Rocking Horse Ranch Resort

Award-Winning, RV-Friendly, All-Inclusive Family Resort in Highland, New York with Indoor Water Park, Unlimited Horseback Riding and more! Specializing in group events, horsebacking riding, and even a year-round indoor swimming park!  By 1968, after ten years of developing a regular family clientele and adding new features to the Ranch, business was booming. Rocking Horse was becoming a famous name in family resorts. Many names were considered for the Ranch at the beginning. "Rocking Horse" was chosen because it instantly evoked an image of smiling children having fun. There was also a warmth and old-world charm which seemed to fit with the idea of a family resort.   It was the first and only ranch in the country to have an indoor and outdoor pool, water skiing, snow skiing, a nightclub, and dozens of other facilities and activities. These investments were a gamble, but the dream was coming true. Every year improvements were made in order to better satisfy the guests. In 1969, a new wing of forty rooms was added to make a total of ninety rooms. TRAGEDY HIT On New Year's weekend, January 2, 1971 at 11pm, tragedy struck. About 300 guests filled the nightclub when a fire broke out. With four feet of snow on the ground, every guest was able to get out safely. In that one night, the Turks saw their life's work and dreams go up in flames. There was nothing left standing the next morning except the chimneys and stone walls that had been lovingly created. They were left with the clothes on their backs, a smoking foundation, and less insurance than they needed.  Within two weeks they decided to do it all over again. They had succeeded before when they had nothing, and now they had experience. Most of all, it was still the kind of life they wanted to live. The "way of life" had always been the driving force. This time the new Rocking Horse Ranch was going to be designed from the ground up, not just a makeover of someone else's plan. With a good credit rating and a history of success, they were able to borrow enough to rebuild. An architect was hired, and ground was broken in March of 1971. Construction went on seven days a week in order to try to recapture the valuable Summer vacation season. It was confirmation of their beliefs that the Ranch opened to a full house of guests in June of that same year. In fact, the seasons that followed were so popular that twenty-four more rooms were added the next year. In 1981, Steve Turk, Toolie and Gloria's son, joined them to continue the tradition. His goal continues to be to make the resort as accommodating as possible and ensure its continued operation. Under his leadership, the Ranch has added three elevators, a 250 foot water slide, themed indoor pool, state-of-the-art snow making equipment, a 25 foot climbing wall, and has earned a three-diamond rating from AAA.   Rocking Horse Ranch also boasts a yearly invitation to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and for 12 years exhibited a national Award Winning Belgian Six-Horse Hitch.  The Turk family thanks our guests for all the years past, and looks forward to being your hosts for many years to come.