Vee Bar Guest Ranch is a family-friendly dude ranch that has been run by the Cole family for three generations. The dude ranch is located in southeast Wyoming near Laramie. Guests will find an isolated ranch surrounded by beautiful forests, trails, lakes, and rivers. Wildlife is prolific in the area and guests are always excited to spot wild animals on their horseback trail rides or hikes.
In the summer, the VeeBar Dude Ranch operates as a guest ranch welcoming guests of all ages to enjoy a western summer. The ranch also serves as a bed and breakfast through much of the year. The serene oasis that is Vee Bar Ranch provides a peaceful and relaxing retreat for even the busiest people.
What makes Vee Bar the Best Dude Ranch in Wyoming?
Instead of only telling you, why don’t we show you? See for yourself what kind of experience you could have at Vee Bar Ranch and then learn more below about what your stay could look like.
How to get to Vee Bar Guest Ranch
The best way to get to Vee Bar is to fly into Denver airport and rent a car to drive up. This will be especially convenient if you are interested in exploring the area around the ranch since the distances are quite long. When taking this trip, we rented a car from Hertz in Missoula and the whole process was so easy.
Two minutes at the counter, and we had our key to a massive car that held all our luggage and our family comfortably and allowed us to move around Montana and Wyoming on our road trip around the states. When coming from up north, it makes even more sense to rent a car. You could fly into Jackson Hole, Wyoming, hit Yellowstone and Grand Tetons and head down to experience some real cowboy life with Brent and Kari.
Accommodations at Vee Bar Guest Ranch
When visiting Vee Bar Guest Ranch, you will stay in one of six cabins on the property. Three of the cabins offer duplex style suites with two bedrooms, a seating area, and a private bathroom. Each cabin is outfitted with a queen bed and two twin beds. The cabins feature a small refrigerator as well as a washer and dryer so that you can do laundry at your convenience.
Known as the Riverside Suites, these cabins are located along the edge of the Little Laramie River, Wyoming. Some of the porches on the cabins back right up to the river edge so that you can sit leisurely on the porch and watch the river flow by.
The other three cabins are located on the other side of the ranch property farther away from the main lodge and saloon. These cabins offer more privacy than the Riverside Suites. These cabins come in both one and two story options and easily sleep five to seven people.
Equipped with a gas fireplace, it is the perfect place to curl up and get cozy on a cool Wyoming night. Two of the three cabins on this part of the ranch were the original structures built on the property in the 1800s. With their long history, rustic decor, and privacy, these cabins are popular among the guests that stay at Vee Bar Ranch.
In addition to private accommodations, the ranch also has a main lodge building and a saloon, known as the John Wayne Saloon, where guests can socialize and get to know each other. Meals and cocktails are also served in these buildings daily. An outdoor hot tub is also located nearby and guests are welcome to use it any time they would like.
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Dining at Vee Bar Dude Ranch
Meals are served in a buffet style three times a day in the main lodge. The breakfast buffet usually contains hot or iced coffee, fresh fruit smoothies, fresh fruit, homemade pastries, and a variety of hot breakfast food options such as eggs, bacon, and sausage.
Lunch and dinner buffets offer a variety of foods that are sure to please any palate. Salads, homemade bread, delectable desserts, and a variety of main course options are served on the buffet at noon and 7 pm daily. The John Wayne Saloon is located close to the main lodge. With a cocktail hour offered at 6 pm every day, many of the adult guests at Vee Bar Ranch start with a cocktail before dinner each night.
On Tuesday and Thursday evenings, a special dinner is available for guests to partake in. Tuesday evenings allow guests to join a fiddle player and guitar player for a horse-drawn wagon ride around the ranch. The ride comes to an end at the John Wayne Saloon where guests are treated to an authentic All-American picnic meal.
On Thursday evenings, guests are invited to enjoy bbq cooked over an open campfire. After dinner, they settle down in a teepee tent where they can sleep under the stars on the edge of Medicine Bow National Forest, “Breakfast on the range” is prepared for guests the following morning.
Horseback Riding at Vee Bar Guest Ranch
Horseback riding is the self-proclaimed specialty of Vee Bar Dude Ranch in Wyoming. Each guest is matched to a horse for the duration of their stay by a well-trained and very experienced wrangler. A full educational riding program will help even those who have never experienced horseback riding before. The trail rides offered by the Vee Bar Ranch are extensive and boast impressive scenery.
For those who have horseback riding experience, longer trail rides are available. The guided trail rides leave the main barn of Vee Bar Ranch and allows riders to meander through the lush meadows and forests surrounding the ranch property. Riders will be able to ride along the river bank and venture into more mountainous territory as they feel comfortable.
A unique aspect to the horseback riding experience at Vee Bar Dude Ranch is the opportunity to participate in cattle work. Guests will work with ranch staff to move cattle from one field to another. Often, the work being done is on a neighboring ranch rather than just on the Vee Bar Ranch. You will also get the chance to help wranglers sort the cattle and doctor them if needed.
For other fun activities, you can try a game of soccer with…cows. The staff sets up goals with barrels and your goal is to get cows into your goals while the other team tries to do the same for their goals. It’s a lot of fun and gives a new meaning to “cattle work”.
Another fun gathering is hosting cowboys from nearby ranches and having a friendly rodeo while guests and families cheer on.
Activities at Vee Bar Dude Ranch in Wyoming
Approximately one mile of the Little Laramie River flows right through the middle of the Vee Bar Guest Ranch providing guests with an excellent fishing opportunity. The river is home to a large population of brown and brook trout. Fly fishing is perfect for the areas of the river without overhanging trees.
The ranch provides everything you will need from a fishing rod to waders to help you fulfill your Wyoming fly fishing dreams. There’s no need to worry if you’ve never tried your hand at fishing before. The Vee Bar Guest Ranch offers fishing lessons for new fishermen.
A stocked pond is also located on the dude ranch property which provides the perfect place for children to try their own hand at fishing. The pond has plenty of surrounding wide, open spaces which make for the perfect place for kids to practice their casting skills. There are also multiple rivers, creeks, and streams surrounding the ranch where children and adults can fish.
Archery and trap shooting are also popular activities for guests at Vee Bar Dude Ranch. If you’ve never had any experience with a bow and arrow or a gun, the masters and guides on the ranch are happy to instruct you in these activities.
The staff at the ranch also happily provides babysitting services with prior notice so that older members of a family can safely participate in these activities without children.
River tubing is also another option. Many guests enjoy a slow afternoon of floating down the river in an inner tube.
When the river is low, you can try what we called “Redneck tubing“, where a horse drags a tube through the mud puddles. It’s a lot of fun for the whole family as you can see.
The Cole family knows that children are an important part of most families and they’ve worked hard to create a ranch that is family-friendly. One of the ways they have done this is to create an excellent children’s program. Activities available to children include feeding fish, campfire games, boot branding, making s’mores, and river tubing.
Children over the age of six are welcome to go on trail rides on their own horse. For children under six, wranglers are always happy to take them on lead-around rides throughout the ranch.
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Specials and Packages Offered at the Vee Bar Guest Ranch
Another aspect of the Vee Bar Guest Ranch is the variety of events and specials that the ranch offers. Every year the ranch hosts events such as the Vee Bar Ranch Jubilee, a writer’s retreat, and an adults’ only week.
The town of Laramie, Wyoming hosts a festival known as the Laramie Jubilee Days. Vee Bar Ranch Jubilee coincides with the celebration in Laramie, WY. Guests can travel to Laramie and watch the PBR rodeo as cowboys try to qualify for the national rodeo competition. While visiting this rodeo, you will be able to watch barrel racing and professional bull riding among other events.
If you are into photography, you cannot find a more picturesque spot in Wyoming. Whether you love wildlife photography, portrait, family photography, or just enjoy an occasional Instagrammable spot, this ranch will provide you with an amazing experience.
Vee Bar has an incredible backdrop for wedding photography, especially in the summer. Herds of horses running at sunset, the river flowing in the background, or tall grass creating a perfect foreground. Just take a look at the images we captured below:
The Vee Bar Guest Ranch offers a writer’s retreat every year as well. During this week-long retreat, writers work closely with ranch staff members to learn about horses and how to write about them and life on the ranch. Writers engage in a one-of-a-kind experience of horseback riding and writing during their stay at Vee Bar Guest Ranch.
If you are looking for a kid-free retreat, the ranch offers an adults only week once a year, usually in the summer. During this week, only adults are on the ranch. This is the perfect opportunity for parents who need a break to get away and recharge or for a couple to rekindle their relationship.
In the fall, Vee Bar Guest Ranch hosts the Hay Days Fall Festival. At this festival, adults and children alike will enjoy spending time in the pumpkin patch as they hunt for the perfect pumpkin. Horse-drawn wagon rides are available throughout the day. Guests will also have the opportunity to view a sheep dog demonstration. Enjoy slow-cooked barbeque and finish the night off with a movie in the barn. It’s the perfect Wyoming fall festival!
Family-Friendly Fun for All at the Vee Bar Guest Ranch
As a family-owned and operated business, the Vee Bar Guest Ranch recognizes the importance of family vacations that meet the needs of all family members. The Cole family has worked tirelessly to make sure that families feel comfortable and are able to relax and enjoy themselves. The Vee Bar Guest Ranch has succeeded in meeting this goal. The relaxing retreat is the perfect place to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life.
Dude Rancher’s Association
The Dude Rancher’s Association (DRA) provides a variety of services to help families plan and book their dude ranch vacations. On their website, DRA offers a comprehensive list of member ranches, complete with detailed information about each ranch, including location, activities offered, and pricing. This allows families to easily compare and contrast different ranches to find the perfect one for their vacation.
In addition to providing information about member ranches, the DRA also offers a variety of resources to help families plan their trip. For example, you can find a “Plan Your Trip” section on their website with information about what to pack, how to prepare for a dude ranch vacation, and what to expect while on the ranch. There’s also a frequently asked questions page that provides answers to common questions about dude ranch vacations.
Additionally, DRA members are inspected and meet a set of standards to make sure that the guest experience and safety are at the forefront. DRA members are also required to maintain high standards for horse management, guest service, facilities, and operations, which adds an extra level of comfort for the guest.
In summary, DRA serves as a one-stop-shop for families looking for a dude ranch vacation by providing a comprehensive list of member ranches, offering resources to help plan a trip, promoting member ranches to a wider audience, and ensuring high standards are met by its members.
EXPLORE AND CONNECT:
Vee Bar | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
Photography and Video:
Mangione Studios Website | Mangione Studios Instagram
Passio Photography Website | Passio Photography Instagram
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