All Inclusive Guest Ranch Adventures

At Western Pleasure Guest Ranch, experience the spirit of the west on an All-Inclusive Guest Ranch Adventure Vacation. The warm, western hospitality, country gourmet dining, and the beauty of Idaho’s wilderness will make your guest ranch stay not just a vacation, but an authentic western experience with memories that last a lifetime.

All-Inclusive Guest Ranch Vacations include lodging in one of our cozy Grand Lodge rooms or Log Cabins, daily horseback rides, three Country Gourmet meals daily, evening entertainment, and access to all ranch amenities.

Western Pleasure Guest Ranch’s quality ranch raised horses are perfect for the beginner or the experienced rider. For the non-rider, our many other activities will fill your day with relaxation, education, or adventure. When you’re looking for a fantastic family guest ranch adventure vacation or a ranch that you can visit as a single or a couple, look no further than Western Pleasure Guest Ranch!

Experience This All Inclusive Adventure:

June 2 - September 28, 2024
June 1 - September 27, 2025

Now booking for Summer 2024!

What Does An All-Inclusive Guest Ranch Vacation Include?

Horseback Riding

Saddle up for some good old fashioned fun as you ride along the ridges and valleys of this fifth-generation Idaho dude and guest ranch, rich in history and beauty. Ride through grazing cattle or sneak a peek at deer, bear, and other wildlife in their native surroundings. Watch a Red-tailed Hawk soar overhead and listen to the song of the birds welcoming you to a new day.

In the summer, horseback riding is the main activity on the ranch. The riding program begins with an orientation where the wranglers introduce you to your horse for the week and give instructions on how to ride and what to expect throughout the week during your horseback experiences. Each day you will enjoy morning and afternoon rides where you will explore the north Idaho mountains, valleys, and meadows around the ranch. One day, you will pack up for a day ride to Grouse Creek Falls for swimming or enjoy a ranch perimeter ride with views of the Selkirk and Cabinet Mountain Ranges. One evening, saddle up for a dinner ride with campfire grilled, ranch-raised beef steak.

Other horseback experiences include lessons in the arena, moving cattle, cattle sorting, and arena games. Our 70′ by 100′ indoor arena means even if it's raining, we will have horseback activities available.

Children staying with family at the ranch on our All-Inclusive Package have the opportunity to be involved in one of the most educational and fun dude ranch children’s program available. This program is designed for kids age 8 – 18. Hands-on experiences with their horse are the centerpiece of this program. Children will receive our ranch’s horsemanship manual to help expand their learning experience. The program starts on Monday morning and is concluded on Thursday evening with a horse show, complete with trophies and ribbons. Children will be responsible for their own horse and equipment. They learn horse husbandry skills and equipment care. Every morning they will help prepare their horse for the day’s activities.

Evening Activities

Sunday: Take an evening walk to the meadow to meet the ranch horses and be introduced to your own horse for the week.
Monday: Test your archery skills with traditional bows and 3D Targets.
Tuesday: This evening you will enjoy a cowboy movie on the lawn.
Wednesday: A guest ranch vacation wouldn’t be complete without a Dutch Oven cookout and cowboy music around the campfire.
Thursday: This evening we harness one of our 5 teams of draft horses and take you for a horse-drawn wagon ride. Participants of the Youth Horsemanship Program will get to show off the skills they have learned throughout the week in a Children’s Horse Show Rodeo complete with prizes.
Friday: Saddle up for a dinner ride with campfire grilled, ranch-raised beef steak and of course, all the ranch gourmet fixings to go along with it.

Guided eBike Rides

We are excited to announce a new addition to our menu of activities here at Western Pleasure Guest Ranch! Guided QuietKat eBike tours will be available for our guests to experience. Our Summer guests will have the opportunity to enjoy these bikes as part of our All-Inclusive Guest Ranch Packages. The minimum age for this activity is 13.

QuietKat ebikes are built for better access to the great outdoors and geared towards those who want non-obtrusive access to the backwoods. QuietKat ebikes enable people to access the wilderness in a fast, fun, and sustainable way. They are engineered for off-road travel, providing portable, stealthy, and powerful transportation with less physical effort than a traditional mountain bike. Lithium-ion batteries supply clean, green, and silent power to navigate all types of riding landscapes.

A woman stands next to a Quietkat eBike while taking a rest on a mountain ride
man riding Quietkat ebike across a green field at Western Pleasure Guest Ranch

3D Archery Course

First, hone your skills on our stationary course, then hit the trail on a mild, guided walk through the forest. Along the way, you will stop at each 3D archery target and see if you can beat your fellow archers to the bullseye.

Clay Pigeon Shooting

On Tuesday afternoon, trade your horse in for a shotgun and work on your aim. In Skeet Shooting, participants, using shotguns, attempt to shoot clay targets flung into the air before they hit the ground. The minimum age to participate in this activity is 12.

Mountain Biking

Take a self-guided mountain bike ride on the ranch’s 1300+ acres. We have mountain bikes of varying sizes available for you to use at any time during your dude ranch vacation. The terrain on the ranch varies from rolling hills to more extreme elevation changes. Grab a trail map bandanna at the ranch office and pick your trail route to fit your riding experience.

Hiking

With the scenic beauty of the Cabinet Mountains at your cabin’s doorstep, hiking at the Western Pleasure Guest Ranch is a great way to experience the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Get your map from the ranch office and explore our piece of North Idaho paradise on a self-guided hike.

Relax In The Hot Tub

At the end of the day after all your guest ranch adventures, the hot tub is the perfect way to unwind and relax. The outdoor covered hot tub is located just outside the lodge with easy access from the lodge rooms or cabins.

Other Activities

Sandpoint, Idaho is an outdoorsman’s paradise.  Other off-ranch activities can be arranged for you for an additional fee. Fly fishing or lake fishing on the beautiful Lake Pend Oreille with local outfitters is a fun and exciting day activity.  Kayaking on Lake Pend Orielle is relaxing and the perfect half-day or day-long outing for a hot summer day.  Make it a real day on the lake adventure and rent a boat and explore all of Lake Pend Oreille’s 111 miles of shoreline. Still looking for something else? Ask us about other outdoor adventures in the Sandpoint, Idaho area.

Summer on the ranch means green grass, tall pines, beautiful wildflowers, blue skies, and fun, fun, fun! It doesn’t matter your age there is something for everyone on a guest ranch vacations at Western Pleasure Guest Ranch. At an elevation of 2700 feet, there is no need to worry about losing a day of your visit to elevation sickness. Horseback riding is our main focus, but we have many other activities that you can participate in including:

  • Hiking
  • Horseshoes
  • Teepee camp
  • Evening campfires with songs and s’mores
  • Outdoor hot tub
  • Basketball
  • Pool table
  • Foosball
  • Pickleball
  • Movies
  • Canoe trip on Pack River

We are also within easy driving distance of many attractions including…

  • Silverwood Theme Park
  • The Idaho Club Golf Course
  • Downtown Sandpoint
  • Schweitzer Ski Resort
  • Glacier National Park

Preparing For Your Adventure

If you are wondering what to pack on your dude ranch vacation, visit our “What to Bring on a Guest Ranch Vacation” blog post. Are you an “always be prepared” sort of traveler? Visit our “How Do I Prepare for a Guest Ranch Vacation” blog post for some tips on getting physically prepared for horseback riding.

Western Pleasure Guest Ranch provides a fun environment for your next family, couple, or singles vacation!

Can I Ride a Horse?

Please consider these requirements before participating in horseback riding:

Horseback riding is an enjoyable and rewarding activity, but it also requires a certain level of physical and mental ability for the safety of both the rider and the horse. It requires that you have good core strength, control of your upper body, good strength in your legs and the ability to control the movement of your body while you are on the horse. We use mounting blocks to assist you and the horse in mounting, but riders must be able to mount the horse with little or no assistance from the wranglers. As a rider, you must be able to understand verbal commands and must be capable of understanding, retaining, and obeying verbal instructions. Weight limit for riding is 240 lbs however height to weight consideration is also a factor in whether it is advisable and/or safe for the horse for a participant to ride. Riders should have an appropriate height-to-weight ratio to maintain balance and stability on the horse. Excessive weight or height imbalances can strain the horse's back and legs, potentially leading to discomfort or injury to the horse. We require long pants and a cowboy boot or sturdy tennis shoes for riding. We have boots available for you to borrow if you do not have appropriate footwear. This list is not complete and any participants with medical conditions should consult with their own MD and us before riding.

Some ways to help decide if you are physically able to participate in horseback riding are:

  • Can you ride a bike?
  • Can you climb stairs with relative ease?
  • Can you stand in an athletic position, i.e. perform a small squat?
  • Can you balance on one foot?

 

 

Tentative Summer Weekly Schedule

six ranch horses in a field looking over a fence with trees behind and blue cloudy sky overhead

Sunday:

3:00 pm – Check-in. Unpack, explore the grounds, play yard games, or kick back and relax.
5:00 – 6:00 – Happy Hour. Beer and wine will be served at the lodge.
6:30 pm – Dinner. Dinner is served in the great room of the lodge.
7:30 pm – Mosey down to the horse pasture to see the ranch horses. You may even get to meet your horse for the week.

Head wrangler talking to guests

Monday:

8:30 am – Wranglers run the horses up from the meadow.
9:00 am – Breakfast
10:00 am – Meet at the horse barn for your horseback orientation and a 1.5-hour trail ride.
12:30 pm – Lunch
2:00 pm – Afternoon Ride (1-hour ride or 2-hour ride offered) or skip the ride and go for a self-guided hike or mountain bike ride.
5:00 pm – Wranglers run horses back to the meadow.
5:00 – 6:00 – Happy Hour. Beer and wine served at the lodge.
6:30 pm  – Dinner
7:30 pm – Archery practice

Authentic Travel Western Pleasure Guest RanchRanch 3D Archery

Tuesday:

8:30 am – Wranglers run the horses up from the meadow.
9:00 am – Breakfast
10:00 am – Meet at the barn for a morning ride (about two hours) and the lope test. If you wish to go on a fast ride you must first pass the lope test.

OR

3D Archery. Put your archery skills to the test on our 3D Archery course!
12:30 pm – Lunch
2:00 pm – Afternoon Ride. A fast ride and a slow ride are offered this afternoon. You must pass the lope test to go on a lope ride.

OR

2:00 pm - Clay Pigeon Shooting. Trap, Skeet, or Clay pigeon shooting is a recreational and competitive activity, using shotguns, where participants attempt to shoot clay disks flung into the air at high speed. The minimum age to participate is 12 years old.
5:00 pm – Wranglers run horses back to the meadow.
5:00 -6:00 – Happy Hour. Beer and wine served at the lodge.
6:30 pm – Dinner in the Great Room of the lodge
8:00 pm – Movie on the lawn

Cowboy sitting on rocks looking our at a small waterfalldutch oven pots filled with food

Wednesday:

8:30 am – Wranglers run the horses up from the meadow.
9:00 am – Breakfast
9:00 am – Make sack lunches for the day ride.
10:00 am – Meet at the barn for all-day ride. Today we will offer Huckleberry Ridge Ride for some awesome huckleberry picking or a ride to Grouse Creek Falls. For Grouse Creek Falls, you may want to bring a swimsuit, water shoes, and towel (ask for towels at the lodge) for a refreshing dip at the Falls. The trip home in wet jeans can be long. There is a half-mile, moderate hike into Grouse Creek Falls. (Availability of these rides based on trail conditions and weather.)
OR
10:00 am - 1-hour ride and transportation to lunch at Grouse Creek Falls.
4:30 pm – Return to the lodge
5:00 pm – Wranglers run horses back to the meadow
5:00 – 6:00 – Happy Hour. Beer and wine will be served at the campfire on the lawn.
6:30 pm – Dutch Oven Dinner. Served outside at the fire pit.
7:30 pm – Music around the campfire
8:30 pm – Boot branding at the campfire

cowgirl riding a ranch horse pushing black cows through a gate

Thursday:

8:30 am – Wranglers run the horses up from the meadow.
9:00 am – Breakfast
10:00 am – Cattle Sorting. This is a competitive team event. Bring your game face!
OR
10:00 am - Horseback Ride
12:30 pm – Lunch
2:00 pm – Afternoon Ride
3:00 pm – Youth Horsemanship Horse Show. Participants of the Youth Horsemanship program show off what they have learned in a fun horse show complete with ribbons.
5:30 pm – Wagon rides and roping practice.
6:30 pm – Dinner
5:00 pm – Wranglers run horses back to the meadow.

Dinner Ride at Western Pleasure Guest Ranch

Friday:

8:30 am – Wranglers run horses up from the meadow.
9:00 am – Breakfast
10:00 am – Morning on your own to explore downtown Sandpoint, cool off in Lake Pend Orielle, hike to a mountain lake or relax on the porch with a good book.
OR
10:00 am - Pack River Canoe Trip. Transportation will be provided.
12:30 pm – Brown bag lunch on Pack River.
12:30 pm – Wranglers run the horses up from the meadow.
2:00 pm – Horseback Ride
5:00 pm – Depart for Steak Dinner Ride.
6:30 pm – Steak Dinner at the Corrals.
7:30 pm – Ride back to the lodge
8:00 pm – Wranglers run horses back to the meadow.

silhouette of cowboys on horseback with hats in the air and sunset behind them

Saturday:

8:30 am – Wranglers run the horses up from the meadow.
9:00 am – Breakfast
11:00 am – Check Out

No Goodbyes here, just until next time!

.

Experience an Authentic Western Holiday

Stunning views and fresh mountain air pervades your senses. Imagine a comfortable, rustic vacation that takes you back to nature, to a time when things were simpler.

All-Inclusive Guest Ranch vacations include lodging in one of our cozy Grand Lodge rooms or Log Cabins, daily horseback rides, three Country Gourmet meals daily, evening entertainment, beer and wine, and access to all ranch amenities.

Western Pleasure Guest Ranch’s quality ranch raised horses are perfect for the beginner or the experienced rider. For the non-rider, our many other activities will fill your day with relaxation, education, or adventure. So, when you’re looking for a fantastic family guest ranch adventure vacation or a ranch that you can visit as a single or a couple, look no further than Western Pleasure Guest Ranch!

We offer fun and exciting experiences for everyone. You will love our hands-on approach to horseback and trail riding instruction and the personal attention you will receive. We limit the number of guests participating in our summer ranch program to about twenty. As a result, you can be assured that you won’t get lost in the crowd. We specialize in personalizing guest ranch vacations to fit you. You have special requests, just ask!

Our Summer All-Inclusive Guest Ranch vacations are fun, memorable, and exciting. This is a life experience. Come enjoy an Idaho guest ranch vacation; where life moves at the speed of a horse.

The summer season runs from June through September. Most of our guests arrive on a Sunday and depart on a Saturday, but for your flexibility, we do offer shorter stays and arrivals Sunday through Wednesday depending on the length of your stay. Keep in mind that the only meal served on Saturday is breakfast. Sunday is the horse’s day off so no horseback rides are available.

Campfire at Western Pleasure Guest Ranch
Large log lodge in the background with relaxing chairs in the foreground with flowers around them
Western Pleasure Guest Ranch Signature Ranch AwardDude Ranch Association2020 Western Pleasure Guest Ranch Top 50 AwardVisit SandpointVisit Idaho badgeHorse Safety Program
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