The Elkhorn Ranch is in a beautiful setting, delicious food, cozy cabins, professional staff, and the best place for a family vacation. The kids are busy and parents can relax. They have excellent covid protocols keeping guests and staff safe. The best part... plenty of fresh air and space to get away from ones busy life.
The real deal. Was once a working cattle ranch. The staff, headed by the multi-generational Miller family, is warm and responsive. Beautiful grounds. I have been on many horse rides at Elkhorn and always have a good time: the terrain is unspoiled by civilization, moreso than other ranches closer to Tucson. Happy healthy well-trained horses. Wranglers do a good job of developing you as a rider (if you want that). Safety is key but they don t stomp the fun out of loping rides. Elkhorn attracts really interesting guests and there s as much mingling as you want.
This is the most amazingly beautiful riding vacation I have ever had or heard of. The Miller Family will get to know you and serve all your needs. Three meals daily, with delicious country food, and awesome dinners and desserts!! Everything you would ever want in a fine stay with people who really do care about you.
I ve been to 3 guest ranches in my life, and Elkhorn delivered the best experience of them all. The Miller family and their staff were attentive, gracious, beyond accommodating, and just an overall pleasure to be around. Riding was completely customizable every day to what each guest wanted to experience (I spent two days climbing high in the mountains and one day loping through pastures). Horses were sure and steady. The variety of trails wandered through flora-dense desert pastures and switchbacked over majestic mountains. The three meals a day were always fresh, delicious, and varied, including special lunch excursion opportunities on all-day rides and picnic days (you haven t had a sandwich until you ve had it atop a 6500ft peak on a sunny January day overlooking 100s of miles of God s Country while enjoying the shade of a tree with your horse by your side). The cabins/facilities were comfortable, clean, private, provisioned, and had touches only a family member would think of doing.
Covid procedures were well-communicated and well-implemented by the staff without feeling overbearing or taking any enjoyment out of the guest s experience. You will feel safe, and you will feel like everyone around you has deep concern and respect for your safety.
This is not a high volume convention ranch. It s down home. It s personable. It s communal and inclusive. It s for riding enthusiasts. It s for laid-back, life-loving, people-loving people who want to completely unplug from the world. It has the feel of a place that has generations of family sweat equity in it, because it does. I came solo, left with a bunch of new friends, and will be back.
A riding friend and I recently spent a week at the Elkhorn Ranch, near Tucson, AZ. and were so enthusiastic about our stay that I would like to describe it, as I did to a daughter earlier today.
At breakfast, family style, once we had chosen our fruit, yoghurt etc, we placed our orders for whatever.....mine was cheesy eggs, sausage and wheat toast. Then Charlie stopped by. "What kind of a ride do you want today?" "I'd like a loping ride", or "I'd like to climb", or "I'd like a sandwich ride (an all day ride where you make a sandwich etc. to bring along"). You keep your horse for the week and get to know the great wranglers (real cowboys who lead a life out of centuries past). Our rides were magnificent....over 10,000 acres of the most glorious Az land.....mountains, valleys, surprising deer, visiting pictographs on rocks, lunch in canyons and on tops of mountains with breathtaking vistas stretching a hundred miles.
Clientele come back year after year, bring their families, and if you can squeeze in a reservation, do so as fast as you can as they fill up quickly. Accomodations are simple but comfortable, food is excellent, nice heated pool and views everywhere. Bird feeders, filled, hang from mesquites.
These big ranches are going fast. If you have a chance to visit this magnificent one, the Millers will welcome you and make you feel at home.
It's paradise.
We just returned from the Elkhorn, and frankly wish we were still there! We had a wonderful time. The horseback riding was fantastic--loping across the desert and then up the trails in the mountains and looking out for over a hundred miles! Wow! The hiking was fantastic--we usually headed up in to the mountains and got a great workout. That made us hungry and the food was fantastic--fresh vegetables and healthy fare, prepared by a great cook. Best of all I got to spend time with my son, Parker! We are coming back for sure.
Great family experience. Nice staff and tons of riding
I ve been coming to Elkhorn for 18 years and I keep coming back. Great place for riding, food, and good company. Guides are very knowledgeable and will ensure you get the ride you want be it loping in the desert or climbing the mountains to Lions Hotel. Good for people new to riding and seasoned veterans.
Totally amazing my family have been coming for over 26 years 2 x year what a great way to unplug enjoy the land the riding and amazing hiking the guides are wonderful you feel so refreshed at end of trip the family and the workers are more like family you will not be disappointed
I stayed for a week recently at Elkhorn and I am eager to return. I loved riding in the beautiful Sonoran desert and riding in the mountains.
Elkhorn is run by the wonderful Miller family and they take great care of the horses, cabins and food...and of course, the guests. The wranglers are expert in leading you on rides and helping you build skill if desired. I was able to do several full-day rides where we brought back the Christmas tree for the Ranch and went to see 1000-year-old petroglyphs!
Charlie, the owner, checks in with every guest each morning to see what rides they want to go on depending on skill or energy level so there's no planning necessary on your part. The ranch also has a heated pool, a tennis court, bird-watching and plenty of trails for all levels of hiking.
I was wowed that the ranch had many guests who've been coming for years/generations. I really enjoyed meeting them, albeit masked, outdoors and socially distant . I appreciated all the Covid safety measures and respectful attitude by everyone.
I recommend staying at least a week to enjoy the Ranch fully. I wished I could have stayed longer. There's also Saguaro National Park and Buenos Aires Wildlife Reserve nearby.
Ten+ visits over 30 years...My place for riding, reading, relaxing and rejuvenating.
I have been visiting Elkhorn Ranch on and off since 1970. It has always been an exceptional place. It is now being run by the third generation of the Miller family. The hospitality is fantastic, the food too good (yes, we eat too much!), the horses and the riding are outstanding. This is the best guest ranch we have found anywhere.
Whether you're there to ride horses or hike or simply relax it's the best experience ever!
Joined friends for lunch. Met staff and did a short tour with our friends. Staff friendly, friends room was well appointed and lunch good.
Elkhorn Ranch is one of the most idyllic, quiet, wonderful, restful places I have ever been. My family has been coming here since 1970 and all of us have always had a wonderful relaxing time. The staff is outstanding, the horses are wonderful, safe and attractive. The variety of riding areas is truly endless. I have been in several cabins over the years and there has never been one that I didn t love. A lot of wildlife and birds to be seen daily and bird feed is provided. The food also is something to rave about.
During this year of Covid-19 There have been a few less guests but the superb service has not slackened.
It is truly amazing what the Millers have done to meet the CDC and Arizona Department of Health regulations in order to be able to operate safely. The Covid regulations in place for both the ranch, the staff as well as for us, the guests, has been phenomenal. The guests have all been very cooperative and pleasant about the whole situation and I have never felt safer.
Please put this guest ranch on your to do sooner list. You will not regret it!
elkhornranch.com
