G R Bar Ranch

The G R Bar Ranch has been one of the most fun vacations we have spent in Colorado. Located near beautiful Paonia, the ranch offers 4 cabins for a week long stay; cabins are a mile to a mile and a half from each other so you feel like all the ranch belongs to you. Each cabin comes with 2 horses and their tack. (You can get more for an additional price.)
When the husband and I checked into the ranch and Arrowhead cabin, their ranch hand brought us a matching set of ponies and started to show us basic horse care. Once he realized I was an experienced horse person, he said for us to come get him if we needed any help. Other than the ranch hand coming back the next day to ask if I would trade my pony because they needed an easy horse for another family for Smitty, the ranch’s pack horse who had not been ridden all summer but knew Smitty and I would be fine together, we had the ranch to ourselves. There are tons of trails to ride on, lakes to fish in, boats to paddle in, and 4 wheel roads to drive on (all inclusive). We did not see any of the other families the whole week. Now, if you are not such an isolationist as we are, you can go down to the main lodge for a visit with other families or the owners.
The cabins are run by propane and slightly rustic. You have all the comforts of home except a TV and telephone which is what we wanted for our vacation escape. We did go into town to get fresh peaches and other food but basically spent an incredible week catching up with each other and pretending Arrowhead was our private cabin. From reading the guest book, families come year after year even leaving some personal items such as games and sports equipment doing the same thing we did, pretending this was their private get away.
The only reason G R Bar gets 4 stars instead of 5 is because they advertise the great fishing in their lakes. Since we were there at the end of the season, most fish had been fished out and eaten. This made the husband a bit cranky as he is a catch and release man. Other than that, I cannot even begin to tell you how fabulous the G R Bar Ranch is for a family vacation. And once you go, you become their family and receive a Christmas card every year.