A Bar A Ranch
GUEST
GUIDELINES
The Great Outdoors
The Great Indoors
Children’s Program
Horse Riding Advisory
Anglers’ Advisory
Traveling to the A Bar A
GUEST GUIDELINES ~A Bar A Ranch
The GreaT Outdoors
The A Bar A Ranch is located on 140,000 acres surrounded by national forest and wilderness area. The map on the back of the brochure shows our location in the Medicine Bow Mountains of southern Wyoming.
If you like sunny days and cool nights, you’ll love our moderate 7400 feet elevation. The days are warm and clear with average daytime temperatures in the 70s while nights are in the low 50s. Two of the most popular pastimes for guests are fishing and horseback riding but there are activities for all ages, including comfortable hammocks in the cottonwood grove for reading and relaxing.
General information about activities other than riding and fishing is as follows:
Golf
The nine-hole, par-three course is fun and challenging. Clubs are available for your use, stored in the box by the first Tee, and balls are for sale in the Ranch store. An adult must accompany children under 12.
Hiking
We have dozens of miles of perfect hiking trails. Each week, Lissa Howe leads guests on explorations of those trails as a wonderful way to experience part of this stunning country and meet new friends. Free trail maps are available in the office.Hikers do not need to worry about rattlesnakes, poison ivy, or poison oak; they do not occur here.
☼ Check “A Week at a Glance” for hiking times.
Picnics and Cookouts
Each week we schedule breakfast, lunch and dinner rides. There is an optional Tuesday morning breakfast ride (breakfast is also served in the dining room). The only way to get to this ride is by horse or on foot. The Wednesday Big Creek lunch ride and Friday Slim’s Draw dinner ride are served only as picnics (the dining room is closed), but we provide cars to these cookouts. Children in the children’s program get to the lunch and dinner cookouts on our 1946 vintage fire truck.
Box Lunches
These may be ordered from your waitress or in the office for an extra charge. The kitchen would appreciate 12-hours notice.
Skeet, Trap and Sporting Clays
Our sporting clays range is for intermediate and advanced shooters only. Special hours will be posted. We have .12, .20 and .28 gauge shotguns, and shells are available at the range. Arrangements for shooting can be made at the Ranch office. Shooting instruction and use of the ranges is included as part of your stay. There is an extra charge for the shotgun, shells, and clay targets used(see our current tariff sheet for information). Please note that because our ranges are by wetlands we can SHOOT ONLY STEEL SHOT.
Swimming
Our heated, filtered, outdoor pool is open daily. Lifeguard hours are posted. The pool is closed from 1:00-2:00 p.m. for lunch. Towels are available at poolside.
Tennis
We have two all-weather tennis courts. High altitude balls are available at the Ranch store. Please bring your own racquet (we do have a few racquets available for you to borrow if needed).
Yoga
We offer yoga sessions that are suitable for all levels. Yoga mats are supplied. Check “A Week at a Glance” for the times and location of these sessions.
Massage
Both One-hour and chair massages are available for an extra charge that will be added to your bill. Please check with the office for schedule and sign-up. Watch the bulletin board for times when chair massage is available on the front porch of the Hub.
THE GREAT INDOORS
The Hub
Located at the heart of the ranch, the Hub is home to the Ranch office and store. The mail and news (Wall Street Journal and New York Times Digest) are delivered to the store daily. You may also purchase your fishing license in the office. The office staff seeks to answer your questions and requests, and handle lost/found items. The office is open from 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on most days.
A Bar A Ranch Store
Our store carries a complete line of fishing gear, a variety of jewelry, a large selection of clothing and hats, tennis and golf balls, postcards and stationery, gifts and forgotten sundries. Come in and relax between activities.
The Round Room
This is the center of adult indoor evening activities and houses the bar. Bottled liquor and wine are available here at fair trade prices. Well-behaved and/or supervised children under 21 are welcome in the Round Room but not in the bar. The Round Room bar is open from 6:30 p.m. until midnight, and will usually close earlier on Sunday.
Poolside Bar and Wine Service
There are 2 bars, open at different hours of the day. At lunch time the bar is open at poolside from 12:45 until 1:45 p.m. We serve only wine in the dining room, but you are welcome to bring drinks from the Round Room bar when you come for dinner. Our wine list features more than 150 excellent quality wines at reasonable prices. Because of our relationships with a number of fine vintners, we often have wines that are available almost no place else. You are welcome to bring your own wine, if you prefer, with a corkage fee of $16 per bottle.
The Lariat
This is the center for teen activity, a recreation room with a pool table and ping-pong and a perfect place for all ages to gather with their family to play games. It is open from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. daily. Children under 12 are welcome if they are accompanied by an adult.
We offer special activities for teens and these will be advertised in time for all who would like to participate.
Telephone Messages/Faxes
There are several phone booths located near the office. Phone messages, faxes and package notices are posted on the bulletin board outside the office. We ship through UPS anywhere in the world. After hours, emergency calls are relayed to you by the Ranch manager.
Laundry
Free, do-it-yourself laundry facilities are available in the cabin next to the Lariat. Detergent and bleach are provided.
Internet and Library
Our ranch library is well stocked with books that you can borrow, featuring novels, books about the history of the area, field guides, and western history. Feel free to borrow what you’d like but please return it to the library at the end of your stay.
There is also a computer in our library with a high-speed satellite connection so you can check your email. If you have a laptop with wireless capabilities you can use it in certain areas of the ranch. We ask that you not use your laptop in public areas other than the Round Room prior to the bar opening at 6:30 p.m. The Library is always available for computer use.
Emergencies
After-hour emergencies should be reported to the manager at his home – the last house on the right across from the barn as you leave the Ranch, or dial the extension listed by the Ranch phone.
CHILDREN’S PROGRAM – “The Gopher Hole”
The Children’s Program is designed for children between the ages of 3 and 12. A child must be aged 3 at the time they are at the ranch. Children, younger than 3, are welcome to participate if accompanied by their own babysitter. Your child can expect safe care as well as fun and educational experiences.
Schedule
The Children’s Program hours are 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. each day except Thursday and Sunday when it opens at 3:00 p.m. Thursday is Family Day, which gives you a chance to do something together with your children. Our children’s program is available from June to the Sunday before Labor Day.
Meals
Your child is welcome to eat with the Children’s Program for lunch and/or dinner. Children’s Program dinner is a child-friendly meal served at 6:00 p.m. We will assume that your child will eat with the Children’s Program for both meals unless you let us know otherwise in advance. If your child would like to join you in the dining room, please communicate these plans with the Children’s Program staff so they can notify the kitchen and dining room. Any special children’s cookout will be listed on the weekly schedule so that you may sign your child up.
During the Big Creek Lunch cookout and Slim’s Draw Dinner cookout, all children will be their parent’s responsibility from the Children’s Program arrival until its departure. Please be sure they are safely aboard the fire truck for the return trip.
Children’s Program Activities
In addition to regular activities there are a number of special events planned during the week. These may include: riding our own ranch fire truck to the cookouts, nature walks, treasure hunts, fishing in the specially stocked kids’ pond, craft projects, outdoor games, and an obstacle course. Horseback riding is a popular activity for the Children’s Program. The children’s riding program is described in more detail in the Horse Advisory section.
Babysitters
The A Bar A is a family-oriented experience and you are very welcome to bring children younger than three years old. There is no charge for children younger than three years unless you use the hourly babysitting services mentioned below.
If you do not bring a nanny and need babysitting services, there will be an hourly charge of $12. This service will be provided by our Children’s Program staff and charged to your bill. This will eliminate the need to pay your baby sitter individually (and please no tipping as this will be part of their regular duties).
If you bring your own nanny, they will stay in your cabin and the charge for the nanny will be $160 per night.
Know where your children are
We provide fun and safe activities for children aged 3 to 12 with our Children’s Program. If your children are not in the program you are responsible for them and you should know where they are at all times. If they are not in the Children’s Program we will assume that they are reporting to you.
Teenagers
There are several teen activities planned each week that are reserved exclusively for those 12 and older. The Big Creek and Slim’s Draw cookout rides are also open to those 12 and older. While freedom at the A Bar A is a privilege we all enjoy, please be aware of what your teenager is doing and where he/she is. We suggest that you consider setting a Midnight curfew.
The LARIAT, our teen recreational center, is open daily from 11:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. It is open for those aged 12 and older, but younger children are also welcome to use it with their parents.
One of the best parts of the A Bar A is the many generations represented. We look forward to sharing the ranch with your children.
HORSE RIDING ADVISORY
Our riding program is designed to give you the greatest enjoyment in the safest manner. It is unique in that you may ride without a wrangler if you are over 18 years of age and have good riding skills. We do have wranglers on hand who are ready to guide you on rides, give you instruction, and help you to have a great overall experience on horseback.
On Sunday evenings, a wrangler will greet you in the dining room to learn your preference and abilities. After Sunday you may sign up at the corral for the next day’s riding, or on the list that will be available in the dining room.
CHILDREN’S RIDING
For those under the age of 12 we have a carefully selected group of children’s horses. The youth program provides riding daily for those who wish to participate.
All riders under 12 years will be evaluated each Monday morning to determine their ability. If a child has good riding skills, he or she may be assigned an adult horse and be able to ride with his or her parents or attend the Children’s Program riding activities.
No matter what their skill level, a child must be at least aged 12 to ride to the Friday’s Slim’s Draw cookout. No exceptions.
We offer special rides and activities for teenagers. Check at the corral for what is scheduled for the week.
Under Wyoming law, equine professionals are not liable for an injury to or the death of a participant in equine activities resulting from the inherent and assumed risks of equine activities, pursuant to Wyoming statue 1-1-126. A Bar A, its wranglers and counselors are equine professionals. In almost anything you do that involves a horse, pony, donkey or other member of the equine family, you are a participant in an equine activity.
A TYPICAL WEEK’S riding SCHEDULE
9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. and 2:00-4:30 p.m. are regular riding hours.
MONDAY 9:30 a.m. corral orientation for new guests who are planning to ride at all. If you spend time with us, we guarantee you’ll enjoy your A Bar A riding even more.
Children will be evaluated at 10:30 on Monday to determine their riding ability. If they check out to be able to ride an adult horse, they will be assigned one and are welcome to ride with you as well as with the riders in the Children’s Program.
TUESDAYOptional breakfast ride departs at 7:30 a.m. Other rides follow the normal riding schedule above. For non-riders, breakfast is served in the dining room at the normal times. Please note that we do not have arrangements for child care at this time.
WEDNESDAY Big Creek lunch ride. 10:30-3:30 is the riding schedule. If you do not wish to ride to the cookout, a suburban will leave from the office at 12 p.m. and Children’s Program participants leave in the fire truck at 12:30 p.m.
THURSDAY - Family Day. Children’s Program is closed until 3:00 p.m. today. Rides are at the regular riding hours listed above
FRIDAYRegular riding is from 9:30-12 p.m. Afternoon riding begins at 4:30 p.m. for those who wish to ride to Slim’s Draw for the cookout. Suburbans leave the Hub at 5:30 p.m. and children leave in the fire truck at 6:00 p.m.
SATURDAYKid’s Rodeo is 2:30-3:30 p.m. Regular morning riding hours for all others.
SUNDAY - Arrival/ Departure Day. No riding,shooting, or fishing guides.
On most days you are welcome to take an all-day ride if you wish. This can be arranged with the Head Wrangler. You may arrange for a box lunch from the dining room staff by filling out a box lunch form the evening prior to your all-day ride.
If you do not plan to be back by 12 p.m. (lunch ride or not) let the wranglers know what time you expect to return.
THINGS TO REMEMBER WHILE RIDING
To ride you must wear proper riding boots that are smooth soled with a heel (not eventer style). You may not ride in hiking boots or tennis shoes. We do provide a limited selection of loaners at the corral.
Unless mounting, please stay out of the corral where the horses are tied. A wrangler will bring your horse to you, help you mount, and make adjustments to the equipment as necessary.
We recommend use of a “stampede string” (available in the office) to hold your hat on in a Wyoming breeze.
Mountain weather is very changeable. Sweaters or rain jackets are good to take with you. You can either tie them on your saddle or the wrangler can loan you a saddlebag. If you need to put a jacket or sweatshirt on, dismount. A flappy jacket or other sudden movements can spook even the gentlest horse.
If someone dismounts to open or close a gate, all others in the group must wait after going through the gate until that person is fully mounted. This pertains to any time a rider is dismounted.
Remember that our terrain is rough and often steep. Give your horse periodic breathers so he can rest and you can enjoy the scenery.
Please do not allow your horse to eat grass or shrubbery while on your ride. This is an annoying habit and difficult to stop once it has been allowed.
Sorry, we do not allow our guests to use spurs while riding our horses. No exceptions.
Horses do not like to be crowded. To avoid being kicked, keep a horse’s distance between you and the next horse.
Do not trot or lope to pass another horse in your group. This upsets the horse in front of you and may cause them to bolt.
When you meet other groups on the trail, remember that the outgoing group has the right-of-way. Returning rides must stop their horses, move off the trail as far as possible and wait until the other group has passed by.
Trotting or cantering is not permitted going uphill, downhill, or in sight of the corral. Be sure to allow a 15 minute warm-up period for you and the horse before you do any trotting or cantering. Racing or galloping is never permitted.
Always walk the last ¼ mile to the corral.