Piney River Ranch - The Perfect Day Trip from Vail, Colorado

Table of Contents

Piney River Ranch Review near Vail, Colorado

Location

Piney River Ranch is located on Red Sandstone Road, just 10 miles from the town of Vail, Colorado. The drive takes about an hour because of the rough rocky dirt road leading to the forty-acre ranch. I highly recommend driving an all-wheel-drive vehicle with high clearance. Due to weather and the rocky road the ranch is open during the summer season only. Piney River Ranch is open daily from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

About The Ranch

Piney River Ranch is a small ranch with gorgeous scenery, rustic cabins, and outdoor adventures. This private Rocky Mountain ranch is a hidden gem and the perfect place to spend your summer day. Whether you are looking to spend your day hiking, fishing, paddle boarding, or eating delicious smoked BBQ, Piney River Ranch is the place to be. If one day isn’t enough, the ranch offers rustic cabins and glamping tents to accommodate guests for the night. Piney River Ranch is a great place to spend your summer day and create lasting memories with close friends and family.

Piney River Ranch Activities

Piney River Ranch hosts a variety of fun activities like horseback riding, fishing, hiking, canoeing, and stand-up paddleboarding. During our visit, we enjoyed an afternoon of stand-up paddleboarding in the gorgeous alpine lake. I wish we would have thought to bring our fly rods to do some fishing because the fish were jumping. The upper Piney Falls hike sets itself apart from the rest of the hiking trails throughout Vail because of the gorgeous view of the Gore Range. The hike is six miles round trip with an alpine waterfall. Keep your eyes peeled for popular moose, bear, and foxes while hiking.

Accommodation

Piney River Ranch has six cabins and three glamping tents to accommodate anyone during the summer months. Cabins range in size and can sleep up to eight people, each and every cabin is named after a popular Colorado animal. This is 100% a remote nature oasis, so do not expect to have cell service or wifi while staying here. There are also no showers for guests on the property. The rustic cabins are the perfect accommodation to fully immerse yourself in the surrounding nature

Events & Weddings

Piney River Ranch hosts everything from weddings, retreats, and reunions. The variety of events that can be held at this breathtaking ranch is endless. This would be a great place to host a girlfriend’s retreat to catch up with your closest friends while enjoying the great outdoors. With so many family-friendly activities, a family reunion would also be fun at the rustic ranch. The gorgeously framed Gore Range is the perfect backdrop to any wedding ceremony. The wedding space can fit up to 200 people and allows for the ceremony and reception to be all in one place. For all event information and to inquire, visit Piney River Ranch Events

Ranch Dining

Once you have worked up an appetite from enjoying the numerous outdoor activities, head over to the lodge for some scrumptious bites. The lodge is known for their BBQ which is smoked on property. The lodge offers indoor and outdoor seating with a gorgeous views overlooking the lake and Gore Range.

What I Ordered

Al Pastor & Steak Tacos- $16.95 – $17.95

The chef’s street tacos were recommended by the cashier and they were absolutely delicious. The tacos were quite simple with just the chosen meat, raw onions, grilled onions, and cilantro with two sides of charro beans and fresh salsa. The steak tacos were loaded with tender steak slices that were grilled and charred. Al pastor is a seasoned and marinated pork that has a hint of pineapple flavor. The charro beans reminded me of beanie weenies but with a southwest take. The salsa was fresh and added the perfect amount of acidity to the seasoned meats. We thoroughly enjoyed the tacos while taking in the Piney Lake view.