Simply put, this was the BEST vacation I have ever been on! Top notch service, accomodations and activities. LOVED IT! Women's week ROCKED! The "Boss Lady Posse" wil be back!

It is hard to know where to start when describing all of the attributes to this destination. We had stayed at another Dude Ranch in the past and had a wonderful time, but it offered so much less than Red Horse Ranch in comparison. At Red Horse your choice of activities are so broad and so much fun it is often hard to choose what to sign up for each day. Between yoga, massages, horse back riding, archery, fishing, kayaking, pontoon boating, ceramics, clay pigeon shooting, horseshoes, etc., etc., etc., or just relaxing with a good book or even simply napping any time you please, it is an all encompassing great time. The cabins are clean and spacious, the grounds immaculate, and the staff seem to feel they simply cannot do enough to please. The food is delicious - especially the baked goods - YUM - and they offer plenty of fresh greens, fruits, yogurts, etc., to satisfy those who are steadfast enough to watch their calories while ignoring the tempting dishes prepared by their chefs for the rest of us who are there to indulge! There is always something available to munch on regardless of the time of day and delightful wine or beer tastings paired with gourmet cheeses each night. The cowboy campfire was great fun with beautiful guitar music and cowboy poetry. Several of the staff members have their adorable dogs roaming the property and many of us fell in love with them and wanted to smuggle them home with us. The horseback riding is available for every experience level and any and all instruction or lessons are there for the asking. The trails through the forest are beautiful and the horses surefooted and strong. The serenity of the mountains and the lake are breathtaking. I loved the communal dining - it really helped to break the ice with other guests and before you knew it you were all new friends. Many of us were even there to witness a young man propose to his girlfriend on one of the uppermost horseback trails overlooking the ranch and valley, and another couple was there on their honeymoon. Regardless of the type of trip your are planning - family, couple, with friends, or even solo, there is no better place to choose than Red Horse Ranch. There is something for everyone.

We spent a week at Red Horse Mountain Ranch October 2-8, 2011. We booked our vacation after I read the reviews on Trip Advisor about Red Horse and I can confirm everything everyone has said about Red Horse on Trip Advisor is right on!

Our vacation at Red Horse was a dream come true for me, a horse crazy person who rides dressage. My husband who is an avid bicyclist and only rides horses occasionally, loved it there just as much - he went on the morning fitness hikes, bicycling on the Coeur d'Alene trail, clay shooting, and rifle shooting. We went on a pontoon boat ride with Tim in the rain and it was so much fun! The food and our cabin was A+. Here are specific comments which we hope readers will find helpful:

(1) Our cabin was wonderful - We woke up to views from our window of horses and horses neighing (!) It had a really nice rustic porch with a bench overlooking horse pastures and trees. The peace and quiet was heavenly! Our cabin was rustic luxury, roomy, very clean and so comfortable. Bathroom was very nice.
(2) Horses and wranglers were great and so nice. Our trail horses were very good trail horses, good with trotting and loping, and my horse could do dressage. The wranglers allowed me to ride him in the arena where we practiced our dressage. I had so much fun -- I thought life just does not get better than this!
(3) Meals - I wanted to take the kitchen staff home! Cooked to order breakfast served by the most cheerful servers was delicious. Lunch which was a buffet was so good with the freshest salads, great soups, and hot dishes - meatloaf was especially good! Dinner was a buffet (except for the 5-course dinner) - for a foodie like us, the food was heavenly. The desserts were really phenomenal - carrot cheesecake, italian chocolate cake.
(4) Scenery - It is an absolutely beautiful place - quiet, gorgeous surrounded by forestland and next to a lake, peaceful, and a pleasure to hike if you want to work off all the weight you gained from eating the fabulous food!
(5) Ranch - meticulously maintained, beautifully laid out, all cabins are close to the lodge and a short walk.
(6) Staff - Just loved everyone. They all loved their jobs and it showed. The friendliest group of people I have ever met - you feel at home and very welcome. We were watching the baseball playoffs in the lounge and my husband said it was so comfortable that you felt so at home.
(7) Be yourself - No dress codes, be comfortable and we were!
(8) Location - an easy 1.5 hour drive from Spokane through the most scenic roads. Also an easy 1.5 hour drive from the fabulous Hiawatha Trail for avid bicyclists and Milwaukee Road buffs!

We were sad to leave but we already booked our cabin for next year!
Thank you everyone at Red Horse Mountain Ranch for our best vacation ever!

For our 50th birthdays my friends and I decided to "step out of our box" and go to Red Mountain Dude Ranch. That was the best decision we could have made. This by far outdoes any vacation I have ever had!! You will read all these reviews but until you go there you will never experience the peace, serenity, fun, and overall feeling of self achievement that occurs while you are there.
We attended the "Ladies Week" with 28 other women from around the country. I met so many spectacular, brave women. Everyone instantly became friends. We shared stories, advise, achievements and failures. We laughed constantly. It felt so good. Sitting on the back porch of the ranch overlooking the mountains and horses with no telephones, televisions or stress of everyday life makes you realize how you become desensitized to the most important things in life. We are working to live not living to work.
During ladies week we were pampered with massages, excellent food, wine tasting (actually drinking since it really was pretty much "happy hour" daily and a 7 course meal that surpassed any restaurant I have been to. The activities were incredible. I envisioned archery as standing in a field just shooting a target with an arrow. Boy was I wrong!! We walked through the mountains as if we were hunting then would come up to an "unusual" animal (fake target) and would use either a compound bow or recluse. Sarah, our ranch hand (and now friend) taught us how to use both types of bows. We challenged our selves on the challenge course which was a blast. We walked across a log 50 feet up in the air, zip lined and climbed a 54 foot high wall. The ranch hands were there every step of the way educating us on what to do and keep us safe. The horse back riding was constant. You are assigned your own horse for the week. You can ride as much or little as you want. I personally took a horse back riding lesson and that was enough for me. I was busy shooting clay pigeons, hiking, geo caching, making pottery, pontooning, kayaking and a multitude of other things.
The evening entertainment included kareoke in the saloon, a campfire with a real folk story teller and guitar player. We even made smores. I was amazed that they set up a bar down by the campfire. It was just what the doctor prescribed. We played games, went looking for moose in the safari truck and were constantly busy. All these things I am mentioning are personal choices I decided to attend. You can attend as many things as you would like. At the end of each night we would sit outside in the hot tub and look at the stars. Its amazing that it is the same sky no matter where you live BUT I could see the Milky Way and constelations I would never see from Wisconsin.
The cabins were phenominal. Our cabin had a loft with a queen size bed and the lower level had 2 twin size beds. We overlooked the corrals and could hear the horses as night along with the bugeling of the elks. It was so serene. I slept like a baby every night cuddled up in my down comforter and cozy bed. I do not sleep like that at home. I am usually up at 3-4am. That didnt happen there. We had a specified day for laundry service which was included in the cost of the vacation.
The staff.....There are not any words that can describe the compassion, caring, fun loving staff that have now become part of everyones "ranch family". They all were so much fun and knowledgeable. Most live in the bunk house during the season so they would come up to the lodge and hang out witus. We learned so much from Nick, Sarah, Matt,Kiley, Tim, Jess, Jeanie, Alicen, Brenda to name a few. I must say though my favorite staff member was "Hank". When I came home from the ranch I have been telling everyone that "I found me a cowboy and his name is Hank" I then show them a picture of the most beautiful black labradore. He watches over everyone to ensure they are safe. You will find him laying on the front grass when you return from an activity, or he may decide to walk with you while you hike around the land. He is the most well mannered, layed back dog. Kids can climb on him and he would just lay there. I sure do miss Hank.
Last of all I have to commend Cory the ranch manager on the excellent hospitality, cleanliness of all areas of the ranch, amazing food, orginization of activities and his true desire to make sure everyone is having fun. Cory is present all the time. If you dont find him in the kitchen cooking he may be on the shooting range teaching guests how to fire a 338 Lapuea. I thank you with all my heart for providing such an amazing experience to myself and friends. I also thank you for hiring such an amazing staff. We are planning our next trip back to the ranch and are bringing our daughters with us. YAHOO. Were commin back!!