Our Story

It was a brisk afternoon in the Fall of 1976 …

When 5th generation rancher and Meeker local, Kip Gates, had just packed another group of hunters by horseback to their camp in the Flattops Mountains. As he left the group and began his descent down the mountain, he looked over the ridge to a site that would forever memorialize the River’s Bend name: A herd of elk, making their way across a glistening winding river that cut through an autumn-painted valley.

By the age of 22, Kip had gone through many seasons of helping pack out friends who wished to access prime hunting grounds. He had learned the ins and outs of the White River National Forest and wanted to share it with hunters around the world. River’s Bend Outfitters, LLC was established to give people the chance to unplug from society, be in nature, and authentically experience one of the greatest outdoor sports.

River’s Bend Outfitters is now owned and operated under the leadership of Kip’s son, Tel Gates, and Tel’s wife Ashlie. They have since expanded operations to 15 private camps for hunting, fishing, and seasonal mountain adventure.