Case Study: A One-of-a-Kind Booking Website for CRATES Colorado's Guided Donkey Hikes

I'll be honest. A guided donkey hike business is not the typical website I build.

This client was referred to me by someone in my networking group. My first thought was, "Donkeys?"

My second thought was, "Cute donkeys."

So I said, what the hey. And I'm so glad I did.

The Client: Kevin and CRATES Colorado

Kevin runs CRATES Colorado in Bailey, Colorado. CRATES stands for Coaching, Races, Adventures, Timing, and Events & Services. At the heart of it are guided donkey hikes through the Colorado mountains, along with burro-race coaching and race director services.

He came to me needing a brand-new website to grow his donkey hike and coaching business.

What he wanted was simple:

• A clean, simple website
• An easy way for clients to book a guided donkey hike right on the site

The goal was to give him more time for donkey adventures and less time worrying about the admin side of the business.

Kevin isn't a computer guy, and he shouldn't have to be. He spends a lot more of his time outside than behind a desk.

Built With Intention

This website doesn't look like a standard AI-designed website. That's because it's not.

Anyone can generate a page that looks fine at first glance. What's harder is a site that feels like one brand, not a mishmash of pages stitched together.

So we used everything we've got: marketing skills, website design skills, and brand identity, all pulled into one cohesive look and feel. Even the navigation plays along, turning the CRATES name into a row of letters you can click.

It's also completely custom. It was built from the ground up for this one client and this one business. There isn't a template out there that looks like this one, and you won't find another site like it.

A Booking System That Fits His Business

Most online booking tools are built for generic businesses. A guided hike with award-winning donkeys is not generic.

So instead of squeezing Kevin's business into someone else's software, we built an easy online booking system that works for exactly how he runs things. Here's what it does:

• Guests book specific days and times. They choose from real availability, right on the website
• Group sizes work the way he needs them to. Guests can share a time slot with another small group, or book a private hike
• It checks his calendar. The site syncs with Kevin's Google Calendar, so it only offers times he's actually available
• Deposits are collected up front. The remaining balance is charged automatically the morning before the hike
• Waivers are handled digitally. Guests sign online, and Kevin can see at a glance who still needs to
• Guests can manage their own booking. Their confirmation email includes a link to cancel or reschedule on their own
• Bigger groups and coaching have their own paths, with simple request forms made just for them

The result is that guests can book in minutes, and Kevin doesn't have to answer a pile of back-and-forth messages to make it happen.

A Back End for a Non-Techie

Kevin doesn't need a complicated platform. He needs something he can glance at between hikes.

So I built him the Donkey Dashboard.

From one simple screen, he can:

• See the week's bookings, with deposit, balance, payment, and waiver status at a glance
• Resend a confirmation email or send a waiver link with one click
• Charge a remaining balance, cancel a booking, or add a booking manually
• Keep track of coaching sign-ups, inquiries, and signed waivers
• Manage the press coverage featured on the website

And if someone starts to book a hike but never finishes checking out, Kevin gets a quick follow-up email at the end of the day so he can reach out and see if they need a hand.

No computer expertise required.

The Real Stars: Meet the Donkeys

Let's be honest. Nobody is visiting this website for me.

They're here for the donkeys, so the donkeys got the star treatment. The site has a Meet the Donkeys page, styled like a staff directory, with a profile for each member of the herd. It includes personalities, ages, and an impressive list of race wins.

Poppie, "the Queen," has a trophy shelf full of first-place finishes. It makes connecting with these donkeys super fun, even before you've set foot on the trail.

Findable, Fast, and Accessible

A beautiful website is only useful if people can find it and use it, especially from a phone on a mountain road. So under the hood, this site is:

• Optimized for SEO so people searching for guided hikes near Bailey can find it
• Optimized for GEO, which means it's structured so AI search tools can understand it and recommend it
• Mobile ready, because that's how most guests will book
• ADA compliant, so it works for everyone

Simple Is the Whole Point

Kevin didn't need a lot of bells and whistles. He needed something simple that a non-techie could actually use.

That's what custom gives you. It isn't a longer feature list. It's the exact features a business needs, and nothing it doesn't.

I can't promise every website I build will include a donkey named Poppie the Queen. But I can promise that if you tell me how your business really works, I'll build the website around it.

Want a Website Built Around How You Work?

See the finished site at cratescolorado.com, then browse more of my work or learn about my AI website design services.

When you're ready to talk about what's possible for your business, book a free consultation. I'd love to help.