About - Cow Creek Ranch, LLC

Overall Feedback:

Unfortunately, the review by Rex Johnson Jr. has some inaccuracies. Perhaps if he had actually stayed at the lodge his assessment would have been more accurate. The “ranchette,” as he calls it, is 1200 acres and extends well up the canyon from the lodge, with 4.5 miles of Cow Creek on the ranch. The creek with its pools and ponds is a typical mountain creek. After the fire, ranch manager Lanier Hartnagle worked with experts to restore the water and land. The area does not resemble a landscaped mall. We fished or scouted fish beginning at the property gate and saw plenty of fish. The fishing areas, known as beats or stations, are discreetly numbered. These fishing areas are assigned, a management tool that keeps each from being over-worked and ensures the individual or group has exclusive access to their areas during their time period. The lodge is not “new, overbuilt, over-sized.” The lodge was built by the original owners Bob and Louise Martin in the 1930s, and expanded to 11 rooms over time. The lodge has been operated for at least 80 years. The current owners are 3rd generation guests of the ranch, who loved it so much they bought the place when the descendants of the original owners died. Lanier guided what must have been her family’s significant investment in refurbishing the lodge, yet retained the charming lodge qualities while making modern improvements. This looks just like the lodges my parents took us to in the 1950s and 1960s, but also subtly modern. The statement, “In fact, the grandiose scale of the place, complete with bright red roofing, makes the little jump-across creek appear to be even smaller than it actually is, as though it were a sort of water leak,” is just ludicrous. The lodge is not over-built or even touristy.My review- the ranch is gorgeous and provides an outstanding adventure. The staff was friendly, efficient and eager to provide an experience that “exceeds expectations.” We stayed in the “Owner’s Cabin,” a 2-bedroom/2-bath log home with washer/dryer, fireplace, wood stove, and a well-stocked kitchen. The wrap-around porch was a delight, with swarms of hummers attracted to the feeders. A switch went out on the water pump on our first morning. The staff jumped to accommodate us, ready to move us to the lodge. The cabin was such a great experience that we were ready to insist on roughing it without running water! The pump was fixed in just a few hours.Our guides Tim and Matt were excellent. Each teaching us newbies without criticism or being condescending, or upset when we lost so many flies….. They dedicated time individually so that we all had an outstanding experience. They taught various techniques, fish behavior, and habitat. We all caught a number of each variety. The grandsons gave their highest compliment, “these dudes are legend.”The grandkids enjoyed paddle-boarding, the kayak, mountain biking, and the archery trail with its bear, dear, hog, and other targets.Lanier went to great lengths to help me put together 4 nights and 3 days, from 900 miles away, involving people from 3 families, with less than 48 hours notice. The place, the service, the experience is just exceptional. I researched 6 trips, narrowed it to 3, then had consensus from hubby, 2 teenaged grandsons and a pre-teen granddaughter that this is where we wanted to go. Somewhat more expensive than the other trips, but an exceptionally good experience.