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Journeys Guide for the Explorer
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Welcome to Cherokee Park Ranch Journeys
A compilation of essentials for the explorer Our first edition of Journeys is ready for viewing with all of our favorite features and activities, photographs, and adventures. Gorgeous photography with a few choice words to support it, Get a look into our real passion for people, dude ranching, fly-fishing, hiking, and last–but not least– ranch dogs!
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Journeys Guide for the Explorer
Editorial
Features
Welcome to the Ranch The land, the people, dude ranching, fly-fishing, hiking, and more.
THE MAIN EVENT - The HORSES Each of the horses has a personality. Just like you.
GET AWAY, GET REALLY AWAY Leave here refreshed and energized. Sporting ADVENTURES The opportunities are many, and they will help find the one that’s just perfect for each individual guest.
EVERYONE’S FAVORITE Yes, horses are the main event at any dude ranch, but the ranch dogs are the true hit with many of the guests. FLY-fishing The North Fork of the Cache la Poudre is an angler’s dream and the ranch just happens to be right on it. You are in luck. HIKING Use your own two feet to get off the trails and see the little details up close and the big, wide, beautiful expansive views from afar.
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FEATURES
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FAMILY CONNECTIONS Skip a generation, make a couple’s getaway, or bring the whole extended bunch for an experience to remember. S’MORES AND OTHER JOYS Find your favorite things here. Old ones and new ones.
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“Keep close to Nature’s heart… and break clear away once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.” – – John Muir
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Welcome to Cherokee Park Ranch
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hen you hear that we’re 15 miles up a gravel road off the main highway, you’ll get the idea.
As you turn off the state highway, your mood changes. You may be the only vehicle you see on the road for a while. The hills roll, the mountains rise in the distance, and the wind blows the grasses. You may be tempted to stop the car and get out, breathe in the space. The very big outdoors are all around you and you’ve escaped. For some this may be a little intimidating. For others, a welcome respite. CPR Journeys
Either way you’re in for a week that will do you good. You’ll come away with a heightened sense of self, an appreciation for land that stretches far and away from civilization, changed by time spent immersed in a world that moves at a different pace, and maybe you’ll even wish you were a cowboy. For intimate couples, sizeable families, or groups of friends and associates, Cherokee Park Ranch is the perfect escape. Along the northern border of Colorado an hour or so north of Ft. Collins and officially in the little town of Livermore, Colorado, this big swath of ranch sits just an hour south of Wyoming. From the Vol. I No. 1
mountain forests, grasslands, and alpine mesas to the lush meadows and cold-water streams, the ranch is a real beauty. The ranch creates a special bonding opportunity for traveling companions, for families, for guests with their horses, even special bonds with one of our many easygoing dogs. You will leave here a little different. A little better.
“Western hospitality out here is really relocated southern hospitality.� Welcome to Cherokee Park Ranch. Western hospitality out here is really relocated southern hospitality. It is a fortunate family who fell in love with this ranch after spending 4 summers here and made it their own. Originally from Tennessee, the Prince family still has that southern way. They instill it in their whole family of staff. They appreciate this life. And it shows in everything they do. There is real history in this place. A heritage that spans almost a hundred and fifty years, starting with the days of the Overland stage. The Lodge was originally a stage coach stop on the way from Fort Collins to Laramie. Imagine the creaking and groaning of the coach as it pulled to a stop in front of the Lodge. The feeling of relief as the CPR Journeys
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passengers felt stepping down is echoed in each foot that hits that very ground after the drive up the highway from Denver. Each horse carries with it the legacy of hundreds that came before. A similar legacy is carried by each wrangler, one of pride, honor, resourcefulness, and an appreciation for the beauty of this land. Each member of this operation
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brings with them over a century of hospitality. The Prince family commits themselves fully to the perpetuation of that western tradition. Here that tradition means something. In places like this it lives on. The spirit is alive and well here at Cherokee Park Ranch.
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Get
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a w a y .
G e t
r e a l l y
a w a y .
It could do you good to have to be re-introduced to the usual speed of modern communication.
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Opt outside. What will you do without the usual devices? You might be surprised. Share a new experience with your traveling companions. Have your kids see you in a different light on top of a horse. Explore your own western soul. Get to know your friends’ faces from a different perspective. You can keep up with work if you insist, but as the week progresses we bet you will prefer other ways to pass your time.
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Experiences Activities & adventures. The opportunities are many, and the ranch will help find the ones that are just right for each individual guest.
Choose from horseback riding, fly-fishing, hiking, boating, river rafting, sport shooting, or a more relaxed activity LIKE massage. CPR Journeys Vol. I No. 1 You are free to create your own adventure.
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orses are the main attraction, and they are one of our favorite reasons for being here, but there is much more to this ranch than those big brown eyes. You’ll ride trails, cross streams and rivers, climb mountains, even participate in a rodeo. You can ride every morning and every afternoon if you like. But there are also things you can do on your own two feet that round CPR Journeys
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out the experience for each individual in your party and we are here to help you find your favorites. Fly-fishing the North Fork of the Cache la Poudre is a destination trip in its own right and here you will find yourself lucky enough to be right in the middle of Colorado angler’s heaven. Fishing right outside your cabin is also an easy afternoon – or anytime – activity and might satisfy a longing for wetting a fly. It’s also a great place to fish with or supervise a kid who may not want to miss a day of horseback riding to fish the moving water.
“there are SIX distinct hiking trails that just might take your breath away.” Hiking is a favorite way to see more of the ranch and surrounding landscape and there are four distinct hiking trails that just might take your breath away – even easy access to a few for pre-breakfast views. There’s Fajita Ride day, a horseback ride to Turkey CPR Journeys
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Roost, where you’ll meet other guests who prefer to ride in a vehicle instead of on horseback for one of our favorite days’ picnic lunch trips. Rafting is always a popular day option, and its classification depends on recent rainfall. Sometimes rafting becomes white water rafting and that contrasts nicely with a massage one might choose for a relaxing afternoon. A day trip to Wyoming is on the list, boating with Christine Prince in her own craft, activities just for the younger crowd with our kids’ program, and a few high swings or jungle gym climbing at the playground just outside the Lodge.
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he horses. At a dude ranch they are always the main event. Each of these has its own distinct personality. Just like you. CPR Journeys
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Find your Western Soul CPR Journeys
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ou’ll ford streams and rivers, ride miles of horse trails, and climb mountains. A trip to Cherokee Park Ranch will bond your family or group like never before. You’ll also bond with your horse, which is handpicked just for you and chosen to fit your riding ability and temperament.
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the horses are born here and after their initial training, the wranglers ride
trail for years. At Cherokee Park Ranch, they continue to bring on new horses
ranch horse. Once they’re ready, they transition to guest horses, and can be
so the herd is big enough that each one can have weeks off during the season.
assigned as just the right horse for a particular guest rider. The ranch asks a
The horses’ personalities are recognized, appreciated and understood. Many of
lot of questions about guests’ riding experience, temperament, and comfort
he horses here have distinct personalities. At some dude ranches the horses plod along as though they’re tired and have walked that
them for a period to get them used to the duties of a good, dependable dude
level. A lot of the horses were bred at the ranch, so you will see a lot of
corral. They are fed, groomed and tacked up all before breakfast.
siblings in the bunch. You might also notice that it is common for horses
Feel free to head down with a cup of coffee and watch from the
to find a best friend and stick with them.
benches. And in the evening, they head back just like it’s quittin’time.
Every morning our wranglers run our 130-head horse herd into the
quittin’ time
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the dogs Everyone’s favorite. Horses are critical to any dude ranch operation, but most guests agree the dogs here are the best.
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ine dogs live on the ranch, and each one is spunky in its own way. No two dogs are of the same breed or size, so there is a wide variety of spunk, and if you’re a dog fan at all they will no doubt add to your experience. Twinkie the basset hound will gladly share a rocking chair next to you as you enjoy your morning coffee. He also has taken it upon himself to be the lifeguard at the pool, but don’t put much trust in him as he’s asleep 90% of the time.
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Kiwi
Twinkie
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Hootie
Jelly Fish
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Fish the mountain cur will happily escort you on a jog or a hike any time of day. The big sloppy bloodhound Hootie Shaw will warm your heart with his kindness but will also leave you with a drool or two. Jelly the ranch sweetheart is a mix Vol. I No. 1
Fig
Roo
Tuna
Mayhem
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breed and is happiest to have kids crawl all over her and give her any kind of attention. Mayhem the leopard cur appears out of nowhere to join the horseback trail rides throughout the week. Fig the border collie/idaho shag mix is always good for a hike up Goat Mountain. You might also want to be careful about leaving your shoes on your front porch because Fig likes to take them and hide them. Kiwi the bull terrier spends most of her day on the basketball court trying to steal the ball from guests playing a game or hanging in the corral among the horses. CPR Journeys
Christine’s sidekick Roo, the toy poodle, loves to play chase with any dog or kid that will follow her. Don’t let her size fool you, she is easily the fastest dog on the ranch! The red heeler Tuna is the only dog who would prefer to sit on the sidelines and just observe. You may think of her as the ranch referee. More often than not, a guest review of Cherokee Park Ranch will mention several of the dogs and how they enjoyed their company. It’s not uncommon for the dogs to receive their own fan mail too. Vol. I No. 1
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The North Fork of the Cache la Poudre The Cache La Poudre River glimmers as it winds through the ranch, adding the song of running water to the long list of sensory experiences you’ll enjoy.
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he North Fork of the Cache la Poudre River is not the Madison or the Yellowstone or even close to the Bighorn. This little river builds from a bunch of small tributaries out of the Deadman Pass area above Red Feather Lakes. As it gains volume descending from its meager headwaters, it assumes status as part of the watershed that supplies irrigation and drinking water to our ever-expanding Front Range. Along its
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way, it meanders across the Cherokee Park Ranch, kind of taking a lazy little rest before heading around Turkey Roost Rock and through Halligan Reservoir. It moves rapidly down Phantom Canyon to the confluence of Seaman Reservoir and the Poudre River. Every week the Ranch hosts an Orvis guide to give guests fly-fishing instruction for those who’d like a little practice, some warm-up for the big fly-fishing day trip on the river via horseback, or first-ever lessons. The guide teaches casting, Vol. I No. 1
the concept of flies and what’s actually active in the river at the time, hatches, and all sorts of fly-fishing knowledge – all you can possibly get in a couple of hours. It’s a group experience, but there are often one or two die-hards who stick it out for hours practicing and getting some one-on-one instruction.
This area is a plentiful, sought-after, non-pressured, private piece of river. Lucky us!" ~ Perry Schrader “I love to fish it. I’ll use a 2 weight and #16 Caddis. Maybe throw a parachute hopper or Adams in late July. Catching any number of 12"-16" native browns. These fish are very active in the cool mountain water and give a good fight. Now and again I’ll catch a biggin' hooked jawed brown or sometimes a rainbow come spinning up from Halligan. Taught, tight fishing with willows on the banks dropping plenty of feed to healthy fish. This area is a plentiful, sought-after, non-pressured, private piece of river. Lucky us!"- Perry Schrader CPR Journeys
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The Cache la Poudre River Canyon is truly a hidden treasure, with majestic cliffs and intriguing rock formations enveloped in ponderosa and lodgepole pines, sage brush, mountain mahogany and aspen. The Cache la Poudre River–the place where French-Canadian trappers hid their gunpowder during a raging blizzard in the early 1800s, hence the name – begins high in the peaks of Rocky Mountain National Park along the
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Continental Divide. Flowing north and east through Roosevelt National Forest, it tumbles down the slopes of the Front Range and meanders through the city of Fort Collins. From its headwaters to the confluence with the South Platte River east of Greeley, the Cache la Poudre River drops 7,000 feet. The Poudre (pronounced pooh-der) is Colorado’s only nationally designated “Wild & Scenic” River.
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HIKING CPR Journeys
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his majestic landscape provides phenomenal
riding terrain which has the added benefit of some mighty stellar hiking trails. In a beautiful place like this, just a stroll down the driveway will provide you with some breathtaking scenery. Wildflowers sprinkle the Cherokee Park land and there’s often a nice breeze blowing through the quaking aspens and stately pines. Goat mountain serves as the backdrop of the ranch and it’s a hike that’s a must-do during your stay – if you’re at all interested in this kind of thing. There are several trails to choose from. One takes you to the top, a prime spot to witness a breathtaking sunrise or CPR Journeys
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sunset, depending on which way you face and the time of day. One will take you to a collection of glittery painted rocks, each made by a special kid who has passed through the kids program. The third will take you to a historical mica mine used in the 1800s. If you are looking for more adventurous trails, Skyline and Josephine’s Way are two that are easy to access from the ranch. CPR Journeys
Skyline takes you along the ridge of a mountain and provides stunning views on both sides. It’s easy to feel the spirit of the Native Americans who passed on these very same trails when commuting from summer to winter camps. The trail is a lengthy 10-mile trek should you choose to take it on whole. It will meander through lush meadows and eventually circle you around back to the ridge line you started on. Vol. I No. 1
Hikes of all kinds and at many different levels offer just the right fit for any guest to enjoy. Views are included in the price of entry! CPR Journeys
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Josephine’s Way is a trail that winds through the fragrant timber overlooking the ranch. The highest point of the trail will lead you to a garden of rocks, perfect for peering out over the ranch. Heading down the other side you will hike alongside the refreshing Bull Creek that eventually trickles down into the ranch pond. If you’re seeking more of a challenge, the guided hike to Turkey Roost is absolutely worth the effort. A short drive will take you to the base of the mountain named Turkey Roost. Heading upwards from there, your climb will require you to wind through sagebrush, cactus, and hoist yourself up over rocks. Zig zagging up the side of this impressive mountain, the views are awesome no matter where you look. From the top you will have a 360-degree view of snow-capped mountains, a winding river valley, the rugged Colorado prairie, and even into the wilderness of Wyoming. A view certainly worth the climb! Vol. I No. 1
F amily
G e n e r at i o n s
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agic happens here. There’s a magic in the
outdoors that has the power to bring people together. The loss of the usual distractions means the finding of something deeper. Family and its community. Cherokee Park Ranch provides grandparents a wonderful opportunity to connect with their grandchildren by fishing together, riding, hiking, and more – all under the majestic western sky. CPR Journeys
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Some families gather in an extended-family way and use the ranch as their family reunion venue, but far more engaging and adventurous than some other choices might be. Others choose to send grandkids with grandparents without the in-between parental
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generation. This experience offers a way for the grandparents and grandkids to really get to get to know each other in a different way than when the parents are around. It’s almost like a superglue bond. However families choose to do it, the ranch is great at making it happen.
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Some families make it an annual trip and the kids get to travel with their grandparents back to Cherokee Park Ranch again and again, choosing different ageappropriate activities each year or honing their horseback riding skills. Some go on a different adventure every year and then the Ranch is a special choice for one summer – always a favorite. Departure day is always hard. New friends go different ways, dogs get special hugs, horses get ridden one last time. The beauty of nature changes everything. The wonder, exploration, and adventure that are natural results of being outdoors help create experiences that last in our hearts for a lifetime.
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othing brings back memories like our favorite things. Or maybe things that made us happy as a child can still trigger those feelings we got when times were simpler. Like when we made s’mores as kids ourselves – when our own parents brought out the marshmallows and milk chocolate Hershey’s bars and graham crackers. It was just about a sure bet that we were having a good time. Sometimes our marshmallow would totally catch on fire, but it didn’t matter. Or it would fall off the stick completely. That did matter! You can count on Cherokee Park Ranch to give you the space and time to experience simple joys.
S’mores & other
joys
Another joy that might not even register on our favorite-thing meter is a horse’s velvety muzzle. And the sound of its snort. And its big brown eyes. (Unless you get a crazy blueeyed one, which the ranch does CPR Journeys
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happen to have as well!) You can get your fill of these things here. You can go back for more many times a day. And when you see a photo of one, the feel of the velvety muzzle will come tumbling right back to you. And the smell of hay. And the way the sun felt on your face. These are the things that bring us joy, that cause the sensory perceptions to light up – to catch on fire. For some people the night of dancing after dinner works that way. At first you might think, “This is going to be corny, but I’ll do it for the kids.” Then before you know it you’re do-si-do-ing and allemande-ing right and left and your hair is flying free in the breeze (at least figuratively) and you’re having the best time square dancing you’ve ever had. From this moment on, you’ll smile when you think of this night. You get a tingle of it when you’re fly-fishing and you just make that perfect cast. Maybe near the end of the day and you hit your intended spot with a whir of the reel and a soundless drop of the fly. One more example and then you can imagine your own. The kitchen fairies put out freshly-baked cookies. Someone (likely a child) will sense this and go grab a handful and you might end up with one in your very own hand and bite into it while the chocolate chips are still warm and melty. This is one of those things too. Joys we finally have the time and brain space to notice. A week at Cherokee Park Ranch helps us notice these things. You can just about bet some personal joy on that.
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“There are no words that can tell the hidden spirit of the wilderness, that can reveal its mystery, its melancholoy, and its charm.” –Theodore Roosevelt CPR Journeys
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