Loveland, Colorado
Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch
About the ranch
The 'New West' – a lot like the Old West, but a whole lot more comfortable! Our historic working horse and cattle ranch has been in operation since the 1920s, and is a little piece of heaven tucked on the quiet side of Eagle Ridge, on the banks of the Big Thompson River.
Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch invites you to disconnect from your every day life, and settle back and gain a fresh perspective. Discover new adventures in the beauty of our valley. Reach beyond your comfort zone. Interact with friends, family and associates.
You’ll find both comfort and convenience in our gathering rooms, and lots of room to roam in our outdoor gathering spaces.
Our cozy cabins and friendly guest houses promise a good night’s rest, and our indoor and outdoor dining facilities complement our homemade Colorado cuisine.
A ranch vacation to Sylvan Dale will help you and your family and friends create memories that will last a lifetime!
Check out our Cattle Drive week or our Native American Living History week for special programming, meals, activities and lodging are included in our package pricing.
Affiliations
DRA, CDGRA, Equitrekking
Also offers
Guest capacity
40
Best for
Kids - all ages
Months open
All year
Watch the ranch
Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch - Discover your Inner Cowboy!
History & hosts
Sylvan Dale Ranch has a rich history: The Jessup family has owned and operated the Colorado ranch since 1946!
However, it all started out in the early 1900s. Mr. and Mrs. Frend Neville owned a small cattle ranch at the mouth of the Big Thompson River, and wealthy doctors from St Louis came to the area to hunt deer.
They liked it so much that they wanted to bring their families, so the Nevilles built some cabins and a lodge along the river, and planted apple trees in the yard.
Years later, the facilities were sold to Cotner College, a Christian Church school in Lincoln, Nebraska, but during the Depression of the ’30s, Cotner College closed and Sylvan Dale was leased out as a youth camp.
Maurice Jessup, then a college kid in Oklahoma, overheard a conversation about Sylvan Dale Ranch and asked for a summer job. He hitchhiked to Loveland and caught a ride with the mail carrier, and when he arrived, was overwhelmed with the beauty of the mountains and the rushing water.
He immediately told Camp Director JB Weldon" “You know, I just love this place. Someday I’m going to own Sylvan Dale.” – That was in 1934.
Twelve years later, the Sylvan Dale Ranch was for sale and Maurice Jessup was in the Army Air Corps. He received special permission to go and bid on the property. After scratching his bid on a piece of paper, he and his wife Mayme 'Tillie' were awarded the 125-acre run-down property.
Through a lifetime of hopes and dreams solidly based on faith, dedication and hard work, the Jessups and their two children, David and Susan, increased the 125-acre ranch to a 3,200-acre working guest ranch.
The Big Thompson flood of 1976 threatened to put an end to the dream, but reconstruction efforts were successful and what was once a summer guest ranch became a year-round facility, loved by many.
Ranch founded
1946
Guest ranch since
1946
Owners
Susan & David Jessup
Managers
Karen Burbank
About the managers
Karen was born and raised in Massachusetts. Having grown up schooling in dressage, jumping, and competitive trail, her interests eventually led her Colorado, where she earned a B.S. in Equine Studies from Colorado State University. Over the years, Karen has managed two dressage facilities, wrangled at three guest ranches, been a small and large animal vet tech, and has taught countless lessons to aspiring equestrians. Most recently, for the past fifteen years, Karen has been the Head Instructor, Lesson Program Coordinator, and Dude Ranch Vacation Specialist for Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch. She's the one who coordinates your vacation and assigns your horse for the week!
Your manager
Accommodation types
Ranch rustic, Western rustic chic
Gene Kilgore's notes
Conservation
Most of the ranch property is under Conservation Easement.
When to go
Between April and November
Why we love it
- Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch offers 'Legendary hospitality since 1946' and the reviews speak for themselves! With a plethora of adventures to suit your needs, they cater for families, weddings, wellness escapes, exclusive company retreats, holiday parties, summer picnics and much much more!
- The ranch is also an excellent and dedicated wedding destination, with two scenic outdoor wedding sites and an indoor/outdoor lodge for receptions, all set against stunning mountain and river backdrops. Cocktail hour and campfires under the stars will complete your perfect day before you and your guests turn into the charming cabins for the night.
- Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch organizes very popular speciality weeks, like family week, cattle drives the Great Grownups Getaway (adults-only) and their Cowgirl Roundup (ladies only!).
- If you're looking for just a B&B ranch vacation and/or a trail riding option, Sylvan Dale is just an hour from Denver and offers cosy accommodations and a hearty ranch-style breakfast to start the day! Or why not pop in and head out on a trail ride on one of their highly-praised horses.
What to consider
- It's worth noting that GPS units and mapping sites/apps (eg Google Maps, Apple Maps, Mapquest, etc) can lead you astray if you use the ranch's mailing address to navigate there, use their detailed directions and location map guide on their website to find Sylvan Dale.
- If you want to stream movies while you're at the ranch, be aware that the ranch WiFi is not strong enough to accommodate this, so if you plan on watching movies from your device, make sure to download them prior to arrival!
