Guided Hiking
Our location in Southern Colorado offers easy access to many scenic Colorado trails, both on the ranch property as well as the national forest. To the west and south of us, trails lead upward into the million acre Rio Grande National Forest above the Goose Creek Valley, affording spectacular views of the La Garita mountains to the north and the awesome cliffs of the Palisades towering over the Rio Grande Rift. Every trail at the ranch will lead you through miles of mountain forests, spectacular scenery, and breathtaking views.
To maximize your hiking experience, we recommend taking a day hike with one of our guides. Our guided hikes will give you a chance to gain a different perspective of the Ranch and the surrounding area. If you’re visiting us during the summer months, you’ll be able to experience beautiful Colorado wildflowers, or walk through the shade of dense old Aspen Groves. Once autumn begins to roll around the mountainsides turn golden, rust red, and orange with the changing of the season, the air is crisp and cool, and the wildlife begin to move and prepare for the coming months.
During your stay, guided hikes are offered daily, giving you the opportunity to relax and enjoy other activities on the ranch at your leisure. These guided hikes can be anywhere from a 45 minute nature walk, a three hour picnic hike to the alpine meadows of the Weminuche Wilderness, or a seven hour round trip hike to Ute peak, the highest peak on the Ranch. With the vast network of trails outside our front door, we’re able to match trails to our guests’ abilities and goals. We recommend that you come prepared to take advantage of the opportunity to hike the trails with our guides.
What to bring:
A light day pack, refillable water bottle, baseball cap or hat with a brim, sunglasses, light fleece for change in the weather, sunscreen, comfortable hiking boots, small binoculars, camera.
Local Colorado Mountain Biking
If your kids love to ride bikes we’ve got a complimentary assortment for them to enjoy during their stay. If you’re an avid mountain biker yourself, you may want to bring your own bike or consider renting one from our friends Mike and Amy McNeil at San Juan Sports in Creede (719) 658-2359.
Many of the trails and roads in the Goose Creek Valley are good for mountain biking though not specifically groomed as bike trails. But for those up to a challenge they can provide spectacular views and a great test of your skills.
Biking in the Creede, Colorado Area
If you’re interested in biking “off property” the biking in the Creede area is great for the experienced enthusiast. The popular Bachelor Loop road is described as follows:
Length: 17 miles. Riding Time 1.5-3 hours.
We begin with the Bachelor Loop because many other rides are accessible from Bachelor road. There are several places of historical significance on this loop, and the Creede/Mineral County Chamber of Commerce has a flyer detailing these locations. The high point of this ride is the top of Bachelor Mountain at 10,000 feet. Many riders prefer riding this loop in a clockwise direction. This gets most of the climbing out of the way in the first four miles, making the remaining 8 miles generally fast and rolling. Be alert for tourist vehicles on this road, especially along the blind corners of West Willow Canyon. Portions of the canyon are quite steep and riders should use caution in these areas.
What to Bring
Don’t forget your helmet, light day pack, sunscreen, sunglasses, and water bottles as the sun can be intense at higher altitudes. (Helmets may be available for rent at San Juan Sports and Kristi Mountain Sports. We suggest you inquire when making your travel plans.)
Biking in the San Luis Valley of Colorado
If you’re looking for groomed trails, we’ll suggest you take the short drive to Del Norte, Colorado – home of some of the best mountain biking in our region, learn more.
Through Kristi Mountain Sports (719) 589-9759 you’ll be able to rent a “Specialized” bike. They do a very professional job and carefully fit the bike to the rider making all necessary adjustments. They even adjust the shocks to the riders weight and riding ability. As well, pick up one of their free maps of each of the single track routes on the western side of the valley which are accurate, up to date, and GIS’d maps.
Eats and Treats
Ask Chef Blake Bond to pack a lunch for you to take along. At the end of your ride, come back and soak your tired legs in our natural hot springs pool before heading to the dining room for some great food and wine.