Saddleback Ranch and ATV’s

Steamboat Springs offers many activities for summer visitors, many more than we had time to participate.  One of the favorite places we visited was Saddleback Ranch, an 8000 acre working cattle ranch, fourth generation family owned and operated.  I can see why Saddleback is one of the top five rated attractions in Steamboat by Trip Advisor.

On our first visit we were taken by horse drawn wagon (or by horseback, if you prefer) to a lodge where we ate delicious steak, salmon and chicken served by the ranch cowboys, including the owner of Saddleback ranch.  After dinner we were entertained by a cattle roping demonstration, chats with the cowboys, and visits by the ranch border collies.

Our ride to and from the ranch included views such as this.

We returned to Saddleback Ranch the next day to take a two hour ATV ride across the ranch.   I was pretty apprehensive since I had never ridden an ATV before. During the ride there were countless “SLOW DOWN’s” yelled at Dave, especially at the top of the steep hills we encountered.  We took several breaks to make sure everyone was still with the group.  Our leader Jerad asked me more than once if I was doing ok.

Gotta love a cowboy that wears Ralph Lauren and Oakley sunglasses!  Colorado is experiencing one of the driest summers on record so we were warned about the dust we would encounter.  I wore a full face helmet and a bandana so I did not get dust in my face as bad as others in our group.

The views we saw while riding were spectacular.

I can honestly say this was SO MUCH FUN.  Of course I only admitted that once I was off the ATV and realized I had survived.

In the winter this two hour tour of the ranch is done by snowmobile and the dinner wagon ride turns into a sleigh ride!  They also offer several other activities including participating in a cattle drive and horseback riding.  When I return to Steamboat (which I will definitely do someday) I will also return to the Saddleback Ranch.  We totally loved our time spent there.