When’s the last time you booked a ranch holiday that appealed to seniors, honeymooners, teenagers, and city dwellers? Probably never, said the person responsible for making the hotel reservations. Well, hang on to your cowboy hat, because Blackwater Creek Lodge & Guest Ranch in Cody, Wyoming, will make everyone in your posse happy. That’s a bold statement, but I met each of these people while writing my Blackwater Creek Ranch review in Cody, Wyoming.
Located in the Shoshone National Forest and on the north fork of the Shoshone River, Blackwater Creek Lodge & Guest Ranch has been welcoming outdoor enthusiasts to Cody, Wyoming, since 1915. I can see why singer and songwriter Kasey Musgraves stayed here. One can’t help but be inspired by the forest, Blackwater Creek that flows into the Shoshone River, and the nature that surrounds the rooms and cabins on the property.
Transportation is offered to Blackwater Creek Ranch guests from the intimate Yellowstone Regional Airport in Cody, Wyoming. The airport shuttle is complimentary for a 6-night all-inclusive ranch stay. Guests opting for the 3-night ranch package will pay an additional fee. Upon arrival, we are issued bear spray because we are staying in grizzly bear country. We toured the recreation room, the oldest room on the dude ranch, and we visited the horse corral.
Log cabins and the ranch house at Blackwater Creek
The historic log cabins were built between 1915 and 1950. Standard cabins range from studio-style to 2-bedrooms. The 2-bedroom ranch house includes 1 bathroom and sleeps six. My husband and I stayed in the Blackfoot cabin, a 1-bedroom log cabin with a shared wall and another 1-bedroom, with a shared front porch. All 12 guest accommodations are within walking distance of the main lodge.
Our rustic cabin was across from the campfire pit (and s’mores on request.) We could literally hear the horses passing in front of our cabin, on their way to the morning corral, from our bed. The best part of my day was sipping a huckleberry lemonade on the porch, watching the horses and ponies trot by on the way back to their evening pasture.
The rooms are comfortable and clean, but dated. Our bathroom shower stall was in need of an update, but the water was hot and plentiful after a day of outdoor activities. The white cotton towels and Gilchrist & Soames bath amenities made it feel more upscale.
Blackwater Creek Ranch activities
I came to Blackwater Creek Ranch for the horseback riding. My husband, a beginning rider, came for the opportunity to visit Yellowstone National Park. It was an unexpected bonus that we were able to spend a morning White Water Rafting on the Shoshone River with Wyoming River Trips. On our visit, the white water rafting trip was included with the price of a 6-night stay. Guests may be able to add rafting on for an additional fee if there is availability on a 3-night stay.
The all-day trip to Yellowstone National Park was great on many levels. Our Blackwater Creek Ranch van driver and bartender studied jaguars in her previous job. Not only did she expertly drive us to the East entrance of Yellowstone Park (the least crowded of the park entrances), but she also spotted a gray wolf, stopped the van, and told us about the wolf and where his den was located.
Another activity that everyone enjoyed was the Cody Nite Rodeo. Again, shuttle service and tickets were included in the price of our Wyoming dude ranch stay. As previously mentioned, we had honeymooners, city dwellers, and parents with young adults, as well as families with teenagers, on our trip. Everyone had different riding levels and extracurricular activity interests. One young man fly fished most every day, while others tried their hand at archery and roping.
Dining options at Black Water Creek Ranch
Ranch guests receive the all-inclusive package with the Full American Plan. Meals are the chef’s choice and served buffet-style. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are generous portions. Breakfast ranged from French Toast or pancakes with scrambled eggs, bacon, and sausage, or biscuits and house-made country gravy. Hot and cold cereals are options, as well as yogurt and fresh fruit. Lunches included hamburgers, pulled pork, or chicken tenders with hand-cut French fries.
Dinners began with happy hour and appetizers in the bar. Our chef was the same chef who created southern specialties at Kay El Bar Ranch in Arizona; think duck confit, fresh crab cakes, and juicy steaks with baked potatoes and house-made rolls.
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The ranch is open from late May to late September. Check the ranch website for specific dates and prices. Three nights start at $1,545 per person based on double occupancy, in addition to tax and ranch service fee. Six nights start at $2,790 per person based on double occupancy.
Blackwater Creek Ranch review in Cody, Wyoming, and all photos by Oregon-based travel writer and equestrian Nancy D. Brown. She was a guest of True Ranch Collection while working on an assignment for a magazine article. As always, all thoughts and opinions are her own.
