This is an amazing wedding venue. Such a great experience and everyone is friendly. We would…read moredefinitely recommend having your wedding here.

Brush Canyon Ranch was the venue of our dreams....mountains, camping, and an extremely awesome…read morefamily who runs a working ranch and also runs 48 hour weddings during wedding season each year! Cara is one of the sweetest people we've ever met, and iIt was really the little things she did that made all the difference...letting my mother-in-law order stuff and send it to the ranch to put in storage, letting us drop things off early the day before the wedding, coming over to tell us that we didn't have to rush out of there the next day.....every single person just had SO much fun! We got so many compliments on what an absolutely breathtaking venue we had chosen. The kids had tons of room to run around on and fly kites, our friends were able to bring their dogs, lawn games galore, there's a working fire pit, a brand new back patio, you can choose to get married under a gazebo or in the field in front of the mountains, they built a beautiful reception pavilion already decorated with lights, you can arrive in a horse-drawn carriage if you get married on the weekend, you hire all your own vendors and set things up exactly how you want it....and the absolute best part about this venue is that our friends got to camp anywhere they wanted on the property for 2 nights! That means we were able to dance ALL night long, and then just crawl into your tent when you got tired. I honestly cannot say enough good things about this ranch and the owners. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect wedding venue at an extremely reasonable price. Forever grateful we found Cara and her incredible ranch!!!

Great experience! I was in Westcliffe for an offsite work retreat. Music Meadows Ranch was…read morerecommended by a fellow coworker. We had a group of 10 and had a wonderful time! Nicole was so easy to work with and talk to when I was planning the trip. We were unable to do a full day of riding so the ladies were very accommodating and we rode from 9am - 12:30/1pm. This was the first time anyone in the group had the freedom to direct their horse where to go and to trot. We had all only been horse back riding when you ride in a single file line which is... fine. This was SO much better!! They give you a lot of training before you ride so you feel comfortable directing the horse on your own. 5/5 stars definitely recommend! The ladies were also fun to talk to while riding! And the kitties at the barn were cute.

I took a group of 9 people to Music Meadows. Absolutely fantastic. Elin Parker Ganschow is a…read morefantastic guide and teacher. She custom tailored the ride to my kids' more advanced riding abilities, so I'm sure she can do the same for your group. She's a bit more expensive than the other ranch near Westcliffe (Bear Basin), but very worth it. Bear Basin would only do "nose to tail" rides where you're stuck in a line the whole time. Elin at Music Meadows encouraged our group to get to know our assigned horse, get them to do what we wanted and explore the open country. (I'm sure you can do regular trail rides in a line as well). Great variety of terrain on a huge, 3800 acre working cattle ranch. A mixture of open grasslands, rolling sage hillsides, aspen groves, water crossings and amazing views of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. Also, each rider was given a very nice Music Meadows aluminum water bottle for the ride, and got to keep them afterwards (probably supposed to be a secret bonus at the end, so shhhhhh!). Music Meadows is home of "Sangres Best" grass-finished beef, and you can buy some on site to take home. Since I was already covering a ride for 9 people, we just bought some all-beef bratwurst and franks, and they were delicious. She also let us sample some of their new beef jerky, which only had a small handful of entirely pronounceable ingredients. Elin also gave us a tour of the cute (and surprisingly big) cottage on the ranch. It's beautifully decorated and can be rented out. It looks like it could sleep quite a few people. I've been on plenty of trail rides throughout Colorado, and Music Meadows is top notch. Hats off to Elin for working tirelessly to carry on Colorado's rich western heritage. The ranch is protected under a conservation easement through San Isabel Land Trust that ensures it remains in its natural state for generations to come. Dang it. I'm gushing. Give these guys a try. You'll be glad you did.

INTIMIDATING Dog Policy…read more I understand - some previous visitors felt "intimidated" by a 50+ pound Dog so now the rest of us can't stay here as large Dogs aren't allowed. So unfortunate. Yellow Pine Ranch is where I learned about nature in the 1980s: "Cocklebur" the donkey who lived in the grassy field outside our cabin - he happily ate our hand-fed carrots. Horseback riding with my ol' friend "Taco," the great white horse with brown spots. And hummingbirds that would happily sit on your finger. My Senior Retrievers have traveled to Italy, the Texas Coast, and are possibly more well-behaved than some humans. It saddens my heart that a place nestled in what my Dad called "God's Country" doesn't welcome God's creatures. The management here could benefit from a reality check. So I don't meet their reservation requirements. I'm fine with that. SPECIAL NOTE ~ When I spoke to Diane today she could have *not noticed less* when I told her my family stayed here at Yellow Pines 40 years ago. How sad that is.

Wonderful welcoming management. Caught a trout in their trout pond 4$ per fish. Trout was good,…read morebut we prefer southern catfish. Had a geat view from our neat cabin only problem and it caused us to leave two days early was thin air at one.six miles elevation.

This ranch is absolutely amazing. From the accommodations, to staff, to the view and location this…read moreplace is 5 stars! I hope to be able to go back soon. Highly recommended!

From the owner: Zapata Ranch is a 103,000-acre ranch owned by The Nature Conservancy of Colorado where guests can…read moreride through and learn about our conservation herd of 2,500 bison, integrate themselves into daily life on the ranch and participate in extensive nature programs. Managed by Ranchlands, Zapata Ranch in nestled at the base of Southern Colorado's Sangre de Cristo Mountains and shares a border with the United States' tallest sand dunes: The Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve.

This is a reputable rescue ranch run by a woman who is dedicated to her animals. There is plenty of…read morespace for them to graze and enjoy life in retirement once they are brought to this lovely setting. I highly recommend it

5 stars all the way! As a veterinarian and someone who travels ALL over the country with 2-10…read morehorses at a time....I feel like I can say this to be a FACT. Clean and solid faculties Well lit, easy to get a BIG rig in and out of. Plenty of space for 20-30 horses. Stalls, stalls w runs, and outdoor pens available. Hook ups for RVs and LQs. Owner, Gay, is a very nice and helpful. Make reservations because this place is popular! Also, don't forget to try the Three Sisters Cafe just south one exit.

From the owner: Horse motel, overnight stabling. RV/Trailer Hook-upsread more

My kids "wow! camping is so fun!" While this may be marketed as The Broadmoor's Wildnerness…read moreExperience it's far from camping. It's even a few steps above glamping as it should be for the steep price. However, if you want to experience a few days in a great outdoors The Ranch at Emerald Valley is perfect. After 4 nights at the Broadmoor resort (also amazing) we took the 2pm shuttle up a rocky mountain road to the Ranch. We were greeted by Aaron, a fellow Northwestern alum (go Wildcats) and his incredible staff. There were 38 people total our first night there, which the told us was a record for the Ranch. It didn't feel very crowded though (especially after the craziness of the resort) and most of the people had kids the same age as ours which was a lot of fun. They showed us to our cabin, Hills Cabin, which I realized was the "presidential cabin." It was a huge 2 bedroom cabin that had enough room for 6 kids up in loft up top and a beautiful master suite. + 3 bathrooms and a ginormous kitchen/dining room that we didn't really put to use. It also have a big TV with Netflix and a lovely fireplace. There's a 3rd bedroom that's attached to it, although the 2nd night we were there it was rented by another couple with a separate entrance. There's plenty of fun to be had at the ranch: horseback riding, paddleboats/kayaks, archery, fishing, hiking etc. And if you get a rainy afternoon there are plenty of board games to play both in the lodge and in the cabin. We spent 2 nights here, although with the rain wish we had an extra night to enjoy some of the activities we didn't have a chance to squeeze in. The food was absolutely amazing. My picky children were even in heaven and my little guy has been asking for lobster ever since trying it as their Wed night cookout. Dinners besides the twice a week cookout involves ordering off a menu with plenty of choices for all. I do wish they did a better job with labeling the buffet with food allergies. My son has a serious nut allergy and almost ate a brownie with walnuts because it wasn't labeled and I had to constantly ask if things had nuts and/or gluten in them. They asked for our dietary restrictions ahead of time so assumed they'd be better about this. This really was a very special experience that I think our kids will remember for a long time. I heard this coming week a big family is renting out the entire ranch and I'd love to do the same with family and/or friends at some point, although it was fun getting to know some lovely people from around the country as well.

Absolutely incredible. Breathtaking location, the food was amazing, the lodge is so cute, rooms are…read moresuper nice and so many fun activities and amenities. Staff is incredible. One of the most memorable two days with my family and we can't wait to go back.

One of the best family-friendly, good quality and long-lived purely Colorado Springs traditions…read moreyou're going to find, Flying W Ranch! We went out there for the Cowboy Christmas show this evening and really enjoyed it. Everyone working there was so kind, friendly, and helpful. The parking folks, the food handlers, the musicians...everyone was great. This place oozes the best parts of Christmas spirit. The food was surprisingly delicious! Its not easy to serve so many folks a really good meal in such a smooth way. But Flying W knocks it out of the ballpark. I think we may have just started a new tradition.

This is my second time to the Flying W Ranch, and both time have been great! The grounds have lots…read moreof activities including animals, axe throwing, and horse carriage rides. There was a lot of rain on my second visit, but the staff did their best to bring the activities under cover. They even had a Native American dance and started dinner early. The food is served promptly and by table in buffet style. However, it takes less than 15 minutes for the hundreds of people to get their food. Impressive! My husband loves the brisket, and I love the cinnamon apples and biscuits. While expensive, it's a great family-friendly outing. Would recommend for those visiting Colorado Springs, it is a nice western experience.

Amazing restful and relaxing house in the middle of nowhere. Common rooms on each floor provide a…read morelot of space for spreading out. The kitchen was simple, but definitely great to have space for food and a place to cook our own meals. A few places to hike and lots of access to places just a short drive away. Definitely a place with visiting and the price was just right for our budget needs.

I flew out to Colorado to get my best friend back on a horse. The road to get up to the stables was…read morelong, narrow, and a bit scary, however it is worth it! We were greeted by a very nice lady and our group was small with only 4 guests. The trail was lovely. We got to see so many beautiful sights. The ranch itself is cute and perfect for photos. The cantina also had the best brisket Mac and cheese I've ever had in my life. It was so tender and flavorful. The Alabama white sauce and hot bbq sauce were a perfect addition!

Had such a great time and our guide was very friendly and informative of the lands history. The…read morehorses were so well behaved and didn't need much guidance. We will definitely be back soon for a longer ride!