Vista Verde Guest Ranch

This is late, but I went with my mother, aunt, and little brother. It is very kid, tween, and teen friendly. The staff was amazing and there were so many great activities. There is so much amazing natural beauty and wildlife everywhere. They also have a petting zoo, camping areas, and massive fields of wildflowers in the summer. Also, look out for marmots and mule deer, they are everywhere! The cat in the picture is one of the mouse hunting cats they keep at the ranch. They are super friendly ❤️

This was my second visit to Vista Verde(the first with my husband and this one as a solo) and it did not disappoint. I went specifically for the horsemanship clinic this time. The clinic was run by KP, who is a very effective and patient teacher. I was able to learn and practice new horsemanship skills. My only suggestion for change would be splitting the group in 2 or having less people. I found it challenging to have 9 students in arena at once for space issues as well as ability of instructor to get to everybody. They did have 1 wrangler helping as well so that was nice. I will definitely return and look forward to the great learning opportunity. The horses are very well trained and forgiving.||I did do a trail ride as well with phenomenal scenery. ||The cabin was very cozy and well appointed with mini fridge, complimentary snacks and drinks. My cabin was Dome and it also had hot tub and wood burning stove.||The food was amazing and all of the staff were so gracious and accomodating.||Overall very enjoyable experience and very worth the money||Thank you||Lori

Spent Christmas '25 at Vista Verde Ranch with my family and I can't say enough positive things. Everybody including the owners (who were extremely kind to our kids), managers, and staff treated us great. Too many names to personally thank. The food was delicious, and the activities were a blast with great guides. We look forward to returning in the future.

I simply can’t say enough about the special family gathering we experienced at Vista Verde Guest Ranch. There was such attention to detail and an over-the-top commitment to ensuring that every single member of our family had an outstanding time. One of our favorite memories is how they cared for our nine-year-old grandson, making every day special for him. We’ve been home several weeks now; when I spent the afternoon with my grandson today he was STILL talking about the visit. He wants to know when we’re going back. It was our second visit (our first with him). We are ALL looking forward to our next visit!

Vista Verde is one of the best vacation experiences we have ever booked - so much so that we have now been there 6 times! I can't speak highly enough about the quality of everything across the board - activities, staff, food, lodging, etc. While it offers a tremendous horse riding program, there are also a ton of other activities if you need a break from being in the saddle - hiking, mountain bike riding, fly fishing, and paddle boarding to name just a few. If you are searching for a great vacation look no further. Vista Verde is amazing for families (with activities for all ages), couples, solo travelers - literally everyone. We can't wait to return for visit #7!!

This review isn’t about the place, or activities, or even the services, which by the way are amazing, it’s about the people whose warmth and spirit bring everything to life. I’ve traveled across the world, but nowhere have I met people as special as those here. From the moment I arrived, I felt something rare and genuine. A care that goes far beyond hospitality. These people have a beautiful gift. They don’t just welcome guests; they embrace them like family. Every smile, every thoughtful gesture, every quiet moment of kindness made me feel deeply seen and valued. Their attention to detail and their sincere desire to create lasting memories come straight from the heart. What they do isn’t a job, it’s an expression of love. And that love transforms everything around them into something truly unforgettable. To anyone longing to experience something real, something soulful, come here. Spend time with these incredible souls and get to know them. I was blessed to spend a week among them, and the memories they gave me will stay with me forever.

My wife and I stayed at the Vista Verde last week. It was a bucket list trip for us, and we were celebrating her birthday. We had very high hopes and expectations. Vista Verde exceeded them in every way. ||Our fellow guests were a friendly and fun group. The staff was amazing. I hope I am not butchering too many names but I'd like to mention a few. Of course Ben Martin. He's a wonderful Man. The wranglers led by Jackie: Sierra, Olivia, Abigail, Will, Nick and Luke were incrdible. I came as a beginner rider and left an intermediate rider. My wife and I learned so much and we rode every day, twice a day.||Our cabin, the Dome, was everything you could want. It was perfect. The ranch is unbelievably beautiful. It's like the Dutton ranch from Yellowstone, but better. ||The staff in the Main Lodge were wonderful especially, Libby, Roxy, Sophia, Lannei and AJ. The food was fabulous---every meal. ||And then there is the Herd. 114 beautiful and well trained horses. They were amazing to share the week with. Our horses Blue Moon and Jasper took such wonderful care of us on each ride. It was a shear joy and like being in a western movie every day!||We've been back for 3 days, and we think about it often. It was so sad to leave. It was like leaving family. Because, that's how they make you feel. I told Ben on our last night how sad I was about leaving the next day. He said, "Don't leave, until you've left!" That was some wise cowboy wisdom. Maybe, we still haven't left. ||Viva La Vista Verde. Happy Trails to you!||With great appreciation,||John and Robin Fuchs

Vista Verde holds a special place in our heart. We are not big on repeat vacations (we enjoy exploring new places), but we love it there so much that we have now been there 6 times (and just booked our 7th for next year). Everything they offer is top-notch: activities, food, accommodations, etc. But the "secret sauce" is their staff. Every single person goes out of their way to make sure your time at the ranch is the best it can possibly be. If you are looking for a getaway with a multitude of fun activities, amazing dining, and memories to last a lifetime, Vista Verde will check all of those boxes!

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.