At Drowsy Water Ranch, we offer our guests a vacation package with a schedule of enjoyable activities for all ages, with an emphasis on service and quality. Meals and horseback riding are our two major scheduled activities. Many of our other happenings are worked out with our guests to truly make it "your" vacation. The following is an example of some of the things that normally take place on certain days in our "regular” season.
Sample Itinerary - subject to changes
Day 1 (Sunday): Arrival
Our guests arrive in the afternoon after 3:00pm. We let you get acquainted with the other guests and get settled into your cabin or rooms. This evening's dinner gives you your first taste of the ranch's hearty meats followed by some entertainment and introductions.
3:00-5:00pm Ranch Check-In and Tour
6:00pm Welcome Dinner
7:15pm Ranch Orientation and Introductions in the Living Room
Day 2 (Monday): Introduction
Monday is a day for getting paired with your horses and saddling up for the first time this week. We have our first riding lessons and trail rides today. After dinner we have an exciting night of country dance in the Teepee Dancehall, so bring your dancing shoes and your country moves.
7:30-8:45am Breakfast
9:15am Meet at stalls for orientation and saddle fitting
10:00am Range Riders-Meet with wrangler for riding instruction & clinic. Adults-Riding instruction or clinic + slow trail ride
12:30pm Lunch
1:30pm First trail ride
1:45pm Adult loping clinic
2:00pm Adult trail rides -loping or scenic & slow-
6:00pm Dinner
8:00pm Country Dance Night -Teepee Dancehall-
Day 3 (Tuesday): Rafting Trip & Ranch Activities
Tuesday morning offers a guided raft trip on the Colorado river! We also have half day trail rides for the kids and adults that depart throughout the day. After a full day of excitement the adults can enjoy a quiet and relaxing dinner while the kids go on a hayride and have a campfire.
7:30am Raft Trip Breakfast
8:00am Bus leaves for river float trip
9:00am Adult mountain bike ride
9:45am Range Riders – Trail rides
10:00am Adults – Trail rides
12:30pm Lunch
1:55pm Range Riders – Area work and trail rides
2:00pm Adults – Trail rides
6:00pm Kids Hayride and campfire
6:15pm Adult Dinner
Day 4 (Wednesday): Ranch Activities
Wednesday is a day full of various activities for everyone. We have all-day and half-day rides, yoga, and guided fly fishing. We end the night with a grand carnival in the Teepee Building, bringing everyone together again after a day of adventures.
7:30-8:45am Breakfast
9:30am Adult – Loping practice
9:40am Range Riders – loping practice. Adults – All day rides
10:00am Adult half day rides
10:15am Range Riders all day rides
12:30pm Lunch
2:00pm Adult trail rides
4:30pm Guided fly fishing (extra cost) -kids fishing hole-
4:45-5:45pm Yoga -Teepee Building- (mat provided)
6:00pm Dinner
8:00pm Carnival -Teepee Building-
Day 5 (Thursday): Breakfast Ride & Ranch Activities
Thursday starts the beautiful Colorado summer day with a breakfast horseback ride to the top of the mountain, overlooking the Rocky Mountains. After breakfast we have a professional photographer take family photos. The afternoon comes with options to mountain bike, hike, grow your horseback riding skills, setting out to one of the surrounding golf courses, or just simply relaxing at the ranch. At night, it is the adults turn for a hayride while the children have an epic game night.
7:45am Truck departs for breakfast ride
8:00am Horses leave for breakfast ride
9:30am Family photos after breakfast
11:00am Family photo viewing -Living Room-
11:30am Guided hike departs
12:30pm Lunch
2:00pm Range Riders – Trail rides. Adults – Trail rides
2:15pm Ranch penning -Ages 13+
3:00pm Adult mountain bike ride
6:00pm Dinner
7:30pm Adult Hayride & Kids Games
Day 6 (Friday): Ranch Activities & Optional Zip-Lining
It’s FriYAY! Today is the day to get your adrenaline pumping. We have zip lining 290 feet over the top of Drowsy Water Ranch (extra cost). We also have rodeo practice in our arena with an obstacle course to really test the horseback riding skills you have been learning all week. To end the exciting day, we have our Staff Talent Show in our theatre, including music by The Drowsy Players. The show ends with Awards given to guests after the week spent at our ranch. You don’t want to miss this!
7:30-8:45am Breakfast
9:00am Zip-Lining, Group 1 (extra cost)
9:45am Adult all day ride
10:00am Adult half day ride
10:15am Range Rider half day ride
10:30am Zip-Lining, Group 2 (extra cost)
12:30pm Lunch
2:00pm Adult – trail ride. Range Riders – rodeo practice & obstacle course
6:00pm Dinner
8:00pm Staff Show & Awards Night -Teepee Theatre-
Day 7 (Saturday): Departure
We have reached the last day of your vacation at Drowsy Water Ranch. The kids get to show off their new skills with a rodeo and horse show before departing back home. Our hope is that you had as much fun as you can have in seven days, that you got to spend time with people you love, that you made new friends, learned new things, and that you will come back and see us again! We truly love to share our home and heritage with all of you.
7:30-8:45am Breakfast
9:30am Adults optional trail ride
9:45am Range Riders Gymkhana Rodeo & Horse Show -arena-
12:00pm Lunch
After Lunch Departure
Buckaroos Program (5 and under)
This program is for the littler kids ages 5 and under. It is the perfect way for parents to be able to enjoy their guest ranch vacation. These young children are taken care of and entertained by our counselors, while the parents take part in the various ranch activities throughout the week. The Buckaroos participate in a number of activities including horseback rides around the ranch, games, crafts, and picnic hikes. The counselors can take care of any individual needs such as naps, baby feeding, etc. Since our Colorado dude ranch is heavily family oriented, families eat meals together, parents can partake in any of the children’s programs and riding, and our evening entertainment also includes the kiddos and encourages them to get out of their shell with talent shows and line dancing.
Range Riders Program (6-13 years old)
Our Range Rider program, for kids 6 – 13 years old, is built around an instruction based horseback riding program where they practice basic riding skills in our arena first before setting out to the backcountry on their morning and afternoon trail rides. These young riders advance to loping and all day rides as their abilities improve. Before and after the rides our counselors have other group activities to do such as an obstacle course, horse brushing, zip line course for age 10+ years old, swimming, hiking, archery, rafting, lassoing a steer head, and other fun and engaging group activities.
Non-Riding Activities
Other possible activities include fishing, use of heated pool and hot tub, and ranch activities (hayrides, dancing, river float trip, carnival, staff shows, campfires, hiking, mountain biking, sing-a-longs, and more).
Golf fees, guided fly-fishing, massages, and zipline course are extra costs.
River Float Trip (5+ years old) - included
The Ranch is located just a couple miles away from the gorgeous Colorado River. Located near the headwaters of the Colorado River and the western side of Rocky Mountain National Park, the Upper Colorado rafting trips are perfect for those who want beautiful Canyon scenery and easy-to-navigate whitewater. You’ll see spectacular wildflowers, sheer granite canyon walls, and forest of blue spruce and Douglas fir trees. First-time boaters and families with children give trips on this river rave reviews. Don't forget to bring sunscreen, swimsuits, shoes that can get wet and a positive attitude!
Zip-Lining (10+ years) - extra cost
The Ranch offers a unique zip lining experience, with 3 different zip line courses. Just one of our lines is the longest and highest zip line in the United States. Replace your cowboy hat and chaps with a harness and helmet for a few hours of scenic zips and hiking across the ranch. This Colorado mountain thrill is sure to capture your excitement.