Cowboy Riverfront Retreat, A Studio Style Oasis By The Wallowa River Reviews, Deals & Photos 2025

Q: Is Cowboy Riverfront Retreat, A Studio Style Oasis By The Wallowa River pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

Q: Where is Cowboy Riverfront Retreat, A Studio Style Oasis By The Wallowa River located?

Situated on the waterfront, this guesthouse is within 1 mile (2 km) of Wallowa River, Stein Distillery and Aspen Grove Gallery. Wallowology Natural History Discovery Center and Maxville Heritage Interpretive Center are also within 1 mile (2 km).

10/10 Excellent

Sheryl L A.

24 Aug 2018

Cowboy Riverfront Retreat

Beautiful and relaxing place to stay. The owner is a great hostess. Saw lots of wildlife and loved the sound of the river to fall asleep to. Felt very private, and the deck and multiple seating areas made for a great place to unwind in the evening. Close to town and the Lake too.

Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2018

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

8 Sept 2019

Liked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities

So Peaceful and comfortable. Beautiful setting and we had a wonderful experience

Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2019

10/10 Excellent

Diane L.

6 Oct 2018

Exploring Joseph and area

We loved the charm & cowboy rustic atmosphere. The studio provided the quiet we enjoy. The sound of the river just steps from the studio was a pleasant addition to our stay. Recommending the studio to friends visiting the Joseph area.

Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2018

10/10 Excellent

Brook B.

20 Aug 2018

Peaceful and beautiful

My family and I LOVED staying at this beautiful place. The home was very warm and inviting and very cozy. The decor was very cute and the location was peaceful. We slept with the door facing the creek open both nights and were able to fall asleep to the sound of the creek. My daughter loved getting to see the horses and enjoy cooling off in the creek behind the house as well. Perfect location from town too. Will definitely be staying here again in the future!

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2018

10/10 Excellent

Laurie R.

12 Jul 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Bronze Anniversary

Unique stay just outside of town. Check in was a breeze with our names on a chalkboard outside the door and a bottle of bubbly on the table. We enjoyed morning coffee and afternoon cocktails by the river and went to sleep with the windows to take full advantage of our surroundings.

Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2021

10/10 Excellent

Lnda E.

17 Jul 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fabulous Sister Trip

Upon arrival we were impressed with the well kept grounds and spotless room. Loved the quaint homey feel, with the incredible river views and the sounds of it lulling us to sleep at night. Rachel and Kari were truly kindhearted and helpful. Hope to see you soon. Knapp sisters 2022.

Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Cathy S.

1 Jul 2019

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Atowiishaamash Judy

We love you & your beautiful cow camp setting. Happy trails, Cathy, Annette, Juniper & Cade

Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

Judi R.

2 Oct 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Joseph Girls Trip 2023

The property and surrounding views were spectacular. Trip wad amazing. Only negatives were ants and a lose deck plank. Extreme tripping hazard as it is right in the walking path to the door. Deck plank end is sticking up. Thank you.

Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2023

4/10 Poor

joe e.

17 Oct 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication

Disliked: Location, listing accuracy

Not what I expected

I was expecting a stand-alone cabin but found that this was a group of apartments converted from pre-fab buildings. There was nothing private about the accommodations. Within the apartment, the walls for the bedrooms did not reach the ceiling, so it was more like they installed room dividers. Across the stream was the municipal airport, so you had the pleasure of listening to the airplanes take off in the morning. The facility was a bit run-down (eg., the water feature in the center had been abandoned with grass growing up through the former pond). This would have been OK if I had only paid $75/night, but considering the price, this was a total disappointment.

Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

Joyce H.

26 Sept 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Peaceful

Restful. Enjoyed the river and deck

Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

Galen T.

11 Aug 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Unique western getaway

This property is a great representation of Wallowa County. Very friendly and welcoming.

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Cynthia O.

16 Sept 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Unique accommodations!

You are staying in the former studio of Shirley Bothum and many of his exquisite bronze sculptures and memorabilia are included in the decor. What treat to Bothum's detailed art up close! Very comfy beds, sufficiently stocked kitchen, lots of outdoor seating options to listen to the creek. Trophy animals adorn one wall and no where else will you pat the head a full size bear on the way to your sleeping quarters!

Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2021

10/10 Excellent

julie r.

13 Sept 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Joseph weekend

It was a perfect place to stay while we went on a couple of nice day hikes.

Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2021

10/10 Excellent

Laurie M.

8 Sept 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Love the cowboy retreat!

One of the best VRBOs we’ve ever had the pleasure of being guests! The attention to detail and the quality of amenities were very appreciated. From the cowboy decor to the pots and pans! Sit out on the flower filled deck that overlooks the Wallowa River or even take a sit in the river itself on a hot day! Thank you, Shirley, for being such a great host!

Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2021

10/10 Excellent

Tyler L.

27 Aug 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful and Soothing

My family and I had a wonderful time here. The Cowboy River Front Retreat was a beautiful studio with enough space for our family of four and our two pets. The creek is close by and you can hear it at night. The space is full of interesting cowboy themed art work, books and history. We had a blast just looking around at everything!

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Rebecca A.

16 Aug 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect size for our visit

Very relaxing and had everything we needed for our stay. Thank you!

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Jon M.

12 Oct 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Very enjoyable stay at Cowboy Riverfront Retreat, Joseph OR

,My wife and I very much enjoyed our stay at the retreat. It is the former studio of sculptor J. Shirly Bothum and includes a number of his beautiful works, a tribute to his life and contributions to the region. A creek flows through the back area, and it was fun to sit a chair in the creek on a hot Labor day weekend. The stars were very visible on the nights from our property, located within walking distance to town. We still drove! The place was decorated western style, comfortable, and included all amenities. We also enjoyed visiting with Judy, the owner and wife of Mr. Bothum. She is gracious, helpful and knowledgeable about ranching, horses and things to do in the area. We expect to be back!

Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2020

10/10 Excellent

Cabe N.

10 Oct 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Stay in the former studio of a bronze sculptor -- but look out for the bear!

I enthusiastically give Judy's place 5 stars even though it is far from luxurious. Why? Because it is has so much character, it's so much fun, it's right on the river, and Judy is so nice. This is the former studio of a bronze sculptor and two of his amazing sculptures are on display in the living room. The river is literally six feet outside the window and the deck is great plus you can hear it while you sleep. Just know that this is not luxurious. No oven although it has a portable two burner stove, toaster oven, microwave, and hot water heater. Floor is concrete but covered with some awesome Western rugs. You get the idea. I will definitely stay here again and I hope you will choose it but it's not for everyone.

Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2020

10/10 Excellent

tammy p.

16 Jul 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Incredible get away.

The property was amazing. So full of beauty and character. We spent our evenings by the river and exploring t.v he history that papered the walls. Judy was warm and welcoming. We simply couldn't say enough about our stay

10/10 Excellent

Bruce A.

26 Sept 2019

Liked: Cleanliness, communication, location, listing accuracy

Stay

we so love this area which we have been coming to for the last 25 years. We usually came with family and extended family staying down by the lake but hadn't been for about 5 years. We usually came during the Chief Joseph Days so this was different but still a very busy area. Loved being next to the Wallowa river and such a cute place loved seeing the bronze sculptures that J.Shirley Bothum. Very cool atomosphere - could use some sound deading between units. Judy was a good host.

6/10 Okay

Tim & Becky W.

1 Sept 2019

Liked: Cleanliness, location

no locks on the doors, filled with "dead animals"

the unit cannot be locked, no locks at all, uncomfortable feeling knowing anyone could just walk in. the owner claimed she did not know we had a dog, it was on the reservation form. and "allows pets" was the reason this unit was booked. we'll not be back

10/10 Excellent

Teresa B.

14 Aug 2019

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful!

We loved the place. It was easy to find and just as we expected - peaceful and restful! We would recommend to anyone visiting Joseph. Thanks Judy for a wonderful stay!

10/10 Excellent

Cindy B., Corvallis

13 Aug 2019

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

True western cowboy retreat

Wonderful bed. Lovely patio deck and access to the river. Relaxed luxury and beautiful art

Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

Linda P.

13 Jul 2019

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Get Away

This is a great place to bring your horses, and stay and relax. We went out and rode most of the day in the Wallowa's and then coming back to a very nice comfortable place to stay was awesome. Great host/owner. Thanks, Linda

Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2019

8/10 Good

Ray...&...Fern P., Walla Walla, WA

3 Dec 2018

Like living in a museum of Western Art!

Judy's husband was a cowboy and a sculptor, and this little bungalow is crammed full of his and other artists' beautiful work...both paintings and sculptors. The beds are unbelievable...they are the most comfortable we have ever slept on. Judy arranged for us to go our a tour where they make molds and then finish the sculptors...it was excellent. The quarters are adequate...not 5 star...but homey, quaint, adequate, and very clean. Judy was very helpful with everything we asked of her. Of course, how could you possibly have a more glorious landscape...awesome!

Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2018

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