We're not just a dude ranch. We're a Return to What Matters.

Current Job Openings

Housekeeper

$15.16 / hour + tips

Red Feather Lakes

The cabin tells the truth before the host does.

The first thing a guest does when they walk into a cabin at the end of a long travel day is look around. What they see tells them whether we mean what we say. Your work is the answer to that question.

We're 138 acres at 8,000 ft, with Roosevelt National Forest as the back fence. Fort Collins is 45 minutes down the road. We bought this ranch to run it for a long time, and we're building a team that feels the same way about the work.

What You'll Actually Do

Turn Cabins & Rooms

Turn cabins and lodge rooms between stays — beds, bathrooms, surfaces, floors.

Daily Refresh

During multi-night stays — top up amenities, light tidy, fresh towels.

Eyes on Detail

Notice the details guests notice — and the ones they don't.

Restock & Order

Restock supplies and keep the housekeeping cupboard ordered.

Flag Issues Fast

Spot maintenance issues quickly so we fix them before the next guest arrives.

Who You Are

• You take pride in a room someone else will sleep in

• You move quickly without cutting corners

• You can work alone for hours and still be friendly when guests cross your path

• You don't mind altitude, stairs, or a full physical shift

• You're reliable — we can count on you being where you said you'd be

The Basics

• $15.16/hr + tip pool shared across the team.

• 3 Meals a Day. Live-in option includes on-site housing and all meals.

TWO OPTIONS

OPTION A 

Local Hire

40 hours across Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Great for candidates already in the area.

OPTION B

Live-In

Full-time, on-site housing included plus three meals a day — the same food guests eat. Reports to Head of Hospitality. Start: ASAP.

How to Apply

Email jade@sundancetrail.com with:

• Short note. Tell us why this place, why this role.

• Your background. A CV, LinkedIn, or a fair description of what you've done.

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Assistant Cook

$15.16 - $25.00 / hour + tips

Red Feather Lakes

The first plate sets the tone for the whole day.

A guest who rode in from Denver yesterday wakes up at 8,000 ft, walks into breakfast, and decides — right there — what kind of place this is. That first plate is the answer.

Two ways into the kitchen. Pick the one that fits.

OPTION A

Assistant Cook — Live-In

• Full-time, on-site housing + 3 meals a day included

• Second-in-command to the Head Chef across all service

• Right for: a developing chef who wants the kitchen and the mountain

Pay: $18–$25/hr depending on experience

OPTION B

Breakfast Cook — Local

• Mon–Sat mornings, breakfast service for guests

• You own the first impression of the day

• Local hire — live near the ranch and drive in

• Right for: a strong cook who doesn't want a 14-hour day

Pay: $15.16–$25/hr depending on experience

Who You Are — Either Way

Whether you're stepping into the Assistant Cook role or owning breakfast service, we're looking for the same core person.

You Can Cook Breakfast Like It Matters

Because to the guest who just rode in from Denver, it does.

Clean, Organized, On Time

The basics — done right, every single service.

You Like a Small Team

Close quarters, real relationships, shared purpose.

Pressure Without Drama

You handle the heat without making the rest of the kitchen feel it.

Hungry to Learn — or Teach

Either direction works. Just bring the appetite.

How to Apply

• Send an email to jade@sundancetrail.com

• With a short note on why this place, why this role

• A CV, LinkedIn, or a fair description of what you've done

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Lodge and Guest Experience
Lodge Manager / Head Of Hospitality
$18.00 - $20.00 / hour + tips
Red Feather Lakes
Lodge Manager | Head Of Hospitality - Year Round
This is a year-round role, living on-site in what we genuinely think is paradise.
And yes, we know every ranch says that.
But this place is different. Well I really think it is!

You’ll live on the ranch, away from the main guest lodge, in a home shared with our Ranch Ambassador, Sam. Close enough to be part of the rhythm. Far enough away that when you’re off duty, you can actually relax.
The views from this spot are spectacular. Morning coffee in the swing chair at sunrise is something special. Riding or hiking into the forest on your days off — that’s part of the package.

You’ll receive three meals a day when the kitchen is running, and staff eat the same food as guests. No sad staff pasta while guests get the good stuff. We sit with guests and enjoy connecting with them, and each other, over good quality food. We are working toward a food program that is non-GMO and organic wherever possible.
Your home also has a full kitchen, so when you want your own space, your own rhythm, or just a quiet night with something simple, you’ve got that too.
This is a year-round leadership position, not a short seasonal fling. You’ll help shape the lodge experience through summer dude ranch season, shoulder-season stays, retreats, events, and the quieter months when the ranch gets even more beautiful in a different way.
And because this role matters commercially, the package includes a performance incentive tied to ranch profitability.
Translation: when the ranch wins, you share in the upside.
Not in a vague “we’re all family here” kind of way. In a real, measurable, grown-up way.
WHAT YOU’LL LOVE ABOUT THIS ROLE.
The moment guests step out of the car and realise they can finally exhale.
They’ve driven up from Denver, Fort Collins, flown from Texas, California, or somewhere else that has been running them hard. Kids are buzzing. Parents are tired. Bags are everywhere. Someone forgot a jacket. Someone is nervous about riding. Someone is already quietly hoping this week gives their family something they haven’t had in a while — space, connection, fresh air, and a reason to put the phone down.
And that first moment matters.
The Lodge Manager owns it.
You are the person who makes the lodge feel calm, cared for, ready, and personal. You make sure rooms feel welcoming, common spaces feel warm, arrivals feel hosted, and the team knows what needs to happen before a guest ever has to ask.
This is not just housekeeping. This is not just front desk. This is not standing behind a counter waiting for problems.
This is operational hospitality, ranch-style.
And let’s be clear: operational hospitality means you can roll up your sleeves and do the work too.
When the seasonal housekeepers go home, you don’t stand around wondering who is going to reset the rooms. You are able to clean cabins, strip beds, make beds properly, restock bathrooms, reset common areas, carry linens, wipe surfaces, notice smells, fix the small things, and set the standard with a smile.
Not because you are “just housekeeping.”
Because at STR, how a room feels when a guest walks in is part of the experience.
You lead the standard by being able to do the standard.
You’ll also support the kitchen when needed. That might mean helping with food prep, dishes, service flow, dining room reset, guest meals, prep support, or jumping in when the team needs another pair of capable hands.
No drama. No ego. No “that’s not my job.”
This is a ranch. Everyone helps make the experience work.
THE ROLE.
Year-round Lodge Manager at Colorado’s smallest dude ranch, with 24 guests max, tucked into 138 acres at 8,000 ft and surrounded by 800,000+ acres of Roosevelt National Forest.
You oversee the daily rhythm of the lodge — guest arrivals and departures, housekeeping standards, lodge presentation, supply management, staff coordination, guest communication, service recovery, and the thousand little details that decide whether a stay feels ordinary or unforgettable.
You work closely with me, Jade, (my partner in life and business Monty are the new owners), the Head Chef, Barn Boss, Ranch Ambassador, housekeeping team, activities team, and wider ranch crew. We are the new owners of Sundance Trail Ranch, and we are building this next chapter with care, high standards, and a deep respect for what guests already love about this place.

This is a senior leadership role. You are expected to see around corners, lead calmly, communicate clearly, and protect the guest experience without creating drama in the team.
There is no “back-of-house” here.
Guests feel everything.
WHAT YOU’LL ACTUALLY OWN.
• Leading, training, scheduling, and supporting lodge and housekeeping staff

• Personally stepping into housekeeping, especially after seasonal housekeepers leave

• Cleaning and resetting rooms, cabins, bathrooms, common spaces, and guest areas to the standard you expect from the team

• Making sure every arrival feels warm, personal, and prepared

• Managing departures so guests leave cared for, not processed

• Holding high standards for cleanliness, room readiness, scent, presentation, comfort, and supplies

• Coordinating with housekeeping, food and beverage, barn, activities, and maintenance so the guest experience feels seamless

• Supporting the kitchen and dining room when needed, including dishes, service, reset, and guest flow

• Handling guest feedback, complaints, special requests, and service recovery with calm ownership

• Maintaining inventory for linens, amenities, cleaning supplies, lodge stock, guest items, and operational basics

• Managing procurement and reorder rhythms so the lodge does not run on last-minute panic

• Participating in leadership meetings, daily huddles, Manager on Duty rotations, and guest briefing rhythms

• Supporting safety, compliance, property standards, emergency procedures, and guest care protocols

• Noticing the details others miss — the crooked cushion, the empty coffee station, the guest looking lost, the room that technically passed but does not feel right

• Bringing solutions, not just reporting problems

• Doing other ranch duties as assigned, because this is a ranch and “that’s not my job” does not live here
  
THE PACKAGE.
• Year-round position, living on-site at the ranch

• Private room in a shared home with our Ranch Ambassador, Samantha

• Housing is away from the main guest lodge, giving you proper space to relax when you are off duty

• Full kitchen in your home

• Three meals a day when the kitchen is operating — the same food guests eat

• Performance incentive tied to ranch profitability

• $20/hour, full-time

• Included in the tip pool

• HFWA paid sick leave, FAMLI

• Full access to ranch life on days off — trails, horses, hiking, archery, hot tub, pool table

• Real leadership development, coaching, feedback, and growth support
  
THE HONEST PITCH.
This is a big role in a small place.
You’ll have privacy, but you’ll still live on a ranch. That means weather, animals, guests, dirt, beauty, long days, odd jobs, early mornings, and the occasional plan that changes because a horse, a storm, a guest, or a pipe had other ideas.
You’ll get sunrise coffee in one of the most beautiful spots on the ranch.
You’ll also get days where you’re carrying linens, cleaning rooms, solving a guest issue, resetting a bathroom, helping in the kitchen, answering the same question three times, and still needing to show up warm at dinner.

That’s the deal.
If you want polished corporate hospitality, this is not it.
If you want real hospitality — raw, rustic, human, high-standard, hands-on, and deeply alive — this might be home.

Would you like to come join us?

email me: jade@sundancetrail.com
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Barn Team
Lead Wrangler
$15.16 - $16.50 / hour + tips
Red Feather Lakes
Seasonal | Start ASAP through End September (potentially October) | Red Feather Lakes, Colorado
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This isn't a job ad. It's a calling.
Something is broken in the way people live right now. They sit all day. They scroll all night. They don't know what it feels like to have a 1,000-pound partner trust them with their life. They've forgotten they have bodies. Their kids are growing up without ever feeling the kind of confidence that only comes from telling a horse "easy" and having the horse believe them.
We're doing something about it.
Sundance Trail Ranch exists to help people remember who they are, reconnect with what matters, and reimagine life. We do that at 8,000 feet in the Colorado Rockies, on 138 acres surrounded by 800,000+ acres of Roosevelt National Forest — through horses, mountains, campfires, and the kind of real human connection most people haven't felt in years. We call it The Great Reconnection. From numb, digital, disconnected living — to embodied, connected, adventurous lives.
And the horses are at the heart of it.
Here's what we believe: a horse will tell you the truth about yourself faster than any therapist alive. Kids who've never sat in a saddle will leave here with a kind of confidence they couldn't get from a screen, a sport, or a school. Adults who couldn't sit still for three minutes at home will spend an hour brushing a horse and not realize the time has passed. Families who haven't laughed together in a year will laugh until their ribs hurt because Dad's horse stopped to eat a bush, again.
We exist to give people the real thing. And we're looking for the wrangler who's going to lead the team that delivers it.
This is not a job for someone who's "good with horses." This is a job for a horseperson — someone who reads a herd, mentors a crew, runs a barn when the boss is off, and carries the standard when no one's watching.
If you just felt something reading that — keep going. If you're just looking for a summer gig — this isn't it.
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YOUR MISSION (IF YOU CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IT)
To run point on the trail program, mentor the wrangler crew, and step in as Barn Boss when our Barn Manager is off.
As Lead Wrangler / 2nd in Command, you're our Barn Boss's right hand. You're the person the rest of the team looks to when things get hectic. You read the herd in the morning and know who needs an easy day. You know which guest is about to get tossed before the horse knows. You set the standard, you hold the line, and you keep the barn running like a Swiss watch — calm, clean, kind, no drama.
Every guest at STR travels through an arc we call the 5 R's: Recover & Rejuvenate, Remember & Reconnect, and Reimagine Life. You make the horse part of that arc real — ride by ride, lesson by lesson, moment by moment.
That's your mission. And it's sacred work.
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HOW WE RIDE
Our horsemanship philosophy is short, opinionated, and non-negotiable. Read it carefully. If you nod along, keep going. If you wince, this isn't your barn.
01 — Horses are partners, not tools. Every interaction reinforces that. The way we catch them. The way we tack them. The way we cool them out. We don't make horses do things. We ask, and we earn the answer.
02 — Safety hierarchy: Safety > Courtesy > Show > Efficiency. In that order. Always. We never skip a step to save time, and we never trade a guest's safety for a smoother shift.
03 — The herd is a system. You think about feed, water, hooves, teeth, ulcers, soreness, herd dynamics, paddock rotation, and saddle fit. Not just the horse you're riding today.
04 — The horse you're given is the horse you needed. We match horse to rider with care — by weight, skill, temperament, and what the guest needs to learn. We don't put guests on the horse they want. We put them on the horse that will serve them.
05 — Quiet beats loud, every time. The best horse people in the world are the quietest. Voice down. Energy steady. Hands soft. The horses know who's calm before the guests do.
06 — How you do one thing is how you do everything. A clean barn says we care. A tidy tack room says we care. A dropped lead rope says we don't. There is no back-of-house at STR. Every guest can see your barn.
07 — The standard holds when no one's watching. The last ride of the season gets the same standard as the first. Not because Gordy is checking. Because that's who we decided to be.
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WHAT YOU'LL ACTUALLY DO
Lead trail rides. Confidently, beautifully, safely. Through Roosevelt National Forest, at 8,000+ feet, on the kind of terrain that asks something of both rider and horse. You read the group, set the pace, manage the spread, and deliver an experience guests will be telling their friends about for years.
Mentor the crew. Trail wranglers, kids' wranglers, interns. You teach by example, correct with kindness, and hold standards without lecturing. The wranglers want to ride your shift because you make them better.
Step in as Barn Boss on Gordy's days off. Run the morning catch. Assign horses to guests based on the safety match. Run the wrangler shift. Handle the curveballs. Keep the operation moving without missing a beat.
Carry the herd's health. You're paying attention to the horse who looks off, the saddle that's slipping, the feet that need a touch-up, the one who's dropping weight. You bring it to Gordy before he has to ask.
Match horse to rider. This is the safety-critical decision of the day. Every day. You know the herd. You know the rider's weight, skill, and gut. You make the call.
Help guests fall in love with horses. Not just the riding. The catching. The brushing. The leaning into a warm shoulder at sunset. You read which guest needs which moment, and you give it to them.
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WHO YOU ARE
You'll need:
• Multiple seasons of real working ranch, outfit, or guide experience — not just "I grew up around horses." We need someone who's run rides, managed strings, and held the line under pressure.

• Confident leading rides in mountain terrain at 8,000+ feet — terrain reading, pacing, group management, weather awareness

• Deep horse-management knowledge — nutrition, basic equine first aid, hoof and tack, herd dynamics, soundness assessment

• Leadership presence — calm under pressure, clear communicator, sets the pace without raising your voice

• The ability to match horse to rider — by weight, skill, and temperament — and the judgment to make the call without second-guessing

• DRA Wrangler Safety Certification (or willingness to certify on-site at the start of the season)

• Current First Aid / CPR / AED (or willingness to certify before your first ride out)

• The lived-in standard of "horses are partners, not tools" — visible in how you catch, tack, ride, and put away


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WHO ACTUALLY ENDS UP HERE
We hire across every stage of life. Second-career cowboys who finally said "enough" to the desk. Rodeo queens stepping up into their first wrangler season. Seasoned outfitters between jobs. Empty-nesters who've waited twenty years for this. Twenty-somethings who grew up in the saddle and want a season that means something. Retired ag teachers, ex-military, working students.
Age isn't the filter here. Character is.
If you've got the work ethic, the humility, the heart, and the horse skills — we've got a seat in the saddle. We've seen 22-year-olds out-lead people twice their age. We've seen 60-year-olds bring more energy than the whole bunkhouse combined. The right human is the right human, full stop.


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THE CREW YOU'RE JOINING
STR is a small ranch. 24 guests max. That means every single person on this team matters. There's nowhere to hide. And there's no one who's "just" anything.
You report to our Barn Boss / Head Wrangler and you partner with the Head of Hospitality, the Ranch Ambassador, the Brand & Operations Integrator, and the Head Chef. You sit at the table — not in the back of the barn.
We run on five pillars: Nature. Presence. Play. Challenge. Connection.
Most ranches have rules. We have principles. Rules tell people what to do. Principles tell people who to be — and then trust them to figure out the what. We run on 7, each with its own STRism:
01 — Flow First. "If it kills the vibe, kill it." We are a Flow Facility — every experience is engineered to create the conditions for human beings to enter their highest state. A wrangler reads flow before anyone else does.
02 — Unreasonable Hospitality — To All. "One more thing. Mediocrity dies at the gate." The wrangler who notices the kid is scared and walks alongside her horse the whole first ride. The wrangler who pulls a fresh horse out of the paddock for the guest who fell in love with that one. The "one more thing" lives in the barn as much as anywhere.
03 — How You Do One Thing Is How You Do Everything. "The tone you set is the standard you get." A hose left on the ground says we don't care. A resort-clean barn at 4pm says we do.
04 — Own The Experience. "Ride for the brand." You're not running a program. You're an owner of the experience. You see the problem, you solve it. You bring solutions, not problems.
05 — Be The Ripple. "Be a better human. Be the ripple. Leave it better than you found it." The kid who goes home and treats their dog with the same patience you taught them with their horse — that's us.
06 — Clear Is Kind. "Unclear is unkind. And bitching will not be tolerated." We say the thing. Directly, warmly, and early. Especially in a barn.
07 — Cowboy Up. "Heels down, eyes up." Long days. Big seasons. The horses don't care if you're tired. The guests don't care if you're tired. The last ride of the season gets the same standard as the first. Not because Gordy is checking. Because that's who we decided to be.
And above all of it — three obsessions that will make us legendary:
Obsession 1: Make every guest feel like the only guest. Not one of 24. The only one. 
Obsession 2: Build something they can't find anywhere else. Not better. A different category entirely. 
Obsession 3: Send them home changed. Not just rested. Genuinely, measurably different.
Our identity lives in the dichotomy: Wild + Warm. Authentic + Elevated. Western + World-Class. Restorative + High-Performing. Human + Disciplined.
If that dichotomy excites you — you'll thrive here. If it confuses you — this probably isn't the place.
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REAL TALK — THIS ISN'T FOR EVERYONE
Let's be direct, because clear is kind.
Every person on this ranch is either energizing or draining the culture. There is no neutral. We build for energizers. If you bring the energy, we'll match it tenfold.
This is hard work. You'll catch in the dark. You'll shovel manure. You'll fix fences. You'll pick up every piece of hay twine you see, even if it's not yours. You'll wash dishes 2x a week. You'll do it all with a smile because that's who you are, not because someone told you to.
This is not a 9–5. Some days start early. Some nights end late. You'll eat meals with guests. You'll sit at campfires. You'll be "on" more than you're used to.
This is a tobacco-free, drug-free environment. No smoking. No chewing. No marijuana smoking. No exceptions. Random drug screening applies to all staff.
You'll wear western. Boots, hat with stampede strings, western shirts, jeans. No baseball caps. No t-shirts in guest areas. You're part of the show.
You'll live on-ranch. Bunkhouse-style staff housing — guys and gals in separate buildings, shared rooms, shared bathrooms, family-style meals. Rustic. Real. Part of the deal. Staff-only indoor and outdoor chillout zones (the outdoor one has hammocks, mountain views, and stars that'll change how you sleep).
If you just read that list and thought "Hell yes" — you're our kind of human. If you thought "That sounds like a lot" — it is. And it's worth every second.
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THE NUMBERS
• $15.16 - $16.50/hour (dependant on experience) + tips

• Seasonal position — start ASAP, run through end of September, possibly into October depending on bookings and your fit

• On-site lodging and meals provided (per IRC §119)

• Full access to ranch amenities on days off — horses, trails, the whole place

• Real coaching and professional development from leadership obsessed with helping you grow
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YOUR LEADERS
You'll be working alongside owners who don't just run a business — they're building a movement. With backgrounds in leadership development, organizational culture, and high-performance team design, they're obsessed with helping every person on this ranch become the best version of themselves.
This isn't lip service. This is weekly development, real life and career coaching, honest feedback, and the kind of mentorship most wranglers never get.
You won't just grow as a horseperson. You'll grow as a human.
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HOW TO APPLY
Send the following to jade@sundancetrail.com:
1. Your resume

2. Three references (one peer, one boss, one horseperson who can vouch for your work in the saddle)

3. A short note — why this role, why now, why a ranch

4. 2 short videos — Tacking a horse and riding. The phone camera is fine. Not polished. Real.
Sundance Trail Ranch is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We hire on character, capability, and culture fit — full stop.
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