RockiesGuide.com - Jackson Hole, Wyoming Ranchs

Hotels, Resorts, Condos & Vacation Rentals

rockiesguide.com >> Jackson Hole, Wyoming Ranchs

Hotel Search	Hotel Room :: Check-In Date	Hotel Room :: Check-Out Date	Enter City Name Here
Hotel / Rate Search \| Hotel + Air \| Last Minute Deals \| Car \| Flights

Alberta ~ British Columbia ~ Colorado ~ Idaho ~ Utah ~ Wyoming

Darwin Ranch - a Secluded Wilderness Guest Ranch - Jackson Hole Ranch
Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Home >> Wyoming >> Jackson Hole >> Darwin Ranch - a Secluded Wilderness Guest Ranch >> Hotel Home

Darwin Ranch - a Secluded Wilderness Guest Ranch

P.O. Box 10430
Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Tel:
Fax:
Email: DR@wyoming.com
URL: Darwin Ranch - a Secluded Wilderness Guest Ranch - http://www.darwinranch.com/

Property Type: Ranch

Location: Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Ski Access: Off Mountain (Car Required)

No. of Rooms/Units: 10

Hotel Reviews: (No Reviews) Read or Post Review

Add Your Ranch Review

Jackson Hole Accommodations
View: Main Lodging, All Properties, Hotels(10), Resorts(2), Vacation Rentals(1), Ranches(7), Bed and Breakfasts(7)

Darwin Ranch - a Secluded Wilderness Guest Ranch Description:

The Darwin Ranch is a small, informal guest ranch in the middle of the wilderness. Though the spectacular scenery has not changed over the years, we are closer in style to the old-time guest ranches of the 20's and 30's than to the resort ranches of Jackson Hole today.

Additional Information:

If you enjoy nature both as a scenic backdrop AND by getting out into it, you will probably like what we have to offer.
Because we limit ourselves to a maximum of 20 guests at any one time, there's a good deal of flexibility possible as you plan your activities. Tell us what you are interested in. We can probably arrange it.
We generally open around the middle of June and close on September 25th. Reservations during high season (last week in July and four weeks in August) are by the week, from Saturday to Saturday. During the rest of the summer we would be happy to book you by the day.

THE SEASONS
Spring comes to our valley around the beginning of June and continues up the mountains just behind the receding snow line. It is accompanied by an extraordinary display of wild flowers and animal life. The birds seem most numerous and active in June, while the flowers reach their height around the ranch throughout July. Game animals are an integral part of the scene the entire summer. Late August and September bring cold nights and brilliant, warm, bug-free days. Fishing continues to be good with the lowered water levels. The aspen trees start to turn sometime during the first week in September and generally stay spectacular for two or three weeks. This is also a good time to come if you prefer an "adults only" environment.

WHAT TO BRING
The ranch lies at an altitude of 8,200 feet (2,500 meters). The days are warm in the summer, but the nights are cool and sometimes even cold. A sweater, raincoat, and light jacket or windbreaker is essential equipment. Ponchos are a poor idea because they flap in the wind and can spook your horse. Formality is at a minimum - the standard "Levi’s" or jeans and some kind of medium weight cotton or flannel shirt are usually preferred. A good pair of heavy shoes or boots make walking more enjoyable and are a necessity for longer hikes. Many people find cowboy boots the easiest and best for riding. Sturdy shoes with a slight heel will also do. A nice extra is some kind of low, slip-on rubber moccasins to make it more convenient walking between cabins during muddy weather. We have limited saddlebags, so bring your own if you want to be sure of having them. Plan on "longies" for overnight trips. A flashlight can also be useful and is nice to have at the ranch in case the hydroelectric system fails. Because of the high altitude even people who don't normally sunburn find a sunscreen or block essential. No liquor or soft drinks are available at the ranch. If you want wine, beer or hard liquor, please bring your own or buy it at one of the larger airports on your way in. We do supply tonic water and club soda but other mixers are your responsibility. If you wish to place an order for any of these items we can have them at the ranch on your arrival provided you give us at least two weeks notice. Don't forget your musical instruments, even if you don't think you're any good. There is a piano at the ranch and occasionally an accompanist.

CHILDREN
We are delighted to have kids, but please bear in mind that they remain the sole responsibility of their parents during their entire stay. There is a lot of open water around that youngsters can wander into, as well as the ever-present hazard of horses. The ranch crew is already sufficiently busy that it is an imposition to expect them to keep an eye on children while their parents are off for the day.

TRANSPORTATION
Twenty minute charter flights directly to the ranch airstrip have traditionally been available from the Jackson Hole airport. Last year, unfortunately, the only existing charter company in Jackson decided to discontinue this service for the first time in 32 years. We hope to have an alternative lined up shortly, but for the moment only ground transportation is available.

If you are flying into the Rocky Mountain west and are looking for the most economical approach, renting a car out of Salt Lake City is definitely your best bet. There are some rentals available with minimal daily rates and enough mileage allowance to save you money over the charter flights even though you will have to let the car sit unused during your stay at the ranch. The drive from Salt Lake City is about 285 miles; from Jackson it's about 100.

In any case, unless you are planning to fly into the Jackson Hole airport you will be going out of your way if you pass through Jackson at all. The Union Pass road that crosses the continental divide between Dubois and Pinedale takes you within about five miles of the ranch. This graded and gravelled dirt road is passable in the summer months in a conventional passenger car. We will meet you in our truck and drive you the last five miles into the ranch free of charge. Printed driving instructions (essential) are available on request.

Activities:

Riding There is a guided riding group going somewhere in the surrounding mountains almost every day during the summer. Sometimes these trips are as short as several hours, but more often our guests are interested in all-day rides. For beginners we have a number of extremely placid, easy-going animals and can teach you in a day or two to get around more or less comfortably with everyone else. Riders WE judge to be sufficiently experienced may ride without a guide once they have been riding with us for at least 4 days on guided trips and demonstrated their competence. Riding without a guide is a privilege which must be earned - and retained through continuing demonstrated competence. Not everybody can, or should, qualify. You need to work with us patiently, carefully, and respectfully if this is your goal. (We do not supply riding helmets, so bring your own if you want this extra measure of safety.) Hiking Many of our guests enjoy hiking, and some never ride at all. Possible hikes range from moderate strolls along well marked trails to vigorous, cross-country treks off of trails altogether. Whatever your preference, the landscape is varied enough and scenic enough to suit a wide variety of tastes. Generally we do not provide guides for hiking expeditions. Mountain Climbing The Gros Ventre Range, where the ranch is located, has little technical climbing to offer, mostly because the rock is sedimentary in origin and crumbles too easily. But there are simple routes up nearly all the peaks and several very pleasant ascents can be made in a single day from the ranch without much difficulty. Attractive combinations of horseback riding and easy climbing can be worked out with competent guides available from the ranch. Pack Tripping Unlike many of the outfitters in the area, we try to keep the size of our parties to a minimum. It is not unusual for us to send out a complete packtrip consisting of only 3 people - a couple of guests and a single wrangler/guide. Of course this is possible only because most of our packtrip guests are willing to lend a hand with such chores as gathering firewood, cooking, and washing up. If this is the kind of trip you'd be interested in, so would we - an intimate way to enjoy the wilderness. Unfortunately, we cannot schedule overnight trips for fewer than 2 nights in a row, and we'd like to recommend 3 or 4. If you are counting on scheduling a packtrip during your stay at the ranch you must make sure to let us know at the time you make your reservations. There are certain weeks during July and August when no more pack trips can be sent out because all of our available stock, gear, and staff are already spoken for. If you tell us your plans in advance we can probably schedule your stay at a time when you can include a packtrip. Fishing To get the full benefit of the various fishing possibilities around the ranch a person should be in good enough condition to sit on a horse or to walk. The Gros Ventre River runs about 50 feet from the main lodge, but travel up and down it is not possible by vehicle. The Gros Ventre is usually at high water throughout June, receding during the first 3 weeks of July. The best fly-fishing is immediately after the run-off and continues through to early October. Since the end of the run-off can vary by as much as 3 weeks from year to year, you should contact the ranch for information on the height of the river if interested in fishing before July 20th. It is our hope to maintain a high standard of conservation practices on the Gros Ventre in order to assure the continuation of quality fishing in our area. Please plan on using flies only in the river and on limiting your spinning tackle to the high lakes. Also, we encourage fishermen to release the majority of their catch, though we have no objection to their keeping an occasional fish for their own dinner or breakfast. These policies may seem unusual, but they have resulted over the last 35 years in far better fishing in the vicinity of the ranch than is to be had elsewhere along the river where it gets pressure from pack-trippers out of Jackson Hole. For fishing, felt soles are a must. Hip boots are quite adequate for the river. Chest waders are unnecessary. Some western flies may be obtained at the ranch. We also sell fishing licenses.

Alberta Hotels ~ British Columbia Hotels ~ Colorado Hotels ~ Idaho Hotels ~ Utah Hotels ~ Wyoming Hotels

Hotels Home Print This Page Add to your Favorites Newsletter City Search

©1998-2006 RockiesGuide.com All rights reserved.
Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Booking Terms | About Us | Site Map
Rocky Mountain Hotel Guide: includes resources for Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Alberta, and British Columbia

RockiesGuide.com - Jackson Hole, Wyoming Ranchs

Darwin Ranch - a Secluded Wilderness Guest Ranch - Jackson Hole RanchJackson Hole, Wyoming

Darwin Ranch - a Secluded Wilderness Guest Ranch - Jackson Hole Ranch
Jackson Hole, Wyoming