North American Western Riding Vacation – Non-Riding Activities
The Hideout’s focus is on horseback riding, hacking, horses and horsemanship surrounded by great, authentic and upscale hospitality. If you would like to take a break from riding, we do offer the following non-riding activities.
Our most popular non-riding horse related experience is Marijn’s clinic. Throughout the season and given enough interest, Marijn gives a half day clinic in our inside arena. Participants who are interested can participate hands on under the guidance of Marijn. This clinic is growing in popularity each year, and we have never seen a rider or guest walk out regretting skipping a half day of riding. Both English and Western riders of all levels take away learnings. For people who started riding later in life it is encouraging to learn that Marijn only started riding 20 years ago when she came to The Hideout.
Trapshooting & Archery
Trapshooting and Archery are popular half-day, non-riding activities. We have an on-premises trap shooting facility with Winchester-Laporte remote control thrower, including 20- and 12-gauge Beretta shotguns. At our Archery range you can try your luck shooting traditional and compound bows. The minimum age for trapshooting is 12 years and parents must accompany their kids. Safety first!
The Hideout offers a heated lap pool with views to die for. What is more rewarding and relaxing after a day in the saddle than dipping in a pool with crystal clear, refreshing water? Our 60’ x 18’ lap pool is 4 ½ – 5 feet in depth facing straight towards Shell Canyon and the Big Horn Mountains. The pool is managed by a state-of-the-art computer and cleaning system using UV light, which reduces the use of harsh chemicals. We usually keep the water temperature around 80F.
Adjacent to the pool is a stylish log pool house where guests can escape the strong Wyoming sun. The pool is secluded from the cabins and lodge to provide a peaceful and private place to relax.
Depending on the weather, we typically open the pool mid to the end of May and close the pool mid-October.
Our hot tub is located near the main lodge with easy access from all surrounding cabins. Our hot tub is open year around.
Fly-Fishing
From May through November and even during Winter, except during Spring snow melt run off, there is great fly-fishing available. The Spring snow runoff varies from season to season but usually happens from mid-May through the end of June. Shell Creek is a wider stream that runs through The Hideout and White Creek Ranch properties. Trapper Creek is smaller and more technical stream that runs for several miles through Trapper Creek Ranch. During Spring snow melt runoff, you can fish in our stocked ponds.
Experienced Fly-Fishers
If you are an experienced fly-fisher and know how to safely handle fly-fishing rods, know how to land fish in a respectful and safe way so the fish can survive being caught and released, feel free to go out on your own and use our gear. To fish in Wyoming, you need to get a fishing license, which you can apply for and pay online. We have fly-rods, waders, tack and flies available to use. Additional flies and tack can be sourced locally.
Guided fly-fishing and guests new to Fly-Fishing
If you would like to go out with a professional guide, let us know ahead of time and we can connect you with the pros at North Fork Anglers in Cody. They can come and guide on our properties and they also have access to a wide variety of streams in the Yellowstone Park / Cody area. Please make sure to book these guides well ahead of time as they are usually booked well in advance.
If you have no or little experience fly-fishing, you need to hire a guide to go fishing, which is the best way to enjoy and learn about this sport.
Please note that booking a professional fly-fishing guide is not included in the price of your stay at The Hideout. You will also need to buy a Wyoming Fishing License.
Some of our guests believe they need to ride every day during their stay. Others prefer to ride but not forget to Relax and Enjoy the property, their cabin, read a book, take a swim and take in our beautiful, manicured property.
This is your vacation!
Cody, Wyoming, is the Rodeo Capital of the World — home of the Buffalo Bill Cody Stampede Rodeo and Cody Nite Rodeo! From June 1st through August 31st – 90 rodeos are held during the summer, one per day. Many guests take a break from riding Wednesday afternoon to drive to Cody. Some guests arrive one or two days early in Cody to enjoy the rodeo and visit Yellowstone National Park, The Buffalo Bill Museum, one of the best museums in The West and commonly called, “The Smithsonian of The West”, The Old Trail Town or enjoy shooting with the pros at The Cody Firearm Experience where you have choice shooting a selection of 100 guns. You can try your hand on everything from the old guns that won the West to very modern guns and even a Gatling. All under the watchful eye of trained pros.
Cody is one of the nicest Western towns in Wyoming and guests like to visit and shop at the many stores on Main Street.
Hiking & Mountain Biking
Our unique location in the Big Horn Mountains offers a rarely seen diversity of terrain and scenery for mountain bikers. It boasts superb mountain biking and hiking opportunities.
We have bikes at The Hideout. However, if you are a very serious mountain biker you might call some of the bike shops in Cody to see if they rent more professional bikes. Many of our guests who are into biking call this area the best hidden mountain bike paradise. Just remember there are few flat areas.
The Shell Store and downtown Shell – Population 74
In 2006, Marijn and Peter bought the Shell Store, a local landmark built in 1894 and one of the only buildings constructed in local sandstone. The building was a ruin and the surrounding park in the center of Shell a junkyard. It took years of clean up, construction and investments to restore the building and park to its current condition.
Since April 2020, Emily and Kevin Clark, who own and operate The Shell Campground, opened a cafe, taphouse and bistro in the building. It was an immediate success, and people are driving in from far to enjoy this unique place and great hospitality. Many varieties of beers are on tap, check out the pastries or enjoy one of the excellent hamburgers and salads and do not forget to visit the gift shop.
Since it was constructed in 1894, The Shell Store has been a gathering place for locals to hang out and visit. Few trips into The Big Horns and back go by without the locals stopping for supplies, food or just to hang out and share fishing, hunting, cowboying, ranch, gold panning, camping, biking, hiking or other stories.
The Shell Bar
New since 2024, is the beautiful Shell Bar. Patty and Gene Elliot, long-time guests of The Hideout, moved from California to Shell during Covid and became very active members of the local community. They had a vision to create a gathering place where people of all walks of life would come together. The Shell Bar was built with a lot of love and passion around this vision investing many resources. Everybody is surprised to find this kind of quality establishment in Shell. Like The Hideout, The Shell Bar connects people of all walks of life. And of course, in no time our guests and staff found their way to The Shell Bar and The Shell Store.
The Red School Dino Den
A passionate team of “Shellians” came together and restored the old red schoolhouse which now is home to the Dino-Den. A life-sized dinosaur discovered in the area made it back home to Shell where it used to roam many years ago and now resides in The Red School. That is great news, because while the Shell area is renowned around the world for its dinos, all of them reside in museums in North America, Japan, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland and around the world. So, we are happy that one escaped and made it back home to Shell.
Shell Town and all the above places are within walking distance of The Hideout. You an also take one of our bikes. Just make sure you don’t drink too much and don’t forget, coming back is uphill.
