Summary
Conde Nast Traveler Magazine: 1 of 3 Best Ranches in America for a Real, Working Ranch Vacation; The Best Ranch Lodging and Dining in Colorado;
Western Horseman Magazine: 1 of 15 Best Holidays and Riding Vacations to Book Today; Described as "...one of the world's most spectacular and diverse landscapes."
America's Heartland TV Show: Featured as an Unforgettable Experience in the World of Agriculture
CBS Denver News: 1 of 5 Top Ranches in Colorado
The Zapata Ranch is owned by The Nature Conservancy and managed through a one-of-a-kind partnership with the Duke and Janet Phillips family - a third-generation ranching family. The ranch is a 103,000-acre real, working bison, cattle and guest ranch located on the eastern wall of the San Luis Valley in Southern Colorado.
Zapata Ranch borders the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, the tallest sand dunes in North America, and the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range, full of 14,000 foot peaks. The high desert grasslands, alpine forests, wetlands, sand dunes, creeks and lush meadows offer one of the most scenic and ecologically diverse landscapes in the United States. The ranch and surrounding valley is a wildlife mecca and is home to thousands of elk, bison, deer, coyotes, birds and many other species.
Join us at any time of the year and immerse yourself into day-to-day life on a real, working ranch and experience the outdoors. Each experience is customizable and trips can consist of activities from both our Ranching with Nature and Great Outdoors Exploration programs.
Ranching with Nature - Move bison and cattle from one pasture to a fresh one (rotational grazing for conservation), riding real cow horses; Participate in a traditional branding; Help maintain irrigation flow in our pivot fields; Monitor water levels and grass growth; Enjoy 1-on-1 horsemanship instruction; Fix barbed wire fence or stretch electric fence to prepare for bison and cattle moving pastures and much more...
Great Outdoors Exploration - Ride through our wild herd of 2,000 bison that roam in one 50,000-acre pasture; Summit any 1 of the 6 bordering 14,000-foot peaks; Take a leisurely horseback ride and picnic through the Great Sand Dunes National Park; Rise before dawn and photograph the sunrise over one of our lakes; Go on an interpretive walk through our grasslands and learn about bison as a conservation species; Spend the morning hiking up to a high mountain lake and fish for the afternoon; Go on a birding trip through the ranch and other migratory locations in the San Luis Valley; White water raft down the Arkansas river out of Salida*; Fly fish Gold Medal Waters on some of the nation's best rivers nearby* and much more... (*these experiences incur additional cost)
Website: Zapata Ranch
Features
Food:
Breakfast, Dinner, All Meals, Lunch, Snacks, Family-style Dining, Organic, Gluten-free, Refreshments, Vegetarian
Amenities:
Full kitchen, Linens provided, Laundry facilities, Internet, Phone, Bar, Fire pit, Stabling for horses, Ground-floor bedroom, High chair, Baby sitting, Great View, Private Bath, Free WiFi, Barbeque/Grill, Hot Tub, Fireplace, TV, DVD/VCR, Helicopter landing , Refrigerator, Computer, Microwave
Activities & Animals
Animals, Horseback Riding, Fishing, Hiking, Bird Watching, Horses, Cows, Deer, Rafting, Nature walk, Children's activities, Guided nature walks, Bison, Music, Photography workshops, Wildlife, Guided pack trips, Cattle drives, Roping, Yard games (croquet, bocce ball, badminton), Board games, Help with chores, Guided fishing, Bonfire, Team Building Activities, Riding lessons, Teaching Ranch
Allowed
Children under 12, Horses, Weddings, Corporate Retreats, Family Reunions, Special Events