Vista Verde Guest Ranch

This was my 3rd visit to Vista Verde Ranch. The Ranch is even better than the last time. Excellence comes from the top management down. The facilities are always clean and the activities well thought out. The staff could not be better as they are always friendly, helpful and professional. The riding program is great with the emphasis on safety. Attention is placed on selection of the right horse with the appropriate skill level. The outdoor programs such as hiking, mountain biking and fly fishing are highly recommended. Kids' programming is beyond excellent. Visit Vista Verde Ranch. You won't be disappointed!

My husband and I stayed at Vista Verde to celebrate my 50th birthday. It was an awesome experience. The ranch is set in a beautiful winter wonderland. Our cabin (Northfork) overlooked the horse pasture where we could sit in the hot tub and enjoy the view. |The food is was amazing and the staff were friendly and accommodating. They even made me a birthday cake! Everything we’d hoped it would be. To top it off, on our last morning, we got to see 2 moose across the horse pasture on the hillside.

We had a wonderful time at this ranch. I was amazed at how many guided activities they had in addition to skiing. I didn't ski, but I snow shoed, did the horse clinic and went riding. The meals were prepared with us in mind. We are vegans and the meal choices for us were exceptional, even the special desserts they made for us. Our room in the lodge was very luxurious and comfortable. The Great Room was a wonderful place to hang out and stay warm. The staff was very attentive and organized.

My wife and I have been there 2x now. The owners, Chris and Laura, are so kind, and are always looking for ways to make our stay better. The food is unbelievable! And the horseback riding and fly fishing are so much fun. The rooms and the views are incredible. You have to try it out.

My wife, daughter and I stayed here in January 2025. We had such a great time we have booked it for 2026! The guest ranch is approximately 45 minutes from the Hayden / Steamboat Springs, CO airport. The setting of the ranch -- near Clark, CO -- is stunning. When we arrived the grounds were snow-covered, and the surrounding countryside looked almost like a black and white photograph. We were there during a cold snap with temps below zero in the morning and climbing to 5 or 10 degrees F during the day. The staff of 20- and 30-year old people was friendly and accommodating. There are no phones or tv's in the guest cabins. Wifi was spotty in our cabin but worked well in the main lodge. Happy hour was every afternoon in the main lodge. Meals are served in the main lodge, and one night musicians performed there. They were quite talented. Another night was 'games night'. You can hang out there by the fire, listen to the music, dance if you want to, or read, or scroll through your phone, or do nothing. |The staff ensured a roaring fine was maintained in the fireplace in the main lodge. Activities at the ranch include horseback riding, snow shoeing, snowmobiling, and cross-country skiing. Staff transported us to all of the offsite activities, including the snowmobiles and dog-mushing (another company runs the latter). |I enjoyed meeting and chatting with Mr. Ben Martin, who is, I recall, the Executive or General Manager. Ben is friendly, charming, and interested in his guests. He is also a native of Pennsylvania (as I am). We look forward to returning to Vista Verde next year.

VVR is a 5-star experience, across the board. The cabins are well-appointed, very clean, roomy, and comfortable. Love the cozy beds after a full day of activity! The housekeeping staff does a great job keeping everything neat and clean. We've stayed in different cabins over the years and they are all great. We love that they come stocked with snacks and drinks too. Bring your appetite - the food is fantastic. Top quality ingredients, wonderfully prepared meals/desserts, and a great selection. They are really attentive to allergies/dietary restrictions too. VVR offers so many fun activities, there is something for everyone. You have to try everything at least once! |You will never be bored there. And if you are looking for some downtime, there's nothing better than grabbing a book and reading by the fire in the Great Room, or going for a massage. VVR has a number of after-dinner activities, which are really fun. Music Night is my favorite, they are so talented! I have to say the staff really makes VVR an extra-special place. They go out of their way to ensure guests have a great experience. It's a lot of fun getting to know them too. VVR hires only the best, and it shows. Each staff member truly gives 200%. Looking forward to visit #13 next year! There is a reason so many guests return - don't miss out!

From the first smile and handshake to the last wave, our Vista Verde experience was first class. Knowledgeable ranch hands were just perfect for the horseback rides through the snow. The family-style buffet and dining room seating made for such a comfortable and homy feel. The cabin was very clean and stocked with special treats. Fluffy bath robes were a perfect touch after coming in from our private hot tub. The hot tub view was incredible! It was easy to relax with snow-capped mountains in the back ground and horses grazing in full view. If your soul needs to be refreshed visit our new friends, Chris and Laura, at Vista Verde Ranch.

I’ve visited this ranch consecutively for six summers, 2 had to travel to Europe and then went back for two more trips and I still can’t get enough. My daughter and I take this trip almost every summer together and we never get tired of it. It has tremendous food…Amazing company , superb staff, very well taken care of herd of horses, as well as absolutely stunning views in their rides. The rides are tailored to your comfort level and there are many other activities to do if you don’t want to ride. And my opinion, one of the best family trips you could ever take!!!

Best cold weather, outdoor, luxury vacations are provided at VV. We've been 3x and our 4th visit is days away. Back country, here we come! The guides are very good. Food is excellent. Accommodations are great. Cabins offer families a chance to spend time with one another while meals and activities often involve other guests....which is generally a good thing. We aren't horse people and cannot offer an opinion on the stables, etc.

An incredible place to stay, ski, ride, snowshoe and have fantastic meals in a stunning, natural setting and a luxurious environment with cabins and/or rooms in the main lodge. Wifey has now stayed three times during adult (child free) weeks (me once) and we will surely return again and again. The food is gourmet, highest caliber; the wines, both those offered nightly and the extensive wine list are selected with great care. Staff is hand picked - usually young, college educated, enthusiastic, athletic men and women who ensure the best experiences for the guests. Accommodations are rustic elegant Southwestern decor, extremely comfortable and functional. Service is stellar, despite the charming informality, and the level of professionalism and personal attention at the Nordic Center are unparallelled. A Four Diamond establishment, an elegant ranch, and a place to make memories. HIGHLY recommended!

Stayed Feb 2011 I really don't know if I can say enough good things about Vista Verde. The experience here was amazing and I can't believe that I'm the first Yelper to review them. The ranch staff were all outgoing and friendly at all times, often stopping to try and meet you if you were a guest that they didn't recognize. Multiple parties through our week long stay were repeat visitors and the regular staff knew them by name. Classes and outings of various types are offered with many having daily schedules (for horse riding lessons) friendly to all skill levels. Select events are available only a few or single times in a week so make sure to check with the staff if you're interested in anything specific during your stay. My group went for the dog sledding in the winter and it was an amazing trip but you do need to grab an appointment early for it! Food selection here was unbelievable. A fully staffed kitchen with a professional chef prepare every meal for all guests at specific times. If your activity plans will have you away from the ranch, they even offer to bag a lunch for you! The meal courses generally offered three to five main course selections with a normal two to three appetizer and desert run. Multiple wine pairings are suggested with each dinner for those interested but not experienced in selection. There were also multiple bottled beers to choose from. A regular selection of soft drinks, juices, and such could also be obtained. The waitstaff were just as friendly as the activity guides and by the end of the week there were even guessing at what we would prefer to order. A unique touch of the ranch is buffet night when the staff dines with you (All of them! Normal meals they may ask to sit with your table just to talk or even join for the meal) and some bring family in as well. Overall it makes for a very comfortable and friendly environment. The lodging was impressive to say the least. Multiple cabins are scattered around the lodge area and rooms (three) may be available within the main lodge itself. Most of the staff stays on site within their own cabins too so if you're hanging out in the lodge on music night, they're just a short walk from 'home' like you so cheer and hoot for that encore (they're rather talented musicians as well)! Housekeeping visits each cabin multiple times a day for room makeup service and turn-down service in the evening. They also have request forms if there are special things that you may be looking for in the fridge while you're there (fees may apply). Wi-Fi is available but keep in mind you're in the middle of the wilderness here so leave that laptop at home instead of showing it to the TSA. Cell service is also very spotty. If you absolutely must stay connected a land line phone and public laptop are available in the lodge for guest use if required. I don't plan on making Vista Verde a one stop vacation and would bet that anyone else would say the same after staying.

We just spent Spring Break at the ranch. It was our final break (Seniors), and I can honestly say that this was our best ever trip. Staff and accommodations were unbelievable!

Beware, Vista Verde did not take safety seriously and does not take care of its guests! I had one of the worst experiences of my life at Vista Verde. Their employee, who was driving my family on a Ranch snow mobile to go cross country skiing, missed a clearly marked trail, took the snowmobile down a snowbank, and turned over the snow mobile. Myself, my husband and our then 7-year old son were ejected off of the snowmobile as it turned over. I suffered a severe concussion which has required neurological treatment and over 40 physical therapy and speech therapy sessions over the past year. Vista Verde management, who remain employees, failed to ensure that their driver had appropriate safety gear and equipment, failed to seek any outside medical treatment for me or my family and did not check in with us in the evening or overnight after my head injury. Vista Verde wants to make you believe that this was just an unfortunate accident, and that oops, we fell off the snow mobile. This is NOT the case. The Vista Verde guide, Tom Fagin, was negligent. He was not wearing sunglasses or goggles when he drove the snow mobile. In fact, here is what Vista Verde's accident report, prepared by Steven M. King, Manager of the Adventure Center, stated on March 17, 2016: "ALL TRAIL SIGNS WERE VISIBLE. While transporting David, Rachel & Jacob to a family ski trip, Tom Fagin, ski guide, MISSED THE TRAIL and went down a snow bank and TURNED OVER THE SNOW MACHINE. All three guests landed on their right side and impacted the snow. David and Rachel impacted each others heads." The report further states, "Tom was not wearing sun glasses or goggles." In fact, we were only approx. 400 yards from the Adventure Center when this happened. We are quite saddened that Vista Verde has not shown integrity in handling the impact of my traumatic brain injury. What we have learned through my 10 months of recovery is that there is no way to know the full extent of damage in the immediate aftermath of a traumatic brain injury. This injury has had a devastating impact on myself and my family. The bottom line is that we expected more out of Vista Verde.

stayed there Aug 2012. Over the top in service. Every staff member remembers your name.Food was excellent. Horse back riding for a city slicker was preceded with lessons on how to drive the horse and what works and what does not work. No add on fees for going fishing or going on a cattle drive. All the guest were very friendly as was the staff. We will return.