Rawhide Ranch

This review is for horseback riding, although I quizzed a couple of other visitors on their stay at the ranch and the zip lining experience and the feedback was quite enthusiastic.
This could have been a Monday effect, but our group of five was much more comfortable than our prior experience elsewhere where at the back of the group of ~17 I felt in constant danger of being lost in the middle of nowhere. The pre-​ride instructions were short, but on point for everything a novice should know about minimally directing well trained docile horses through the trails. Our guide Beth kept an eye on our group and we stayed in a good formation.
The trail itself is definitely the crown jewel of the ride. Lots of up, down and switchbacks through the classic Brown County hills with leaves floating down all around you. It is hard not fall in love with the horses even during the short time they are carrying us clueless heavy strangers.
I can see us coming back for a night or two for a full ranch experience. In warmer weather, we may consider staying in a teepee.

Horseback riding was so much fun! I came in a little nervous, but the staff were really nice and showed everyone the ropes? reins? haha! For $ 30 and a waiver you adventure through trails in the woods. The lady leading the tour was super nice and friendly.

The staff and locals that frequent there were absolutely awesome. Had a great time at the communal firepit talking with other guests and was highly entertained by the barnyard karaōke to say the least. We did the zip line adventure and was a great experience. The guides were AMAZING! We ended up hanging around for almost two hours after it was over just talking. Whistler and Paula are lots of fun and will make sure to make the experience about more than just the zip lining. We didn’t go horseback riding due to the fact that we are experienced riders and they only offer walking trails. That was a little bit of a bummer but completely understandable due to the insurance nightmare that can cause. My husband and I don’t have children but I think it would be an amazing place to bring your kids. Will definitely be taking a trip back there with the rest of the family. Awesome staff, nice rooms (we stayed in the Buffalo Bill suite which they so kindly upgraded for no additional cost because we were the only ones there that evening), great property and lots to do. The GM and assistant manager of the ranch were very kind and you can tell they are really invested in making things run smoothly for their guests and provide them with true country hospitality!

Chris G did a great job in his review explaining the ranch. My family recently overtook the entire place (wedding event). The Bunkhouse was a great place for all to gather and visit around the clock. We also occupied the two out buildings, including the 4 bedroom modern house which also served as a nice meeting place. Our party had overall mixed reviews that I can summarize. It’s not the Ritz Carlton. We had no maid service whatsoever, it’s a little rough; not real clean. It’s more of a Dude Ranch complete with roaming dogs, cats, goats, chickens, and even a retired trail horse. It was charming to some, but a lot less so for others. However as a place to gather and reconnect, it would be hard to beat and is a very short drive to Brown County State Park and Nashville. We did do a trail ride, and it was more of a slow walk for beginners — no cantering. Many non guests seemed to enjoy the zip lining, though we did not participate. I would recommend the ranch for large groups, but if you are traveling alone or with immediate family, the communal areas of the bunk house will likely be awkward by being around a bunch if strangers. If you do it anyway, I would recommend the end room facing the woods as it had a nice view, deck access, a large living space, and a little removed from the common areas.

This review is for Holler Hoppin Zip-​Lines at Rawhide Ranch.
Probably the best hour & a half I’ve spent in a long time. No matter if you are old or young, fit or not so much, you can do this, and you’ll have a blast while your at it.
I’ve never zip lined before and I’m a little squeamish when it comes to heights, but I am a roller coaster fanatic, and zip lining is kinda on par with coasters, a lot less jarring even. My husband is even more squeamish about heights than I am, and he said that Holler Hoppin just didn’t pull those triggers. You go in a group of 10 to 12 people with 2 guides, who outfit you in the gear, and hook you up for every zip, and entertain you along the way, it’s really a no brainer.
So for $ 30 bucks you get 6 zips on 5 different lines (they use one twice) and you’ll feel like a 12 year old again in the process, only this time with out the braces and acne, now what’s more fun than that?

We stayed at the ranch last Sunday and LOVED IT. It was more than we expected. Crystal is the person leading the horseback rides, and she is the one who made this stay so special. She is everything you could want as a trail leader – kind, compassionate, knowledgeable. The room was clean and comfortable. The setting was very relaxing. We will definitely be returning many times.

Yee-​ha! Off and on for the last 5 years we have treated our employees to a weekend of fun at the Rawhide Ranch in Nashville, IN. The first year was a big beer ladened weekend with a few activities in between such as horseback riding, golf, hiking and jaunts into Nashville for shopping and people watching. Each year seems to bring new adventures and more options for our bonding session. This year proved to be the best yet! The Rawhide Ranch has added a Zip Line course to the already fun-​filled facility. We hung high above the ravines in Southern Indiana and careened across over 600′ of steel lines. There are four different «hops» and each one gets longer and higher off the ground as you progress through the course. This was the BEST $ 15 I’ve spent in a long time! You don’t have to be a lodger to join in the fun. Amenities at the Rawhide Ranch are open to the public. Take your family, take your friends-​go, go, go to the Rawhide Ranch!

Rawhide Ranch is a charming getaway in southern Indiana’s Brown County. For folks whose notions of Indiana don’t extend beyond the Indy 500 and the state’s conservative red state politics, Brown County is the place people flock to from all over the country – even the world – to enjoy its spectacular fall foliage, viewed from stunning vantage points atop its impressive rolling hills.
The ranch is situated near the summit of one of these hills, which you appreciate on its driveway’s steep climb. This high elevation allows some fun diversions, like zip lines through the forest – but more on that later.
Your first stop at the Ranch is the office, where you’re greeted by the friendly, laid back staff. You’ll get your key and the basic rundown of how things work here, before you’re led to the accommodations.
We stayed in the former horse barn turned hotel – the Buck Inn «Horstel» (get it?), a real barn whose hay loft has been comfortably converted into a warm, cozy hotel.
The guest rooms surround a shared common area replete with pine floors, stone fireplaces, and leather furniture. They’ve perhaps gone a bit overboard with the taxidermied animal heads, but overall, the feel is rustic and cozy.
Shared kitchenettes at either end of the barn provide refrigerators and microwaves so you can stash and reheat your restaurant leftovers, and coffee makers with complimentary coffee (just Folgers, but picky folks can bring their own to brew). There are no other food services on site.
Guest rooms are opened with actual keys, not magnetic cards. Do not expect cable TV, phones, hair dryers, irons, room service, or vending. (A Coke machine and $ 1.50 bags of ice are available at the office.) You get just what you need, and not much more.
The bathrooms are clean and comfortable. No bathtub – just a shower – so don’t plan on a jacuzzi soak. Clean towels and the usual toiletries are provided.
While this might be a deal breaker for some, I was happy to find not a television in sight, and cell phone signals are unreliable at best here. However, they do have good WiFi, and that’s all the connection with the rest of the world I need.
I do have a two criticisms of the guest rooms: the beds were comfortable, and the linens spotless, but they don’t use mattress pads. Maybe you don’t use them either, but in a hotel, there needs to be some line of defense between the sheet and the mattress. I don’t think I really need to elaborate too much on this point.
Also, we visited in August – a hot time for southern Indiana. While the common areas of the barn were nice and cool during the 90+ degree days, our room, with a skylight and two windows, did not seem to get adequate cooling, making for some stuffy times during the day. No screens in the window and lots of insects outside meant opening windows was not an option. Night time temps were mostly fine, but if you like it cool, I suggest bringing your own electric fan.
As for activities, Rawhide offers zip lines, horseback riding, geocaching, and more. Activities are discounted for hotel guests, but available to the public too. The staff are extremely friendly and relaxed, and these are great family activities. Two of us who are actually afraid of heights did the zip lines, four courses of increasing speed and drop, and felt safe and secure the whole time.
Other accommodations that we didn’t see are available here, and this would be a great place for a big family reunion type of gathering, so check out the website for more information.
Nashville Indiana is a short drive away, providing a pretty typical touristy experience: lots of shopping on quaint streets where every other place is a fudge/​candy shop. If you’ve been to Traverse City Michigan, or the Wisconsin Dells, or any other Midwestern tourist area, you’ve got the basic idea. This isn’t particularly what we came for, but it made for an interesting afternoon.
For food, we had good dining experiences at the Big Woods Brewing Company ($$$) in Nashville proper, the Pine Room ($) on the outskirts just a few miles from the ranch, and the Salt Creek Golf Retreat ($$), also close to the ranch.
There were plenty of other restaurants a short drive away – mostly in Nashville – that we didn’t try, including some fast-​food or national chain favorites, like Subway, McDonald’s, and Pizza King. An IGA grocery store and CVS are a few miles’ drive from the ranch. Bloomington and Columbus are both a close enough drive for meals and other entertainment.
Overall, our stay at the Rawhide Ranch was a great experience which I would repeat if we head to Brown County again in the future.