Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch

Sylvan Dale is a historic working horse and cattle ranch on the Big Thompson River outside Loveland, about an hour from Denver and close to Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park. The Jessup family has welcomed guests here since 1946, on 3,200 acres at roughly a mile high.

Its dude ranch weeks run in summer, from early June to mid-August, as five- or six-night stays for up to about 35 guests, which keeps the group small and friendly. Riding includes beginner rides, horsemanship lessons, faster rides, team penning and cattle work, plus cattle drives and roundups; trail riding starts at age 7, and a supervised youth program covers ages 6 to 12, with pony rides for younger children. Fishing, hiking, rock climbing, pack trips, tennis, pickleball, archery and yoga add variety, and the menus feature the ranch’s own grass-fed beef.

Guests stay in cabins with private baths and air conditioning, and the ranch is dog-friendly and wheelchair accessible. Outside the summer season, Sylvan Dale hosts groups, retreats and weddings. Denver International Airport is about 67 miles away. Ask the ranch for current rates.