Gila National Forest Working Ranch

Indulge your Cowboy Spirit with cattle roundups, cayuses, trail riding, and the undiluted, raw sensations of southwestern New Mexico.
Explore a vacation paradise exceptionally beautiful and rich in the history of the southwest, as we are in the heart of Apache country. The 3.3 million acre Gila National Forest and pristine Gila Wilderness are our back yard! Excellent, seasoned ranch-horses will take you trail riding or wrangling cattle. Learn the cowboy 'fun'damentals of riding, roping and reining. Or just relax with a good book. No 'nose to tail' trail riding, but horseback riding the way it was intended to be, in country that can only be experienced from the back of a good horse. At 4500' elevation, four mild New Mexico seasons make outdoor horseback adventures possible year 'round.

This is a working guest ranch with 30,000 acres, located 30 miles northwest of Silver City, New Mexico - here, you'll get as much "hands-on" time as you want! You can help with ranch chores in country that is truly spectacular, covering scenery as impressive as any in the southwest. Each guest works out an individual horseback riding routine tailored to their personal experience — from novice level to extremely advanced. Your trails are made — not followed! You can live the legends of the Wild West from the back of a good horse and ride your dreams!

This working ranch in the Gila area contains some of the traditional domain of the NDEE, Chiricahua Apache. Privately protected Indian ruins and ancient petroglyphs can be reached by horseback or on foot. The ranch provides endless opportunities for birding, geology expeditions, or botanical exploration. You can pan for gold or search for arrowheads.

Surround yourself with southwestern comfort and warm hospitality! Guests are housed in private, rustic ranch houses which are filled with Western art and interesting antiques. We purposely limit the number of guests to provide you with an individualized, personalized, western-style adventure. You won't be lost in another crowd! Ensuring you have a darned good, southwestern time is what we're after!

The ranch prides itself on home-style meals using home grown, free-range, chemical-free beef dishes. Organically grown fruits and vegetables are offered on our menu when in season and available.

Every vacation begins with a fantasy. And a ranch vacation is certainly no exception. It follows that the closer you can come to fulfilling your expectations, the more satisfying your ranch vacation will be. While we don't promise you a fancy dude ranch or resort experience, we do guarantee you'll meet some fun folks and be a better rider when your visit is over.

We promise breathtaking vistas, exciting horseback rides on seasoned horses, satisfying meals, evening campfires and the Milky Way spread across the New Mexico sky.

... ride your dreams!

+1 604-323-1141

Itinerary / Highlights

Riding at the Ranch:
Tough, seasoned ranch horses will take you trail riding or rounding up cattle. Learn the cowboy 'fun'damentals of riding, try some barrel racing, team penning or practice your roping and reining. Tighten up yer cinch for a riding challenge you won't forget -- a Wild Cow Hunt!

Have you ever watched an old Western movie and marveled as the hero galloped his horse across the screen with reins in one hand and firing off shots left and right? Ever wished you could try it? If the romance and excitement of the Old West are calling you, then Cowboy Mounted Shooting might be just the sport for you! Available upon request during your stay ... ~$50 per person.
The better you ride, the more challenging and exciting your riding adventure can be, through the same country traveled by Geronimo and Cochise!

What would a Ranch Vacation be like without a Cattle Roundup?? Because the climate here in southwestern New Mexico is so mild during any season, we calve year ‘round. This means most of our guests have an opportunity to help us with every phase of cattle work, and can include roundups, branding, sorting, weaning, vaccinating, castrating, moving to new pastures. We raise Texas Longhorn and cross-bred Brangus cattle and believe it's important to preserve as much of the traditional "old West" as possible...there sure ain't much of it left!

Sample of a Week at the ranch

Every Day: All of our days may vary, depending on the level of riders, jobs we need to do, or weather conditions. We begin feeding livestock and bringing saddle horses to the barn for grooming, feeding and saddling at 7 a.m. The quality of your experience is only limited by your own expectations and your desire to be involved. By 8:30, you're invited to join the rest of the crew for a hearty family style breakfast around the table at Headquarters, meeting back at the barn by 9:30 a.m. preparing to ride.
No riding on Sunday or Saturday. You can hike, pan for gold in the creek, bird watch, enjoy the scenery.

Sunday: You can arrive any time after 3 PM. If we provide a pick up from Silver City for you, we will pick you up at 5:30 PM either from the airport or the bus (shuttle bus from El Paso). If you drive in, you have an opportunity go foe a hike, pan for gold, watch birds or just "take it easy"!

Monday Options: Join a ride which compliments your riding skill level and interests. Two 1/2 day rides (with lunch at Headquarters) or a full days riding to explore the thousands of scenic acres with lunch on the trail! Faster paced riding will be based on your individual riding skill level. Your safety is our primary concern! Every day you'll have the opportunity to experience abundant wildlife, amazing geological phenomena, incredible vistas, nearly perfect weather!

Tuesday Options: Break up into teams for some Team Penning or Sorting or two 1/2 day rides. Team Penning has become one of the fastest new equestrian sports in the nation. It's fun, improving individual horsemanship skills. Lunch at Headquarters. Either trail riding after lunch or more Team Penning.

Wednesday Options: Spend the entire day exploring the Ruins and Caves of the Mimbres Indians. This will be a relaxing, pack your lunch ride. These ruins are between 700 and 1300 years old!

Thursday Options: Half day ride and Barrel Racing (for fun!) in the afternoon. Lunch at Headquarters.

Friday Options: Explore the canyons at Hells Half Acre! This will be a full days ride suitable for faster or slower riders.

Saturday : Early morning departure, so you can catch the morning flight or shuttle bus. If you are driving, take you time and depart mid-morning.

In 2010 the itinerary will conclude in the afternoon of Friday - it will be a 6 night package - still the same amount of riding for the week.

Relax! There's no rush-hour traffic to fight, no appointments to keep! This is about as hectic as it gets! The days' activities are discussed the night before at supper. Your voice counts! So let us hear what you think! Our goal is to help you realize as many of your riding dreams as possible It is strongly recommended that you are at least a confident, strong beginner. (A "confident beginner" is someone who is comfortable controlling the horse at a walk or trot).

While there may be times it's necessary, we discourage 'nose to tail' trail riding at the ranch! It's horseback riding the way it was intended to be, in country that can only be experienced from the back of a good horse. We do ask that you listen to and respect your Trail Boss, following his/her directions at all times. At 5000' elevation, and with daytime temperatures ranging from 48 degrees in the winter months to 98+ degrees in warmest summer months, four mild New Mexico seasons make outdoor horseback adventures possible year 'round. The Southwest is a magical part of our great country. Owners Alan and Debbie Eggleston feel they have the very best that southwestern New Mexico has to offer and they are excited to be able to share it with you!

You'll get as much "hands-on" time as you want! As part of the crew we invite you to get yer hands dirty. This isn't a "foo-foo" dude ranch. This is ranch life pretty much the way is has always been in New Mexico for over 100 years. It's a lifestyle that is fast disappearing, and we work hard to preserve it. The smells, the sounds, the dust in the air, the animals are all part of the experience. Wake to the melody of birds in the trees, horses anxiously waiting to be fed and the sight of a spectacular sun splashing over Turtle Rock. Dude Ranch?? We don't think so!

Enjoy a quiet moment on your porch with a fresh cup of coffee brewed in your cabin before helping with morning ranch chores, which can include feeding livestock, pulling saddle horses from pastures, grooming and tacking. While not mandatory, we encourage your help. We are able to keep our rates reasonable because we maintain a small staff - and they appreciate the extra hands!

Other Details

Accommodation Details

From "Gourmet Meals" to trail snacks, all food groups are represented.
Meats, vegetables, pasta, dairy, fruits, grains, snacks, tea, coffee, honey, butter, and great sandwiches!

Please notify us if you are allergic to any foods or substances.

First and last night at B&B (single room possible) or the Wilderness Lodge, 4 nights camping. Meals included during riding tour- during your B&B or Wilderness Lodge Stay- meals not included.

If you are staying at the Wilderness Lodge- they have frozen food items you can purchase and cook, or you can eat dinner on your way in. You do have use of the kitchen at the Wilderness Lodge so you can bring your own food if desired.

This trip includes and can accommodate special dietary requests.