Hunewill Guest Ranch

I finally made it to the «ranch» for a week this summer. Many of my family have been coming to the Hunewill Guest Ranch for years and have been chiding me forever to come. This time I made it and I am so happy I did.
Mostly I give the family owners and staff of this huge,(800 cattle, 200 horses!), much kudos and admiration for doing what I’m sure is near impossible-​managing a working ranch and keeping mostly city guests happy at the same time! They have managed to integrate the two without seeming contrived or too «Ralph Lauren».
The real testament to this place is the way they treat their animals, which is with great respect and care. The open meadows and free ranges make for some pretty contented cows and horses that like to run!
Details like the reading room, fish cleaning room with freezer, ice room, massage (important!), boot room in case you forget yours, and the handy dinner bell should be mentioned. There’s Twin Lakes nearby if you like to fish, too.
The food (pastries! Desserts!, bacon!) is always looked forward to, there’s gorgeous scenery, big scale everything, really nice people, best horses, a big barn, cows, dogs, cowboys, cowgirls, knowledgeable staff, long rides, comfortable cabins with a really big bed.
A wonderful, cowboy ease experience everyone should enjoy sometime.

This last summer was my third year staying for a week and we are already booked for next year. I will admit that my first year was just okay… but that was because I had no prior experience riding a horse and am not a fan of roughing it and family style meals with strangers. But we met a great couple that returns the same time as we do. The ranch hands are great and Miss Sally is fabulous. My riding has improved and this city gal has come to learn that moving cattle is her favorite activity at the ranch. The food is good and the dessert is always yummy… the baker is very gifted. Will be taking my niece and nephew this next time and know that they are going to love it. Highly recommend this place for anyone who wants to experience a real ranch and can manage to rough it a bit… you’ll be glad you did.

Two visits this year, first in the summer for a week, second for the week long cattle drive. Highly recommended if you like horses. 4 hours of riding total every day, leisurely breakfast lunch and dinner. Critters everywhere. Great for kids. The very friendly Hunewill’s have been running the ranch for 150 years, maybe 30 as a working guest ranch (they have about 800 cattle and 200 horses). It’s not a spa ranch though — rooms are well kept and comfortable, but it’s not a 5 star hotel. You come here for the horses — mustangs and quarter horses, cattle work and loping thru long alpine meadow grass. Personal recommendation is to try to book a week with lots of cattle work — its an even more rewarding experience controlling horse and steers at the same time. Be warned — you’ll be wanting to spend a week of your life here every summer once you’ve done it once.