Creek Ranch Life
Peace and Quiet
Other than the occasional motorcycle or truck, it is so quiet at Creek Ranch that you would swear the cattle or nearby grazing sheep are right outside your door. At night, coyotes howl from the surrounding mountain tops and the creek babbles from the valley. Unfortunately, this makes for difficult sleeping when you leave your home to travel. Ear plugs might be required!
Spending Time with Good Friends, Your Neighbors
Community is important at Creek Ranch. The homeowners have initiated several annual activities. A horse-back trail ride, the 4-wheel drive tour and the creek work day have become traditions. Holiday parties, cross country ski outings and informal riding outings break out at irregular intervals. The borrowed cup of sugar or egg also keeps us in touch and helps with relieving pantry shock!
Fishing
Fishing is a spectacular part of the Creek Ranch experience. We are fortunate to have 3.17 beautiful channel miles of Trout Creek to explore for world-class fly-fishing. Creek Ranch’s Trout Creek represents Routt County's largest private creek restoration program to-date. Restoration and enhancement of Trout Creek was completed in the Spring of 2000. The riparian habitat completion and stewardship earned "Creek Ranch" the 2000 Colorado Riparian Association's "Excellence in Riparian Management" award. Three separate lakes compliment the creek fishing and allow owners premium lake fishing. The ranch has its own River Keeper whose job is to make sure there is superb fishing and that stewardship of the stream is followed per its design. Each year the homeowners schedule a work day around the annual meeting, to keep the creek in premium condition and have a little fun. An English beat system and angler rules and regulations are used to give homestead owners private access to water and ensure the stream is managed in a blue ribbon fishery manner.
Hunting
In order to protect yet control the wildlife in numbers the Ranch can sustain, a Wildlife Management Plan is in place. The plan will change from year to year based on animal count, range conditions, and input by the Colorado Division of Wildlife. The Wildlife Management Plan will allow for hunting by homestead owners and guests on over 1,000 private acres in areas located a safe distance from the homesteads. Intelligent safety regulations are in place regarding hunting and use of firearms on the Ranch.
Horseback Riding
What will you chose today? A ride up to Creek Ranch Summit on Bear Trail; a ride to the top of the Ridge trail for an extraordinary view of the Flattops; or a ride out to Whetstone reservoir. The choices will keep you busy all summer. The headquarters arena is a great place to work on refining your skills and the round pen is perfect for a little exercise or extra training. Cowboys, the arena is set up to work on your roping as well. Be sure to call your friends and set up a meeting place or you will miss them entirely riding Creek Ranch territory.
We are fortunate to be close to CR Summit Riding Club at the top of Bear Spring Trail. It is a private riding club that offers it's members riding programs for beginners through advanced level riders. Programs are available for adults, teens, and children. Instruction is available in Western and English disciplines and can be taught on a “school horse”, “specialty horse” or on one of your own. Though independent of Creek Ranch, we benefit from the involvement of the owners, Kent and Aileen Sandstedt, in overseeing the Equine Facility at Creek Ranch. Call them if you need some instruction before you hit the trails!
Wildlife
Wildlife is a vital part of Creek Ranch. Elk have lived and roamed on the land before Creek Ranch existed and will continue to thrive here as we continue to preserve and enhance their habitat. A Division of Wildlife easement protects critical elk calving grounds while allowing for responsible hunting. The ranch hosts a large variety of other animal and bird populations. Mule Deer, Antelope, Grey Fox, Snowshoe Hare, Porcupine, Marmot and Coyote are often seen. Moose have been spotted on occasion. Bird watching is amazing with Red Tail Hawk, Mountain Blue Bird, Western Kingbird, Western Meadowlark, Sharp Tail Grouse and a multitude of others. In summer, Great Blue Heron and Sand Hill Cranes come to raise young and serenade the ranch as well.
Swimming and Tubing
Take a dip in Headquarters lake after a hot day fishing or horseback riding. Our new dock will allow for jumping right in! For those non-swimmers in your party, the new shelter will provide an excellent place for a family picnic or relaxing and reading in the shade.
If you are the more adventuresome type, grab a tube and plunge in the creek. Ride the current and the mini falls in late June and early July. Be kind to fishermen - if you see any!
Bicycling
Perhaps road biking is your thing? Creek Ranch is located right off CR 33 or Twenty-Mile road, twelve miles out of town. Twenty-Mile is a favorite route for road biking with minimal traffic west onto CR 27 all the way to Hayden or east towards Oak Creek. The CR 33, Hwy 131, CR 27 loop is very popular and often part of road races staged in the Steamboat area. Train with the best! Though our trails are not maintained for mountain bikes, it is possible to get a good work-out on the cow trails through the pastures. Also, Cow Creek trail off the back of Howelson is only a brief drive away.
Snowmobiling
When the horse trails are buried in the powdery stuff, out comes the higher horse power to play. Whether riding trails or taking face shots floating in the pastures, you will never tire of this winter play. You will, however, be tired at the end of the day!
Star Gazing
Creek Ranch is located in the best Zenithal limiting magnitude per International Dark Sky Association standards. What? That means we have an incredible view of the Milky Way with its structure visible all the way to the horizon. Once your eyes adjust on a clear night, it will give enough light to just barely see your way around. When the moon is full with snow on the ground, it is so light you can snowshoe the trails! Meteors are regularly visible and the Perseids? Priceless...