Activities

The ranch does not have a liquor license but all are welcome to bring their own libations.  During cocktail hour we sat in the courtyard and watched the beautiful sunset over the Mohave mountains.  The sunsets at the ranch are awe inspiring.  The colors are so vibrant and varied that one almost feels like they are looking at an artist's rendition of the perfect sunset.  We were enjoying the superb views so much that when the dinner bell rang were were sorry to have to leave our delightful spot.

Dinner at the ranch is exactly as described on their website.  Delicious home cooked meals and delicious it was.  We could not help ourselves to multiple helpings and almost felt guilty at the amount of food we consumed.  The owners and staff were more then happy to see the guests go back for seconds and thirds and you could tell it made them feel proud that everyone was enjoying their cooking.

Besides horseback riding Stagecoach Trails offers a variety of other activities for its guests.  On our third day we could not resist renting some of their ATV's and go out touring the desert.  Dan was guiding us the whole way and the terrain was perfect for these quad bikes as they effortlessly took us all the way up into the mountains.  The bikes were fun and exhilarating and gave us an opportunity to visit some of the abandoned gold mines of the Old West that riddle this area.

During the late afternoon we treated ourselves to a game of horseshoes and then some hiking in the desert nearby.  It is amazing how much more in touch one becomes when hiking this pristine landscape as opposed to sitting on top a horse or riding a motorized vehicle.

They do have a dedicated cook, Randy, that handles all the meals throughout the day.  In talking to him and asking how they could provide such fresh foods in such a remote location we were surprised to find out that they do not serve any frozen foods and all is freshly brought into the ranch several times a week. One of the guest's children had a birthday that evening and they asked what his preferred food was so they could serve it for dinner.  The requested item was chicken.  Randy made a special drive to a farm about an hour away to purchase fresh chicken that was served to the guests that night.  It was the best tasting chicken we had ever had.  You could hear the whole room complimenting the cook on how tremendous the chicken was. This is the kind of hospitality one can expect from the Rynder's family at this charming ranch.

During the evenings one can treat themselves to a game of billiards in the fabulous Frontier Lodge or walk the beautiful compound tastefully lit up throughout. The small quaintness of the ranch makes your feel right at home as you sit in front of the lit fireplace talking with other guests from around the world. Not once did we feel like a guest as the owners and staff will mingle with you just as interested in your history as we were in theirs. Around 10 O'clock some of the guests had retired for the night but the late-night vacationers were treated to good old fashion family games around the fire lead by Carrie the owner.  Gone were the mundane nights of watching TV or playing computer games, after just a few minutes the entire room was totally engaged in these family games.  The bond between family members, guests and owners was genuine.

Before retiring for the night a couple of us decided to go for a walk in what we coined the "badlands" (a term the cowboys would attribute to the uninhabited desert environment).  We ventured about 500 feet into the badlands illuminated by the gorgeous star riddled sky.  We stood there for about 10 minutes, the silence was deafening, you could literraly hear your heartbeat and the occasional coyote out in the distance.

This place is a small little paradise on earth and we were sad to leave.  The entire staff is there to please you, the facility is impeccable, the food fabulous and the views stunning.  It was no contest when we voted Stagecoach Trails Guest Ranch as this years Best Guest Ranch for 2014.