Diamond D Ranch

Thinking about spending vacation week here in July. Anyone have any info on this ranch. Also what is weather like that time of year. Thanks!

Diamond D Ranch

I haven%26#39;t been there myself, but it has a very good reputation. I am copying an entry below from an older Trip Advisor review. Hope it helps:

';Without a doubt, the Diamond D Ranch located in the middle of the Sawtooth National Forest, literally an hour from ANYTHING, is the finest place I have ever stayed.';

Diamond D Ranch

thanks so much for the forward. I thought it would be a good place but you never know. Thanks again.

All the best. I hope it%26#39;s just what you%26#39;re looking for! I can tell you it%26#39;s in beautiful country. The Sawtooth Mountains are one of my favorite places.

We are heading out to Diamond D in a week. Did you go? If so, what did you think?

Traveljurist, please leave a review when you return from your trip! I%26#39;ve been considering a stay at the Diamond D Ranch myself.

Pug

Advisegirl did indeed go, as mentioned in an earlier post, and it sounds like a positive experience. I%26#39;m excerpting it here:

';Spent a week in Stanley at the Diamond D ranch which was perfect. You can%26#39;t go wrong!';

Our family stayed in Cabin #2 at Diamond D Ranch in August, 2008. The ranch is family owned and many family members participate in its operations which makes it homey. The Drive: Getting to the ranch is not for the faint of heart. Once you depart the paved road at Sunbeam, ID, (about 2 and half hours from Boise) you ascend up an old mining road, gravel in the beginning and then dirt. I called it the ';road to the sun'; because it kept going up and up. You should have a 4-wheel drive with high clearance. As you drive past the old mining areas you see the devastation done to the mountain. Once you start descending on the other side of the mountain, the scenery is breathtaking but the road tilts and there are rocks. Expect an hour%26#39;s drive once you leave Sunbeam. Once you%26#39;re at the ranch, you will not want to leave (to avoid the road) so bring in all booze, favorite snack foods, etc. in with you. You can also charter a flight from Boise and land at the ranch%26#39;s airstrip.

The cabins: There are 3 cabins with #2 being the lesser attractive one. Each has a king bed in one bedroom and two twins in the other. The cabins are located across the corral and down a hill. They are a short walk from the main area, but bring flashlights if you stay there as it gets very dark at night and you have to navigate and open and close gates depending on whether there are horses in or out. If you want to be closer to the main area, stay at the lodge. A few rooms in the lodge have a nice porch to hang out on in the afternoon/evening and read and watch the sunset. In the cabins there is a small refrigerator in each so you can store beverages, etc. The decor is a throwback to the later 60s/early 70s but I saw this as a nostalgic touch. Linens and cabins were clean and there were no rodents. The family%26#39;s pet dogs and cats roam the property and ';Brindl'; a cat, adopted us for the week. Our children (11 y/o daughter and 7 y/o son) adored her and she slept with them each night. The viewing of the stars was remarkable. There are portable heaters in the cabins to help with the morning chill.

The Food: The food is served family style in the dining room. Breakfast ends at 9:00 a.m. and lunch is around 12:30 and dinner at 6:00 p.m. Special diets and requests can be accomodated, but it helps to give prior notice. Generally the food was very good and some of the desserts outstanding. Budweiser regular and light are offered along with sodas at an additional charge. Red and white wine (not so great) also offered at about $12.00 per bottle. There are no spirits. So if you like fine beer, wine, spirits bring your own for the week. The trail rides: Trail rides are offered twice a day with the exception of the day the ';lunch ride'; is offered which is a longer ride. Hikes are also offered as well as guided fishing. You may also fish on your own in the stream (license needed) or in the private lake. The rides are wonderful -- horses all well behaved and the views from the rides are remarkable. Sadly, 2/3 of the valley was affected by forest fires so many trees are still recovering. The wranglers are great (especially Kara) and will spend extra time with the kids if needed. The setting is remarkably beautiful, in a sequestered valley in the Sawtooth Mountains. There is a pool and hot tub. The pool generally stayed too cool for the adults, but the kids all jumped in. It%26#39;s a great place to lounge in the sun. There is a TV in the recreation hall near the pool where the kids can watch DVDs or VHS tapes. The staff will also arrange shooting and archery, as well as ';panning for gold';. Our family went wild berry picking near the beautiful lake where wild blueberries and raspberries abound. We saw deer and salmon but not other wildlife. The nights get chilly, so bring a fleece, but the days are warm so you want to bring cool clothing. Boots and jeans should be worn for riding. Also, bring bug spray as there are mosquitos and bring sunscreen because the sun is quite intense. We would go back and the kids had a lovely time.

The negatives -- there could be more organized activities for children to give parents a break. I was really looking to offload my kids, but this didn%26#39;t really happen. They have a ';dreamcather making'; class, which is great -- more things like this are needed to give parents a rest. I.e. maybe an organized nature hike or scavenger hunt with the staff. Also, the quality of the beer/wine offered for sale could be improved.

All in all, the staff was very accomodating. However, you do need to ask for things -- they don%26#39;t volunteer about the archery/shooting or special riding lessons. In addition, there is a laundry facility, but the dryer needs to be replaced -- way too old and slow. Also on trail rides -- lots of dust so be prepared to get dusty! Bring some bandanas.