Saratoga, Wyoming—Reported by Elite Traveler, the private jet lifestyle magazine
High-end guest ranch operators are constantly walking a tightrope. Balancing luxury expectations with down-home bonhomie. Balancing classic activities like trout fishing and equestrian outings with new jack outdoor excitement. Hotelier Bruce White’s gorgeous 15,000-acre Brush Creek Ranch outside of Saratoga, Wyoming gets everything right, with almost effortless aplomb. While the perennial draws of fly fishing and horseback riding are more than covered (via exclusive riverfront rights along the North Platte and Encampment rivers and a 28,000-square-foot equestrian center and 50 miles of private riding trails), don’t miss an afternoon at one of the West’s most impressive shooting ranges, incorporating sporting clays, pistol and long-range shooting and good old-fashioned .22 caliber “plunking” activities.
The day’s activities pull together seamlessly, with an experienced and friendly outfitting staff organizing your interests (and even pushing your outdoor envelope a bit) with uncanny insight and charm. While part of the appeal is the intrinsic camaraderie and group dining of a ranch, when it’s time to sneak away for some privacy, follow in the footsteps of at least one Nashville superstar and an elite group of Google execs and base your stay at the exclusive Magee Homestead. A private “ranch within a ranch” just down the road a poke from the main ranch operations, these seven beautifully restored historic cabins (nine bedrooms total) and staffed lodge house redefine the term “cowboy chic.” Magee packages start at about $10,000 a night, inclusive of meals and activities.