Beekeeping Experience

*Special events are reserved for overnight lodging guests only. Dates subject to change based on season/weather. Minimum of 4 guests for the event to occur.

Join our local beekeeper with Tabernash Honey Company to learn all about the exciting world of bees! Donning a full beekeeper suit, guests will get up close and personal with our Ranch honeybees, learn their history and importance to our ecology system, and understand the care and maintenance beehives require. Our hives at the Ranch house up to 1.2 million bees that make approximately 1,200 lbs of pure honey per season. Take home the sweet taste of summer with your own yummy pure comb honey!

Cost: $110 per guest plus tax
Reservations required. Space is limited.
Reserve by calling (970)-726-8231 or emailing activities@devilsthumbranch.com.

WHAT TO EXPECT ON YOUR HIVE TOUR

So, you’re ready to take a peek inside the hive at the secret life of bees? Here’s what you should know before you embark on your hive tour experience!
What to Wear and Bring – Closed-toe shoes are a MUST. We’ll provide you with a full bee suit and gloves. It’s best to wear layers underneath so you can adjust for the changing mountain temperatures. On any mountain adventure, it’s always smart to bring sunglasses and a filled water bottle.
The Experience – First, we’ll go over some basic hive safety precautions (see below.) – Next, we’ll get into some fun facts about bees, their roles, and the hives they live in. After we’re all learned up, we’ll get zipped into our bee suits and head into the bee yard. Our goals inside the yard? Identify all the different types of hive cells. We’ll also locate a worker bee, a drone, and hopefully the QUEEN bee!
Hive Safety – Honeybees do not want to sting you, but if they feel threatened and they have the opportunity they will! To prevent this, we’ll use a lot of smoke, keep calm when near the bees, move slowly, and speak softly. Hive tours ARE NOT recommended to individuals with a suspected or known bee allergy!