jp ranch

My daughters (17 & 11) and I stayed at the JP Ranch for 3 nights in August, 2011. I am a little slow in writing the review but the girls and I have regularly raved about the time we had on the ranch to family and friends to the point that my husband is a little jealous that he couldn't make it. I was looking for a ranch experience and found very few options that didn't include "Dude" or pampering or, to the other extent, where you were invited to brand the cattle. I found JP Ranch through VRBO when I was looking at visiting Tombstone. I had originally planned to spend more time in Tombstone and was worried about staying so far out but the ranch is a destination in itself and a perfect ranch experience that made the vacation. The hospitality was fantastic from the moment when JB met us on the way in to JB and Whitney going into Tombstone with us on our way out of town. The food and conversation was great as well and we immediately felt like we found extended family. Evenings were spent outside talking and watching the storms over Mexico. Very relaxing! Whitney couldn't have been a more perfect match for my 17-year-old. Our horseback riding had been limited to annual trail rides but JB quickly got us in the saddle, gave us some lessons on riding Western, and put my youngest daughter at ease by keeping her horse on a lead rope until she felt ready to ride on her own in the open desert. With many hours in the saddle, we felt like seasoned riders by the time we left! Being from the east coast, I was a bit concerned about monsoon season and flash floods but JB educated me on what to look for and advised me on the incoming weather so I knew when to head back to the ranch to avoid any problems. The girls and I ventured out into Bisbee one afternoon and did some shopping but enjoyed returning to the ranch. Our hearts broke when Easter brayed each time we left the ranch.All in all, it was a fantastic vacation with JB, Whitney, the dogs, horses, and especially Easter! If you go, be sure to ask JB about Rattlesnake Crafts and arrange to visit before you do your souvenir shopping elsewhere. We really enjoyed our time on the ranch and plan to include it in our travels next summer!