FAQs

The program is one week, six days, starting on a Sunday, and ending on Saturday. We have intentionally scheduled it this way. After 3 or 4 days, it is amazing to see how comfortable everyone becomes. Skits, games, and outings fill the weekly program which comes to a logical conclusion after 6 days. The memories and emotions reach their peak. Then no one wants to leave, and quite possibly, lives are changed forever. For the Summer Schedule see our Dates & Rates page.

Yes – we have an incredible program for the little ones up to 10 years old., a jr. high program for 10 – 13-year-olds, and a high school program for 14 – 18-year-olds. We have the best staff that not only work the program but also take individual care of the children and young adults. The staff is the kind of young adults that you want your children not to only hang out with but look up to as well. These programs are daily from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm. Please see our Children’s Programs page for more details.

There will be a lot of free time for the children to spend with their families in the afternoons and evenings. The opportunity is offered for parents to leave their children in the care of the counselors if they desire to go to any of our On-Ranch Activities.

No, it is not. It is strictly a non-denominational ministry based on Christian principles. We are not affiliated with any sect, religion, or denomination. We will have a number of inspirational Christian speakers whose lessons are Biblically based and they will encourage you to take the next step in your faith journey. All of the programs offered at Wind River will be optional to all our guests. To learn more about the non-profit ministry that operates the ranch, please visit Our Ministry page.

You bet it is! Those that want to play golf can go down on Tuesday after lunch and play on the beautiful 18-hole golf course (or the 9-hole course if you would prefer a shorter golf outing). It is just 5 miles from the Ranch. It is challenging and offers incredible views of Long’s Peak and the surrounding mountains. The cost includes 9 or 18 holes of golf and a cart. Golf rates are subject to change and are not included in the ranch pricing. Our office staff would love to get this set up for you when you arrive to the ranch.

Yes, we have a beautiful heated outdoor pool and an 8’x16′ hot tub located where you can gaze up at the majestic 14-footer, Long’s Peak. It is just what the doctor ordered after a long day in the saddle. We have a wonderful Pool Party every Friday that you don’t want to miss it!

Yes, we have a beautiful stocked pond located right here on the property. There are also numerous areas near the Ranch where one can fly fish on a beautiful mountain stream or river. On Wednesday afternoons, we can take up to four people to a private one-mile stretch of river just 7 miles south of the ranch. You will need a fishing license in order to fish off the property. We recommend you bring your fishing gear with you if you are an avid fisherman. We can also recommend one of the guides in town to take you out to some of their favorite spots. Please contact Our Staff for more details.

Yes – if you and your family wish to go rafting we suggest reaching out to one of the four local rafting companies on the Poudre River. This is a beautiful river that has rafting for beginner and advanced levels. The only downside to river rafting on the Poudre is it is an hour and a half car ride down. We suggest that you take your rental car. It is a class III, IV with some of the most tremendous rapids in Colorado. There is an additional cost of around $50 for the half-day trip down the Poudre. You will be able to make reservations upon your arrival. Babysitting can be lined up for those who are not able to participate in rafting.

No, we are open from June through the end of August for weekly family camps. We will have special 3-4 day programs in September for couples and groups. For the Summer Schedule, see the Rates section of this website.

Denver (DIA) is the best airport to fly into. Wind River is located 75 miles northwest of Denver. It is an easy hour and forty-five-minute drive from the Denver airport. There is a shuttle service from the Denver airport directly to the Ranch.  For rates and operational times, contact Estes Park Shuttle / 970-586-5757.  Please also see the Location section for directions and a map to the ranch.

We are located right across the street from the Park and it also sits directly behind the ranch. We are just 9 miles from the main eastern gate entrance into the Park and 7 miles from the Wild Basin entrance. Rocky Mountain National Park and Trail Ridge Road are truly magnificent. Trail Ridge Road, which is only open during the summer, is one of the most scenic upper elevation drives in North America. It actually goes through the tundra where the growing season lasts for one week during the entire year. You should allow for some time to see RMNP. See the Location section of this site for directions and a map.

Absolutely! For more details visit the Activities section. There you will see a list of all of our on-ranch activities and off-ranch activities you can participate in during your stay. You can be as busy or as laid back and relaxed as you want to be. You can be involved in all the activities or just sit in the rockers on the front porch and look out over the vistas of the Twin Sisters Mountains, Long’s Peak, and the beautiful Tahosa Valley.

We host a variety of guests – families with children, retired adults, singles, couples, and single parents with children. Some guests never get on a horse and choose to enjoy all the other available activities like hiking, going into the Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) and Roosevelt National Forest, playing golf, reading, biking, and shopping in town. It is a great place to relax and do what you want to do.

Yes, we have guests that elect not to attend the morning studies. They are optional, and there is never any pressure to attend. From 9:30-12:30 each morning we do have a wonderful Children’s Program with crafts and activities. This provides time for parents to attend the Bible Study or participate in other ranch activities together. In the afternoons, the families are then free to be together to ride horses, hike together, or any other activity they desire.

All cabins and buildings at Wind River are non-smoking. Smoking is permitted outside.

Alcoholic beverages are not sold or served. Guests who desire may bring alcoholic beverages and consume them in the privacy of their cabins or from the rocking chairs on their porch.

Absolutely! Three meals will be provided each day and they will be outstanding. The food will surpass all of your expectations. We do fib a bit and mention that it is impossible to gain weight at this high elevation! If you have special dietary needs, please call the office and we will have a special menu ready for your stay. See the Rates section for more details about our rates.

Each guest 6 years and older who wish to ride horses will participate in our orientation on Monday. Once the head wrangler makes sure you are ready, you can hit the trails with the wranglers. We offer morning and afternoon rides. We ask on the day you arrive (Sunday), that you sign up for one ride a day at first. Once everyone has had the opportunity to sign up, guests wanting to ride more can sign up for as much riding as they would like.

With all of the year-round staff being cowboys or cowgirls, we understand this question. Yes, but we offer faster rides in our arena. We don’t want our guests to get on and hold on. We want our incredible wrangler staff to help take you to the next level in your riding ability. We will match you up with the perfect horse and work with you on a variety of disciplines. Even the most advanced rider benefits greatly from a lesson. Please note that our trails take you to some beautiful spots, but most of them are not set up perfectly for loping. We find the most beneficial experience for our guests for faster rides is the arena lessons.

No, and you will be glad of it! You will be shocked at how quickly you forget about TV. The evenings will be full of fellowship and quality family time. That cool, mountain breeze will also get you nestled under the covers for a wonderful night’s rest after all of the activities are done for the day.

There are no phones in the rooms. You can receive calls at the office number in case of an emergency.  We are happy to show you the best Cell signal spots on the property. Our hope is that you can take the week to truly disconnect and relax.

There is limited WiFi access on the ranch.

We prefer checks but accept MasterCard and Visa. Checks are the best way for us to continue to keep our costs down as low as possible.

A deposit of 25% is required to confirm your reservation. See the Rates section for more information.

Our rates are a great value compared to other dude ranches of our caliber charge. We are fighting to keep our rates as low as we can for our guests. We feel Wind River Ranch offers guests a family camp week the BEST bang for the buck. Please note that WRR has more varied programming here than most other dude ranches offer that instead just concentrate on the horse program. The quality of the rooms and amenities are excellent and all of our cabins have been updated recently to offer guests true rustic elegance. To learn more about the rates, please click on our Rates section for more details.