Planning Your Stay
Most reservations are made one year in advance. Buy-out reservations (primarily available in early June and late September) can be made 2-3 years in advance.
The A Bar A has a return rate above 90%. Current have priority on their space and week until October 1. Most choose to submit their return request for the following year upon departure. After October 1, reservations are open to the waitlist. It is recommended that new guests seeking a reservation for the following summer submit their requests by October 1.
Reservation requests can be submitted online from the A Bar A website. The reservations director will reach out to you to discuss options or place you on the waitlist.
There is no minimum stay requirement, but most guests stay from Sunday to Sunday.
A Bar A is open from early June through late September. The Expeditions program has self-supported reservations available through October.
We try to avoid a la carte billing. Your nightly rate includes lodging, meals, activities, and the kids program. The few extras include beverages from the bar, shooting sports, massage, and excursions like river raft fishing.
Taxes and a 15% hospitality fee (which goes directly to staff) add about 21% to the nightly rate. See the rates page for additional information.
A deposit of 50% is required two weeks after your reservation is confirmed.
Reservations cancelled before March 1, will have their deposit fully refunded. After March 1, deposits are returned provided the space is rebooked.
Tipping individuals is discouraged. A 15% hospitality fee is added to your nightly rate and this goes directly to staff.
Most guests pay using a check or wire transfer. A 3% surcharge is added to credit card payments.
The A Bar A offers a variety of cabins and lodges that can accommodate couples, families, and extended family groups. The reservations director will work with you to find the best match of cabin style, size, and location based on your dates and our available spaces.
The A Bar A does not offer group discounts.
Most guests fly into Denver and rent a car to drive to the Ranch. Private or charter flights can be arranged to fly directly into A Bar A on our paved 5,700-foot runway. Larger planes or those requiring refueling can fly into Saratoga, WY.
It takes approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes to drive from DIA to the A Bar A.
The A Bar A can help connect you with charter flight operators so you can make these arrangements.
We offer pickup from our private runway at no charge. Airport shuttle service is available to/from Saratoga’s airport for a fee. We do not offer shuttle service to/from Denver.
There is no need to reserve activities before arriving for a stay at A Bar A. Activity signup occurs each day for the following day. Check the weekly schedule for more details.
Guests taking part in the Expeditions program will work with their Expeditions host to establish a schedule ahead of time. Don’t worry, plans can always shift if needed.
Breakfast and lunch are casual and guests tend to wear clothing that is appropriate for the activities they will participate in for that day (swimsuit cover-ups recommended). At dinner, guests take the opportunity to dress western in nice jeans, skirts, or dresses, boots, and collared shirts or blouses.
Guests are encouraged to wear clothing that is appropriate for their activities.
For riding, jeans and riding boots with a heel are required. Hikers tend to wear lightweight pants or shorts and athletic shoes or light hiking shoes. For fishing, most people wear shorts or lightweight pants. Waders are provided. If you plan on participating in water activities like river tubing or wet-wading while fishing, bring water shoes that secure to your feet (no flip-flops).
The sun can be strong, so plan on wearing a hat and sunglasses. Most riders opt for a cowboy hat for riding (must have a stampede string, available at the Ranch store). Helmets are available on request and are required for children 12 and under. Many people opt for baseball caps for other activities.
Mountain weather can change quickly, so layering is helpful. Consider bringing a vest, micro-puff jacket, and waterproof layer.
Self-guided fishing is welcomed. Guests are asked to check-in with the fishing guides to coordinate plans and gather ideas. Use of personal fly fishing gear is permitted. The Ranch also provides self-guided fishermen with equipment on request. Per state regulations, all anglers over 14 years of age are required to purchase a fishing license, which can be done at the Ranch store or online.
The A Bar A is a fly fishing-only property. An exception is the kids’ fishing pond, which allows bait and lure fishing for children
Confident riders with horse knowledge can ride without a wrangler, when approved by the Head Wrangler. Maps are provided and riders are sent with a radio to stay in contact with the corral in case of emergency.
Jeans and a riding boots with a heel are required. Hiking boots and tennis shoes are not permitted. Most guests ride with a cowboy hat or baseball cap. Riding helmets are available on request and some guests bring their own helmet. For cowboy hats, a stampede string (available in the Ranch store) is required. Sunglasses, sunscreen, and a water bottle are also recommended. Depending on weather conditions, consider an appropriate jacket.
Most of the year, our cattle are managed by the Big Creek crew and guests do not work with cattle. During the Rendezvous (late September), advanced riders can sign up to help with the fall roundup.
Yes. We have an outstanding herd of horses and know each horse individually and over a period of years. This is helpful as we match horses and riders and allows us to have an ongoing training horse training program.
Personal shotguns are allowed. Check with the Office for our Firearms Policy, rules, and locking requirements. To protect water and wildlife, the Ranch does not allow lead shot. Steel shot is available at the skeet and trap range. Rapid-fire guns are not allowed.
Wildlife abound on the Ranch. Riders, hikers, and fishermen have frequent opportunities to see animals. Check with the Office if you would like to arrange a wildlife-specific excursion.
Mule deer, pronghorn, elk, and moose make their homes here. We also see foxes, coyotes, and badgers. Black bear, mountain lions, and occasional wolves are also present. However, they are rarely seen.
Bald and golden eagles, sandhill cranes, Canada geese, American white pelicans, and many other species of birds nest here. There are no poisonous snakes.
Kids are welcome in the dining lodge. The children’s program also has separate lunch and dinner service.
Trail rides with the kids’ program are available for children 6 through 12 years old. Kids 13 and older can ride on adult trail rides. A lead pony is available for kids under 6.
Kids’ riding is offered six days per week. Children 6 through 12 ride with the kids’ program and parents can choose to join on those rides. The ranch also offers family rides twice per week and the timing of those rides is arranged with the corral.
Light snacks are available poolside. Guests can also purchase a limited selection of snacks in the Ranch store.
A lifeguard is on duty most days from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Yes, cabins are cleaned daily unless you let us know that you would prefer a different schedule.
The Ranch is intentionally designed as a place where guests can take a break from constant connectivity and focus on in-person connections with friends and family.
High speed internet service is available in the Library, Lariat, and Los Cielos public spaces. We ask guests to refrain from use of cellular devices and computers in other public spaces. There is no internet service in cabins and we discourage use of portable satellite devices for non-emergency communication.
There is no cellular service at A Bar A headquarters. Guests can connect to calling, video, and text over Wi-Fi in three central locations.
Calling, video calls, and text over Wi-Fi are available in central locations. Messages can also be left with the office and they will be delivered to you. For nighttime emergencies, calls are routed to the Ranch manager, who will deliver messages directly to your cabin.
The closest emergency room is 45 minutes away in Saratoga, Wyoming. Saratoga also has several clinics and a dentist.
A Bar A headquarters has a capacity of 130 people, but we target 110 at time. This allows us to keep a roughly 1/1 guest to staff ratio. The Expeditions program can accommodate groups from 2-6 people.
In terms of acreage, the Ranch owns roughly 55,000 contiguous acres and it has grazing leases on another 50,000 acres. This land is shared by the guest, cattle, and conservation programs.
Fishing occurs on approximately 30 acres of private water and on ponds across the property.
The A Bar A is among the first guest ranches and has been operating since 1922. Cattle ranching at A Bar A started in the 1880s.
Unless they already have a home nearby, most staff live on site.
Most staff share a room with 1 to 3 others. There are a limited number of single rooms available.
Staff have access to several staff-only laundry facilities at no cost. The ranch provides detergent.
The ranch provides three meals per day as part of staff benefits. There is no charge for these meals. Staff housing is also provided,
Prior work experience helps, but the depth of experience needed will depend on the department. For example, a member of the food and beverage team might have general work experience but never served tables before arriving. Wranglers, fishing guides, and shooting instructors all need strong past experience—even if they may not have previously been employed in those roles.
You must be at least 18 years of age, and have at least one year of post-high school education and/or work experience
We focus on professional development and growth for all staff. We generally do not offer internships, but occasionally support internships that are sponsored through an academic institution.
The ranch has an active peer leader and mentorship program.
Yes. Staff training takes place before guests arrive and is an important part of building our seasonal staff and ranch community.
Yes. About half the staff brings a car. The remainder travel with friends or fly into Laramie, Wyoming. Please note that the Ranch does not provide EV charging stations for staff.
We will pick staff up in Laramie, Wyoming. We do not offer pickup in Denver.
Yes, our application requires current or recent students to have at least a 3.0 GPA.
Yes. Staff may have family and friends visit. Staff are required to sign up staff guests in advance with Leadership Team management. Policies are outlined in Staff Handbook.
Pets are not allowed for seasonal employees.
Staff can use most facilities, provided they are not being used by guests. Some guest activities are open to staff. The Ranch also sets aside fishing and horseback ride times for staff (weather and resources permitting).
Tips for individuals are discouraged. A 15% hospitality fee is added to guest nightly rates. This fee goes directly to staff.
The Ranch offers a 401k retirement benefit and will match up to 6% of your contribution.
There is no health insurance plan for seasonal staff. The Ranch carries workers’ compensation insurance.
Hiking, horseback riding, river tubing, basketball, tennis and pickleball, trips to town, camping, stargazing, campfires, and hanging out with friends are just a few of the many things our staff tend to do during their time off.
There is a grocery store in Saratoga, Wyoming, which is 45 minutes away. For larger stores, like Walmart, staff tend to drive to Laramie, Wyoming or Steamboat Springs, Colorado. (1.5 and 2.25 hours away).