piney river ranch

Piney has horses, fishing, canoes for rent and great hiking trails. The drive in can be 4WD only if it has rained recently, but it can be worth the effort to get away from the crowds in the valley during summer.

Piney River Ranch is one of my favorite places on Earth. I started coming to the Ranch In the mid-1970's as a little girl to ride horses. Today, if you can handle the INCREDIBLY bumpy ride, (note: this is NOT a drive for your little Honda Accord! Low-riding cars will bottom out on some beautiful Sandstone rocks and ruts that are part of the ride up!) then you are in for one of the most spectacular views in the Vail Valley. Any time you make this journey you will be rewarded with amazing scenery, but to do the drive in the Fall is a canvas of amazing Aspen colors!

Loved visiting Piney Lake with some friends during off season. The view is absolutely worth the very bumpy,, long drive up the mountain-you forget all that once park the car and catch a breath of the air and a view of your surroundings. We brought a picnic lunch and had a wonderful afternoon.

This review is for the lake, scenery, wildlife and hike around the lake. The road to this place is pretty rough, but when you get to the end, WOW! The scenery is spectacular, especially in fall with all the colors. Moose hang out here too..so that is a plus! Next time I come back to the Vail area (the road is only open in some seasons), I will stay at the lodge here!

The 11 mile trail is an adventure. The views from the ranch were stunning. Proprietor friendly and interested in his guests. Food was fresh and delicious. Picturesque, rugged, beautiful.

We just spent a night in one of the cabins at Piney River Ranch and I was pleasantly surprised. All of the staff was very friendly and accommodating. The cabin was very clean and nicely decorated. If you don't want to cook your own food the food at the restaurant was very good. The bathrooms were clean and a short walk away. We hiked to the waterfall and rented a canoe. It is definitely one of the most beautiful lakes I have seen in Colorado. While we were there we saw three moose which were just amazing to see! I now understand some of the reviews about the staff yelling at people. They had to also do that while we were there because some people were very ignorant when it came to the wildlife and how close they should get and it was for their own safety. Chances are if you got yelled at it was because you deserved it!

Whether you're spending a day, a week, or anything in between, you won't be disappointed!!! This is an incredibly rustic place set in the most amazing place - shooting stars, double rainbows & moose included!!! There is no running water or refrigeration within the accommodations (Yurt, Teepees, Tent Camping or Bare Minimum Cabins), however, bring your own camping supplies and ENJOY!!!! There's ice that's available and provisions for outdoor cooking along with hot & cold running water close to the cabins, yurt and teepees. While we were "camping" in one of the cabins, "Monty" the moose dined in the lake and along the grasses for about a day - his presence thrilled us all (including a beautiful wedding party!). The staff were welcoming and accommodating. This is a magical place..... WELL WORTH THE HOUR LONG DRIVEWAY!!!!

My husband and I camped at the Piney River Ranch on August 14th on our way to Moab. At the request of our daughter who was there in June, she wanted us to see this beautiful mountain lake. We were not disappointed. Even though we could only spend one night. The staff at the ranch were very friendly and kind. The gave us a heads up about the resident moose and told us were we could tent. It was so peaceful there and because it was getting toward the end of the season, we had the tenting area to our selves. I think all the cabins were full but didn't really see any people. The drive to Piney Lake is not as scary as people say but it doesn't hurt to have 4 wheel drive. It's a bit bumpy but that is half the fun getting there. I would recommend this place as a spot to relax, and hike or ride horse. They have horses and a guide to rent. Hiking to the water fall is a must. It's an easy three mile hike. We didn't get a chance to eat there and they don't serve breakfast but he restaurant looked like a nice place to share a meal. I'd definitely return to the Piney River Ranch

Absolutely stunning views and peaceful surroundings. We were the only ones there. We were surprised by the above average cafe at the ranch. Was a pleasant surprise to have a place to sit and have a snack and they had real restrooms. I will go back in spite of the 10 mile trek over rough terrain.

We went there 2 times during the 5 days we were in Vail. It is an awesome, somewhat white knuckle drive up to the lake, but the beauty is well worth it. The lake is beautiful, and we were fortunate to get great pictures of the moose Montie both trips. The horse riding trip could not have been better. Ty was so informative, and really took time time to make sure everyone was prepared and comfortable. I had a wonderful adventure, just a bit out of my comfort zone, but exactly what I was looking for. I Loved this Place!!! And hope to be fortunate enough to someday return. Thanks to all that work there. You are truly appreciated.

Piney River Ranch is the perfect venue for people who want a rustic Colorado wedding. Monique is super helpful and customizes your event to fit your needs. Even though my husband and I live in the Vail valley, we are both transplants from other states. We really wanted our guests to experience Colorado in the non-tourist way. This venue was the perfect spot for our needs, it was very private, outdoors, yet an indoor spot with heater lamps and safety from the rain. Our friends were able to stay the night for a little post reception fun, while our family/other guests were able to head back down the mountain. The food was great, actually better than the tasting. All of our guests left saying "best wedding ever". I highly recommend Piney River Ranch to all futures couples.

Piney Lake is a beautiful place, we rented canoes, had a picnic, took pictures. We did not have time to hike up to see the falls p, but definitely worth the trip.

Very windy dirt road that takes about 45 minutes to get 12 miles up to the top but it is beautiful if you take the time. We went fishing and canoeing at the top and it was well worth the long ride up!

We did not stay at the Ranch but did take the drive to the top of the mountain to spend a few hours at the lake. We did rent canoe's and a paddle board. The views are pretty. The grounds were nice and some place I would consider staying over night at. The cabins looked newer. There are hiking trails and they have food you can purchase as well. It is a long drive up to the top. Very nice scenery and we saw wildlife, but gravel and bumpy road so it took about 40 minutes to make the drive up. There are places along the way to stop and picnic or just take in some views. I would recommend taking the drive up there if you like hiking and or want to go fishing or canoeing in a very quiet and calm lake.

We came to the highest alpine lake that you can drive to as a suggestion of a family member. The drive in 10 miles of dirt roads, scenery beyond belief and animals galore. We saw moose, deer and fox on our trip into the park. We took a leisurely canoe ride and a nice little hike before the weather moved in and forced us to leave.They have a restaurant, which we didn't get to experience due to it not being open for the season just yet. I got some gorgeous photos and would definitely return for the dining experience.