The Winding River Ranch Reviews

The Winding River Ranch is an amazing venue and our guests absolutely loved the beauty of this place. Kristin and Travis are so great and easy to work with. The property has plenty of room and things for guests to explore. The animals on property were a big hit and everyone loved the cozy guest cabins!

My wife and I lucky enough to be married here last year it is truly an experience a weekend experience not just a four-hour Rush you get the entire Ranch to yourself excluding the critters for the entire weekend. The critters range from the Elk and Moose, Bear to all the animals in the petting zoo. Travis and Elaine also known as granny and the entire staff dedicate themselves to you.

I cannot recommend this venue enough! It was literally the venue of our dreams, and everyone on staff there is so helpful and accommodating! We loved it!

We looked at so many venues in the mountains, and this one definitely stuck out to us for several reasons! For one, you get the ranch for 3 whole days and for a reasonable price!! We were able to come set up whenever on the day of, and even on the day before! Kristin always was so quick to respond whenever I had questions and she was very available to help on the day of as well! She never minded if we came up to the ranch just to look around, or even just to say hi. They are very welcoming.

The venue itself is absolutely gorgeous! Every single person at our wedding still talks about how amazing the scenery was at our wedding. There are multiple options for the reception and you can't go wrong! We actually ended up using the historical barn for our rehearsal dinner and the bible barn for our reception because we loved them both! Kristin and Travis have a whole storage unit full of decorations that they let you use, free of charge! The entire venue is perfectly rustic, and they even set up a petting zoo if you want (that was a huge hit)!

They also have several cabins on site that guests can stay at, which was very helpful for it being in a smaller town. Our entire bridal party, me and my husband, and several family members were able to stay on site. Not to mention there are camping sites and RV spots available as well

I could go on and on about this place! I am so happy with our choice and we will definitely be back just to visit!

Oh my goodness, where to even start? This was the wedding venue of our dreams! My now husband and I were looking all over CO for a venue and were so lucky to find this gem. The ranch is absolutely gorgeous with a panoramic view of the Rocky Mountains and the Colorado River running right through the property. That, combined the with incredible assistance and flexibility of the staff helped make our wedding the perfect event! Kristin was amazing to communicate with throughout the process and Travis, the owner, goes above and beyond for his bride & grooms - The actual day of the wedding he and his crew were fixing walls and building campfire benches for our wedding. I have no idea where else you would have the level of service and flexibility that the Winding River Ranch had with our wedding. We can't wait to go back for anniversaries and one day, with some kiddos! :)

The Winding River Ranch was simply a perfect spot for our wedding. The scenery is out of this world, and made for some amazing wedding pics. We were looking for an adventurous, but still comfortable wedding location, and this was it. All of our family and friends from out of town were very impressed. Melissa was extremely helpful and accessible to us, and addressed any needs we had promptly. The other staff on the ranch were also great,and even made sure to have a horse ready for us for pictures! We had our reception in the bible barn, which was such a cool and unique location that can be customized to your style preferences. We had the bridesmaids and the groomsmen stay at the cabins on the ranch, and everyone had an amazing time. We can not recommend the Winding River Ranch enough.

My husband and I knew we wanted to get married in Grand Lake, CO because it was special to both of us. After visiting all the venues in the area, we decided on Winding River Ranch. The ranch has a great atmosphere with its rustic barns and cabins and charming ceremony area. We didn't even have to try to amaze our wedding guests with the beauty of the area and the fun and relaxed attitudes of Melissa and Travis. They were a blessing to our special day! We were engaged for a year and throughout that whole year they answered all my silly little questions right away and helped with the different vendors. We filled the cabins on site with our closest family and friends, who had nothing but praise for their accommodations. We held our rehearsal dinner on the ranch, a fun family BBQ followed by relaxing around a fire pit listening to the wildlife. At the end of the night, many of our guests commented that our wedding was the best they'd been to all summer, and I know my husband and I can't take credit for that. I would highly recommend the Ranch to any couple who wants a no-stress, fun, beautiful mountain wedding.

There is no better venue to have your wedding at! Melissa and Travis are so kind and accommodating! They were so insanely helpful and patient as we set up our event the DAY BEFORE! Our guests couldn't stop gushing about how gorgeous the venue was and it didn't even take very many decorations because it is so naturally gorgeous! I hope we can go back soon!! Both my husband and I can't speak highly enough of the venue!! I would say 6/5 stars for quality of service, responsiveness, professionalism, value and flexibility!

This vendor was amazing! Very accommodating due to out wedding being a destination site.

These guys know how to treat their guests! The scenery was unbeatable and we could not have asked for more. Travis Granny and the rest of the staff was so helpful and way above and beyond! We had an amazing wedding filled with love, laughter and incredible memories!

Besides actually marrying my husband, Winding River Ranch was by far the best decision we made in our wedding planning. Melissa and Travis are the ultimate dream team in making your vision come true. Melissa is helpful and so sweet and Travis is the wedding magic McGyver. They work WITH you to make everything how you would want it and have the best attitude around. But even besides the amazing people, the place just cannot be beat. All of our guests were blown away by how beautiful the location was - stunning views everywhere you turn. AND the facilities are top notch - still giving the rustic ranch vibe, but classy, sophisticated and polished in every detail. I cannot say enough positive things about this place. If you are considering it know that it will be one of the best decisions that you can make.

This was the first wedding venue we visited and fell absolutely in love! Melissa and her staff were so accommodating and helpful during the entire wedding planning/executing process. We used the island for the ceremony and the historic barn for our reception. We also rented out all of the cabins for the weekend...something I definitely recommend! Our guests had a great time and loved the wedding site. Moose were walking around regularly throughout the weekend, which gave our out-of-town guests a unique Colorado experience! Since the Colorado river runs through the property, people were able to fish during the day before the ceremony. This was a real hit with the kids! I highly recommend this wedding site for anyone looking for an outdoor Colorado wedding or a rustic atmosphere.

The best word to describe the ranch is magical! We held our wedding over Memorial Day weekend and it was absolutely perfect. If you are looking for a rustic yet elegant wedding venue in a spectacular setting- Winding River Ranch is for you!

We used the Ranch House on Fri for our rehearsal dinner with a bonfire for all guests afterwards. Perfect way to kick off the wedding weekend!

Melissa and Travis are beyond accommodating! Melissa is always available for questions. Travis is the man behind the scenes- always working to make the r act a more spectacular place and also willing to help move, hang stuff, lighting bonfires and cleaning up while on site. And they even created a custom sign at the entrance for us.

Thanks to previous brides- Melissa has a wide range of mason jars, linens, chalk board, etc. such an amazing asset for the DIY bride.

Having the ability for our wedding party to stay on property made for such a relaxing and easy weekend as well.

From the moment our guests arrived- they kept commenting about on the beauty of the ranch and how amazing the setting was.

So if you want a magically rustic wedding- look no further than Winding River Ranch!

We could not have asked for a better venue for our wedding. Not only is the venue and scenery absolutely beautiful, Melissa and Travis are amazing to work with. They were so flexible and helpful every step of the way.

The setup make it perfect for us to have all of our bridal party stay on site with us. Since we had many out of town guests and we wanted to spend time with them before and after, the ability for everyone to stay on-site and have access to the large kitchen/dining area was a wonderful plus. The commercial kitchen made it so easy to prepare meals for all our guests and accommodate everyone in a communal way aside from the actual wedding day.

We are so happy we picked Winding River Ranch. We will definitely be visiting the ranch for years to come!!

I happily recommend Winding River Ranch to anyone looking for a rustic Rocky Mountain wedding. It was such a pleasure to work with Melissa and Travis-- they were kind, accommodating, and genuine. They were patient and helpful throughout the planning process, which made for a very smooth wedding weekend. The bridal party and our close family rented out the cabins so we took advantage of all the property has to offer before and after the wedding-- a casual rehearsal dinner in the kitchen, s'mores and a campfire the evening before the wedding, and a morning after brunch. The ceremony site is stunning and the historic barn is charming and full of character. While we had countless compliments on the venue, Melissa and Travis' helpful but laid back attitude was the most valuable aspect of booking at the ranch. Winding River made it easy for us to ensure that the weekend was about celebrating our love, marriage, and family without getting stressed out over inconsequential details. Thanks Melissa and Travis-- we love you!

The Winding River Ranch is unreal! My husband and I wanted to have our wedding at a place that was laid back but still classy and memorable. This far and above exceeded our expectations. The ranch has numerous cabins with different sleeping arrangements and 40 of our guests were able to stay on site. All in all we rented the ranch for 3 days and had a blast. The boys were able to go shooting and fishing and the girls got to relax by the pool. The cabins were quaint and perfect for our needs. Melissa and her husband were always flexible, responsive, and just excited to have us. I had the best time imaginable and highly recommend this venue.

Our son, Jacob, and his bride, Laura, had a beautiful wedding weekend at The Winding River Ranch. We hosted the rehearsal dinner on Friday night in the Historic Horse Barn, and Melissa, Travis, and staff could not have been more helpful. The Flower Stalk in downtown Grand Lake was great to work with, and the pizzas, salad, and appetizers from Basic Kneads were delicious! We could not have asked for a better experience! The weekend was magical!

Thank you so much for making my daughter and her husbands wedding a huge success. You guys are awesome! We loved your hospitality and flexibility and the location is exceptional. The photographer was able to capture so many great shots. They even had a moose as a guest at their ceremony :) A lot of lasting memories were made that day. Thank you for being a part of them. I highly recommend you check this place out.

We loved the Winding River Ranch! What a beautiful spot for a wedding where the CO River snakes through the property and Rocky Mountain National Park is the backdrop. Moose are a frequent visitor and the owners Melissa and Travis are extremely friendly and accommodating. It is apparent that they work very hard and pour their heart and soul into that ranch. They let us use the commons kitchen for our rehearsal dinner and we had a big cook out and lots of fun. It was free under the circumstances we clean up when we are done. We were so grateful for that. On the day before and day of the wedding, we knew that Melissa and Travis were there if we needed them but they did not hang around and smother us so we felt the place was ours. There are so many beautiful photo opportunities around the ranch to be taken advantage of as well! Not to mention the cute baby goat, Pop Tart along with other pettable cute fuzzy farm critters. Melissa painted us a wooden sign with our names and the ranches logo as a surprise! It has our favorite quote on it. A very sweet touch to the end of a great wedding! I would recommend the Winding River Ranch to anyone looking for a very beautiful Rocky Mountain Wedding with the best hosts and the best place to be yourself and enjoy your family! Thank you so very much Melissa and Travis for making our day so very special and unforgettable. I hope I didn't forget anything, I could go on and on. You just have to trust us and check it out for yourselves. In a destination wedding place where the venues are WAY overpriced and the event and staff make you feel like just another wedding, just another dollar.....with all the rules and guidelines and fluff they throw your way....The Winding River Ranch is a breath of good, honest, caring, hard working people fresh air!!!

The Winding River Ranch is the absolute perfect place to have a full wedding weekend. We rented out all of the cabins and had a fantastic time with our family and friends. From the beautiful scenery, campfires, wildlife (Moose!!), adorable petting zoo, swimming pool!!!, and comfortable cozy cabins, I don’t think you could ask for anything more. We also did horseback riding, ATV rentals, boat riding and golf!!!

On the actual wedding day, the girls got ready in their salon area, then dressed in the very charming bridal cabin. The separate cabins were great. The ceremony was on the island, and made for some really stunning photos. Our cocktail hour got rained on, but we used the community dining area to gather, and it was perfect. The reception was in the historic barn, and I love how my whole crew was able to decorate everything on Thursday, and relax the rest of the weekend. I got to decorate everything exactly how I wanted it, at was a really fun time!

Not to mention Melissa, Travis and Grannie are so wonderful to work with! From the first site visit, to the morning after the wedding, she was extremely helpful, cheerful, and overall perfect. They treated us so well the whole time, and it was such a memorable, special weekend.

We loved EVERYTHING about this venue. Mellisa, Travis and Granny were so easy to work with and flexible on everything we asked for. The setting was perfect for pictures, the ceremony and the reception. There is not a thing we would have changed about this venue. There were plenty of hotels within a few miles of the ranch for all of our 200 guests. We also rented out all of the cabins on the property for the immediate family and wedding party so once the party was over, it was just a short walk to bed. We were allowed to decorate with all of our own items the entire day before and clean everything up Sunday morning. (I think this was because there was no other wedding the day before or after) but that was a huge help for us since we DIY'ed everything. Travis was around all day to help us move the bar, add lights, set up another tent for the DJ. Everything we asked of him he was on top. of. I cannot recommended this venue, the location or the owners enough! Book this place now if they have your date open and you will be very happy that you did!!!

we had our wedding at the winding river ranch this past weekend, and I couldn't imagine a better place to have a wedding. The property is unbelievably beautiful - views of the rockies in every direction, and the colorado river running through the ranch. Melissa and Travis were remarkable hosts - they were kind, generous, professional, accommodating, and incredibly helpful all weekend long.

The ranch also has several cabins on the property, so we were able to house a large amount of our guests on the property for the course of the weekend. This made it so we could spend even more time with our guests on a weekend that really flew by.

I couldn't imagine having our wedding anywhere else, and I feel so thankful to have had Melissa, Travis, and Granny as a part of our wedding.

We held our wedding at the Ranch and I can honestly say it was one of the best weekends I can imagine. After our prior wedding venue fell through only a few months before the date, Melissa went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable at the ranch. She was always accommodating, accessible, and quick to respond to my questions. We rented out all of the cabins for the weekend as well, which really made it feel special to spend so much time with all of our guests who had travelled so far.

There is a designated ceremony site with gorgeous mountain views. The colorado river runs through the ranch. We had our reception in the historic barn. Access to a kitchen made it easy for us to host the rehearsal BBQ and day after brunch on site as well. This is a rustic venue- more fitting for a "laid back/rustic/elegant mountain wedding" than black tie affair (Which IMHO is the way to go!)

I can't think of a single thing that I would change about our wedding weekend at the ranch. If the mountain views, river access, and on site cabins aren't enough, working with Melissa (and dancing with the owner Granny!) were really the icing on the cake. We will definitely be returning to the winding river ranch!!

I can't say enough about what a great experience we had at the Winding River Ranch. Melissa and Travis were incredibly helpful, professional, responsive, and flexible. The ceremony site (an island in the middle of the Colorado River) was beautiful and the reception site (the Bible Barn) what just what we had hoped for. I would recommend this venue to anyone who wants to get married outdoors in a beautiful setting and have a rustic, indoor/outdoor Colorado-style reception.

We stumbled upon Winding River Ranch when our previous venue cancelled on us 4 months before our wedding. We were so lucky to find WRR and honestly believe we had a better experience there than we would have at our previous location.
Melissa and Travis, who own the ranch, were some of the friendliest people I've ever worked with. They were so accommodating, and worked diligently to prepare the venue for our wedding.
Communication - there was never an email or phone call unanswered in a timely manner.
Flexibility - Anything we asked for, WRR tried to provide. They really work hard to please their customers.
The venue - The ranch has gorgeous views of the rocky mountains, any direction you look, you will see mountains. The Colorado River runs through the ranch adding to the beauty. It's a working ranch, so there are animals, barns, etc. adding to the rustic feeling.
The ceremony site - The Colorado River creates a small island in the middle of the ranch, making for an amazing ceremony site.
The reception site - 2 barns are available for the reception. We chose the Bible Barn which was perfect for the cooler summer evenings. We had a tent set up next to the barn for dinner and seating, and the barn set up for dancing, DJ and bar. We were able to decorate as we wished and were able to use the barn for the entire night if we wanted to. There is also a fire pit right outside the barn.
Cabins on the property - many of our friends stayed right on the property, making it easy for them to stay late and not worry about driving. Also, we were able to use a bridal cabin and grooms cabin to prepare before our ceremony.
I could go on and on. Winding River Ranch was a perfect location for us. We were looking for an outdoor venue in the mountains, with flexibility and a rustic feel... and found the perfect place.
Thanks Melissa and Travis for making our wedding day so special. And thanks to Granny too, who was so fun and funny!

We had the enormous pleasure of getting married at The Winding River Ranch in Grand Lake in June. We found this as a wedding venue when our original venue cancelled on us four months to the day before our wedding. While we were super freaked out at first of not having a venue and ready to elope, we were led to Winding River and let me first say, that everything happens for a reason!!! This is one of the most gorgeous sites in Colorado to get married and has, by far the most helpful and friendly staff. When meeting Melissa at first, it felt like meeting a friend you have known for a long time. She and her husband Travis who own the ranch are some of the most caring, helpful, respectful and wonderful people you will meet. They bent over backwards for us for the wedding and knowing we were in a crunch because of our other venue dropping out, they did everything they could to make our day special and perfect. We are forever indebted to them for all their hard work. They are dedicated to making the Ranch an affordable, beautiful, unique and memorable place to get married. I highly, highly recommend them for your wedding or any large event at that. They are professional, timely, flexible and friendly. The ranch provides a lot of amenities such as a gorgeous ceremony site (with the Colorado River flowing directly behind it!!!), the choice of 2 barns to have the reception, or reception tents for alternative set ups. If you are looking for an outdoor, mountain wedding that is rustic and has great Colorado charm, look no further, and call this place IMMEDIATELY!!!!