Luxury Hotels Atlas / Places / United States / Crawford / Smith Fork Ranch
Smith Fork Ranch
Crawford, Colorado, United States · Independent · Grand Luxury
Newlyweds Grant and Mamie Ferrier combined two ranches into the Bar X Bar in 1928, and Marley Hodgson, founder of the Ghurka leather brand, bought it in 2000 and restored it log by log with numbered timbers, reopening it in 2002. Smith Fork Ranch near Crawford, Colorado, now rents six log-cabin structures sleeping up to 38 guests with a private chef, on three private miles of the Smith Fork of the Gunnison River.
- 19 rooms
- Opened 2002
- Neighborhood: Smith Fork Valley
About Smith Fork Ranch
- Newlyweds Grant and Mamie Ferrier combined two ranches into the 'Bar X Bar' in 1928, running it as a dude ranch from the late 1930s into the 1960s before it fell into disrepair.
- Marley Hodgson, founder of the Ghurka leather-goods brand, bought the ranch in 2000 and restored it log by log using numbered timbers, reopening it to the public in 2002.
- The ranch holds the largest single U.S. Forest Service permit in the West Elk Wilderness and includes three private miles of the Smith Fork of the Gunnison River.
History
Smith Fork Ranch lies near Crawford, Colorado, on land that was Ute homeland and later homesteaded in the 1800s. In 1928 newlyweds Grant and Mamie Ferrier combined two ranches into the 'Bar X Bar,' building cabins and running a dude ranch from the late 1930s into the 1960s before the property fell into disrepair.
The Hodgson family — led by Marley Hodgson, founder of the Ghurka leather-goods brand — bought the ranch in 2000 and restored it log by log, reopening to the public in 2002. Now stewarded by the Schreier family and sitting at about 7,200 feet between Aspen and Telluride, it is a member of Andrew Harper's Top 100 Hideaways.
Experiences
- The Trout Shack — One-of-a-kind experience at the ranch
- Cooper's Lookout — One-of-a-kind experience at the ranch
- Riding — Ride, fish, shoot, hike, swim, raft, pack, track, create, recharge
- Trout fishing — Fish for rainbow or brown trout in the adjacent pond or river (River House).
- Fishing — Part of the ranch's collection of experiences connecting guests to the wilderness
- Shooting — Part of the ranch's collection of experiences
Amenities
- Nespresso coffee machines
- Matouk linens
- Wifi
- Sonos sound system (Marley's Lodge living area, River House living room)
- Fireplaces
- Wraparound porch with swing (Ferrier Lodge)
- Cedar soaking tub (River House)
- 50-inch television in sitting room (Ferrier Lodge)
- 65-inch television in upstairs loft (River House)
- In-home catering possible at Marley's Lodge
- All-inclusive stays
- Accommodation, cuisine and care after the day's activities
Awards
- Robb Report 50 Greatest Hotels on Earth (2026)
Open Smith Fork Ranch in the atlas for live weekend rates, photos, and the full folio.