About Us
Our Start
Originally started as a hunting lodge in the 1980’s, this special inholding in the Gila National Forest evolved into a guest ranch under its second owners in 2002. Then in October of 2007, Harry, Diana, and Meris Esterly purchased Geronimo Trail Guest Ranch.
So how did a family who came from an island off the Maine coast come to own a guest ranch in the Gila National Forest of New Mexico? It all started when Meris was eight years old and started taking English riding lessons together with Diana. After a few years of riding lessons the whole family decided to vacation out West, taking advantage of the trail riding opportunities offered. When Meris was fourteen they went to a dude ranch in Colorado for a week. They loved it so much that they returned every summer for 5 years.
By that time, Meris was old enough to work at a dude ranch. In the summer of 2005, she hired on as a wrangler at a dude ranch in Colorado where she worked for three summers. After the third summer, Meris had graduated from college while Harry and Diana had retired and they all were looking for a new adventure. The Esterly’s love of dude ranching led them to seek out a dude ranch to buy. A broker set up seven ranches for them to visit from New Mexico to Montana. Geronimo Trail Guest Ranch was the very first one they visited… As Harry put it “It just felt right”. Today, Meris and her husband Seth Stout take care of the day to day operation of the ranch.
“We are a small, family run guest ranch. Our objective is to provide a limited number of guests with the time and the place to slow down from the fast pace of modern life, and to share in our experience in one of the last remaining strongholds of our western heritage.”
A Unique New Mexico Guest Ranch
Situated west of the Continental Divide in the mountains of southwest New Mexico, Geronimo Trail Guest Ranch is located in a truly unspoiled setting, secluded and serene. We are off the power grid; electricity comes from solar arrays supplemented by generators as necessary. Cell phone coverage stops 70 miles away and there is no WiFi; your stay will be undisturbed. This is your chance to get a much needed Digital Detox! Our water comes from an underground aquifer, and the taste is spectacular. Our cabins are attractive and comfortable, with fully equipped baths and covered porches. In our view, the weather here is as pleasant as any we have encountered, anywhere in the world. As the song goes, “the skies are not cloudy all day.”
Serenity and solitude are concepts not often discussed, much less experienced, amid the turmoil of life in the 21st century. Here, you’ll find 3.3 million acres of pristine forests, mountains and canyons. Beneath the tall Ponderosa pines, in the cool higher elevations of the Black Range Mountains of southwest New Mexico, the quiet is such that you can hear the approach of an eagle from the beat of the air beneath his wings. Herds of elk and other wildlife frequent the meadows, streams and lakes nearby. 85 miles from the nearest stoplight, evidence of the intrusion of modern man is virtually absent, and the mountains and canyons evoke the heritage of the American cowboy.
The Zia is the Native American symbol for the sun and nature’s bounty, enclosed by the circle of life. It is the centerpiece of the flag of New Mexico – truly The Land of Enchantment. Life here is governed by the passage of the sun, not by a clock.
After a few days on vacation, our guests often lose track of the date…and find they don’t care anymore. As has often been observed, it is hard to have a bad day on the back of a good horse. This is a special place in America, offering a unique perspective on the past and encouraging thoughtful reflection on the future.
New Mexico Dude Ranch Vacations
One of our guests recently called Geronimo Trail Guest Ranch a “happy place.” Whether horseback riding, hiking, discovering 1,000-year-old cliff dwellings, sharing experiences around the campfire, or stargazing, it is certainly an environment where you can create lifetime memories with your family and friends.
New Mexico dude ranch vacations at Geronimo Trail Guest Ranch run April through October.
When available, we also offer Cabin Rentals from March through November.