Flying E Ranch

If I could give Flying E Ranch more than five stars, I would. What a great experience for my 10 year old granddaughter and I. We stayed 2 nights and rode two days and we can’t wait until we go back, and we will certainly go back.
First, the hospitality. Starting with the welcome, to the meals, to the rides; I don’t see how it could been any better. From everyone remembering our names, to the kitchen staff creating and serving wonderful meals, to the wranglers making us comfortable and confident in our rides, to the beautiful horses matched to our individual needs. I can not think of anything that the staff could have done differently to make our stay any better.
And the meals. What great meals we had. Breakfast made to order, options for lunch and wonderful and creative dinners. No one goes hungry at Flying E. I especially liked the fact that the kitchen would prepare meals for special needs or diets. I also liked the «family style» meals where guests sat together and told tales of where they were from to how their day went or what they had planned for the day.
And the facility. Rustic but not old, basic but not plain, relaxing but not boring and clean everywhere. The beds were comfortable and the rooms were just the right size. The dining area is like a little museum with pictures and other memorabilia from around the ranch and the area. Board and table games to play, if you can find the time, and a tv room with toys and movies if you have the inclination.
And finally, what we were there to do — horseback ride. Again, great wranglers, not just local kids that know how to ride but professional wranglers that have been doing this for years and know how to make a ride comfortable, scenic, enjoyable and safe. I like that they also schedule the rides and groups based on the wants, needs and abilities of the riders not just a take it or leave it trail ride.
We researched ranches all over the west. We are glad we chose Flying E and would highly recommend this ranch if you are looking for a true western experience that you will not soon forget.

A treasure. We’ve been here 3 times and plan to come back again. Not a spa but a family oriented riding vacation destination. Generous meals, welcoming staff and plenty of space to relax.

My family just spent a weekend at the Flying E Ranch in Wickenburg, AZ. The 12 of us ranged in age from 27 to 66.
Everyone had a wonderful time at the dude ranch. The service was impeccable. All the employees and volunteers were friendly, helpful and worked to be sure a great time was had by all. The accommodations were beautiful, wood-​paneled rooms with many western touches. We shared a kitchenette with another room. But we never used the kitchenette because there was so much excellent food included. Besides 3 full meals, cookies, coffee and tea were always available. The was also a BYOB happy hour daily.
We took a two hour horseback ride ($ 45 extra) each day. Though most of us had little or no riding experience, we all loved it. There was a square dance where we laughed so hard we cried, even those who had vowed not to dance! We played horseshoes, shuffleboard, swam in the heated pool, and soaked in the spa. There was a sauna and small gym. Four of the guys went off-​road bike riding on great trails, while others took hikes. Wifi is available in spots, and rooms have tvs if you can’t disconnect.
The Flying E Dude Ranch is great for bonding or a reunion. Lasting memories were made. We will be back, next time with the grandkids!

After researching dude ranches, I gathered 12 of my family and friends for a weekend long ranch experience. We choose the Flying E as it seemed best suited for us. The staff at the Flying E went out of their way to make our time at the ranch fun and entertaining. The other guests at the ranch were friendly as well. Food was great — service was great. Cookie jar was always full with a variety of yummies.
The animals are beautiful and well cared for. I felt I was in good hands with the wrangling staff.
After a ride, we enjoyed the swimming pool and jacuzzi. I have not played horseshoes since my childhood days in Wisconsin!
They also have themed weekends so if your interested, you should check out their event listing. The small city of Wickenburg is a historical gem and a trip into the city is also an interesting side trip.
The evenings are so beautifully quiet. I never checked my e-​mail and did not even carry my cell phone with me – just did not want to be bothered as I was having too much fun. My husband and I laughed all the way home.

Having just spend 3 days at the Flying E Ranch, I feel absolutely compelled to write this great review. The Flying E Ranch and staff just blew my expectations out of the water. I have never been to a dude ranch before, as it was never really at the top of my list of vacations. But when my family decided to get a group together, I decided «what the heck.» As soon as we got there I could tell that this place really had it’s act together. Firstly, I have a difficult diet to accommodate (gluten free and vegetarian). They said as long as we know in advance, we can accommodate… boy did they ever. They went completely out of their way to make sure I had custom-​made meals, and I’m telling you… this is not a place that will let you go hungry. The ranch kept us well fed the entire time. The food was excellent, and the staff was exceptionally friendly. Meal time was also a fun time to get to know other guests.
The horseback riding was beautiful and well organized. They make sure to put you on a horse that fits your level. If that is not your thing, there’s lots of other things to do. Andi organized a square dance for us, which kept us all laughing and having fun. There are BYOB happy hours every night before dinner, where you can watch the desert sunset. The scenery and landscape is gorgeous — somewhat remote and very peaceful. There’s also a pool/​jacuzzi, life-​sized chess board, shuffle board, basketball and tennis courts, and lots of hiking. You can basically just walk around and explore the ranch to your hearts’ content. My dad and uncles brought mountain bikes and found plenty to explore on the bikes as well.
I was nervous about going in February thinking it would be cold, but the weather was PERFECT! Not too hot in the day, and jacket-​worthy at night but not extreme on either end.
The rooms are nice and very clean. The TV only has basic channels, but if you are there to watch TV I don’t know if this is the right place for you. There is WIFI in the main common rooms but not the bedrooms. I guess this isn’t a trip for the «indoorsy» type even though the common areas are very nice and have wonderful views out the windows.
I want to thank the Flying E for an extraordinary experience. I hope to get back there someday and relive these memories and create some more.

I can’t say enough good things about this ranch. My sister and I wanted to reconnect and had been to two dude ranches as children. We searched for a small family-​run ranch and we found exactly what we wanted.
The Flying E Ranch feels exactly like the ranches from the 1960’s (except for the hot tub and the ranch store). The place is charmingly decorated and there are many antiques and special touches such as photo albums featuring every guest.
Most guests that we met had been there for multiple visits so that is a good recommendation in itself.
The staff was charming and service was great. Everyone we met there was nice. There was a happy hour for adults every night which was fun. We are on a vegan diet right now and they accommodated us with perfect entrees at every meal.
The desert is beautiful, good bird-​watching, hiking, you can see the stars!, the horses were well-​behaved, the wranglers took safety very seriously, even the elderly could ride there, you don’t have to ride. There are rides twice a day, we did once a day. There are museums, mine tours, lots of day trips, and golf courses in the area. There were other activities such as square dancing! which I couldn’t believe we did but it was a blast. Team penning, lunch rides, etc.
I think this is an excellent place for a reunion of family and friends. You can see your loved ones interacting with other people as everyone eats together. There is plenty for kids to do. I played ping pong with some kids. We also had a private kitchen with a fridge (shared with another room).
They fill up well in advance so make your plans early.
Really.