North Fork Ranch: Where Kids Can Be Kids (So Parents Can Too!)
Written by Tara Leonard
SHAWNEE, COLORADO (August, 2009) -- “Did I ever tell you about the time I was stalked by wolves?” Trevor asked, his eyes twinkling beneath a well-worn black cowboy hat. One hand on the reins, he twisted in the saddle to survey his audience and launched into an outrageous tale of Wild West adventure. I was so distracted by the gorgeous, fluttering aspens and clear blue mountain sky that I missed some salient details, but trotted my horse up closer just in time to hear, “You always shoot between the eyes, but these were two wolves and they each had one eye closed to trick me!”
Welcome to North Fork Ranch where the entertaining wranglers are just one of many unexpected pleasures. (North Fork Ranch lesson #1: How do you know when a wrangler is lying? His mouth is moving.)
We recently spent a week-long vacation with my husband’s family – and we all know that extended family vacations can be tricky. How do you satisfy three generations when the grandkids (ages 11 to 13) want to go, go, go, the grandparents need a quieter pace, and the parents want to keep everyone happy while still managing to relax and have fun themselves? North Fork Ranch offers the perfect solution.
Ride 'em cowboys! Just don't be late for dinner.
This family-owned dude ranch and fishing lodge straddles the north fork of the South Platte River in scenic Shawnee, Colorado. Owners Karen and Dean May keep visitors as busy as they want to be with horseback riding, square dancing, river rafting, fly fishing, hiking, trap shooting, gourmet dining and more. But you can take a break from cowboy life and enjoy a luxurious massage, a mountain stroll, or cold lemonade by the heated pool and hot tub. (Lesson #2: After your first day on a horse, the hot tub will be your new best friend.)
Pool? Hot tub? Yes readers, North Fork is luxury all the way from the thick, comfy bathrobes in your room to the “cookie of the day” waiting in the Wildhorse Lodge every afternoon. A day that begins with a champagne brunch ride might end with a five-course candlelight dinner followed by “Mountain Man” stories around the campfire complete with hot chocolate and marshmallows. (Lesson #3: Go ahead and eat! You're on vacation. And really, when else is someone going to offer you brandied French toast, grilled pork tenderloin with mustard sage sauce, or a complete Thanksgiving feast of turkey and all the trimmings?)
The Wildhorse Lodge is the heart of North Fork Ranch.
As for the kids, they were psyched to have their freedom within the safe, 520-acre world of the ranch. “We’ll be at the game room!” they’d holler while the adults sat on the porch enjoying an evening cocktail. Packed with a pool table, air hockey, ping pong, and more, the game room was the perfect place to hang out with new friends. Best of all, without television, computers, or cell phone service, my two adolescents enjoyed life’s simpler pleasures – loping through a high-country meadow, singing along with a guitar-strumming cowboy, and bumping along a dirt road in a hay wagon.
And speaking of simple pleasures, I didn’t so much as pick up a newspaper for seven glorious days. After all, with Trevor and his entertaining wilderness tales, who needs the New York Times? In fact, the friendly, helpful staff is what made our week at North Fork so special. We’ll always remember Kallie happily square dancing with my daughter, Alicia patiently guiding my son through target practice, Rachel, Joe, and Dave calmly helping us with our horsemanship skills. Most of all, we’ll remember Karen and Dean making all of us feel like family.
As for Trevor and his mostly true stories,
if you want to hear about the time he got between a mother bear and her
cub (whoops!) or the time he fell through the ice with a herd of cattle
and almost lost his horse, well you'll just have to climb up in the
saddle yourself and ride along. Rest assured, the cookie of the day and
a tall glass of lemonade will be waiting for you when you get back.
We stayed in Stonehenge. With six bedrooms, four fireplaces, multiple terraces, and a hot tub, the kids quickly dubbed it "the castle".
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