Medicine Bow Lodge & Adventure Guest Ranch is located in the heart of the beautiful Medicine Bow National Forest in Wyoming. Owners Tim and Debbie Bishop acquired the property in 2002 and turned the lodge originally built in 1917 into a beautiful working Wyoming dude ranch that offers a place to get away from the bustle of the city and truly relax while still going on some adventures. You’ll experience a welcoming atmosphere and true hospitality when you stay with the Bishops at the lodge. With picturesque views, homemade meals, and lots of activities to choose from, your stay at Medicine Bow Lodge will leave you relaxed and rejuvenated and you may even leave with some new skills.
Horses and Bows at Medicine Bow
There is no shortage of activities to try your hand at while staying at Medicine Bow Lodge and no dude ranch is complete without horses. One of the most popular activities is horseback riding. The horse wranglers are handpicked and trained to help even the most inexperienced riders enjoy an afternoon on horseback. Even if you have no experience around horses, the staff of Medicine Bow Lodge will guide you through their horseback riding program and help you feel comfortable in the saddle. Children as young as six are welcome to ride the horses at Medicine Bow Lodge. More experienced riders might even be interested in joining the overnight pack adventure that the lodge offers. For children under the age of six, the expertly trained wranglers will gently guide the child on horseback so everyone can join in the fun of an afternoon horseback ride through the forest.
In addition to riding horses, the hand chosen wranglers will teach you how to oil saddles, groom horses, and saddle them. You’ll also have the opportunity to feed and help care for the horses. The resort is equipped with a full corral and a variety of horses so that you can find the perfect horse for you. Medicine Bow Lodge will provide everything you need to care for and ride the horses, including cowboy boots.
After dinner head out to the archery range where you can learn to shoot a gun and a bow and arrow. The staff of Medicine Bow Lodge will provide all the training you need even if you’ve never held a gun or bow before. Shooting skeet is one of the most popular activities at Medicine Bow Lodge. As with all activities at Medicine Bow Lodge, everything you need for practicing both archery and skeet shooting is provided by the resort.
One of the newest activities available at the Medicine Bow Lodge is Crazy Aunt Suzie Camp. Debbie’s sister, Suzie, leads a fun craft originally designed as a children’s activity but it has grown to include children and adults alike. Suzie will expertly guide you through creating a unique creation made from a river rock, barnwood, or log from Medicine Bow National Park. This makes a great souvenir to remember your trip to the lodge.
Wilderness Adventures at Medicine Bow Lodge
The hiking trails around Medicine Bow Lodge will give you the chance to enjoy the local wildlife. Hikers in the area are often able to spot moose, deer, and elk depending on the season. The area is also home to grand birds such as bald eagles and falcons. Though they are harder to predict, hikers have even been known to spot cinnamon black bears along the trails surrounding Medicine Bow Lodge. In the late spring and early summer, the Wyoming wildflowers show off their colors. During this time, you will be able to see Wyoming Indian Paintbrush, Larkspur, Lupine, and a variety of other wildflowers. Medicine Bow Lodge offers guided hiking excursions. Included with the excursions are a packed lunch and snack so that you can picnic along the trails. There are a variety of trails that you can choose from including trails that will take you to Sugarloaf Mountain and Medicine Bow Peak.
Mirror Lake is located within the Medicine Bow National Forest and is a popular fishing destination. Medicine Bow Lodge & Adventure Guest Ranch offers guided fishing excursions to the lake as well as other nearby fishing destinations such as Turpin Reservoir, Lake Marie, and Bush Creek. The lodge provides all the fishing equipment that you will need on one of these fishing excursions. In addition to excellent fishing, these waterways also offer beautiful views of the surrounding national forest. The location is perfect for both fly fishing and reel fishing. You can expect to catch a variety of trout, including brown trout, brook trout, golden trout, and rainbow trout.
If you love being on the water, Medicine Bow Lodge has several additional options besides just fishing. Guests are invited to participate in a half-day float trip down the North Platte River guided by the staff of the lodge. Canoes are also available for guests of the lodge.
Cozy Cabins and Community Fun at Medicine Bow Lodge
The central lodge of the Medicine Bow Lodge & Adventure Guest Ranch is a rustic meeting place where guests can gather to sit around a comforting fire in the impressive stone fireplace or spend quality time playing games in the living area. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are also served in the lodge daily. If you are needing an afternoon pick me up, swing by the lodge for fresh chocolate chip cookies which are almost always available.
One of the most endearing things that you will find in the lodge is a diverse library with books available to read. If you happen to start a book and are not able to finish it before your stay ends, the Bishop’s encourage guests to take the books with them. Many guests leave their own books behind or send new books to replace the ones they took with them creating an interesting and diverse library for all to enjoy. The lodge also offers a spacious deck overlooking a creek. It is the perfect place to curl up with a book from the lodge’s library, a mug of warm cocoa, and maybe even a cookie or two.
Decorated with beautiful dried flowers, the duplex-style cabins maintain the serene and rustic feel of the Mountain Bow Lodge resort. Each individual unit offers cozy privacy for families. They are the perfect place to get out of the city and enjoy the peaceful wilderness of Medicine Bow National Park. Each cabin comes standard with a spacious king bed, plenty of extra towels and blankets as well as heaters for the cold Wyoming nights.
Down-home Flavors from a Wyoming Dude Ranch
Owner Debbie Bishop also serves as the head chef of Medicine Bow Lodge & Adventure Guest Ranch. She carefully hand selects prime ingredients to create unique and elegant rustic dishes that perfectly complement the atmosphere of the rest of the ranch. Debbie has taken the time to to learn how to best prepare each ingredient so that meals are not only delicious but healthy as well. The food is often a genuine highlight of a stay at Medicine Bow Lodge.
Three home cooked meals are served daily in the main lodge. For breakfast you’ll find offerings such as mouthwatering strawberry crepes, eggs, bacon, and sausage. Smoked salmon and perfectly grilled ribeyes often make an appearance for dinner. However, Debbie’s desserts often capture all the attention. With homemade blueberry pie, rich cheesecake, and a decadent six-layered chocolate cake, there is something to please everyone’s palate.
Snacks are always available in the lodge as well. Iced tea, lemonade, and infused waters are freshly prepared daily and available all day. You can also grab a healthy snack or one Medicine Bow Lodge’s famous chocolate chip cookies and oatmeal cookies when you need pick-me-up. Every evening a campfire is lit and all guests are invited to snuggle around the fire and enjoy gooey s’mores and a hot cup of cocoa.
Medicine Bow Lodge and its Grounds
Long days spent out in the wild will draw you indoors for a warm cup of coffee or cocoa and a few treats to fill in the gap. The lodge offers such a cozy, at home experience with the dining hall that’s always full of fresh drinks, snacks, and cookies to keep you busy.
But you’ll stay for more than just the comfort of food, with an entire library, game area and living room full of beautiful décor and vegetation. After sitting down with the owner Tim, he explained the beauty of the lodge’s library, being that you take a book and if not finished before the end of the stay you can take it home with you! With that he has had a number of guests then take books home and send him different books, providing an authentic and diverse range of good reads for the guests.
This ranch is all about taking the time to breathe in the fresh air, relax and soak up the vacation. Instead of constantly being in a rush to see it all, you get to choose your days and what you do with no pressure to cram your experiences into a specific time frame. So, grab a book, sip a cup of cocoa by the fire, maybe eat a few homemade cookies and enjoy your stay at Medicine Bow Lodge.
There’s plenty to do for the kids on the property, so adults can relax and enjoy their stay while kids find many ways to entertain themselves. Most of the kids will spend their days swinging on the rope swing in the woods, or rocking on the hammock while waiting for their turn. There’s also a playground for little ones and a teepee for hide-outs and activities. Sometimes all you need is to take in the views at the lodge and enjoy being pampered with food and rest.
Views Around the Lodge
Sometimes a picture can say a thousand words, so instead of describing what it’s like to spend a week at the Lodge, we’d like you to feel and see the property through our photos below.
Additional Tips on Medicine Bow
Medicine Bow Lodge & Adventure Guest Ranch is located in close proximity to the towns of Saratoga, Encampment, and Slavery. The quaint towns offer museums, art galleries, and a variety of shopping venues. One of the biggest attractions in Saratoga is the natural springs that are open year around at the famous Hot Pool. At a steamy 120 degrees, the natural springs are the perfect place to relax in healing mineral water. While you are in Saratoga, browse the unique boutiques for handcrafted goods and grab a cone at the old fashioned ice cream parlor located in town.
With Medicine Bow Lodge located in a national forest, there is no shortage of beautiful views. Even if you are an amateur photographer, make sure that you spend some time taking in the scenery and practicing those photography skills. With a plethora of picturesque trails, lakes, mountaintops, and lookouts, photographs are a must in such a gorgeous area.
The Perfect Escape From the City
Whether you are looking for a western-style adventure, to get in tune with nature, or simply some peace and quiet, Medicine Bow Lodge and & Adventure Guest Ranch has it all. It is the perfect place to retreat from it all and reconnect with loved ones amid the serene and peaceful beauty of Medicine Bow National Forest.
Dude Rancher’s Association
The Dude Rancher’s Association (DRA) is a group of dude ranch owners and operators who have come together to promote and preserve the traditional American dude ranch vacation. They help families find the perfect ranch for their vacation by providing a comprehensive list of member ranches on their website, complete with detailed information about each ranch, including location, activities offered, and pricing. The DRA member ranches are located throughout the western United States, including states such as Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico.
These ranches offer a variety of activities that allow families to experience the beauty of the American West and get a taste of the cowboy lifestyle. Activities may include horseback riding, fishing, hiking, and hay rides. Travellers also get to enjoy traditional western meals and lodging in authentic western cabins. Travelers can take advantage of the DRA’s vast knowledge about dude ranch vacations to find a ranch that fits their specific needs and preferences. Overall, the DRA helps families create unforgettable memories by experiencing the true western heritage and the western way of life.
CONNECT WITH DAILY MOM
💖 NEWSLETTER: DAILY READS IN YOUR INBOX 💖
Sign up to receive our picks for the best things to do, see and buy so you can relax and focus on more important tasks! Let us help you be the best version of yourself you can be!
BE SOCIAL WITH US
📌 LOVE IT? PIN IT!📌
