Wide Open Spaces: Ranch Spas 101

If you’re seeking a “hyper-local” wellbeing experience, SháNah Spa & Wellness Center at Bishop’s Lodge Ranch—set on 450 acres of horseback riding, hiking, and mountain biking trails in the Tesuque Valley of northern New Mexico—may be the place for you. SháNah, translated as “vitality and energy,” features treatments steeped in rich Native American customs; an authentic Native American teepee is also available for massage and private introspection.

Image courtesy of Bishop’s Lodge Ranch, Resort Hotel & Spa

In a quiet corner of a meadow sits the 10,000-square-foot Ranch Creek Spa at Devil’s Thumb Ranch Resort. Here, find 15 treatment rooms, locker rooms with steam areas, a couple’s suite, and yoga lookout studio—plus, a menu of spa services that use naturally derived products tested in some of the toughest mountain climates.

Image courtesy of Devil’s Thumb Ranch Resort & Spa

At Echo Valley, drink water sourced from one of the ranch’s five natural springs and compare and contrast visits to the property’s two separate spas: Thai Spa, providing traditional Thai therapies, and the western-style Cariboo Spa, highlighting modern European treatments. (Just an FYI, Echo Valley is a Dude Ranchers’ Association-accredited ranch!)

Image courtesy of Echo Valley Ranch & Spa

Tucked away in a mountain valley deep within the Colorado Rockies, Smith Fork Ranch has, in the past, been the perfect retreat for both the equestrian and the epicurean, thanks to endless miles of trails and farm-to-table gourmet cuisine—but now it indulges spa-goers as well. New this season is a boutique spa offering massage modalities and a signature facial, ideal following adventurous pursuits like horseback riding and float fishing in Gunnison Gorge.

Image courtesy of Smith Fork Ranch

Near the Colorado River, Sorrel, which takes its name from the rusty red hue found in American quarter horses and the red rock surroundings of southern Utah, encompasses 160 acres of expansive green pastures littered with verdant green crops and grazing horses. It’s easy to feel revitalized simply by the American Southwest setting, though we’re also in favor of heading to the full-service health spa, where you’ll find river views and treatments that include the Bourbon Cowboy and Slick Rock Massage.

Image courtesy of Sorrel River Ranch Resort & Spa

Interiors of The Trailhead Spa at The Lodge & Spa at Brush Creek Ranch mimic the property’s western landscape, as do treatments, which combine time-honored traditions of the American west with native ingredients. You’re also free to try fitness and wellness activities, including daily outdoor sunrise yoga.

Image courtesy of The Lodge & Spa at Bush Creek Ranch

Three Forks Ranch, which straddles the Colorado and Wyoming border, features a 35,000-square-foot resort and spa nestled into 200,000 private acres on the Sierra Madres Mountains. The property, also an operational cattle ranch, includes the Roaring Fork Spa, a boutique-size sanctuary with four treatment spaces, steam rooms, an exercise facility, and rock grotto fashioned with hot tubs and an indoor/outdoor basking pool.

Image courtesy of Three Forks Ranch