Vermejo – Ted Turner Reserve – Raton

The hunting guide was fantastic, along with the staff, the food, the accommodations and the breath-taking views. I would be honored to be invited back to this majestic place.

My husband and I went into this trip thinking Vermejo would be a onetime COVID-only sort of socially distanced, secluded nature getaway. However, after spending a glorious 5 days at Vermejo, we definitely would go back!

We stayed in the recently renovated Turner House.  Everything was just fantastic - from the overall warmth and attentiveness of the staff to the tranquil locale to the beautiful accommodations to the exquisite culinary creations. There was nothing we didn’t love about Vermejo.

Activities: We hiked, took a private horsemanship lesson and ride, took a couple of the historic tours, toured the greenhouse, shot rifles, shot guns and archery. They even indulged my husband’s curiosity and made arrangements for him to check out the firehouse and firetrucks while I was getting my spa massage. We also had plenty of down time to have cocktails on the main lodge terrace and out by the firepit. The wildlife was abundant- we encountered deer, elk, antelope, wild horses, turkeys, all sorts of birds, and owls.

Culinary Program: The culinary experiences and Chef Giovanni were nothing short of amazing. The food was wonderful and a real highlight especially the charcuterie board including the house cured meat selections, the cowboy breakfast out by the river, and the opulence tasting with the wine pairing. Each of the seven courses was mind-blowing with the entrée being a beautifully prepared bison tenderloin that was paired with a very nice rioja. Chef Giovanni and Will really out did themselves.

Staff:  Thanks to Palmer (who is an incredibly knowledgeable and patient guide, teacher and an all-around personable guy who was our personal go-to guy ready to lead us on a hike, go fishing, shooting or whatever we desired at a moments notice), Chef Giovani (a true talent and just cool dude whose passion for life and good food is evident), Kelly, Hava, Will, Misty, and the rest of the absolutely remarkable staff for making our stay magical and one we certainly will remember!

Magical. Ted Turner should be sainted. This place is preserved piece of American history and will be forever. The staff here should have their own series, they are all young, smart, vibrant and conservationists are heart. Glorious nature, the streams and lakes, the fish and all the wild animals are the true stars here. We had experiences that will last a lifetime.