Historic Ranch at Mt. Princeton

My husband and I and our 4 year old son and dog stayed on Monika's ranch over 4th of July, for 4 days and 4 nights. This was a last minute stay and couldn't have been a better fit for our family. We were well taken care of, provided with running delicious cold water, a fire pit and picnic table, an outdoor potty and some of the most beautiful views of the mountains all encompassing. This 40 acre ranch was perfect for a long weekend get away. We nestled our tent in between some cozy trees that over looked a mountain range, and were comforted by a quaint trickling stream that hugged around our site. Monika and her husband were gracious and hospitable. Fresh eggs for $5 are offered by her very own raised chickens, nothing beats eggs over a camp fire for breakfast! The animals offered entertainment for our son and my dog was very welcomed too! The town is very close by, as well as many hiking and biking trails, the Arkansa river and a few hot springs to warm you up. There is some traffic on County Road 321, but is minimal and cancelled out by the amenities and this gorgeous sweet spot. We will be back, for sure!

Monika’s camp is great! Nestled at the base of Mt. Princeton, plenty of space to set up camp and play, and the host is super friendly. We were able to visit with the animals and had a very relaxing time. We camped out in the field and had plenty of space but it was little windy and our feet didn’t like the prickly weeds. Otherwise, loved it!

Response from Monika, the Host, on September 6th, 2019

Love the pics Valerie! Cooper also loves all the visitors who give him his Apple wafers- thank you for your visit!

Helpful

0

Helpful

0

Remove vote :(

Great property, fantastic host, and stunning scenery. What more could you ask for?

Monika is a lovely host and made us feel very welcome! She is very hospitable and the ranch is friendly and inviting. Beautiful views of Mt. Princeton!

What a cool place to visit! After a long day searching for camping in White River National Forest and even parts of Gunnison, Monika and Tim at the Thunderbird Ranch were true saviors for my family. Before heading over the Great Divide we were able to book the spot and the weather looked great where we were heading....boy do things change quickly in the mountains! By the time we got to Buena Vista it was full monsoon. Needless to say our hopes of a restful dinner and some hammock time were dashed, so we headed in to town for a quick bite (BTW Buena Vista is a fabulous little town for traveling families!).

After some correspondence with host Monika, she kindly offered the bunk house to us for the same price as camping. We were beyond pooped after driving all day and thanks to Monika had a warm, dry bed to sleep in (and Dad didn't need to set up camp!). Although rustic, Monika has done a great job with fresh bedding, and the room gives you a real feel for being a ranch hand back in the day.

Monika and Tim were amazing hosts. So welcoming and kind, she even brought out espresso and hot cocoa out for us in the morning while we cooked our camp stove breakfast beneath a beautiful sunrise coming over the mountains. The farm fresh eggs had beautiful dark orange yolks and were a nice addition to our meal. Geese, chickens, horses, dogs, and baby sparrows were great morning entertainment for my boys as I took my time packing up.

Would highly recommend this spot to anybody with kids or people who prefer to camp without the masses. Would be a great place to stay for a few days and explore Chaffee County and surrounding wilderness.

Thanks Monika and Tim for a wonderful stay! We'll be back soon!!!

Our family had a wonderful weekend getaway to the Historic Ranch at Mt. Princeton. Monika was a gracious hostess and made us feel right at home on their property. We brought our class "C" RV and enjoyed a relaxing couple nights on the farm. The town of Buena Vista was close enough to ride on our bikes and a fun place to spend a few hours. In the evenings we sat by the fire ring that Monika provided and looked forward to waking up in the morning to the fresh eggs we bought. We look forward to finding another time to come back!

What a great experience! First of all, Monika is the sweetest and most generous Host. She made sure we had everything we needed upon arrival and even made me morning coffee. :)

The ranch is so cool! Lots of animals and surrounded by endlesss land -- including an awesome backdrop of 14ers. Can't wait to come back!

Exactly what we expected from past reviews. My daughters and I were warmly welcomed by Monika and enjoyed our stay!

We had so much fun as a young family on this working farm. Beautiful wide-open views and the animals were tons of fun for our 3 year old. Monika was lovely and her hospitality made us feel very welcome to share her pretty spot in the world. We look forward to visiting again!