Take This Luxe Family Ranch Vacation

Wyoming conjures images of the cowboy chic town of Jackson Hole set against the jagged Teton Mountains. But in the state’s south-central corner, the North Platte River Valley offers an entirely different experience. Nestled between the ancient Sierra Madre mountain range and the dazzling wilderness of Medicine Bow National Forest, Brush Creek Ranch feels like a private prairie hideaway surrounded by miles of sage brush-covered hills. Located in the sleepy town of Saratoga, this all-inclusive, family-focused ranch offers members an unrivaled luxury nature vacation.

With over 30,000 secluded acres to explore, you and your family will feel like you’re on a private vacation. Traditional ranch activities such as horseback riding and fly fishing are specialties, but Brush Creek also offers bucket list travel adventures ranging from biking and ziplining to archery and clay shooting at the ranch’s gun range. And in winter, members can downhill ski, cross-country ski or snow tube on the Brush Creek’s private slopes at nearby Green Mountain.

After a long afternoon spent ATVing, rock climbing, or mountain biking, you’ll be ready for some R&R. Send the kids to the Lil Wrangler Clubhouse where they’ll be schooled in dude ranch skills like roping haybales and riding horses while you attend an alfresco yoga class at stunning Falcon Peak Overlook or escape to Trailhead Spa for pampering.

At Brush Creek Ranch, memorable travel experiences aren’t relegated to the great outdoors. The Farm at Brush Creek is a culinary wonderland comprised of a 20,000-square-foot greenhouse, brewery,  distillery, bakery, creamery, and more. Hands-on cooking lessons at the historic Cheyenne Club underscore Brush Creek’s commitment to seed-to-table dining. Cheesemaking, which always includes a visit to meet the resident goats, and Pasta Making 101 are always a hit with kids. And a class on healthy eating will send you home with creative recipes and new techniques you can incorporate into family meals.

Education is at the heart of the Farm. Whether your passion is wine, beer, or whisky, the Farm has curated unique experiences that let you tap into it further. Brush Creek’s sommelier team hosts exclusive tastings in the Farm’s remarkable 30,000 bottle wine cellar where they’ll teach members about the art of deductive tasting, varietal wines and blending. A tour of the distillery educates guests about the process and history of distillation and ends with a guided tasting of Brush Creek’s very own whisky, vodka, and gin. And the Farm’s James Bond-worthy spirits vault hosts custom tastings of flights from its prized spirits collection.

It should be no surprise that meals are a highlight at Brush Creek. Nearly everything is sourced locally, including the beef which comes from the ranch’s herd of Akaushi, a breed of Wagyu cattle prized for its delicate flavor. Dinners at Cheyenne Club are truly an experience, not just a meal, with tasting and a la carte menus featuring seasonal dishes like summer tomato terrine and hearth grilled Akaushi with roasted baby carrots and toasted barley porridge. Before retiring to your charming log cabin or refined rustic lodge room, grab a S’mores kit and head to the firepit. It’s worth staying up late to soak in the silence and admire the clear, star-spangled sky.