Equine Adventures
Each day we ride the unique and ancient landscape of the Capitol Reef area, in south central Utah. Our guests ride ranch quarter horses and mules. Riding experience is not necessary.
Food, Fire & Fellowship
We aspire to have our guests tap into their own inner strength, to discover their personal cowgirl essence in this wild part of the west. Each retreat validates that vision with life changing experiences.
Western Glamping
The glamping aspect caters to you gals who want to have upscale accommodations, while still experiencing the renewing aspects of camping outdoors. We are secluded with no cell service, immersed in solitude and silence.
~ I’ve never met woman I didn’t have something in common with ~
Iris Martin, 1885, a cowgirl from a by-gone era
The Cowgirls Secret horse glamping retreats strive to bring together women who have a love of all thing horses, and a cowgirl spirit. We feel that we have tapped into that incredible spirit possessed by cowgirls of the 1800’s, who discovered their own power and strength. Those cowgirls were trail blazers. They were strong, resilient, free spirited, untamed, empowered, adventure seekers. We want our guests to experience those attributes and tap into their adventure seeking souls. Guests become trailblazers in their own rite.
Once guests have made the decision to attend one of our retreats, they start blazing a trail to get there; booking a flight, renting a car, and driving to our remote location 19 miles down a paved backcountry road. Guests arrive alone or with a few of their saddle pal gals. Those that live closer drive through the breathtaking landscape of south central Utah. Just getting to our retreats requires, motivation, gumption, grit and a determination that echoes that old time cowgirl spirit!
Ride the surrounding landscape and view layers of various rock forms spanning millions of years in existence
We limit our retreats to 6-8 guests who stay 4 nights and ride 3 days. Due to the high desert climate, we only offer 3 retreats in the spring and 3 in the fall, striving to capture the optimum weather. Days average in the 80’s and the night can be 40-50 degrees.
Sheepcamp Wagon Suite:
Double Occupancy: $1800 per person
Sheepcamp wagons have a queen, and full trundle bed, solar lights, heat, sink, refrigerator, dining table, and gas stove.
Bell & Wall Tents:
- Double occupancy: $1750 per person
- Bring your own Horse & Feed: $1600 One retreat a year.
- Bring your own LQ Trailer & Horse: $1300. One retreat a year.
Girlfriends Getaway: This retreat is for ladies only.
Couples & Mixed with Bring Your Own LQ Trailers & Horses
Private Groups can be booked with a $1,000, non-refundable
Deposit. It is suggested that you do this early.
Contracts will be sent out at the time of booking. Once we have a retreat booked, I create a private Facebook page where we can get to know one another, answer questions, share information, and photos after the ride. Maps are posted on the private FB page.
This has been a valuable tool for everyone. Often times, long after guests have gone home, we continue to stay in touch through private messages on social media.
SPRING 2020
April 14- 18 Drum Making *BOOKED*
Girlfriends Getaway
April 22-26
Girlfriends Getaway
April 30-May 4
Girlfriends Getaway
FALL 2020
September 24-28
Couples & Mixed Retreat
Guests have the option of bringing their own LQ trailers and horses/mules & feed
October 1-5
Girlfriends Getaway
October 8-12
Girlfriends Getaway
Day 1: Guests arrive whenever they can get there from their various origins. They chose their tent, and settle in. We have a Meet and Greet cocktail hour, allowing the guests to relax from their travels and get acquainted. Our wranglers will match you to your horse and get you fit to a saddle. We will have an orientation about the proper protocol when riding in the fragile desert environment, viewing sites,
Each evening we’ll serve a fresh gourmet meal, with dessert being served around the campfire. Each meal will be posted on our menu board outside the kitchen tent in advance.
Day 2: As the sun is coming up, you’ll enter our spacious cook tent to the aroma of fresh brewed coffee. Breakfasts are served by 8:00. After breakfast we prepare a gourmet lunch, and you chose your accompanying snacks. We try to be in the saddle between 9-10:00.
On this first day we ride out from camp into the vast landscape experiencing spectacular 360 degree views. This ride is a chance to bond with your mount and work out any adjustments that may be necessary. It is approximately four hours long.
Day 3: Following breakfast, we load up the trailer, and haul a short distance to ride through an ancient seabed reef. This is approximately a five hour ride, with lunch on the trail. We allow plenty of time for photo ops and have a leisurely lunch.
Day 4: We will be riding through spectacular country where you can view the beauty and vastness of the Waterpocket Fold, an expansive uplift of sedimentary rock, sandstone, shale and limestone that folded upwards some 70 million years ago, after having deposited over 200 million years ago, resulting in massive cliffs, pinnacles, towers, arches and domes. The Waterpocket Fold spans 100 miles.
Day 5: Following our Farewell Breakfast, we will have our traditional Awards ceremony. As we have become acquainted with our guests, we choose small, fun gifts that we match to their personality or experience on the trail. This is always great fun!
Following breakfast and awards, guests are free to depart, but they sure don’t want to!
Guests generally fly into Salt Lake City, rent a car, and drive to camp. That is approximately 4 ½ hours away. Other airport options are St. George, Utah, and Grand Junction, CO. Grand Junction is the closest, being just 3 hours away. It is a small airport, so options are limited. St. George is 4 hours away.
Depending on flight arrivals, guests can book a room at a number of hotels in the nearest town of Torrey, driving approximately 45 minutes to camp the following day.
You can call, contact me on Messenger, The Cowgirls Secret Facebook page or email.
It is suggested to book as early as possible to ensure a spot!
Kandace Peterson
kandacepeterson@hotmail.com
435-201-3082
Special Packages
The Cowgirls Secret is blessed to have developed a loving friendship with Mary Kaye, a beautiful soul and very talented multiple award winning singer/songwriter in the cowboy music genre. Mary Kaye puts on an exceptional private campfire concert. On occasion, we will offer a “Ride with Mary Kaye” package. Mary Kaye will camp, dine, ride and serenade guests around the campfire.
“Gifted with one of the most dynamic and original voices in western music, Mary Kaye delivers the goods!” – American Cowboy
The Cowgirls Secret camp is located in a private location on the historic Sandy Ranch. The ranch’s history includes, cattle, sheep, farming, orchards, and at one time offered a sheep shearing station for thousands of sheep that grazed in the area. By 1870, all of the continental U.S. had been mapped and surveyed, except for one area: the vast region that surrounds the Sandy Ranch. The Henry Mountains, to the east of the ranch, were named by John Wesley Powell, and were the last mountains in the U.S. to be surveyed and mapped.
The solitude and silence our guests are immersed in washes away the stress of a fast-paced life as the spiritual healing and renewal begins. It is simply relaxation at its best. Let our all-cowgirl crew cater to your every need!
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