Client Reviews on Cow Creek Ranch, LLC

    • 4.7
  • 10 Reviews

Most helpful positive review

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By Dee Dee King Jan 01, 1970

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Most helpful critical review

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By Rex Johnson, Jr Jan 01, 1970

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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.

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I can't tell you how great our experience at Cow Creek Ranch was. My youngest son and I spent two days fishing at the ranch and it was the best two days we have ever spent together. This place is heaven. Lanier thanks and please tell the great staff thanks also. Lisa and the bunch went out of their way to make our visit PERFECT. I have this sneaking suspicion you will see us again real soon. Thanks Again and If you see Matt and FE guides HUG his neck. He's the best.

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Great fishing and an even better staff

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Cow Creek Ranch is hands down one of my favorite places in the world to go visit. The views, the fishing, and the people of Cow Creek make the ranch so special. Our guide, Pete, makes each time we return even better than the last. He is so patient, helping me untangle my lines and pick my flies out of the branches when I inevitably get stuck. And this last time, he helped me catch the most fish I've ever caught in one day! I recommend this place to everybody and am already planning my next trip back. Love you guys!

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We had a wonderful time. Great fishing with relaxing evenings. If you need to get away from a hectic life this is your place.

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Cow Creek is a small stream draining the southwest side of the 11660-ft. Elk Mountain on the southern boundary of the Pecos Wilderness. It was wiped out in the year 2000 by a devastating fire followed by a flood and ash flow which virtually eliminated all fish in its middle to upper sections. The stream is still recovering. The aspen are still struggling to re-appear on the sheer slopes above the headwaters, particularly in the denuded Soldier Creek, the fire's old epicenter, which enters the Cow Creek Ranch property shortly upstream from the Cow Creek Ranch lodge, and which is still without fish in its lower reaches. This stream is not a world class fishery by any means, mainly because of its small size. (You can jump across the creek in places). The "Ranch" (40 acres in size) has tried to remedy the basic water scarcity by constructing several ponds on the creek, landscaped, numbered, and signed, giving the appearance of an outdoor mall. A bulldozer remains ready at the lodge for further landscaping work, more ponds, or re-arrangement of the stream's course. But the ponds need water too. They become sluggish and murky in the summer heat. Things are improving, though. Elk Creek, a headwater tributary, has recovered well from the fire and now holds a good population of 8 inch brook trout. And from my point of view, the most impressive part of the available fishing is that some large-spotted Pecos River cutthroat trout (a sub-variety of the Rio Grande cutthroat) still exist in the headwaters of Cow Creek proper, particularly above a barrier falls a few miles upstream from the lodge. I sampled the creek in its natural state on about a half mile of forest service property just above the lodge (much to the chagrin of the Cow Creek Ranch manager) and was delighted to find the Pecos cutt still there (I got two that looked to be pretty much pure strain); I also found cutt-rainbow hybrids, straight up rainbows, brooks and browns - about all the trout types northern New Mexico can offer. In my one afternoon of fishing in this stretch, I managed to catch and release 29 trout, including a 12 inch Pecos cutthroat (probably not 100 percent pure, but pure enough for my eyes), a 12 inch brookie, and a 14 inch brown. All the trout I caught were very fine-looking, wild, and healthy. And, of course, you don't have to stay at the lodge to catch these fish. I fished only on public land. As in, for the public! So if you want to see cutthroat trout, if you're not into big fish, if you don't mind being carted around to artificial ponds, and if you want at least the opportunity to fish an actual small wild creek on your own two legs, the ranch(ette) seems pretty OK to me. The trout are there, at least in the natural parts of the stream. The owner(?)/manager seems stressed out, not the easy-going type, but that is somewhat understandable: the place is new, overbuilt, over-sized. (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.) So I'm sure there is a certain pressure to keep the bills paid and mortgage current, and also to keep the numerous littering, worm-fishing locals from fishing the stream for free and taking the bigger ones home with them. This could put a real dent in the fishing for the $400 per day clients. The guides are trim and fit, they model all the pricey gear, they seem to dote on the clients, and they seem even to know about the cutts. I give the guides 3.5 stars. So I like the stream, (managers come and go, after all), though I wish that somehow someone could shrink the lodge at least a little bit (or maybe even make it go away). I also suggest that the forest service land above the lodge property be left alone; it seems that an (illegal) ATV road is being cut along the stream, for clients who don't like to walk at all. But all in all, I hope it works out for the best, especially for the stream.PS: I didn't stay there, I just fished there.

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Great fishing, you feel like the whole ranch is yours! There is a wonderful commercial quality kitchen, cozy rooms with fireplaces and a very comfortable sitting room. There is a well stocked fly and gear shop as well as souvenirs for your family and friends. There are experienced guides to enhance your fishing success if you so choose. You will be surprised when you leave and I will bet that you will return!

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Great place for kids and adults

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I hate to review Cow Creek Ranch because I want to keep it a secret. Deserves more stars if available. 'nuf said.

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amazing

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