• PACKAGES & RATES Six-night packages for adults, teens and children include lodging, meals and most activities, except for rafting trips, fishing guides, massages and special week programs. Tax and gratuity is extra.  Non-rider packages available.  Shorter stays sometimes available.  Our rates are mid-range in comparison to other dude ranches - way above rustic but not a luxury resort. (Prices are subject to change.)
  
• YOUR WEEK’S PROGRAM Lots to do, no pressure to do it!  Guests check in after 3pm on Sunday and say adios before 10am the following Saturday (six-night package).
  
• YOUTH PROGRAM Our supervised youth programs (ages 3-12) include ranch chores, horseback riding instruction, horsemanship, trail rides (for children 6+), roping, and colt care. Non-horse activities include river tubing, archery, Nature Center fun, guided hikes, crafts, rock climbing, fishing, skeet shooting & more!  Adults and teens are welcome, too!
  
• FOOD & BEVERAGE All meals are included in your vacation package. Food is plentiful and some meals feature our own Heart-J natural beef.  There's lots of home-style cooking with an emphasis on locally produced and organic ingredients.  We are happy to accommodate most special diets.  While we feature the best from Colorado wineries and breweries, your own choice of wines, beers and liquors may also be ordered in advance.  Under state law, all wine, beer and bartending services must be arranged through the Ranch.
  
• NEW THIS YEAR   Check out what is new in 2009 and stay tuned to see what's coming in 2010!

• SUMMER CALENDAR Summer dude ranch season starts in mid-June and lasts for ten weeks, ending in late August. Six nights, check in Sunday, check out Saturday.
  
• CATTLE DRIVE WEEKS All weeks feature cattle work of some kind, but the two big drives occur early in late June and early July (see our summer schedule).  Guests return year after year to help move the herd from the main ranch up to the back country.  We also have Special Cow Hand Weeks in June when the ranch hands need some extra help!  As with any real working ranch, cattle work depends on weather and range conditions.  Additional fees apply.
  
• NATIVE AMERICAN WEEK Popular with all ages, this special week is our 10th annual and is hosted by Gray Wolf and guest historians. It includes hands-on crafts, games, storytelling, tomahawk throwing, history, philosophy and more. Additional fees apply.

• HORSEBACK RIDING Adults, teens and youth ages 6+ receive daily riding instruction with our friendly wranglers, plus plenty of time in the saddle!  Enjoy trail rides, a breakfast ride and gymkhana.  The overnight pack trip to Cow Camp is often the highlight of the week.  Our "High Steaks" Poker Ride is an option for those not heading to Cow Camp.
  
• FISHING Supervised spin-cast fishing for adults and kids, plus catch-and-release fly fishing for teens and adults in our main ranch trout ponds, bass ponds and river is included.  Guided fly fishing for trophy-sized trout in our Big Valley lakes and on the river as well as lessons for beginners are available for an extra charge.
  
• WHITE-WATER RAFTING Take the plunge!  Enjoy a thrilling ride down Class II and Class III rapids of the the nearby Cache la Poudre River.  Additional fees apply.
  
• BIRDING AND NATURE A guided nature walk and a birding session are part of your week. There are miles of hiking trails on 3,200 acres with plenty of wildlife.  We protect our land with conservation easements and practice low-impact cattle grazing.
  
• HAYRIDES Meet Howdy and Kid, our Belgian draft horse team, when you arrive on Sunday. They’ll take you on an unusual orientation tour!
  
• EVENING ENTERTAINMENT Evening activities are designed for all ages and include Western dancing, a rollicking Ranch party, cowboy entertainment, campfires, family softball, an ice cream social ... just good ol' fashioned family fun!

• LODGING All 26 lodging units have private baths,

          comfortable beds and country-western decor.  In

          keeping with Ranch tradition as a haven from city life,

          there are no TVs or phones in rooms, but these new-

          fangled contraptions (along with wireless high-speed

          internet access) are available in the Heritage Building. 

          Total capacity: 50-60 people in cabins, guest houses

          and lodge rooms.

• RECREATION Hot tub, heated outdoor swimming pool, tennis courts, volleyball, horseshoes, basketball and game room with board games, foosball, ping-pong

           and billiards.

• FACILITIES Ample gathering rooms for large family groups and reunions, as well as outdoor picnic areas.  Business Center includes computer, printer, fax and color copier. Telephones and high-speed internet access (cable and wireless) available in several areas.
  
• MASSAGES Take the kinks out of those new-found muscles with a relaxing massage, by appointment only (additional fees apply).
  
• NEARBY ATTRACTIONS Golf courses, white-water rafting, Rocky Mountain National Park, Loveland Museum Gallery, Benson Park Sculpture Garden, historic downtown Loveland, Estes Park Village, Roosevelt National Forest, Fort Collins, Boulder, Gold Rush towns and much more.

• LOCATION AND DIRECTIONS: Sylvan Dale is one hour and fifteen minutes from Denver International Airport - in the foothills on US Highway 34 between Loveland and Estes Park, twenty miles from Rocky Mountain National Park.  Altitude is a comfortable 5,200 feet on the main ranch to 7,200 feet at Cow Camp; on 3,200 acres.
  
• TRAVEL TIPS What to Wear, Vacation Insurance, One-Stop Travel planning, Additional lodging, Car rentals, Airport Shuttles and more.
  
• SERVICES & POLICIES Laundry, Pets, Tips, Smoking, alcoholic beverages and more.
  
• PHOTOS
  

Happy Trails,
The Jessup Family and Staff at Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch

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