What are the opening hours?

Monday 8am - 5pm Tuesday 8am - 5pm Wednesday 8am - 5pm Thursday 8am - 5pm Friday 8am - 5pm Saturday 8am - 5pm Sunday 8am - 5pm

Smith Fork Ranch

Home
United States
Crawford, CO
Smith Fork Ranch

Perched in the Colorado National Forest, Smith Fork Ranch offers hand-tailored private luxury vacations.

Perched in the Colorado National Forest, Smith Fork Ranch offers hand-tailored private luxury vacations for one group at a time.

Thank you for the feature! Our last available week of 2025 is July 4th! Email groups@smithforkranch.com to reserve your...

06/25/2025

Thank you for the feature! Our last available week of 2025 is July 4th! Email [email protected] to reserve your private wilderness ranch.

08/03/2024

Wild Luxury - SFR sits just inside the National Forest with everything from Gold Medal trout water to back country hiking and secret mountain party pastures at your doorstep. Here are a few moments from our last guest group 🎣🏔️🍸🦃🦆🐻

05/31/2024

Sunset respite from the upper ranch with Needle Rock in the distance.

05/27/2024

Our black bear friend has been hanging around the lower pastures this month - probably picking through the wild berry patches we forage for guest dinners. We’ll take seconds 😅

03/13/2023

Our Roughstock kids' club offers tailor-made experiences to maximize fun for young ones.

03/01/2023

The Black Canyon of the Gunnison is a must-see National Park only 25 minutes from Smith Fork Ranch.

02/17/2023

Cozy up and enjoy the moment! There's nothing quite like sipping a cocktail in front of a warm, crackling fire on the ranch.

02/06/2023

The peaceful sounds of the Smith Fork River whispering in the winter

01/26/2023

The dogs in Colorado know how to dig up a good time!

01/18/2023

Downhill fun on a sunny winter day in Colorado!

01/01/2023

Happy New Year! Here's to many beautiful adventures in 2023!

12/25/2022

Happy Holidays from Smith Fork Ranch!

Address

45362 Needle Rock Road
Crawford, CO
81415

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm
Saturday	8am - 5pm
Sunday	8am - 5pm

Telephone

+19705192314

Website

http://www.smithforkranch.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Smith Fork Ranch posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Smith Fork Ranch:

Shortcuts

Address
Telephone
Opening Hours
Alerts
Contact The Business
Claim ownership or report listing

Want your business to be the top-listed Hotel in Crawford?

Our Story

Nestled in the Western Colorado Rocky Mountains, Smith Fork Ranch offers gracious accommodations and pampering in an unsurpassed setting.

Smith Fork Ranch is not just another Colorado ranch – we have deep roots in the history of this beautiful land.

Land of the Utes

Long before the start of Smith Fork Ranch, the West Elk range of the Rocky Mountains and this beautiful river valley was the home of Colorado’s oldest residents: the Ute Indians, a tribe of native people who lived and hunted here for hundreds – perhaps thousands – of years. Skilled horsemen, the Utes traveled long distances tracking buffalo, elk, deer, antelope, and mountain sheep for food, clothing and shelter. Smith Fork Ranch’s authentic tipi is a tribute to those who came before us.

Wild West Days

Western Colorado was opened for settlement in the 1800s, and cattlemen and farmers quickly staked claims on the fertile land. Soon, the cattle ranches, farms and fruit orchards that still sustain the community were born. “Crawford Country,” as the area is called, has managed to keep its Old West character and out-of-the-way charm for over 150 years.

Guest Ranch Beginnings

Toward the end of the 19th century, miles above the village of Crawford, two ranches were staked out. In 1928, the Ferrier family, including newlyweds Grant and Mamie, bought and combined the two ranches into what was called the Bar X Bar. During the late 1930s, the Ferriers built cabins and started to take in paying guests – “Dudes from back East” and San Francisco – and ran a successful dude ranch well into the 1960s.

The Birth of Smith Fork Ranch

Starting in the late 1960s, the Bar X Bar passed through the hands of a series of absentee owners, and fell into disrepair. When the Hodgson family bought the ranch it was a virtual ghost ranch. But they fell in love with its rustic charm and unmatched scenic beauty, and began a careful restoration.

Having grown tired of the race of the New York fashion world, they started looking for real estate in Colorado around the year 2000 in hopes of making good on that iconic American fantasy: owning a good chunk of the great outdoors under the big skies of the Rocky Mountains. (They sold Ghurka in 2005.) They acquired this small all-but-defunct lodge that was a working ranch in the 1880s on 300 acres of land. About two hours from Grand Junction, Telluride or Aspen but not really close to anything. It borders the Gunnison National Forest and the West Elk Wilderness, the largest wilderness area in the state and the magnificent Black Canyon is just a short drive away. They had a vision of a luxurious retreat, all while keeping the authenticity of a more simple time intact.

Each building, most built between the 1920s and 50s was taken down, each log numbered, and re-built from the inside out. In the process, The Hodgson’s inserted our own sense of classic style and taste, a sense of place, an adherence to enduring quality and, above all, honoring the ranch’s history.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/smithforkranch Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smithforkranch