Colorado Summer Vacations
Family Dude Ranch Vacations at One of the Best Dude Ranches in Colorado
Summer is an amazing time of year in the Elk River Valley and the family dude ranch vacations are the focus of our summer season. Most folks visit Steamboat Springs, Colorado for the Champagne Powder and many people think of Colorado as a winter vacation destination. But locals know the secret: most residents have stayed because of the summers.
Our own Selina is one of those - she knows the skiing is great- but summer is the reason she returned to her childhood home in Clark. Every year she hopes to persuade another family that the summer is why they should love Colorado.
June, the first month of our Colorado summer vacation season, holds a special place in our hearts, as it does for many other residents of Northwest Colorado. It is when the wildflowers make their first appearance. The hills and valleys are so green you'd think you were in Ireland. New life dots the landscape - calves, foals, fawns - and yet the mountains remain snow-capped. The Elk River is so full it has "blown-out", carrying the hundreds of inches of snow that fell over the winter to the sea. This makes fishing difficult - if not impossible - but it means that the whitewater rafting is exhilarating! This year we have decided to offer our guests a chance to enjoy all that white water.
Whitewater Rafting on the Elk River!
You may have heard about the epic snow that Steamboat received over the winter. Because of this the Elk River is overflowing its banks and promises to provide great whitewater rafting. In a normal year, the rafting is over by late June. We anticipate that it will last into July. When you book your vacation ask us about rafting. We will be glad to schedule a half-day rafting trip for your family on the Elk River (as long as the rapids last). This is a chance to explore your more adventurous side and give your back side a break from the saddle. The section of the Elk that we raft is a Class III, at the peak of the season. The stories that are told at the table about the most recent adventure are hard to believe, but we've experienced it - so we're believers.
If rafting seems a little too adventurous for you, you can join our hiking guide on a nature hike or a tour of the area. You can climb to the top and see what you can see, you can stay down low and look for the newest wildflower in bloom, or you can try and sneak up on some wildlife. If you would prefer something a little less strenuous, we can go for a drive and do a little show and tell about the history- past & present- of North Routt County. Of course our summer vacations offer so many activities and adventures it can be hard to choose. Whatever you choose, you'll have fun! That's the greatest feature of dude ranch vacations - there is something for everyone from 6 - 96! Give Selina or Johnny a call, 800.688.2982 - let's see what we have available for your family to experience this summer!
