By Dede Fey
Grand County, just a few hours from Denver, is a convenient meeting destination that feels worlds away. Meeting planners who want to escape the trap of drab conference rooms for their next event have several choices in Grand County, from luxurious to more rustic and casual.
Devil’s Thumb Ranch Resort & Spa
Devil’s Thumb Ranch Resort & Spa in Tabernash is an environmentally friendly property that offers rustically upscale accommodations, a variety of meeting space, incredible spa treatments, fine dining and an array of winter and summer outdoor and wilderness recreation activities to inspire a team’s creativity.
The centerpiece of the Devil’s Thumb meeting and event center, the Broad Axe Barn, is a magnificent 2,900-square-foot room with 25-foot-high vaulted ceilings and expansive windows that take advantage of the beautiful natural setting. Other great options include Yager House, perfect for smaller meetings and offering an intimate feel with a stone fireplace, comfy couches and a gourmet kitchen, and High Lonesome Barn, a Civil War-era structure that offers rustic elegance. For additional variety, Timber House is nearly all glass, allowing for a 240-degree view of the scenic Ranch Creek Valley and the Continental Divide, and John L’s Wine Cellar & Uncorking Room provides an intimate and elegant setting for private dinners and meetings. The Lodge Board Room is great for breakout sessions with a large work table, buttery leather chairs and a quiet location perfect for productivity.
The High Lonesome Lodge barn ready for an event at Devil’s Thumb Ranch Resort & Spa. Courtesy Devil’s Thumb.
Snow Mountain Ranch
The 5,000-acre Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby offers a nourishing environment where groups can really unplug from the daily grind, which means engaged participants and increased productivity! Meeting planners can even incorporate some of the ranch’s popular activities to help the group gel. Options include trail riding, a climbing wall, zip lining and more.
Summer tubing is one of the many activities offered year-round at YMCA of the Rockies’ Snow Mountain Ranch. Courtesy Snow Mountain Ranch.
Snow Mountain Ranch can accommodate groups of all sizes with state-of-the-art facilities, free Wi-Fi, a plethora of lodging options, and plenty of activities to help attendees recharge after a productive day. Indian Peaks is a newly renovated 3,600-square foot venue with seating for up to 400. The Kiva Building is much larger with seating for 1,500, making it a great choice for trade shows. There’s even an assembly hall and an auditorium, which can be used in their entirety or broken up into smaller meeting rooms based on a group’s needs.
C Lazy U Ranch
As one of Colorado’s premier luxury guest ranches, C Lazy U Ranch focuses on five-star service. C Lazy U, located near Granby, is one of the few remaining places where groups can experience a meeting or retreat far from the stresses of everyday life and filled with the rich traditions of the American West. The property features rustically elegant cabins, fine dining, a full-service spa, and 8,500 acres of adventure.
The newly renovated Hay Barn meeting venue can accommodate groups up to 100. Additionally, a new lodge meeting room is currently being constructed this spring that will offer 1,100 square feet of additional meeting space, featuring a private banquet room, a new wine room and a chef’s table. For a truly extraordinary experience, groups can book C Lazy U Guest Ranch exclusively for the benefit of a private event and tap into team-building options like a ropes course, zip line, horsemanship, cattle roping clinics and more.
Moving the horses at C Lazy U Ranch. Courtesy C Lazy U.
For meeting attendees, thinking outside the box has never looked so good at Grand County guest ranches!
Dede Fay has served as Sales Director of the Grand County Tourism Board and enjoyed living and playing in Grand County for nearly 30 years.
