Rates Note:

Transfer and Other Charges:

Riding is in the center of all the activities on the ranch. When we don't move cattle between pastures, we check fences and reservoirs, look for strays or practice "roping" and "cutting". And sometimes we just ride for fun... 
For the more experienced riders: From late Spring to early September, we often trailer the horses to South Dakota to help work hundreds of yearling cattle across the endless open grass prairie as depicted in "Dances with Wolves" - weather permitting. The herd of  horses need to be moved between pastures, which is always a lot of fun.
The ranch provides timbered canyons, high plateaus and endless sage brush prairie. You can hike and watch the abundant wildlife. Or go swimming, boating or fishing. The trout taste great. Non-riders who like to be away from it all will also be able to enjoy this place.



When time and the season allow we visit rodeos, country dances and horse auctions with our guests. If you want to combine a ranch vacation with traveling though the Wild West, you should plan a trip to Yellowstone National Park in Western Wyoming, the Badlands in South Dakota or the battlefield on the Little Big Horn where in the 19th century General Custer and Chief Sitting Bull fought one last big battle.
Just half an hour away is the US' first National Monument, Devils Tower. The ancient volcanic vent which was exposed by millions of years of erosion is the setting  of many movies and a holy place for the Lakota Indians. The old gold digger town of Deadwood, the Harley Davidson mecca Sturgis and the famous presidential heads of Mount Rushmore can be reached in two hours or less.



A typical day at the ranch:
Wake up sleepy heads! Head to the Lodge kitchen for a hearty or light breakfast with sweet rolls, eggs, bacon, fruit, juice, and of course cowboys always need coffee! A good night's sleep was easy to get in the New Haven Lodge. With five rooms, all with private bathrooms, a comfortable living room where everyone gets together to talk about the day and tease the cook while she’s in the kitchen. You can eat your breakfast inside or outside on the balcony overlooking the ranch, where you can watch the wild deer and turkeys have their breakfast too!
Then to the barns to saddle up! Catch your horse and get your gear. And we’re off to move cows, check fence, roundup strays (yearling cattle~they don’t have no home and don’t want one), check pairs (Mommas and babies). We intensively manage our grazing which means frequently moving the up to 1000 head of cattle and keeping them in big, tight groups to maintain our healthy, productive landscape of 15,000 acres.
Lunch is often from the saddle bags at one of the many old homestead sites. The old historic barns and cabins provide shade and conversation. You get the feel of what it must have been like to live out on the open range, alone…just you and the cattle, with deer and birds for neighbors.
If we get our work done early we take the horses for a swim in the New Haven Lake! We have pedal boats down there to play and fish for trout on. And of course inner tubes for floating and swimming with! Tramp, one of the ranch horses, is our champion swimmer. We think he’s part trout…
The evening meal is an event to look forward to. The ranch cook will spoil us all with steak (raised and chased by us!), home-made bread, potatoes, and veggies from the garden. Oh, and don’t forget to save room for deserts!!!
After supper we could enjoy campfire music or play cards and billiards.  Before bed don’t forget to smooth out those hard working muscles in the hot tub. Get some sleep in beds handmade by Nick (2nd Generation). Rest up to do it all tomorrow!
If you get worn out we can always head to town for fun and sightseeing. Mt. Rushmore, South Dakota and Devils Tower, Wy (the first national monument) are nearby. As well as historic Deadwood, SD home of Wild Bill Hickock and Calamity Jane. Rodeo’s are frequent all summer long in this part of the world and those are usually accompanied by western dances!

Generally speaking, summer visitors can expect summer daytime temperatures to run in the 70s and 80s. Ninety-degree days are rare anywhere in the state and over 100˚ are almost unheard of. The air cools quickly after sundown. It can get downright cold in the mountain towns and in places like Yellowstone National Park. Wyoming folks sleep under blankets most nights and are never far away from a warm jacket.

A typical Wyoming summer day will start out bright and sunny. Clouds will appear on the western horizon about noon and thunderheads will develop in mid-afternoon. Scattered, isolated thundershowers will dot the landscape in late afternoon and early evening. Some can be severe with wind and hail, especially on the eastern plains, but the chances of getting wet in any given location are slim. Wyoming is mostly a fairly dry, low humidity place in any season.

Autumn in Wyoming is a pure delight. Most places will start to see snow in mid-September, but winter weather won’t start to stick until late November. For most of the two months in between, the state enjoys a special season called Indian Summer, with warm days, cool nights and spectacular colors. It’s a delightful change-of-season experience.

Weather is one of the most pleasant and interesting things about living in Wyoming. Enjoy your trip to the Cowboy State. Bring a jacket.

We can supply saddle bags, helmets, water bottles, and rain coats!

- some kind of hat (best with a wide rim), tight boots with a bit of a heel (no riding in tennis shoes), sturdy clothing (layers are recommended in spring and fall), long denim jeans (beginners might want to bring cycling or long underwear).
- the sun is especially strong in this dry and high altitude. Bring high sun protection!
- we don't have many midges but if you are sensitive, bring protection.
- don't forget a bathing suit for the hot tub and lake.
- riding helmets are not used in this area but if you want to bring one, go ahead; it's certainly smart.

The lodge has five comfortable rustic bed rooms, each with its own bath room - hair dryer, soap and shower gel. A furnace and a wood stove provide warmth on cooler days. On hot days, the central air conditioning can be turned on. Bedding, towels and bath robes are provided. Hair dryer, soap, and shower gel also available. There is the possibility to use a washer and dryer as well.

After returning from their rides the guests can enjoy the jacuzzi or sit on the balcony with a view of the Missouri Buttes, play a round of pool or relax in the hot tub under stars.

Tack:		Western
Horses:		Quarters, Paints, Appaloosas, Draft Crosses
Pace:		Riding is at all gaits with challenging terrain. No head to tail riding. Guests should be relatively fit and confident and able to ride for up to 3 hours. | Walk | Trot | Canter |
Level:		(2.5 to 4 out of 5)    Low Intermediate to Advanced
Age:		Min 16	Max 75
Weight:		Max 250 lbs
Riders:		Min 1 riders	Max 10 riders

Horses: They are the protagonists on our ranch: confident and surefooted Quarter Horses, Paints and mixes that carry our guests safely over rough and smooth. They live outside year round and only get extra feed when they have to work very hard or the snow is too deep. They are healthy - physically as well as mentally.  Jack rabbits or turkey chicks that move right under their feet usually don't scare them. They are "cowy" which means they like to chase cattle. Some are beautiful, some not. But they all like people and that's what's most important to us.

We train our horses the Parelli way (natural horsemanship) which allows for a better communication with the horses and makes riding safer for you. 

Riders should be able to ride in all three gaits and at least 3 hours at a time. They should be at least advanced beginners.

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.