Transfer Option:

April 25 - May 1
If early spring is your time to be outside and enjoy seeing the awakening of spring, then this event is for you. We will round up the 650 mother cows and their calves and trail them 10-15 miles to the spring pasture where green grass awaits them. We take smaller groups of them as the calves are slower to move. We usually cross the La Bonte Creek and go on the cliff trail. Be sure to bring your camera and take some pictures of the cliff trail. Then on to the spring grass.
 6 nights and 7 days

May 8-13 
Branding week: For the ranch this is the social event of the year , as neighbors join together for branding. We brand in the traditional western way, by roping off of horseback and wrestling the calves. We invite you to join and share with us this western experience.  6 days and 5 nights

May 21-31 Cattle Drive -- see under cattle drive
This is our 75 mile cattle drive to summer pasture located on the Laramie plains. We spend several days gathering the cattle from the spring pasture and trailing them to the ranch. Those nights are spent at the ranch and guests stay in the bunkhouse. We turn out the pairs and start on the journey. The cattle spend their first night at the county pen, the next night the cook and the trailers join the drive. We move the cattle about 10-12 miles a day with a break at lunch to rest the cattle, riders, and horses. We follow the old Fort Fetterman Freight trail to the Laramie Plains. We will then spend a day sorting cattle. Overnights at the Little House on the Prairie. For this event you will need a sleeping bag for the 4 nights we camp out. 11 days and 10 nights

July 18-24
Lot of riding rounding up cows and calves and trail them to new pastures. The bulls will be removed and trailed to a separate pasture. Riding will take place on the Laramie Plains on our ranch and the Laramie Ranch River. We will stay at the Cow Camp.  7 days and 6 nights

August 1-7
We will gather the heifers and trail them to the corrals for Pregnancy testing and then trail them back to fresh pastures. During this time we also help our neighbor gather and trail pairs from Hamilton Springs to Sheep Creek. We will be staying at Cow Camp.   7 days, 6 nights

September 1-9
We will be getting ready to market our calves during this time. We will gather cows and calves, weight all calves and give them shots and prepare them for shipping. We will pair calves with their mothers and sort them as to sex. This involves a day of Cutting. We will spend our time on the Laramie Plains at Cow Camp, and 1 day will be spent at main ranch working north of Douglas. It will take us a week to complete the job. 9 days and 8 nights to complete this job.

September 20 - 28  
It is time to sell our steer calves. We will gather the pairs and trail them 10 miles to where they will  be weighed and put on trucks. We will do other activities for a couple of days and return to move the cows back to our pasture. Time will be spent at Cow Camp on the Laramie Plains. We plan to be gone 9 days and 8 nights

October 21-31 Cattle Drive  -- see under cattle drive
The fall gather will take place on the Laramie Plains and the Laramie River Ranch for the 75 mile trip home. There will not be as many cattle in the fall because of shipping the steer calves, still over a 1,000 head. This trail is spring in reverse. The Cattle move easier this time of year because the cows are ready to come home and the first couple of nights at Cow Camp and 4 nights camping and the remaining nights at the main ranch. Weather that time of year is unpredictable. Anything from Indian summer to rain, snow or blizzard. 11 days 10 nights

Note:  This is an actual working ranch - because of the weather and other considerations, any of the events may change

Things to forget

There is no electricity on the trail, so leave those blow dryers, curling irons, shavers, and radios at home. Your cellular phones won’t work here either. Besides, you’re on vacation! 

What you will need for our Events

At the main ranch:
2 private rooms in the main house; shared bathroom
2 cabins (bunkhouse) with 6 beds in each; shared bathrooms

Cow camp:  1 bath shared, 7 single beds in dorm room; 1 private bedroom
1 trailer with double bed and 2 singles; and tents

We serve three meals a day.
Breakfast : juice, either a egg dish or pancakes, breakfast meat, toast , coffee or Tea
Lunch : On trail can be sandwiches, fresh fruit, potatoes chips, cookies, etc.
Supper: Beef dish, potatoes dish, vegetable dish, salad, fruit or lettuce and dessert.
 
Guest provide their favorite beverage, pop, beer, etc.

Sorry, we do not cater to special diets.

Support vehicles along or nearby.

Passports
Valid passport required by all nationals referred to in the chart ; validity varies - for most countries the passport must be valid for at least six months from the date on which the holder enters the USA. If not, the holder will be admitted until the expiration date on the passport; check with the embassy (see Contact Addresses).
Passport Note
(a) For nationals included in the Visa Waiver Program (see below), passports must be valid for at least 90 days from date of entry.
(b) All travellers entering the USA under the Visa Waiver Program require individual machine-readable passports. Children included on a parent's passport also now require their own machine-readable passport. Travellers not in possession of machine-readable passports will require a valid USA entry visa.
(c) Passports issued on or after 26 October 2005 will need to have a biometric identifier in order for the holder to travel visa free under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Machine-readable passports issued between 26 October 2005 and 25 October 2006 require a digital photograph printed on the data page or an integrated chip with information from the data page. Machine-readable passports issued on or after 26 October 2006 will require an integrated chip with information from the data page (e-passport).

The US has announced new measures that require all travellers to provide details online 72 hours prior to travel.
ESTA: The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) came into force on 12 January 2009. It is a fully automated, electronic system for screening passengers before they begin travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. ESTA applications must be submitted at least 72 hours before travel to the USA. Some websites may charge you for the service but you can apply online for free at www.dhs.gov. The granting of an ESTA does not guarantee entry to the USA.

New Requirements for Travellers: As of 23 January 2007 all persons, including US citizens, travelling by air between the USA and Canada, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda are required to present a valid passport, or other approved document, when entering or re-entering the USA. Similar requirements for those travelling by land or sea will be introduced on 1 June 2009.

For further details about the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, visit the website of the US Department of State: (website: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html).

Visas
Not required by nationals referred to in the chart above for stays of up to 90 days except:
1. nationals of Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania and Slovak Republic, who do require a visa.
Visa Note
(a) Landed Immigrants of Canada and British residents of Bermuda who are citizens of, and have valid passports from, Commonwealth countries or Ireland are not eligible to enter the USA without a visa. (b) All passengers using US airports for transit purposes are required to obtain a transit visa. This does not affect qualified travellers travelling visa free under the Visa Waiver Program. (d) To qualify for visa-free travel under the Visa Waiver Program, nationals must travel on a valid passport, for holiday, transit or business purposes only and for a stay not exceeding 90 days. (e) Passengers must have the full address and ZIP code of where they are staying in the USA to be able to fully complete the I-94W form. Note: Airlines are also required to collect passenger details, including the address of their first night's accommodation in the USA, before they board the aircraft. (f) 2. Holders of UK passports with the endorsement British Subject, British Dependent Territories Citizen, British Protected Person, British Overseas Citizen or British National (Overseas) Citizen do not qualify for the Visa Waiver Program. A passport which states holder has right of abode or indefinite leave to remain in the UK does not qualify for visa free travel. (g) A visa does not expire with the expiry of the holder’s passport. An unexpired, endorsed visa in an expired passport may be presented for entry into the USA, as long as the visa itself has not been cancelled, is undamaged, is less than 10 years old and is presented with a valid non-expired passport, provided that both passports are for the same nationality. (h) Nationals of countries not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses).
Types of Visa and Cost
Tourist, Business, Transit and Student: US$131.
Validity
Visas may be used for travel to the USA until the date it expires. Some visas are valid for multiple entries. The length of stay in the USA is determined by US immigration officials at the time of entry but is generally six months; there is, however, no set time.
Applications to:
Embassy or consulate (see Contact Addresses).
Working Days Required
Usually five after interview. Some cases may take up to 12 weeks – check with embassy/consulate.