Lost Valley Ranch

8 mile dirt road into the mountains...what did I get my sister and myself into? Let me tell you...something I had never experienced before, at least not all in one place.Amazing views, kind and accommodating people and lodgings, so much riding and so much good food all for what was a ridiculously low cost. The horses were obviously well kept and enjoyed their time with us, I hope, almost as much as we enjoyed ours with them. The food was clean, healthful and almost too much for my 5ft self. Nothing goes to real waste there as they do there best to be sustainable. It is a working ranch so there is a lot going on. Before anyone goes off on the animal cruelty thing, check yourself. They care for and about all of the animals on their property, the domestic and wild ones the same. If I lose some of you on this part, so be it: there is a feeling of faith there...nothing shoved down your throat but a simple reminder to be good to this land and to each other. Check on the pricing as they have summer months and a few other options. We went just as Labor Day was ending and got everything for what I think was less than their summer prices.

Lost Valley Ranch (LVL) is the Disney World of dude ranches. Everything and everyone is magical. From acres upon acres of Rocky Mountains, to awesome creeks, to plentiful wildlife (mule deer, cattle, rabbit, marmot, to name a few), LVL is nestled in a valley teeming with stunning natural beauty.The stay begins with a wrangler rodeo showcasing the wranglers' riding skills and incorporating antics to keep guests laughing. Throughout the week, the staff sings, dances, and performs shows to keep guests entertained. They are surprisingly talented.The Head Wrangler is adept at matching riders with horses, managing the corral, and explaining horse psychology. I highly recommend the Horse Clinic. It is enriching for riders of all levels and definitely boosted my riding confidence.If you are unable to, or do not want to ride a horse, have no fear, there are plenty of other activities to entertain you all week long. Choose from hikes accompanied by LVL's maintenance staff, independent hikes, fly fishing with expert Jeremiah, trapshooting, trail running, whitewater rafting, 3D archery, square dance 101 led by spunky Spike, in-cabin massage, tennis, volleyball, basketball, swimming, relaxing in a hot tub, or enjoy night stars from the porch swing of your cabin, and more.Trapshooting is led by LVL maintenance staff. I went in with zero experience, but Caleb patiently explained all gun safety rules and gave excellent tips on how to shoot. If you're lucky enough to hit the golden clay, you win a free milkshake! My usually sloth-like self uncharacteristically decided to ride twice daily and jog every other day so my muscles were sore after a few days. I ponied up the extra cash to book an incredible in-cabin deep tissue massage with an expert massage therapist. By the end of the hour, she had chased all my knots away with her masterful hands. Along with their already jam packed load of duties, all staff members; including cabin, corral, HR, front desk, maintenance, waitrii, and kids crew; squeeze in face time with guests on a daily basis via dinner, square dancing, ice cream socials, and more. I was impressed time and again by how kind and caring the entire LVL staff is. The stellar cooks work tirelessly to keep everyone well fed. Even if you are gluten free, vegetarian, or have any other dietary restrictions you will always be blown away by delicious fresh and nutritious food thanks to banjo-playing Lead Cook David and his splendid team of chefs.Aside from Logan's Horse Clinic, I took morning and afternoon rides with outstanding Wranglers Charlie, Nolan, Jamison, Bobby, Coleman, Caleb, Weston, and the Women's Ride with Ellie and Shelby. Wranglers were always quick to assist guests with our horses and give excellent horsemanship pointers. I learned a lot especially from Wrangler Charlie, who is a treasure trove of information, is extremely encouraging, and has the patience of a saint. Guests Katie, Cheryl, Julie, and I especially enjoyed Charlie leading us in a lope through a creek on a hot Tuesday afternoon.I have been to LVL twice and, like many other families, plan to return. I highly recommend anyone and everyone to book a week here. Amazing adventures await you at Lost Valley Ranch!

White Chevy SUV shoots out from from a side road near Meyers ranch park across 3 lanes of traffic on 285 north damn near hitting a black GMC 2500 and what do we see on the side of the SUV? A magnetic sign reading lost valley ranch only to rip on it's brakes in a left turn lane 150 feet up the road, towards king soopers... It speaks volumes If this is how you allow folks to drive your corporate vehicles. There was an open space park right there, and at least 2 other turn options another 500 feet down the road?! These small mountain towns up and down 285 are where families live, do better folks.

Wow! It's been almost a month since our family trip to Lost Valley Ranch and there hasn't been a day that we haven't talked about this trip. THANK YOU to all of the amazing staff at Lost Valley Ranch. You all are truly something special. Not only did we have the best vacation riding horses (which we didn't know could be so fun), shooting bow and arrows, chatting table side with other amazing guests, and chowing down on some incredible food. Lost Valley Ranch was all around an amazing experience. We were absolutely blown away by the food! We all came in to the trip expecting okay buffet food but we were proven wrong the moment we arrived. Everything we ate during our time their was absolutely incredible and the staff is super accommodating. I'm extremely allergic to blueberries and each day/night if there was a blueberry in any of the dishes they would alert me ahead of time and either make me a new plate or have one already made. I just wanted to take a second to give a huge shout out to the staff! Caroline at the front desk is amazing! She knew us all by name and would always ask how we were and make conversation while we were around. Juliet and Lauren were some of our favorite girls in the dining hall, they were all so accommodating and fun to talk to. The wranglers were a hoot! Waz, Jameson, and Zach were all the best. Each one of them really took the time to talk to us about our horses and give us one on one pointers on how to ride a horse properly. I truly wish I could give Lost Valley Ranch a 100% rating - you all earned it. We will be back sometime soon as we are forever longing for the Ranch. OOOHHH AAAHHH!

I love this place!! I learned to fly fish here 30 years ago.. my kids still talk about their experiences at Lost Valley!!

What an awesome place. Great staff. Great accommodations. Awesome cabin. We stayed in Huff and enjoyed a beautiful view. My daughters rode several times during our stay and loved it each time. I lIked the fact we got to keep the same horse the entire stay. Never had a bad meal the food was always great. Enjoyed shooting and fishing at the pond. My only improvement area would be a better tacklebox to borrow. Can't wait to get back next year.

I'd come here just for the food! The breakfasts and dinners are amazing. The ribs, prime rib, and brisket might be the best I've ever had, and the cheddar biscuits and omelettes are delicious. Best of all, the food is unlimited! The horseback riding is good as well and I was able to fulfill my Laura Ingalls dreams. I highly recommend fishing in the stocked trout pond especially if you've never gone fishing before. A bite every 5 minutes makes it really fun. The kitchen will even cook the fish for you, but make sure you get it fried and not steamed. The inside of the cabins are definitely more hotel-like than rustic so think of Lost Valley as a pampered dude ranch. I'd give this place 5 stars if it weren't for the lackluster lunches and desserts. Regardless, I can see why people come back year after year!

Disclaimer: I married into a family that loves this place and has been coming since 50 years ago, so there has been a heavy bias and favorable context for this place in my kind even before I went. I had seen the damage the fires had done and the lack of trees on the mountains were not a turn off for me, EXCEPT when I forgot to apply sunscreen. I finally went for myself with said family and extended family and it was a blast. Food, activities, entertainment, scenery, it was all fantastic. Staff is wonderful and treat you like friends. They have lots of stuff for kids aged 3 to teens and all those kids had a blast. Made a ton of great memories. Would recommend for anyone who likes active outdoorsy vacations/retreats.

Best - Family - Vacation - EVER!Western hospitality at it's finest! 3 years ago we decided to book a guest "dude" ranch trip as we love to ride horses. After much research (TripAdvisor) I decided on LVL. Caroline (reservations), you'll fall in love with her beautiful Georgia accent, is even sweeter in person. They take pride in and make every effort to make sure you have the perfect vacation, right down to your dietary needs be it sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy free, etc. Yes, we came here for the horses, but the food is AMAZING. Be prepared to eat like a wrangler! Or not, but it's hard to resist the freshly baked breads, homemade desserts & jams, and bottomless beverages. For those that prefer to stick to healthier options, their salads and other options are just as delicious. Be prepared to be treated like western royalty as the young staff sincerely and genuinely oblige your every need/request. LVL has been in business for over 60 years so trust me when I tell you they have perfected every niche of your stay. We just booked our 4th trip back to LVL but that is nothing compared to the families we've met who have continuously returned for 10, 20, and even 30 years. Not into horses? Don't fret my fellow hikers, mountain bikers, fishers, pool loungers, book worms, nappers, and photographers...there's even a tennis court. See you next year LVL!

Unfortunately, the new project manager has apparently been refusing to pay the guys he hired to help improve his home with hardwood floors after they did all the work. I don't want to take my family to a dude ranch that treats their help like that. If he starts doing that at this ranch, it might be a good idea to find an attorney and slap a mechanics lien on the place.