Chuckwagon Supper & Original Western Stage Show
Nightly May 25 – Oct 11, 2024
Click Here for Frequently Asked Questions
Everything You Need to Know about the Chuckwagon Supper and Original Western Show
How much does it cost?
Sunday through Friday:
- General Admission: $65
- Seniors (65+): $60
- Military (retired/active): $60
- Children 12 and younger: $30
- Lap size: Free
- Must be under 3
- Must sit on parent’s lap
- Must eat from parent’s plate
Saturday:
- General Admission: $70
- Seniors (65+): $65
- Military (retired/active): $65
- Children 12 and younger: $35
- Lap size : Free
- Must be under 3
- Must sit on parent’s lap
- Must eat from parent’s plate
There is tax and a small processing fee added to each ticket.
What is the schedule?
- 5:00 PM Gates Open
- 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM Western Grounds
- 6:30 PM Dinner is served
- 7:30 PM Original Western Stage Show – Flying W Wranglers
- 8:30 PM Departure
Can we arrive early?
The gates do not open until 5:00 PM
What do we do on arrival?
Flying W staff will direct you to the parking lot and then direct your party to the ticket booth where one person from your party will receive seat assignments for the entire party (as well as be given tickets to the Flying W Ranch Chuckwagon Supper).
What’s on the menu?
- Smoked Brisket
- Berbere Chicken
- Foil-Wrapped Potato w/ Sour Cream and Cheddar Cheese
- Flying W Trail Beans
- Chunky Applesauce
- Dutch-Oven Biscuits w/ Honey or Jam
- Old Fashioned Spice Cake
Can I have a vegetarian or a gluten-free option?
Yes, when you place your reservation online, there will be a box to indicate how many vegetarian or gluten-free meals you will need. The vegetarian meal will include anything you want from the regular serving line (baked potato, beans, biscuit, etc) and a freshly cooked veggie & pasta plate. The only items in our regular menu that have gluten in them are the biscuit and spice cake. We substitute a freshly baked gluten free cookie for the spice cake.
Fun Things To Do Before the Show
What is there to do in Western Grounds between 5:00 pm and 6:30 pm?
- Magnificent Red Rock formations
- Russell M. Wolfe Narrow Gauge train through Christmas Rock
- Christmas Rock Incline
- Sweetwater Plains Dancers
- Navajo rug weaver
- Horseshoe demonstrations
- Gift Shops
- Horse and Carriage
- Participate in axe throwing & archery
- American Milking Devon Oxen Drives
- Bison Outlook
- Ranch Animals: Horses, goats, pigs, sheep, turkeys, chickens
- Petting Zoo
- Miniature Horse and Donkey Play
- Mountain Streams and Ponds
Group Seating
I have 30 people in my group (all on the same reservation); do we all need to stand in line to check in?
No. Only one person (per reservation) needs to go to the Ticket Booth to collect the tickets for that Chuckwagon Supper (with the respective seat assignments).
How is seating determined?
In the Mountain Stream Lodge, all seats are excellent. Seat assignments are given upon arrival. Large groups are pre-seated.
Sitting Together as a Group
We made separate reservations/will be making separate reservations but want to all sit together as a group. How can we do that?
- First, decide on a name for your group, ie, “Smith Family”, “Hansen Birthday”, “Taylor Group”.
- If you have not yet made reservations, please inform everyone in your group that when they make their reservation, they will need to put the group name in the Comment box. This will alert our Ticket Booth of the names of those who wish to be seated together.
- If you have ALREADY made reservations, please either email [email protected] or call (719) 598-4000 ext 2 so that we may gather the names/reservation numbers of those in your group. We will then place a note in the reservations with the group name. This will alert our Ticket Booth of the names of those who wish to be seated together.
Discounts
Military
Does the military discount apply to the whole family or just the military member?
The military discount applies to the active/retired military member only and does not extend to other family members unless they are also active/retired military.
Seniors
Senior tickets are available for guests 65 years of age and older.
Lap-size Seating
What does “Lap-size” mean in the ticket choices? Does the child get their own small plate?
In order to be considered lapsize (and therefore free), there are three criteria that must be met (all three):
- Must be under 3
- Must sit on parent’s lap
- Must eat from parent’s plate
Will we be eating inside or outside?
Dinner is served in the stunning Mountain Stream Lodge which has rolling glass walls exposing the beautiful surrounding land/rock scapes. The walls are always open during the Chuckwagon season and since evenings can be chilly, jackets are recommended.
For the Gatherings and the Christmas Jubilee, the walls are closed and the Mountain Stream Lodge’s radiant floor heating and the wood burning fireplaces render the lodge very cozy.
Accessibility
Do you have a handicap parking lot? What accommodations do you make for handicapped patrons?
We have two parking lots. As you drive through the Ranch gates, a parking attendant will show you where the handicap-accessible lot is.
- The Mountain Stream Lodge is ADA-compliant.
- We offer shuttle rides on golf carts between the parking lot, ticket booth, and venue for guests who need one.
- If you are unable to stand in the serving line, Flying W staff will be happy to help.
- Flying W makes every effort to seat guests with wheelchairs on the end of a table
Adding People to a Reservation
We’ve already made reservations but need to add one (or two, etc.) more to our reservation. How can we do that?
While we cannot add to an existing reservation, you can:
- Place an additional reservation and put a note in the Comment box that you would like the new reservations to be seated with (Name on prior reservation). This will alert our Ticket Booth of the names of those who wish to be seated together.
Do you celebrate birthdays/anniversaries/etc.?
Yes! Our Wranglers will do a collective shoutout from the stage for birthdays and anniversaries!
Epilepsy Warnings
The Flying W Ranch is a live musical performance venue. On occasion, the Flying W Ranch uses stroboscopic effects during musical performances, which may be a factor in triggering epileptic seizures. Individuals subject to seizures should attend at their own risk.
Stolen Property, Seating, and Photography Information
The Flying W Ranch is not responsible for lost or stolen property. Seating at the Flying W Ranch is subject to availability. Entry into the Flying W Ranch constitutes consent to use any film, video or likeness to the bearer.
Refund Policy
No refunds. No exchanges. No cash value. Tickets are valid only for the date and time scheduled. Tickets may not be substituted for merchandise.
Entry to the Flying W Ranch
Entry to the Flying W Ranch is subject to health and safety policies in place at the time of admission. Attending public gatherings risks possible exposure to illness from infectious diseases. Ticket holder voluntarily assumes all risks and danger incidental to the event for which the ticket is issued, whether occurring prior to, during or after the event.
The Original Chuckwagon Supper Show in Colorado Springs
For over 70 years, the Flying W Ranch has been the home of the only Chuckwagon Supper Show in Colorado Springs. Featuring a rousing Western stage show and a classic American chuckwagon meal, the Chuckwagon Supper and Original Western Stage Show at the Flying W Ranch are guaranteed to please audiences of all ages. Come for supper, stay for the show, and create memories of a lifetime at the Flying W Ranch.
What’s on the Menu?
A delicious western Chuckwagon spread reminiscent of the hearty meals that “Cookie” served the cowboys on the trail.
- Smoked Brisket
- Berbere Chicken
- Foil-wrapped potato w/ Sour Cream and Cheddar Cheese
- Flying W Trail Beans
- Chunky Applesauce
- Dutch-Oven Biscuits w/ Honey or Jam
- Old Fashioned Spice Cake
The meal and beverages are served on tin plates and in tin cups to replicate a Chuckwagon experience.
The Picturesque Setting
Nestled in stunning red rocks that are part of the Garden of the Gods rock formation, the Flying W Ranch is a 1,400 acre working cattle ranch. Guests can enjoy the Western Grounds, featuring a variety of ranch animals, mountain streams, duck-filled ponds and activities. Rare American Milking Devon Oxen and American Bison are on display. Native American dancing, horse and carriage rides, pony play, axe throwing, archery, the Russell M. Wolfe Narrow-Gauge Railroad, the Christmas Rock hiking trail, and gift shops engage a variety of interests. Although the Ranch is only minutes from downtown Colorado Springs, it feels like a world apart.
No Supper is Complete Without a Performance From
The Last Troubadours of The West – The World-Renowned Flying W Wranglers
The main highlight of Russ and Marian’s achievements at the Ranch was the introduction of the Flying W Wranglers. Western music was included in their initial vision, following the ride through the ranch and the Chuckwagon meal. From 1953 to 1957, the performers ranged from college students and folk singers to the Sons of the Pioneers.
In 1957, the Flying W Wranglers were officially unveiled. Through the years, over 60 individuals have been a part of the Flying W Wranglers, with several of them performing for the Ranch for well over 30 years. The Flying W Wranglers are now the second-oldest Western performance band in the world. Their three-part-harmonies of time-honored tunes of the open range, high-quality instrumentation, and clean bunkhouse humor have delighted over seven million people from around the world.
In addition to performing at the Ranch, they performed in USO tours in Vietnam during the war; at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee; in London; at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.; and at Carnegie Hall in New York City. The Flying W Wranglers have been featured in local and national television commercials, performed with several world-class symphonies, sung in major sporting events, and won a wide variety of musical awards. Given the deep legacy for the re-birth of the Ranch post-Waldo Canyon fire, over 300 musicians and entertainers were auditioned.
Over 7 Million Served Since 1953
With its humble beginnings as a mountain cattle ranch in 1947, the Flying W Ranch is a living symbol of Western Heritage, embodying the romantic spirit of the Old West. What began with eleven guests in 1953 grew to more than 1,400 nightly visitors, making the Flying W Ranch one of the most popular destinations in the state of Colorado. With their exciting Chuckwagon Supper Shows, the Flying W has become a piece of living history in Colorado Springs.
Since 1953 the Flying W Ranch has served over seven million guests. Tragically, in June 2012, the Waldo Canyon Fire swept into Colorado Springs and destroyed the Flying W Ranch, burning nineteen historic buildings to the ground. In July 2020, a stunning new pavilion building opened, and the Flying W Ranch resumed its nightly suppers and western stage show. With that, the Flying W Ranch rededicated itself to preserving the West. Four generations of families have attended the Flying W Ranch, creating memories that last a lifetime.
It Started with a Potluck
At age fifty-five, Don Wilson packed up his family and his three Kansas ranches and, in 1947, moved to the 1867 Colorado State Senator Robert Douglas homestead. The thousands of bucolic acres surrounding the homestead were nestled in the foothills of Pikes Peak on the northwest side of Colorado Springs. The land was originally owned by William Palmer, the founder of Colorado Springs, and is adjacent to Palmer’s Glen Erie home.
Don’s daughter and son-in-law, Russ and Marian Wolfe, moved to Colorado to help in the ranching operations. Black Angus cows were bred with Hereford bulls. The resulting Black Baldy calves were sold in the Fall. In addition, champion Quarter horses were raised and sold. Don and his older brother Harry were responsible for introducing the athletic Quarter horse to the state of Kansas (the Quarter horses were purchased from the King Ranch in Texas) and to Colorado. While wrangling with cows and horses, Russ and Marian continued to set their hearts on building the Chuckwagon Suppers and Original Western Stage Show business model.
During the summer, people would come out from town to ride horses over the extensive ranch lands with Russ Wolfe ramrodding the outings. Some evenings, the group would be small enough for Marian to invite the riders to share in a “potluck.” Russ and Marian decided to make the affair a regular event – a scenic horseback ride followed by a home-cooked meal under the stars around an open camp fire. In 1953, with 11 paying guests at $3.00 each, the Chuckwagon dream was born.
