Devil's Thumb Ranch Resort & Spa

d attentive. We used a wedding planner who primarily coordinated with the venue, but our experience during the menu tasting and selection process was great. Mark in particular helped make the planning process run smoothly, ensured everything during the 3 days went off without a hitch, and made sure to personally check in with us. We loved our wedding and wish it didn’t go by so quickly – we can’t wait to return to DTR year after year.

re absolutely not having a large wedding, regardless of COVID-19. We truly appreciate quality food and service, and large parties, but our feminist and anti-consumerist principles have us diametrically opposed to large $100,000 weddings, and that is normally what DTR does (and appears to do very well). So, I thought DTR was out of the question. However, when I began searching for venues, I saw that they were doing small wedding packages. Our dream venue was finally a possibility! We took a tour of the venue, and they were able to show us multiple locations that would be perfect for our tiny wedding of 6 guests, plus us. We even were able to initially get the wine cellar for dinner which is a hidden jewel of the ranch, but usually too intimate for large parties (this changed due to family preferences due to COVID-19 and they were able to respond quickly and kindly and move this location). Our site and food and beverage liaison, Lindsey put up with our many changes and requests for things like a hot cocoa bar (highly recommend this, as they have homemade marshmallows) and upgraded wine. When we weren't going to meet the food and beverage minimum, she had the excellent suggestion to add a soup course (which was truly delicious). All of the food was plated artfully and was delicious and filling. The service was excellent as well; our male server noticed that I did not have a tissue before the ceremony and took the initiative to bring me a cocktail napkin without being asked - a very kind and appreciated gesture. In the end, we opted to have both the ceremony and dinner in the Timber House. It is a stunning location and perfect for a cozy, but socially distanced celebration. I really hope that even when they start back up with the big weddings they keep the option for a tiny one, as this tiny wedding experience was so wonderful that I hope others get to experience it as well.

rustic, high quality oasis for the guests and the wedding. We used the Timber House for the rehearsal dinner, Yager House to get ready in, Broad Axe Barn for welcome party and ceremony, High Lonesome Lodge for the reception, Hex Tavern for the after party, and Ranch House Restaurant for Sunday brunch. Having so many spaces made each event feel very unique and special. Although DTR is a little pricey, it was worth every penny. Their customer service was extraordinary during both the planning process and during each event. We worked with Sam, Maura, and Lindsey and felt like they each did an amazing job. They were very communicative and willing to work with us for special requests, etc. We are so so happy we chose to go with DTR and can't recommend this venue enough.

ales to event manager to group lodging staff worked with us and our vision and budget to create the perfect wedding. The hospitality staff is incredibly customer service minded, and made us and our guests feel like guests of honor and family all week. The accommodations are absolutely stunning and so perfectly mountain cozy. Half of the guests stayed at the ranch - everyone couldn't stop marveling at how beautiful of a property and cozy ranch-style rooms they have. The spa is probably the most relaxing place I’ve ever been, and I seriously did not want to leave. The property is gorgeous, and environmentally friendly which is incredibly conscious and impressive for an operation of their size. Coffee and snacks at Hallowed Grounds the coffee shop were delicious. There’s an excellent selection of outdoor gear at Zach’s Mercantile. Heck’s Tavern makes a damn good breakfast and wonderful drinks, with service that is hard to beat. Our dinner at Ranch House Restaurant was exquisite, the service, the quality food, the cocktails - very well done. For our wedding, we worked with Maura and the chef to create a personalized family-style and allergy friendly meal, which turned out to be the best wedding food any of us had come across. As far as our actual wedding goes - the ranch was the perfect location. We originally planned to have our ceremony on the lawn outside of the Broad Axe Barn and then a cocktail hour on the patio with lawn games. One of the crazy and beautiful summer thunderstorms rolled in, but it was no problem - our ceremony was moved inside the Timber Room, a beautiful timber building with 360 degrees of ceiling to floor glass windows - so we were still able to enjoy the beautiful setting without getting soaked. During dinner Maura came to check in, which was incredibly thoughtful. We were having the time of our lives, with no complaints. We ended up renting out the Ranch House Restaurant after-hours for a karaoke after party. The staff were super fun and helpful, and even helped us carry the karaoke equipment out afterward. We have only 100% positive things to say about all of DTR and would recommend it to anyone, anytime - but especially for a mountain wedding!

, we couldn't have found a better fit for our day. Their grounds are gorgeous, the food was wonderful, and every person on site that you talked to was helpful and friendly. Our wedding coordinator Lindsey was so sweet and every response or request was answered quickly and accommodated. We were surprised with snow on our wedding day, and even though it was cold their team worked to make our outdoor ceremony happen and I am so very grateful because it was absolute magic. Love this place. Get married here.

osting this destination wedding, accommodating our every need and those of our guests. They worked with our wedding coordinator and all our vendors and always aimed to please. Our guests absolutely loved the ranch, the activities, the sheer beauty of the location. So many people approached us saying it was the best wedding they had ever attended! Thank you to Sam and Shelby and the team at Devil's Thumb.

weekend the best weekend ever. Our guests absolutely loved the property and took advantage of the wide variety of activities offered (horseback riding, zip lining, fishing, hiking, mountain biking, etc). Everything was so well curated from the horses running through the pasture right before we walked down the aisle to the incredible food and food presentation. We hope to continue returning to DTR as our anniversary tradition!

of the DTR staff were a pleasure to work with. We had such an incredible time celebrating with our closest family and friends at this beautiful place and cannot wait to return for anniversaries and romantic getaways for years to come!

ly exceeded our expectations in every way and our guests were equally impressed. It was so relaxing, elegant and magical. Everyone we worked with was very helpful and easy to communicate with. Shelby and Sam made sure every detail was taken care of and I really cannot say enough positive things about the ranch. We can't wait to spend our anniversaries and other special occasions there in the years to come!

high until you see the value. Its a once in a lifetime experience for both the family and guests.

thing easy. She, and the other staff we interacted with - for sales (Sam), room bookings (Jeffre) and billing (Elizabeth) - were super responsive and wonderful to work with. The most important thing to us for our weekend was that our guests would have fun - and they definitely did! There is so much to do at Devil's Thumb and there are endless beautiful views to see. Everyone was telling us that they were already hoping to go back and visit at some point. We would highly recommend Devil's Thumb! If you are looking for a beautiful place to get married and outstanding service, then this is your place.

Bridezilla)... we feel incredibly lucky and thankful for the entire team at Devils Thumb Ranch!!!

ll. The venue is GORGEOUS, all of the spaces for pre-wedding events are amazing, and the food is delicious. Our wedding turned out better than I could have even imagined! Highly recommend.

. Sam was also super helpful at the start of the process. Prices do start to add up with DTR-so be prepared!

ains and offers a nice balance between rustic charm and elegance. Known as a spa and resort, the 6000-acre ranch has a rich history dating back to the early 1930’s. When my partner proposed and we settled on a wedding date just over 12-weeks out, DTR was first on our list of places to consider. In researching the pricing structure, given that we were planning a small, family only event of 25 people, and that on their website DTR seemingly catered more to larger events, we initially deemed it outside of our intended budget. But on an impulse, I emailed the venue and quickly received a response indicating that DTR was willing to work with us to host our smaller event. There were a few hiccups initially with getting the room block set up and receiving the contract, but in truth we were bumping into the Thanksgiving holiday, distracting us all. There were also a few miscommunications and frustrations with a couple of family members as they tried to secure rooms assigned to the block, but nothing serious enough to inspire a change of venues. Given the aggressive timeline and that we planned and set up the entire two-day event, the number of issues was amazingly insignificant. Our Event Services Manager was incredible to work with. She was helpful, attentive, engaged, friendly and experienced. Her contributions were so appreciated in fact, that when it was all over, it was tough to say goodbye. The Group Rooms Coordinator was personable and accommodating, even upgrading our suite to one with a fireplace when we realized we’d missed that detail. From the pastry chef who designed our custom wedding cake, to the chef who was responsible for the amazing meals we enjoyed over our 48-hour event (even serving our ice cream sundaes in the Yager House the night before the nuptials), and the Facilities Coordinator who was ever-present, ensuring that every detail was attended, to the bartender who cared for our guests with flair and dedication, the staff was quite simply everything a bride and groom could ask for. It is no surprise that every single person who attended is still talking about DTR and the wonderful event they hosted so well.

...a great spa, beautiful stables and horses, amazing hiking, great food. And the spacious rooms are straight out of a Ralph Lauren magazine! But the best part is the staff, especially Jessica, our event manager, who bent over backwards to make the whole weekend perfect. The word no isn't in her vocabulary! When it rained an hour before the ceremony, a small army was deployed to dry off the chairs and everything went off without a hitch. Don't hesitate if you want a beautiful affair!

t was like being at a summer camp with all our favorite people. However, we went through so many staff members in planning our wedding that it's hard to make specific comments as most people have left! They have a huge retention problem, which meant that our wedding was constantly being shuffled between staff members, and lots of details got lost in the transitions. (Shoutout to Maura for picking up the pieces!) Still, the attention to detail is just horrible and it was very, very stressful to work with this venue. As we basically rented out the whole thing, I definitely expected better service, both in planning and during the weekend.

e other reviewers, our preparation was not without its challenges. We contracted in August 2016 for an August 2017 wedding. In that year, we had 3x turnover in wedding managers. We were a far cry from “roll-out-the red-carpet-for-me” bride and groom…but we did expect basic professionalism. If you’ve researched, you know DTR is not an inexpensive place to host a wedding. At one point, we escalated to the management. It was then Sam was assigned as our wedding manager (our third), and things turned around, for the better. Almost immediately, we knew we were in good hands. Sam is competent, professional, timely, kind and caring. She went above-and-beyond to ensure details of our weekend were attended to. I cannot say enough good things about Sam. She’s an amazing addition to the DTR team and I hope the management keeps her around for a long time. She sets the bar. If DTR could hire more people like Sam, the customer service issues in some of these reviews would be no more…you’d have the most beautiful venue AND best service to boot! We hosted 3 events during our wedding weekend and all our guests stayed onsite (we had only 50 guests). We hosted a casual, western welcome BBQ the night before our wedding at Axel’s Pavilion, the wedding ceremony and reception at the outdoor wedding site/ Broad Axe Barn, and then a farewell brunch at Ranch House Restaurant the next day. The food and drink were ahmaying! The views, to die for. Not only that, I got to go ziplining, my husband did archery, I did yoga my wedding morning, and we went hiking, all onsite. Others went horseback riding, paddle boarding, biking, swimming, and even hiked Devil’s Thumb! Thank you, DTR, for beautiful memories!

beautiful. We choose a difficult time of year to predict the weather in early November, but the event coordinator Trisha and the activities coordinator Marie Ange were incredible at having options for our group in all possible scenarios. Our group enjoyed a private space to gather for the day and enjoy lunch. Everyone got to choose their own activities on the ranch, there was a group hike, horseback riding, spa treatments and massages an my personal favorite was a group biathlon. Marie Ang set up a course for our group with running/snow biking and shooting and it was a wonderful bonding experience that got rave reviews. In the evening Trisha did a wonderful job on our welcome reception on a private balcony overlooking Heck's Tavern. The space was beautiful, the food and drinks were great and the staff excellent. Our guests also stayed at Devils Thumb and their sister property in town and everyone was very pleased with their stay. We even booked massages here for the day after the wedding and it was a great way to unwind ; it was the best massage either of us had every had. This is a beautiful setting and a well run resort. Thank you for the wonderful memories.

FUL because of the lack of communication. And since our wedding day was a mere two months after my fiancé proposed, we didn't have a lot of time to waste. A two month engagement means it's crunch time. When my (now) hubby & I first visited the venue, I immediately fell in love with the place. It was beautiful, classy/rustic, & seemed perfect. My hubby's first impression was actually quite negative. He thought the Special Events Manager who was working with us was arrogant, dismissive, & not helpful at all. He felt like they are a money-making business who just churns out weddings without regard to people. Turns out he was right, & I completely underestimated the importance of the SEM. Almost from the get-go, we were having issues. It was incredibly frustrating because our SEM would not return our phone calls or emails until DAYS after we reached out. We thought about backing out & just eating the loss, but since we wanted to get married so quickly, our venue options were very limited. So, I kept making excuses for the SEM--"she's just very busy, she's out of town, maybe she didn't get our email, she just has too much on her plate, she's burned out, etc." and it wound up putting me in a very stressful situation because I needed to get stuff done. I was in tears on a regular basis. Something that was supposed to be enjoyable turned into a nightmare. We couldn't get ANYTHING finalized (room block, food, drinks, brunch, start/end times, spa appts, etc) because the SEM wouldn't return our calls/emails. It was so stressful. When we first met with the SEM, she reassured us that she would be there every step of the way, that she would orchestrate things on the day of, & that she would be our "go to" at any time, but the reality was very different. She wasn't even there on our wedding day. She promised us many, many things that she never followed through on. Late in the game (2 weeks prior to our wedding day), I wound up getting a fantastic wedding planner who saved the day & straightened things out. If it weren't for my wedding planner, I would've been a wreck on our wedding day. Our frustrations include: 1) the constant lack of communication 2) the front desk not ever having a clue what was going on with the room block 3) our credit card being charged for ridiculous amounts of money with no explanation 4) the price of the venue 5) the promises which weren't followed through on 6) the strict rules of the venue 7) the bar staff not following the contract (taking tips, taking drink orders, etc) & 8) our cake was kind of ugly. On the other hand, we had some positives: 1) the food was great 2) the rooms were wonderful 3) the front door staff were super helpful & 4) the venue was beautiful. The other positives are purely a result of my other FANTASTIC vendors (music, officiant, wedding planner, videographer, florist, etc). If you want to have your wedding here, expect little to no assistance, communication, or direction from the venue staff, which is super important because they control so much (the wedding itself (food/drink, rooms, guests, accommodations, etc.) It's beautiful but not worth the stress or money. It's sad, but we were just relieved the wedding was over.

le to spend time with everyone during the weekend in the same place. We had a snow storm in May but we were still able to have an outdoor wedding at High Lonesome due to the staff clearing the area and then the reception was in the barn. We also spent the day getting ready in the Yeager house which was a nice touh. There were some challenges with the reservations team prior to the wedding and transportation for guests staying at sister hotels off site but those would be my only complaints. I would highly suggest having a wedding here.

orgeous. The front desk staff and valet were exceptionally kind and personable! If I were to rate the day of our wedding, it would be 10 stars out of 5 because it was just so perfect. All of our family and friends had the best weekend staying at the resort and enjoying the views, restaurant, spa, and each other's company. However, the wedding venue contact at DTR was far from ideal. We had to call to nag about room block numbers and details. We were called asking for large sums of money without being sent an invoice. Two weeks before the wedding, our original contact person at DTR quit and we weren't notified. Instead, I was notified from my wedding planner. The new wedding contact was curt and accusatory at times with me about what services DTR was supposed to be able to provide. The week before my wedding, when you should no longer be dealing with paperwork and contracts, I was still having to correct invoices and BEO forms. The entire wedding weekend, I never saw nor heard from this wedding coordinator for DTR. For how much money you spend to get married at DTR, it sure felt like they could provide a much better wedding service to their couples and their families leading up to the event. The lead up to the event did not inspire trust. If it had been up to the wedding team at DTR exclusively, I am confident our wedding would have been a disaster. Do not get married here without a talented and experienced wedding planner! Our month of planner/coordinator was the reason our wedding turned out so flawless because she was able to make the great parts of DTR come together and she coordinated with all of our vendors. I am beyond grateful that we got married at this stunningly amazing resort, I just feel other couples should know ahead of time that they will need additional support if they fall in love with the view as much as we did :)

ly have a Winter Wedding without having to worry about the venue being closed down -1.5 hours from Denver makes it closer than Beaver Creek and Vail when looking for amazing competitive venues -2 large barns (We used 1 for the ceremony and 1 for the reception) that allow you to transform the open space into your dream idea -all your guests can stay onsite (and ours did) which makes transportation etc beyond easy -food is great and there are 2 restaurants for your guests to eat outside of your event + the yummy coffee shop -gorgeous views and location -they do weddings literally every week so they have almost everything available to use of theirs (tables, chairs, flatware, glassware, etc) -GREAT spa, GREAT activities center Cons: -Because it's privately owned there are some rules that you just can't get past (example: unable to rent out certain rooms no matter what) and answers change based on who you ask -ZERO cell phone service and the wifi is there but if you need to do any work (which some of our guests did) the only suitable place to do it is in the main lodges library -sometimes reservations were very confusing and mixed up with the turnover of employees at the front desk We had the most perfect wedding and the cons of our wedding had nothing to do with the wedding itself. The venue made our event possible and gorgeous - last note: hire a wedding planner! they know the venue better than you and their events team is quite small to be handling ALL of your details. Overall 4.5 starts out of 5! Thank you DTR