riverviewrnr.com – Mini-Dude Ranch in Galena IL

Riverview Ranch & Resort

Mini-Dude Ranch

Galena IL

Agritourism at its Finest

For

Overnight Guests
&
Day Visitors (By Appointment Only)

Book A Ranch Stay Or Bring the Family for an Hour of fun

Fiber Optic Internet

Safety First

With a background as a US Marine Fighter Pilot (A4 Skyhawk and AV8B Harrier) and Airline Pilot (CRJ and B757), Wrangler Roger knows how to keep things safe while still keeping things exciting. Wear shoes that will protect your toes around horses. Watch for animals as you drive on and around the ranch. Riders must wear a helmet (provided). Liability Waiver Required to enter horse enclosures.

Overnight Guests and Day Visitors By Appointment Only

We welcome Guests for overnight stays in our spacious apartments inside our 24,400 sqft Equestrian Center and Day Visitors by appointment. Schedule a private family visit or come during a public group event. Overnight Guests have free access to scheduled campfire and petting zoo events and can ride a horse or rent boats for an added fee.

So Much To Do

Horse ride & Petting Zoo

Private Experience 1-hour

Your family, group, or couple will meet our delightful and friendly critters in our stables, indoor riding arena and/or pastures. Slow, Safe lead line horse or mini-horse rides one at a time. Great for kids, but fun for all ages. More Info.

Canoe & Kayak Rentals & Tours

Private Experience
30 min launch,
2.5 hrs. on water

45 minute paddle to fantastic sandy Beach Island, where you can swim, picnic, and even camp overnight free. Breathtaking scenery. Birder’s Paradise. Incredible Flora and Fauna. More Info.

Campfire Events

Private Event or Scheduled events open to public

Live Music and Stories by Roger That! + Horses & other critters + Campfires + Sunset over the Mississippi River.

BYO food to cook over fire, Branding Iron Demo, Lasso class, Rocking Horse Races (under 30 lbs), Special Visitors, and more.

For Families, Couples, Groups – Young and Old. Great option for family reunions, corporate events, wedding receptions, etc.

More Info.

Petting Zoo

Without Horse Ride

Families with little tykes may want to visit the animals but are not interested in riding a horse, Older folks who miss the company of animals may want to come for a while, just to feel the therapeutic effect of horses calmly grazing.

We offer half-hour petting zoo tours or one hour tours.

We always schedule Horse rides when two wranglers are available. But we may have only one wrangler available to escort petting zoo guests and visitors.

Overnight guests get a half-hour Petting zoo tour included for each full day they are at the ranch.

More Info

What Our Guests & Visitors Say

Riverview Resort

5.0

Based on 50 reviews

review us on

Beth Shaffer-McCarthy

21:38 23 Jan 25

Ranger Roger and Sabina were so hospitable and our kids were delighted with all the animals! It was magical to share their farm life.

Lona Rizkallah

22:22 05 Jan 25

We had a wonderful experience at the Ranch! Our children really.enjoyed the animal encounters and horseback riding. The hosts were lovely to work with and we would love to return some day!

Debra Dimke

16:51 24 Nov 24

Roger and Sabina are great hosts. They made our animal experience wonderfully fun for our grandchildren. Definitely make their ranch a visit when you are in Galena.

Arnold Pula

18:49 04 Jul 24

I went with my family for horse riding. We came all the way from Chicago and were impressed. We saw all the beautiful animals and took some amazing pics with cowboy hats. The owner is friendly and made us laugh alot!

Rene Powlick

01:32 01 Apr 24

Recently visited for our daughter’s birthday and had the most amazing experience. Wrangler Roger and Sabina were very attentive and patient with our crazy kiddos who were just filled with so much excitement. Thanks to the most amazing experience and with their kind words of encouragement our girls kept asking to go back for another riding lesson. We definitely plan on visiting again was a 10/10 experience

Alexis Romero

20:44 29 Mar 24

This was an amazing experience for us! Wrangler Roger was accommodating and got us an appointment with less than 24 hours notice. There were six people in our party, three of them being kids 4, 7, and 16. All three of them enjoyed interacting with the animals and each getting a turn to ride a horse. It was private so it was just us being guided by Wrangler Roger who taught us a lot about different animals on the farm and each child got a turn to hold the animals. The animals were friendly and it was nice to be able to pet them. We also got to interact with their dogs who were so sweet and it was like they were doing the tour with us, we even got to hold and snuggle their dog Simba. We also got to put the kids names on the wall with their height and the date which I thought was a sweet touch for future ventures to Galena. Thank you again for everything Wrangler Roger we definitely will be recommending this to others and hope this review sends a lot of good business your way!

Liz Pappalardo

22:41 20 Oct 23

Our family of 6 had a great time. Wrangler Roger and Sabina were so welcoming and accommodating. Seeing our kids ride the horse and hanging out with all their animals was a great getaway. We were welcomed immediately by Wrangler Roger and his lovely dogs. Kids faces lit right up and are excited to be there. It is right on the Mississippi River and saw some beautiful sunsets as well as a wonderful star-filled sky, which was a first for our kids. The rooms were comfortable and it was nice to have our own kitchen so we didn't have to eat out every meal. Just about a 10 min drive to downtown Galena made it easy to explore the beautiful Main Street and just down the road from Chestnut Mountain where we rode the alpine slide and soaring eagle biplane. Our kids already want to plan our next trip there. Highly recommend staying here!

Riverview Ranch

5.0

Based on 6 reviews

review us on

Cheryl Kiesel

22:35 03 Apr 26

Ranger Roger was super friendly and welcoming. This kids were able to have an amazing time even though it was pouring outside so very happy it was a rain or shine experience. Big variety of animals to meet.

Kristin Ayres

18:04 16 Mar 26

We stopped by for a farm visit and horse ride! Our kids are 4 and 6 they loved it!! Great family memories! Wrangler Rodger was fantastic!

Ellie Rogers

21:25 03 Jan 26

We had a fantastic time at Riverview Ranch riding the horses and hanging out with all of the animals! Wrangler Roger gave us a really interactive experience. 10/10 would recommend any time of year!

Rachel

00:16 17 Nov 25

Very welcoming ranch! A horse for every age, even a bouncy horse for our youngest. We had a great time!

Janey Szyb

19:42 28 Oct 25

The drive to Riverview Ranch was exceptional. Clear directions facilitated a seamless arrival, and upon entering the ranch, I was immediately immersed in the vibrant surroundings adjacent to the Mississippi River. Gentle horses and a welcoming goat created a soothing atmosphere. The appearance of two pigs further captivated my attention. Additionally, chickens and ducks were present, allowing for an interactive experience. It was a fun experience to pet the animals, hold a sweet chicken, and wander in the homes of the animals.

J Bergles

17:51 03 Jun 25

Fun place. Lots of
Animals

Overnight Guests please leave a review for Resort Listing.

Day Visitors please leave a review for Ranch Listing.

Book Your Dream Trip
Now

This is an exclusive ranch. We exclude racists, corrupt politicians, MAGA supporters, and ICE Agents. If you are one of these types of people please do not come here. We are now accepting cash to keep credit card processing fees out of the hands of bankers. Prices for cash paid more than 14 days in advance for stays and 7 days in advance for events will be discounted 1.5% from advertised prices.

Questions? Call Wrangler Roger.

office: 815-776-9945

cell: 608-331-0000

3 Minute Music Video by Roger That!

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Roger@RiverviewRandR.com – This is my old trustpilot email (I think) I am trying to reestablish login to my account. This email is no longer working.