Hunter Peak Ranch Cody Wyoming reminds of homesteading days, a trip back in time

Hunter Peak Lodge Cody Wyoming, is a family run get-away, perfect for "getting away from it all."

ENTERPRISING COUPLE OFFERS PEACE, WHOLESOME FOOD IN GORGEOUS MOUNTAIN SETTING

The pristine wilderness area of the Hunter Peak Ranch is a delightful respite from the ravages of contemporary life.

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

"The Carpe Diem Kids"

The Cary Family have operated the ranch since 1949. Louis and Shelley are second generation owners, and know the history and area very well. They are happy to share their backyard with you. The ranch's location makes it the ideal spot to base out of. The lodgings are clean and spacious; the meals are ranch-cooked and made-from-scratch using fresh ingredients with attention toward the healthy side of eating.

Over supper, Louie told of a bear chasing a grasshopper. The bear danced, the hopper escaped.  His stories are part of the fun of a stay at Hunter Peak.

Louis and Shelley Cary are owners and managers of Hunter Peak Ranch. Louis grew up on the property; Shelley joined the family in 1969. This long history gives guests the sense they are staying with owners who care for and love their business. Welcoming returning guests and meeting new ones and providing a memorable experience are their focus.

IF YOU want a resort style get-away with room service, plenty of activity, modern technology and five-star spa treatment, Hunter Peak Ranch is not the place for you.

Cookie enters the spacious accommodation at Hunter Peak.

But if you desire serenity in a sublime setting, tasty home cooking, hiking out the door, wildlife out the window, a peaceful quiet ambiance and friendly folk when you want company,  Hunter Peak Ranch near Cody, Wyoming is tailor made for you!

The proprietors are characters! Louis ("Louie") and Shelley Cary are hardworking, down-home people with an obvious love of the land and what they do.

Autumn is in the air! Bees make the most of lush flowers at Hunter Peak.

Louie was raised on the property, which has been in the family since the 1930s. Shelley came on board in 1969 and they raised a family here. Named for the spectacular peak, the ranch is nestled beneath the mountains on the Clarks Fork River in the Shoshone.

A corral houses horses and pack animals, with bear-proof garbage cans.

Imagine this picturesque scene years ago, when only a dirt road connected the ranch to Cody. "It took four or more hours to get there," Louie recalls, "and mail delivery came only once a week."

WE CHOSE a two-day retreat at this laid back Wyoming spot because we were tired. Nearing the end of an arduous remodeling project, we longed for a quiet place, surrounded by beauty. Friends recommended Hunter Peak Ranch Cody Wyoming, It was perfect.

Louie and Shelley are the third generation to operate the ranch, and pride themselves in their old-fashioned work ethic and sense of hospitality.

Cookie, Nick and Nora enjoy the dog-friendly digs.

There's a corral with horses and donkeys, neat stacks of fire wood everywhere, and trails to take you across the road or by the river. Louie cleared and leveled a road while we were there.

The couple -- Louis and Shelley -- manage the guest ranch to honor the tradition established through the generations: a friendly welcome, good food, pretty environment.

Suites and rooms are named after the nearby mountains and peaks.

"We're not babysitters," Shelley told me. "We want people to be self starters, but we're around if need be."

THE ROOMS range from  a grouping of bunkhouse-type cabins (where we stayed, because they are pet friendly), to individual cabins near the water, some with fireplaces.  If we return, we'd love to stay in one of those because having a private fireplace would have been icing on the tasty cake!

The scenery was called "a celestial paradise" by one writer, and it truly is.

Shelley and Louie Cary are part of a family run operation which prides itself in calm beauty.

After a torrential rain, complete with rainbows, Louie leveled the road early the next morning.

WE FOUND our cabin comfy and roomy, with a kitchen suitable for fixing meals. We prepared a supper and breakfast here and enjoyed a meal with the Carys another evening. The food was wonderful: steaks cooked to order, quinoa side dish, fruit salad, homemade rolls and a delicious peach and pear pie baked by Shelley that afternoon.  Rates range from $214 a night to $1,486 for suites. Larger cabins which accommodate up to 10 or 12.

As mentioned, pet friendly rooms are a must for us!

Keller enjoys a wade in the waters near our cabin at Hunter Peak Ranch.

The place attracts a mixed clientele -- from Europeans in love with the mountains and hiking, to American and Canadian tourists in search of change and dramatic scenery.

During our stay, we met neighboring summer people from Santa Barbara and Ashland, Oregon, visited with a German family spending several days at the ranch, and a three-generation group from Nebraska.  All of us enjoyed the dazzling peaks and lush mountain valleys northwest Wyoming provides.

THE BEAUTIFUL Chief Joseph Scenic Highway gets you to Cody and the east entrance of Yellowstone. You can do what we do: go into the park one way and out another. Weather permitting we like to go in through Chief Joseph and Cody and out via the spectacular Beartooth Pass down to

There are undiscovered pleasures on the road to Cody, and the Chief Joseph Highway.

Red Lodge. The drive into the valley and Hunter Peak Ranch, is equally spectacular, perhaps in a more subtle way, then Beartooth Highway. We enjoyed our trip through the Shoshone National Forest and Chief Joseph Highway, stopping at the much photographed bridge to enjoy a picnic.

To book, call 307 587-3711.  Or go to www.hunterpeakranch.com

To our delight, there is no cell service in the area, but you may use a calling card on the ranch phone for emergencies.

COMING UP:  Why we enjoy "road tripping." Joyful short and long car journeys together are among our favorite hobbies. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us weekly. And the journey doesn’t stop here -- follow along for more adventures and travel inspiration at WhereIsCookie.com