HORSE PACK TRIPS & TRAIL RIDES

Bear Basin Wilderness Camp Horseback Trip

Trip Details

Day 1: Arrive at Lazy L&B Ranch
Arrive at the Lazy L&B Ranch between 8:00-9:00am and after some ranch coffee and packing your personal gear you will head out for Bear Basin Camp on your personally selected mountain horse. You will at once notice the changing terrain from cottonwood river bottom with red rock cliffs to the pine covered mountains with Castle Rock looming in the distance. Your day will be spent exploring your way through creeks and forests and high open meadows filled with wildflowers. You will travel close to 2,500 feet in elevation to the Base of Castle Rock before dropping into the Wilderness Camp. Have your camera ready for the trip into camp; your return trip later in the week will cover totally different country.

After arriving at camp around 3:00-4:00pm, you’ll settle in with some snacks and drinks. You may want to explore the nearby fishing hole in Bear Creek (fishing license needed) or just sit and relax enjoying the view of the mountain peaks rising above camp. Hearty mountain cooking is prepared in the camp’s cook tent and enjoyed in the adjoining dining tent or around the campfire.

You’ll sleep in roomy guest tents supplied with wood burning stoves for heat, and cots and pads. Or grab your sleeping bag and sleep under the stars.

Days 2-5: Ride and Explore Bear Basin
Your morning will start when you want it to. If you are an early riser the coffee will be ready. If you want to sleep in the smell of bacon cooking over the fire will entice you up. Each day will be a different ride exploring all parts of Bear Basin. One ride may take you out to an historic wilderness cow camp overlooking Horse Creek canyon. Another ride will take you seven miles up to the head of Bear Creek and Nine Mile Pass. This pass is over 11,000 feet in elevation. You will see numerous waterfalls, creeks and beautiful evergreen forests. You may want to take a shorter ride to the valley of Shangrila under Little Castle Peak, leaving the rest of the day to explore the area around camp. Guests have found seven-point elk antler sheds in this valley along with ancient arrow heads. Another top of the world ride will take you either to Teepee Pass or up to Blue Creek Pass. At both locations you are likely to see herds of Elk moving across the high altitude tundra. Maybe a fishing ride is what interests you. You will work your way down Bear Creek to a spot in the steep canyons that very few people have ever fished.

Each evening you’ll relax around the campfire enjoying the delicious camp cooked meals. Perhaps a shower is on the agenda to freshen you up. Not a problem. Enjoy the camp’s outdoor shower with plenty of hot water and privacy.

Day 6: Pack Up Camp
Time to pack up camp after a leisurely breakfast. You’ll head back to the Lazy L&B Ranch by one of the many return routes. The most direct will take you by an operating mountain cow camp and down across the prairie and back to the lush ranch headquarters. If it’s a Thursday you may want to ride back down to lower Bear Creek where the ranch is having a cookout. Other days enjoy supper at the Lazy L&B before heading back to town to a prearranged motel.