Posts Tagged ‘hot springs’

What makes us a Colorado Luxury Dude Ranch?

Thursday, March 4th, 2010

There are dude ranches, and then there are luxury dude ranches. That’s 4UR. We are way beyond your basic BBQ & beds setup. Here are some of the small details and big amenities that make 4UR ranch more than your average guest ranch.

Dining: We recruited our chef, Wray Warner, from the Four Seasons in Jackson Hole. Some of his specialties include unique home-made ice creams, and ambitious pasta, beef and fish dinner entrees. One of my favorites is a mushroom pasta that has been prepared to allow the delicate flavors of the fungi to come out.

It’s not just about dinner, breakfast and lunch are stunning as well. I love to start breakfast with the home-made granola and yogurt, along with hot, strong coffee. We also serve unique cook-to-order breakfast dishes. Breakfast is a very personalized meal, and we want you to feel right at home.

Even lunch is a special affair, esp. on Wednesdays when we hold our Mexican luncheon poolside. We have fajitas, chips, guacamole, cold Coronas and margaritas. Box lunches are also available to take out for your fly fishing trip.

Bathing: We have great “watering holes” – literally! Our pool is large and refreshing; there is plenty of deck space for lounging or playing games with family. We have tables if you want to sit in the shade umbrellas and have a cold drink or a snack. The pool is the place to be, if you ask me!
The hot springs are what Wagon Wheel Gap was originally famous for. In the early 1900s, General William Palmer founded the Wagon Wheel Gap Hot Springs Resort. The Hot Springs were thought to have medicinal qualities; we still have the historic bath house on property. You can still enjoy the Hot Springs, they are just adjacent to the pool and may still have the power to cure what ails you.
The sauna is here for you to enjoy as well – it is also in the pool area, and next to it is our massage parlor. This is relaxation central, and something that makes 4UR quite luxurious.

colorado fly fishing

Catch a beauty in our "Private Tailwaters"

Fly Fishing Vacation: Our fly fishing is renowned as spectacular. We divide our pristine Goose Creek into 15 “stations”, each a 1/3 mile, which are assigned by lottery in the evening. This system keeps everything fair, and assures each fisher-person prime waters at a prime time nearly every day.

Along with Goose Creek, there are four stations on the Rio Grande and one in the Weminuche Wilderness. You may also take a guided fishing trip above timberline to Lost Lakes for rare Rio Grande cutts, or fish Station 21, a trophy pond in the ranch valley. All waters are catch and release fly fishing only, except for Walton Pond, which is a great place to start practicing with your little angler.

Goose Creek’s drainage is quite unique. Flowing from the Weminuche Wilderness, it passes through only two private properties before reaching the Rio Grande; the 4UR Ranch and our neighbors upstream. Our neighbor’s reservoir feeds the creek from its cool waters via an 80-foot dam, making this creek one of only a handful of private tailwaters in America. Andy Lee and Aaron Christenson have spent their years with us managing the stream rigorously. This, along with our catch and release practices make for some surprisingly big, well-colored trout. Look forward to seeing rainbows, browns, snake river cutts, cutt-bow hybrids and even brookies.

As you can see, 4UR Ranch is more than boots and dusty arenas – come here for something completely unique.

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Colorado Horseback Riding Vacation

Tuesday, September 1st, 2009

The ranch here at Wagon Wheel Gap has been a destination for over 100 years. In the 19th Century, the valley was a popular because of our natural hot springs. The appeal expanded to fisherman, seeing how plentiful fish were in clear, clean Goose Creek.

However, owners Pete and Lindsey are avid equestrians, and once they became the caretakers of 4UR ranch, they were excited to integrate an active horse program into their Rocky Mountain Vacation destination.
Now, 4UR Ranch has a thriving Natural Horsemanship program that is spearheaded by head Wrangler Damon Gibbons. Because of his dedication to the animals, riders reap the benefits.

Remember how much you love Riding, or learn what it's all about in 4UR's Equestrian Program

Remember how much you love Riding, or learn what it's all about in 4UR's Equestrian Program

When you ride with Damon and our other wranglers, be prepared to learn some new techniques for interacting with your horse. He and the other wranglers will help you learn the basics of approaching and mounting a horse, if you are new to the saddle. If you have been cutting cows and bending barrels for years, than be prepared to enjoy some active rides over the wild Colorado landscape during your Western Vacation.

We also want to share with the children the tenements of natural horsemanship. So many boys and girls are in love with horses, or the idea of horses, without actually knowing anything about what it really takes to be a rider. We help your children to understand what it means to be an equestrian.

At the end of the week, we have a “kiddie rodeo”, where the kids get to show off the skills they learned over the week with their wrangler. It is a fun time for them and their families, and one of the events that makes a visit to our Colorado Dude Ranch so memorable.