Photo Credit:
The Story Behind Lucky 8 Ranch Events
A family-run, 3,000-acre working bison ranch near Steamboat Springs where reclaimed land, wildlife, and once-in-a-lifetime celebrations all share the same home.
Before it was a wedding venue, Lucky 8 was a reclamation project and a working ranch—fencing pastures, rebuilding soil, and raising American bison on former coal-mined land. Today, it’s still very much a real ranch, but it’s also where couples, families, and communities come to celebrate the moments they’ll talk about for the rest of their lives. When you host an event here, you’re not renting a backdrop; you’re borrowing a ranch that’s lived in, loved, and worked on every day.
From Reclaimed Ground to a Place of Gathering
A True Working Bison Ranch, Not Just a Pretty Backdrop
Lucky 8 Ranch started with a simple idea: take scarred, previously mined ground and bring it back to life. Fence by fence and field by field, the land was reseeded, irrigated, and slowly turned into healthy pasture. The bison herd came next—hardy, native animals that belong in this landscape and help keep the grasslands thriving.
Most days out here look nothing like a wedding: moving bison, fixing water lines, cutting hay, checking fences, plowing snow. The same roads your shuttle takes and the same hills in your photos are part of the daily work that keeps the ranch going. That working-ranch heartbeat is a big part of why this place feels different from a traditional venue or resort.
Weddings and events grew out of people’s reactions to the ranch. Friends, visitors, and tour guests kept asking, “Can we get married here?” That led to building a purpose-designed ceremony lawn and reception site—spaces that could host celebrations without losing the raw, open feel of the ranch itself.
Today, when we host a wedding, elopement, or special event, it’s not just another booking on a calendar. It’s one more chapter in the story of this land: a single weekend where your favorite people, our family, and this landscape all end up in the same place at the same time. That “one-time-only” feeling is how we try to approach every event we take on.
The Osadchuk Family
Lucky 8 Ranch is owned and operated by our family, who live and work right here on the property. We’re the ones raising the bison, cutting hay, fixing fence, and watching the weather roll over the hills long before your wedding day arrives. Hosting events is our way of sharing the ranch with people who love this kind of landscape as much as we do.
Meet Nick
Your Guide to Lucky 8 Events
If you’re planning a wedding, elopement, or special event, you’ll mostly be talking with Nick. He’s the one answering your emails, hopping on intro calls, walking you through tours, and checking in on the shuttle schedule and generators on event days. His job is to translate “real working ranch” into “smooth, welcoming guest experience” so you can relax into the day you’ve been planning.
"I’ve been hosting and creating experiences since college. My job is simple: keep things calm, clear, and fun so you and your people can actually enjoy being here.”
The Ranch Crew & Event Staff
Behind the scenes, a small team of ranch hands and event staff keep everything moving—grading roads, mowing event spaces, setting up and tearing down venue-owned items, managing shuttles, and keeping an eye on weather and wildlife. You might not learn everyone’s name, but you’ll feel the difference when the chairs are set, the lights are on, and the fire pits are going right when you want them.
"We may be out moving bison on a Tuesday and hanging bistro lights on a Friday, but the heartbeat is the same: take care of the land, the animals, and the people who show up here."
What Matters Most to Us
These are the ideas that guide how we run the ranch and how we host every wedding, elopement, and event.
Stewardship First
This ranch is built on reclaimed coal-mined land. Every decision—how we graze the bison, where we build, how we host events—has to be good for the land and the animals first. When you get married here, you’re stepping into a landscape that’s been actively cared for, not just photographed.
Real Hospitality, Not Pretend Fancy
We’re not a ballroom or a resort. We’re a working ranch that believes in warm welcomes, clear communication, and making sure you and your guests feel taken care of—from shuttles and restrooms to heat, lighting, and timelines. We care more about people feeling comfortable and connected than about everything looking “perfect” on paper.
Once-in-a-Lifetime Moments
There’s a Japanese phrase we love—ichi-go ichi-e—which loosely means “one time, one meeting.” You only get this exact group of people, in this exact place, on this exact day once. We plan every event with that in mind, building in time for golden hour, quiet moments, and the kind of memories you talk about for years.
Local Roots & Community
We live here, raise our families here, and work alongside other small businesses in the valley. Whenever possible, we love pointing couples toward local caterers, planners, florists, photographers, and transportation companies who also care about this community. A wedding weekend here supports a lot of local hands.
What It’s Like to Plan an Event with Us
Planning a wedding, elopement, or special event at a working ranch can sound intimidating. Our job is to make it feel the opposite: calm, clear, and doable. We’ll be honest about what this property can (and can’t) do, trade a lot of emails up front, and give you simple next steps instead of homework you’ll never get to.
What You Can Expect
-
Quick, straightforward communication
You won’t wonder if your email disappeared into the void. We circle back with real answers, not copy-paste replies—and if something’s easier to explain on a call, we’ll say so. -
Clear talk about weather, shuttles, and logistics
We live with this road, this valley, and this weather every day. We’ll walk you through what’s required (like shuttles) and what’s smart (like backup plans), so you’re not guessing. -
A balance of freedom and guidance
You bring your vision and vendor team; we bring ranch know-how, infrastructure, and local insight. We’ll give suggestions and guardrails, not a rigid script. -
Family and friends in “guest mode”
Our packages are built so your people can actually be present—laughing, crying, dancing—instead of hauling chairs or troubleshooting generators. -
Real humans on your side
On event days, you’ll see us checking shuttles, watching the sky, adjusting lights and fire pits, and quietly solving problems in the background. The goal is simple: you feel cared for, your guests feel welcome, and the ranch feels like it was always meant to hold your story.
The Ranch, in a Few Numbers
Sometimes it helps to see the big picture at a glance—here’s what you’re actually stepping into when you drive through the gate
3,000 Acres
of working ranch land in the Trout Creek valley of Routt County.
30 minutes from Steamboat Springs
close enough for hotels and shuttles, far enough to feel like its own world.
600 head of bison
plus alpacas, llamas, horses, and chickens sharing the landscape.
1 event per week
so your wedding or event doesn’t share the weekend with someone else’s.
400 guest capacity
from tiny “just us” vows to full-on destination celebrations.
1 purpose built venue
designed specifically for weddings and events, not retrofitted after the fact.
36 Happy Couples
who have trusted the ranch with their wedding, elopement, or weekend celebration so far.
Sarah, Bride, June 2022
“Nick and the Lucky 8 staff went above and beyond to make sure we had the best day ever. They truly made it an entire experience from start to finish.”
Mikaela, Bride, June 2022
“Our guests are still talking about how beautiful it was. The views from the ceremony site are unreal… It’s a unique venue your guests will talk about for years.”
Jess, Bride, July 2024
“We wanted to give our guests a true Western experience, and Lucky 8 delivered—stunning mountain views, a beautifully decorated tent, and even an afternoon thunderstorm handled gracefully by the team.”
Where Do You Want to Go Next?
Whether you’re picturing a full weekend wedding, a tiny elopement, or something in between, there’s a path that fits.