TLDR: Hitching Post Ranch/ Bed & Breakfast is a welcoming, safe, & relaxed stay in Kenton, OK if you're visiting the Black Mesa. I went on a small trip on my own to get away from the city during the pandemic & see some shooting stars. I stayed 3 nights & arrived in the evening. You can see/ visit everything in the Black Mesa in 2 full days, I could have left an evening earlier. Jane & Bob were very welcoming & I followed her in my car to the cottage (right next to the guest house) in Kenton. The guest house & cottage are in the town of Kenton & their ranch is clearly marked from the side of the road. I am terrible with directions but Google maps guided me right there. The cottage has a fully functioning kitchen with a fridge/freezer, gas oven, toaster oven, microwave, & most importantly, a coffee maker. There are some cooking utensils in the drawers. There is a full bathroom, electricity, small tv, & AC units. I visited in the 100+ degree summer & was cool the entire time I was inside. Like others have mentioned, I would stop in Guymon for groceries/gas & essentials. Boise City is the last stop with the closest gas station ~30 miles away. With permission, I explored the back of their property & it was just the adventure I was looking for. They have beautiful horses, though i did not ride them. Jane pointed out a small cave on the back of their property & I found a secret lookout spot overlooking the mountain going off trail a bit. Jane brought a couple of towels over once & checked in to see how I was doing the afternoon before I left. She was respectful of my privacy & made sure I felt safe. This is a perfect spot to stay if you're traveling alone & want the luxuries of home. Kenton is in a U-shape & everyone in town is friendly but very respectful of your space. I wish the Apples nothing but the best! read more

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My son and I visited the Hitching Post July of 2020. We stayed in the 100 year old house. Just the two of us, but the house was very calming and relaxing. Neighbors were nice as well. At night was a beautiful view of part of the Black Mesa. The owners were wonderful, very friendly and welcoming.We opted for the tour of their land, and the many attractions --petroglyphs, mummy cave, etc. I would definitely recommend staying here. I would definitely go back, just to get away for a few days from the city. read more

We were looking for a place in Black Mesa to stay and were lucky enough to find Hitching Post lodging. The folks running this place were most gracious and definitely made our trip memorable. We chose to go to Black Mesa in the middle of the Corona Virus pandemic because only one case had been reported in 2020. We needed to get away from everything but wanted to stay safe. We rented the cabin and spent the night while visiting with the owners about their ranch and getting some great pointers about what to see at Black Mesa. What a wonder family. We even made friends with Dude the horse who thinks he is a dog and follows you around everywhere. We are ready to go back again. read more

Hitching Post Bed & Breakfast I've been interested in the panhandle and Black Mesa since my days at the state film commission. We had thousands of photos of the beautiful area, which looked more like New Mexico than Oklahoma and is home to the highest point in the state. So when planning a drive to Denver to visit friends, I convinced my husband we should split the drive out into two days, and arrive early in the panhandle for horseback riding. The hitching post is owned and run by Bob and Jane Apple. They are two of the loveliest people you could ever hope to meet, and if you choose to pay the extra money ($25 per person per hour) you can go on a horseback riding excursion with one of them. This is a working ranch; the Apples have 30,000 acres in the county, where they work Black Angus cattle. The ranch is on the former home of the 101 Ranch (the training side of the famed 101, while the performance side was near Bartlesville). Jane guided us through the ranch, helping us command our horses and telling us about the history of the ranch, as well as what present-day life is like working in such a remote area, doing such hard work. She is teeny-tiny, tough as a boot and sweeter than you can imagine. We had such a nice time talking to her, and she patiently answered my many, many questions. She never made me feel like I was annoying, though I'm certain I was. After riding, it was time to head back to our little cabin, just a few miles up the road. We got settled, had dinner, and when it was pitch black, went back out to look at the stars - you can see so many more stars out here. We loved everything about it, and I'm giving the whole experience an enthusiastic five stars, but I think it's worth mentioning that it may not be for everyone. Keep reading to see what you think. Here's the skinny on lodging. Right now there are two properties; they are adding a third but still working on renovations. So as of this writing, in August 2014, there are two properties to choose from. They are next door to each other. For any group larger than four (or even for two if its available) you will want the big house. It is very nice, and probably comparable to the house you grew up in. It is ranch-y, and has plenty of room to cook and eat a great meal, sleeps probably nine people. It is the nicer property of the two, and is probably more expensive, although the rates seem to be per person as they offered us our choice of the two properties since they were both available. We picked the smaller cabin, because I wanted something cozy. It is rustic, but it is perfectly comfortable. It is not super fancy, and that was not the intention. I think this is the alternative to camping. If you want to do all the fun outdoor stuff (horseback riding, hiking, etc) but you still want a hot shower, a bed, a fridge, a stove, etc., this will feel great. If you're looking for a Pinteresty-Martha-Stewart version of a cabin, you won't love this. There are comfy beds, hot showers, and a place to cook and everything you need to be able to eat. For what we needed, it was perfect. Now, here's what you need to know. You need to get everything you need before you come to town. If you want to cook dinner, you need to bring it. If you want to drink beers, you need to bring them. If you want to grill, bring charcoal. Because once you get to town, there is not so much as a gas station to buy anything. For that matter, be sure and get gas before you head on into Kenton. So stock up in Woodward, or Guymon or Clayton or wherever you're coming from, because it is a minimum of 30-45 miles to get to any town that has anything you need. We only stayed one night, and then we moved on but not before having a wonderful breakfast of homemade biscuits, gravy, scrambled eggs, bacon and homemade jam. Of course there was good coffee, fresh cream and OJ. We got to visit with them and hear a few more tales of range life, but then it was time to go. The embarrassing part was I was so comfortable with them, almost grandparent-like, that I totally forgot we needed to pay. I was thankful my sweet husband pulled out his wallet before I really embarrassed myself! After we left, we drove over to strikingly beautiful Black Mesa for a too-short hike, and I wished I had planned a two-night stay for us. I wasn't kidding when I said I can't wait to go back. Next time I'll stay longer and bring more friends. I'll bring hiking boots, binoculars, and I'll do a better job packing provisions for a longer stay. Five Stars for the Hitching Post! read more

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Reserved spot in Black Mesa Park for tenting. When we arrived our tent broke in several places. We drove into Kenton talked to some locals that were very friendly and then happened to see sign for Hitching Post B&B. I had called earlier in the week to several places and everyone was booked. Wife suggested I try again so I called around 5pm and owner said there was a cancellation but she would have to run into town and finish cleaning the log cabin. Within 5 min owner was there finishing cleaning so we could stay. The next morning she and her husband cooked our family wonderful breakfast as we were completely unprepared for how isolated it was compared to the city. They also informed us about several tourist attractions and how to get there. Unbelievable hospitality in a small town that saved our weekend. read more

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We loved it here! We stopped for the night on our way from Minnesota to Arizona with a load of 10 horses. I found the Hitchin' Post on Yelp and we called to make a reservation. Jane was extremely helpful and accomodated us as well as the horses which was great. Upon arrival, we met Bob and Jane as they welcomed us to Kenton, OK. We unloaded horses and Bob helped us water and feed them. We then got a tour of the huge old farmhouse we had to ourselves for the night! It was so nice to stay in a house versus hotels as we normally do. In the morning, Bob and Jane came back to make us breakfast...pancakes, egss and bacon which were delicious. We enjoyed visiting with them and are already planning a trip back to ride horse and possibly hunt one of the many animals you can get a guided hunt for: antelope, white tail and mule deer as well as elk! A 425 class bull was taken not far from where we stayed this past elk season! The area is beautiful...lots of bluffs/mesas. read more

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