While Vista Verde is primarily a destination for vacationers, we do host private retreats and business retreats from time to time. It’s a great venue for getting a team together to play and work. Whether it’s encouraging each other up a difficult stretch of terrain on a long hike or taking turns packing down the snow on snowshoes, a Vista Verde private retreat allows a big group of people, or team of co-workers, to learn more about each other, share laughter and stories, and understand each other better upon their return from the ranch. The ranch is a great place not only for business retreats ..read more

These blueberry muffins are for a crowd! As you know, there can be many mouths to feed on the ranch so we need recipes that yield a lot, so invite friends over and let us know if you try them! We’d love to see how yours turn out. Ingredients:  2 cups whole milk 1 cup sour cream 5 eggs 1 Tbsp. vanilla 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil 7 cups all purpose flour 2 cups sugar 1 1/2 Tbsp. baking powder 1 tsp. salt 3 cups frozen blueberries (we prefer the small wild frozen ones for muffins) Directions: Heat oven to 350 degrees Whisk together the milk, sour cream, eggs, vanilla, oil, and 1 cup of the s ..read more

Horses are the backbone of any ranch, and we take great pride in our herd and in the horse program. As you might know, though, we’re always trying to improve the experience for our guests. In a renewed commitment to leading the industry with top tier horses and a horsemanship program that focuses on consistent and well-rounded teaching methods, we are welcoming Kaulana Papalimu, fondly known as KP to most of us here, back to the ranch in a newly created role as Director of Horse Operations. This new role, along with all our awesome wranglers, will allow Vista to continue to diversify and grow ..read more

Meet the mighty sunchoke! Helianthus tuberosus also known as the Earth Apple, Sunroot, Sunchoke or Jerusalem Artichoke is a gnarly tuber that comes from a wild sunflower native to central North America! It was then brought back to Europe where it is now widely planted and “naturalized.” Here at Vista Verde Ranch, we get them from Mexico and the southern reaches of the US from November to March. They have rippled, brown skin and a crisp white interior. Although the skin is edible, they are generally peeled before use. At the ranch, more times than not, we just scrub them well and move on. Avoid ..read more

Our Pastry Chef Melissa is at it again with a delicious breakfast staple at the ranch—pumpkin bread! During the long, cold (in most parts of the country) month of January, it’s fun to try out new baking recipes and ideas. Let us know if you fit this one into your rotation! Breakfast Pumpkin Bread Yields 2, 9×5 inch loaves Ingredients: 4 large eggs 1 cup olive or vegetable oil 3 cups granulated sugar 1 ½ tsp salt 2 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp nutmeg 1 tsp ginger 2 tsp baking soda (above 5,000 ft., use only 1 tsp) 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour 2 cups (one 16 oz can) 100% pure pumpkin puree 1 cup water Direc ..read more

Closer to fall, the ranch is still magical, as we never quite know when we might catch sight of a passing elk herd or get our first sneak peek of winter. Much like in early October, in late October and November we can have sunny warm days, cooler damp days, or we might just get our first blanket of snow. New this year, from October 19 through December 1, we’ll be rolling out our A-La-Carte ranch stays. We’ll call this “Fall Wonderland,” as in…we wonder what the weather will be! For that reason, during this time, our all-inclusive package will move to an A La Carte stay, where your base rate in ..read more

During the winter, the ranch turns into a Nordic skiing paradise. With nearly five miles of groomed trails to explore—and endless access to beautiful backcountry in the National Forest—there are opportunities for everyone from beginners to seasoned skiers to put their ski skills to the test. First used as a means of transportation across the landscape, cross-country skiing has grown in popularity among winter outdoor recreationalists. Unlike downhill skiing at a ski resort, Nordic skiing, or cross-country skiing, uses human power to access and move across terrain rather than a mechanical lift ..read more

The holidays are all about giving, and what better way to give than to give to the next generation of young academics? If you’ve been to Vista Verde, or know anything about the way we operate, you know that we place a high value on our community—and that community begins with our incredible staff from all walks of life. We especially pride ourselves on creating an employment experience that allows for growth and a positive lifelong impact. A fierce supporter of this mission was Charlie Cammer, who worked at the ranch from 1999-2022. During his time at Vista Verde, Charlie was committed to help ..read more

We’re excited to bring back our holiday gift guide for you this year to hopefully provide a little inspiration for those outdoor enthusiasts, foodies, and western lifestyle aficionados on your lists. This year, we compiled our favorite ranch vendors from years past as well as local small businesses from around Clark and Steamboat Springs that are making, and doing, really cool things around our neck of the woods. Horseplay Western Wear Made by Lori Neff, mom to one of our former staffers, these wool cowls have become a huge winter staple around the ranch, from wranglers to ranch hands to our o ..read more

Some of my most fond holiday memories are from when I was a child. After all, it is most often said that if you want to experience the magic of the season just look at it through the lens of children’s eyes. But as we grow older, the responsibilities and to-do lists of the holidays just seem to mount and the time between mid-December to early January often turns from one of magic to mayhem. What if we told you, this year, we’re offering you the space and time to enjoy the wonder and magic of the season again through your inner child. We’ll take care of all the hustle and bustle so you can rela ..read more