The story of The Hideout at Flitner Ranch consists of many tales and experiences put together to create “Your Experience”. These stories describe what kind of experience you can expect while vacationing at The Hideout at Flitner Ranch in Wyoming.
The Flitner Ranch Story
Nestled alongside of the Big Horn Mountains, five generations of the Flitner family have worked the ranch and resided here since 1906. Initially founded by Arthur Flitner in 1906, the 100 year-old Flitner Ranch remains an oasis of peace and solitude in this fast-paced world. Paula and David Flitner expanded the ranch to its currents size, encompassing over a quarter million acres. This property offers incredible diverse terrain and spectacular views in all directions.
Greg Flitner and his wife Pam are fourth generation Flitners. Cattle ranching, farming, and raising registered Quarter horses remain the core business of the Flitner family. There are 1,300 head of Black Angus mother cows with calves, 400 head of yearlings, and 200 horses to offer guests many opportunities to experience riding with real cowboy wranglers in a safe environment. The amount of livestock we graze might vary from year to year depending on weather and economical conditions. The ranch also encompasses close to 1500 acres of irrigated farmland in the valley.
The Story of Shell and The Big Horn Basin.
The Hideout is located in Shell (population 50, elevation 4200 feet) in the beautiful Shell Valley of the Big Horn Basin at the entrance of the dramatic Shell Canyon. It’s just 110 miles east of Yellowstone National Park, and 60 miles east of Cody, Wyoming. The next town is across the Big Horn Mountains at a 1.5 hour drive. The story of Shell starts millions and millions of years ago and the many exposed formations are a visible testimonial of this history. Shell is a popular destination for paleontologists of around the globe digging for rare species of dino’s and fossils.
The Story of The Big Horn Mountains & National Park and Cloud Peak Wilderness
At 4,100 feet in the high-desert valley of salt sage, cactus, and prehistoric dinosaur discoveries, we climb the rocky canyons of Shell Creek, White Creek, and Trapper Creek, through wide-open range, to an elevation of over 10,000 feet in the Bighorn National Forest and Cloud Peak in the Wilderness Area which measures close to 13067 feet. The green alpine meadows and pine forests are home to the majestic elk and mule deer. Crystal-clear mountain lakes and streams harbor native trout. With this as your back yard, The Hideout at Flitner Ranch is the perfect place to ride and relax on your Western Adventure.
The story of The Hideout Adventures
David and Paula Flitner started up The Hideout Adventures in 1992 and have grown and expanded over the years to what The Hideout is now. Peter and Marijn De Cabooter, the European family members and longtime visitors to The Hideout since start up have taken over the management of The Hideout and the hospitality side of the ranch since last year. Guests can ride with the cowboys, as they go about their daily work of operating a ranch of this size. There is always plenty to see and do, as the cattle roam from their spring pastures at Heart Mountain and Whistle Creek, to the summer range on Granite Pass, a distance of about 80 miles.
A maximum capacity of 32 guests allows everyone to participate as much as they desire. Most of the time we have between 15 and 25 guests during the summer season. With a string of 85 horses we assure excellent mounts at all times for our guests. Our horses are bred and raised for this challenging terrain, keep our guests safely mounted for a day of herding cattle or fun and exciting trail rides. Other activities like overnight stays, fly-fishing, trapshooting, hiking and riding lessons are also available.
The Culinary story of The Hideout
The Hideout started out offering good Western fare, but over the years has become more and more known for offering an excellent culinary experience.
Our culinary-schooled chefs prepare delicious, enticing gourmet dinners which are the perfect end to a perfect day. Chris Dalin our The Hideout chef was schooled at Le Cordon Bleu. He is from this area and has worked at The Hideout for several years. His best friend Rob Howe, the chef at our nearby Trapper Creek Lodge is also a culinary schooled chef in Colorado, California and New York. Both our chefs are best friends and challenge each other to come up with the best of the best available in this area.
The Trapper Creek Guest Ranch and Supper Club
This year we opened The Trapper Creek Restaurant & Supper Club. The combination of this historical lodge, restored some years ago to its old grandeur and the culinary talents of Robb offer an unexpected new story.
You can make separate reservations at The Trapper Creek Lodge, when during your stay at The Hideout you would like to dine “a la carte” and private. We offer also a nice selection of wines, our own Old Shell Lodge Ales and have a full retail liquor license.
The Trapper Creek Lodge is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday and usually booked days in advance.
The Trapper Creek Lodge & Supper Club is open to the public on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings.
Call 307-765-9900 for reservations.
Visit www.trapper-creek-guest-ranch.com
Trail riding – Lodge to Lodge
This program was added for those who like an intensive trail riding experience from lodge to lodge, while being pampered in style – www.wyoming-horse-riding.com
The story of The Hideout Staff, our secret…
Our staff come from different walks of life, background and education. They all have their stories as to why they love to work for The Hideout and they believe this is the best valley to raise kids. They share a genuine passion for the West, hospitality, ranching, the outdoors and offering the best in hospitality. We want The Hideout to be the best guest ranch to work to assure this is the best experience for our guests.
As you can imagine, there is long waiting list of staff wanting to work at The Hideout.
A Western Ranching heritage with a European blend of hospitality management
The owners David and Paula Flitner represent a blend of Western Heritage with International sophistication and background. This blend is the foundation of The Hideout since start up.
The Flitner Ranch is managed by 5th generation Flitner, Greg and his wife Pam. Both have lived in this valley for many years and represent the next generation Western Heritage. They are ranchers and farmers.
Peter and Marijn De Cabooter are the European family members that manage The Hideout Guest Ranch, hospitality and recreational initiatives. They add international experience, managerial talent, languages and are well-traveled.
All of us together with our staff share a love for this lifestyle each according to our own interpretations as there is no one way, but many ways to live The West.
The Story of our Guests
Many of our guests are looking for an experience that blends Equestrian activities, the remote outdoors, an authentic ranch experience and upscale pampering.
Guests come from around the world and return frequently. They have many stories to share about The Hideout, but they will all agree that the reason they return is “The Hideout Story”.
The Hideout Story
The Hideout Story assures you a unique and unforgettable experience combining the best of two worlds. Ranching and Farming is an entirely different business from managing an upscale guest ranch and hospitality business.
The Hideout story is driven by a group of people, staff and owners passionate about a joint heritage and sharing a love for this valley and lifestyle. However each of them use their specific talents and skills to enable an excellent experience for you, our guests.
Every year we commit to update our story to assure that each new visit for our guests remains exciting and be the best ever they had at The Hideout.
