one of the first roads, he was the first guide to lead hiking groups up the difficult Longs Peak, and he was the uncle of Enos Mills - the father of Rocky Mountain National Park.

Around 1930 the ranch was transformed by new owners, the Hutchinson family, into a Dude and Guest Ranch. The ranch prospered for many years as a mountain retreat for families and individuals who were interested in a vacation full of horseback riding, amazing food, and breath- taking scenery. Building on that history, Wind River Ranch was transformed into a Christian Family Dude and Guest Ranch in 1997 and is currently operated by a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization called Wind River Ministries.

The ranch has had only 7 known owners in its 120 year history; nobody wants to leave the amazing view of the Rocky Mountains that is found on this property. The current property encompasses 110 acres and is nestled between the Twin Sisters Mountains and the majestic 14,259 foot tall Long’s Peak. Only 7 miles from Estes Park and bordering Rocky Mountain National Park, Wind River Ranch is perfectly situated for guest ranching.

We are proud to carry on the work of EJ Lamb; sharing the love of Christ as we enjoy the beauty and adventure found in God's amazing creation. Please come and be part of the tradition of dude ranching at Wind River Ranch and soak in the same views that drew E.J. Lamb to build his homestead on this special piece of property.