Rates Note:

Transfer and Other Options:

Horseback riding is the main activity at the  Home Ranch. An all inclusive vacation at one of the best dude ranches in Colorado puts the wild and scenic Elk River, the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest, and the Mt. Zirkel Wilderness, at your doorstep. It also gives you and your family immediate access to some of the best travel outfitters in the Steamboat Springs Colorado area. The Home Ranch makes an ideal home base for all kinds of adventure travel options, in every season of the year, and we offer our guests a wide variety of adventures and activities to suit any age, taste or desire.
This Colorado dude ranch is known as one of the premier destinations in the west for summer horseback riding vacations, Colorado cross country skiing in the winter, and Colorado Fly Fishing throughout the year, but we offer our guests a wide variety of adventures in addition to the big three. Each season at The Home ranch offers distinctive opportunities for mild or wild adventures, and we invite you to peruse our website for more details on each seasonal offering.

Whether you have been riding all of your life, or you have always wanted to ride, we believe that an equestrian vacation at The Home Ranch will be one of the most memorable Colorado vacations you could imagine.
With a million acres of Rocky Mountain Wilderness at our doorstep, a herd of 100 horses in our meadows, and helpful wranglers to bring out your best riding, we give you access to an enchanted Western experience that makes you feel like you're in cowboy heaven.
"Cattle work, trail rides, horsemanship clinics, great meals, and comfortable cabins in the Colorado Mountains- Horseback riding vacations don't get any better than this." Western Horseman

In a single day's ride you might find yourself climbing a mountain to take in expansive views of the Elk River Valley, loping through a high-country meadow beside the Continental divide, meandering through shimmering aspen groves alongside the Elk River, or working cattle on the historic Murphy-Larsen Ranch.
When you return home to the ranch, we promise you will be pampered and taken care of as if you were part of our extended family. You can expect exquisite meals throughout the day, purple mountain sunsets, roaring campfires, impromptu concerts, and nightly showings of the Great Milky Way.
No matter what kind of horseback riding adventure your heart desires, or what your level of experience may be, we make it a point to help you fully enjoy your time here. We know that you will have an abundance of unforgettable memories to carry home, and the positive glow of how it feels to better understand horses, and through them, perhaps even yourself.

Riding at The Home Ranch is a fully interactive experience. This is not a nose-to-tail place! We delight in our well-broken, quality horses and enjoy sharing our love of horses with you.
The Home Ranch is about horses and people. We are dedicated to seeing that you have a wonderful time with - and on - your horse. We’ve spent 25 years assembling a superb herd. We raise our own as well as buying a select few to meet specific needs in our program.
Our riding is suitable for everyone, and we encourage kids to ride. We’re eager to share our love of horses with our guests at every riding level from beginner to advanced. First-time riders, world champion cowboys, Olympic medalists and everyone in between have ridden The Home Ranch trails. Our wranglers and instructors specialize in helping beginners to gain confidence and have fun in a non-intimidating setting. Advanced riders appreciate the quality of our horses and enjoy our challenging classes and cattle-working activities.

At The Home Ranch you can ride with whomever you want. We generally divide our rides into groups of 6 or fewer, unless guests request larger group rides. Some of our lessons have only two to three riders. Keep in mind that rides are grouped by ability and desire, and that we adjust each ride to accommodate the least-confident rider.

Spring:
June is a special month in the Elk River Valley. Though the calendar may not agree, we feel that the Memorial Day vacation weekend marks the beginning of summer, and the following month of June brings the return of everything wild, green and fresh to the valley: lush meadows, wildflowers of every color, and the appearance of young wildlife. The hills and valleys are so green you'd think you were in Ireland. New life dots the landscape -calves, foals, fawns- and yet the mountains remain snow-capped. The Elk River rages with snow melt from the Continental divide, journeying to the Colorado River. It is a time of great energy; the renewal of life is at full force. So as a special tribute to this month of awakening, we have asked legendary Steamboat Springs photographer Don Tudor to share the beauty of his June wildlife and landscape photos with you.
Also - Experience Yoga & Horses with Tammy Pate & Janice Baxter: May 27th - June 2nd, June 2nd - 8th, 2012

Spring / Summer:
Family dude ranch vacations - seven night stays, Sunday to Sunday - June 10th - August 26th, 2012
Summer is an amazing time of year in the Elk River Valley and the family dude ranch vacations are the focus of our summer season. Most folks visit Steamboat Springs, Colorado for the Champagne Powder and many people think of Colorado as a winter vacation destination. But locals know the secret: most residents have stayed because of the summers.
Our own Selina is one of those - she knows the skiing is great- but summer is the reason she returned to her childhood home in Clark. Every year she hopes to persuade another family that the summer is why they should love Colorado.
June, the first month of our Colorado summer vacation season, holds a special place in our hearts, as it does for many other residents of Northwest Colorado. It is when the wildflowers make their first appearance. The hills and valleys are so green you'd think you were in Ireland. New life dots the landscape - calves, foals, fawns - and yet the mountains remain snow-capped. The Elk River is so full it has "blown-out", carrying the hundreds of inches of snow that fell over the winter to the sea. This makes fishing difficult - if not impossible - but it means that the whitewater rafting is exhilarating! This year we have decided to offer our guests a chance to enjoy all that white water.

White Water River Rafting
You may have heard about the epic snow that Steamboat received over the winter. Because of this the Elk River is overflowing its banks and promises to provide great whitewater rafting. In a normal year, the rafting is over by late June. We anticipate that it will last into July. When you book your vacation ask us about rafting. We will be glad to schedule a half-day rafting trip for your family on the Elk River (as long as the rapids last). This is a chance to explore your more adventurous side and give your back side a break from the saddle. The section of the Elk that we raft is a Class III, at the peak of the season. The stories that are told at the table about the most recent adventure are hard to believe, but we've experienced it - so we're believers.
If rafting seems a little too adventurous for you, you can join our hiking guide on a nature hike or a tour of the area. You can climb to the top and see what you can see, you can stay down low and look for the newest wildflower in bloom, or you can try and sneak up on some wildlife. If you would prefer something a little less strenuous, we can go for a drive and do a little show and tell about the history- past & present- of North Routt County.
Of course our summer vacations offer so many activities and adventures it can be hard to choose. Whatever you choose, you'll have fun! That's the greatest feature of dude ranch vacations - there is something for everyone from 6 - 96!

Fall:
Adult only weeks August 26th - September 2nd & September 2nd - 9th, 2012
Weanling week September 9th - 16th, 2012
Autumn comes early to The Home Ranch and brings a sublime, golden season to the Elk River Valley. It is a slower-paced time of year, when kids have all returned to school, and the atmosphere at the ranch beckons to adult travelers who have time to savor the season, sans kiddos.
The days are crisp, clear, and golden; the aspen groves shimmer with inner light, and the fly fishing is exceptional. It is a prime time for deep relaxation, serious leisure, long gourmet dinners, and crackling fires.
To take advantage of this special season, we structure unique September and October weeks to cater to the interests of the adult traveler.

Experience Yoga & Horses with Tammy Pate & Janice Baxter
May 27th - June 2nd, June 2nd - 8th, September 23rd - 29th, September 30th - October 6th, 2012


Optional Summer Activities (we arrange these adventures with local outfitters)
Because of its wealth of adventure travel options, Steamboat Springs Colorado is known as one of the top destinations for family vacations in Colorado. We will gladly arrange any of the following Steamboat area adventures for you and your family. We work closely with area outfitters and we will take care of all your arrangements, and shuttle you to and from your adventures. If you are going to miss lunch, we'll pack you one to take along.

• Rock Climbing- Rocky Mountain Ventures
• Whitewater Rafting on the Elk River- Bucking Rainbow and Blue Sky West
• Kayaking on the Yampa River- Mountain Sports Kayak
• Golf at Haymaker Golf Course - Haymaker Golf Course
• Mountain Biking and Road Biking - Orange Peel Bikes

Summertime temperatures at the ranch can fluctuate between 30 degrees at night and 95 degrees during the day. We recommend a system of dressing in layers.
Please, bring jeans, long-sleeve shirts, a hat with a brim, and riding boots or tennis shoes (riding boots preferred) for horseback riding.
Hiking boots, shorts and short-sleeve shirts are best for hiking.
Other suggested items include: bathing suit, sweater or fleece jacket, bug repellent, fanny pack, light rain jacket and camera.
The Home Ranch is located at 7200 feet. Sunglasses and sunscreen are very helpful in protecting you from the intense sun.

WHAT TO WEAR: The days are warm with occasional showers. Bring comfortable clothes: jeans, sweaters, a warm jacket, a comfortable hat and cowboy boots for riding. We provide rain slickers for the adults. The very young children should bring their own. Don't forget your bathing suit so you can soak in the hot tub or take a dip in the pool after a day on the trail. And bring an extra pair of old sneakers if you plan to go white-water rafting because you will need to wear a light shoe on the trip and it will be sure to get wet!

Lodge Rooms:
Home Ranch accommodations include six rooms in the main lodge and private cabins. Lodge rooms, are well appointed with antiques, Native American rugs, cozy down comforters, coffee pots, hair dryers and snuggly robes. The coziness of the lodge with its proximity to the pool, hot tub, laundry facilities and dining room is ideal for romantic getaways or family vacations. You will feel right at home at our Steamboat Springs lodging property.

Bonanza

-  North-facing lodge room features a vaulted ceiling, a hand carved king bed, a love seat and a writing desk.

Quickdraw

  - A south-facing room with lovely views of the meadow, the pond, and Round Mountain. Features an adobe-style ceiling, hand-painted log king bed, an antique iron twin bed, a loveseat and a writing desk.

Lonesome Cow

  - A south-facing room with beautiful views of the meadow, vaulted ceiling, a four-poster king bed, a generous leather chair, an iron bed and a writing desk.

Seegate

  -  A north-facing room with adobe-style log beams, a lodgepole pine king bed, a sleigh bed that converts into a sofa, and a writing desk.

Baby Doe

  -  A romantic, high-ceilinged room with a wrought-iron king bed, an over stuffed chair, a stunning Eastlake armoire, and a private loft with a twin bed and room for a cot for a younger child.

Hahn's Peek

  - A handsome, high-ceiling room with a wrought-iron king bed, Eastlake armoir3, over stuffed chair and a private loft with a twin bed and room for a cot for a younger child.

Cabins:
This Steamboat Springs, Colorado guest ranch offers eight private cabins, varying in size, from a one-bedroom studio to a three-bedroom, three-bath "Home on the Ranch." Each cabin is appointed with antiques, Native American rugs, cozy down comforters, wood-burning stoves, coffee pots, and some with lofts perfect for the kids. Each cabin has its own front porch and a hot tub to work out the kinks from a long day on the trail. To make you feel even more at home, you will find a small refrigerator stocked with coffee, crackers and cheese for an afternoon snack (if you haven't already filled up on the chocolate chip cookies in the bottomless cookie jar).

Roo

  - Cozy, studio loft and one bath cabin. Has a queen bed with small seating area with writing desk. It has a twin bed in the alcove and in the loft area. Ideal for a couple or a small family of three.

Kanga

  - A one-bedroom cabin with a living room and loft, nestled in the trees by the pasture. The bedroom has a king bed and a woodstove. The loft has two twin beds. The living room has two loveseats, an antique dry sink and armoire and a writing desk.

Birdhouse

  - A studio cabin surrounded by aspens, with a view of the horse pasture. There is a queen bed, small sitting area and an alcove and loft, each with a twin bed.

Whistler

  - A living room and one-bedroom cabin in the aspens, looking out over the horse pasture. There are twin day beds in the living room and a queen and twin bed in the bedroom.

Sundown

  - A one-bedroom cabin with a living room and a loft, and spectacular views across the valley. The bedroom has a queen and a twin bed; the loft has two twin beds.

Compromise

  -  One bedroom with living room and loft cabin nestled in an aspen grove. The bedroom features a queen bed and twin bed. The loft has two twin beds.


Bunkhouse

  (min of 4)  -- A big high Western cabin with two bedrooms each with a bath separated by a spacious living room. The south bedroom has two queen beds; the north bedroom has a queen bed and a bunkbed.

Columbine

  -- (min of 6) -- The largest and most luxurious cabin features a spacious living room with a stone fireplace and three bedrooms, each with its own bath. The master bedroom downstairs has a king bed and the bathroom has a steam shower. The front bedroom upstairs also has a king bed. The "kid's room" has two twin beds. The twin beds may be converted into one king bed if needed

This trip includes and can accommodate special dietary requests.

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.