6 Dude Ranch Vacations for Your Next Travel Adventure
Horses at Greenhorn Ranch in California
Wide open spaces, breathtaking landscapes, fresh farm-to-table cuisine, and beautiful horses are just a few of the reasons travelers love dude ranches. The show Yellowstone, starring Kevin Costner, is back for part two of it’s fifth season, and perhaps it’s inspiring you to book an adventurous ranch experience. Read on for our top picks and start planning an epic dude ranch vacation.
The Ranch at Rock Creek in Montana
The Ranch at Rock Creek.
The Ranch at Rock Creek is located in the heart of Western Montana. Originally a working ranch homesteaded in the early 1900s, owner Jim Manley opened it as an all-inclusive guest ranch in 2010. Set among 10 square miles of rugged Montana ranch land, the ranch offers guests over 30 outdoor recreational activities and dozens of unique accommodations featuring four different styles (lodge rooms, canvas cabins, historic barn, and luxury homes), memorable ranch cuisine, and a full-service spa. Families, couples, and friends will discover that The Ranch at Rock Creek is a special place that offers the best of America's “True West” without sacrificing true comfort.
The Bar W Ranch in Montana
The Bar W Ranch.
The Bar W Ranch is a traditional, western-style ranch resort on Spencer Lake in Montana. The 3,000-acre property is a year-round dude ranch that treats guests with true Montana hospitality. All meals are included, as are activities such as horseback riding, clay pigeon shooting, archery, and fishing. There are picnic areas, BBQs, and lawn games, plus a hot tub. Glamping at the Bar W offers a luxury camping resort experience combined with a true cowboy vacation only 23 miles from Glacier National Park.
Resort at Paws Up in Montana
The Resort at Paws Up.
The luxury ranch Resort at Paws Up is sprawled across 37,000 acres in a beautiful, western setting. At Paws Up, guests glamp in luxurious tented accommodations and relax in the outdoors with the comforts of a five-star destination. The resort offers one of North America's largest outdoor activity menus with more than 50 exciting experiences, including ATV tours, an authentic cattle drive, Blackfoot River floats, guided fly-fishing, hiking, horseback riding, hot air ballooning, rappelling, sporting clays, yoga, and more. For a little relaxation, Paw Up’s Spa Town is hidden at the edge of an expansive meadow beneath the shade of towering pines.
Rancho de los Caballeros in Arizona
Rancho de los Caballeros, a historic, family-owned dude ranch in Arizona’s Sonoran Desert, was voted one of the best in the nation by USA Today. Celebrating 75+ years of ranching excellence, Rancho de los Caballeros was built on the traditions of Spanish Caballeros—the gentlemen on horseback—with inspiration seen in the ranch’s offerings, including barrel racing experiences, daily horse runs, and seasonal rodeos. Boasting unmatched views and refined accommodations, guests can tap into their inner cowboy on the ranch’s 18,000 acres, which are filled with authentic experiences, from Mexican-style cookouts and scenic horseback rides to championship golf and desert oasis spa services.
Greenhorn Ranch in California
Nestled in the breathtaking Northern Sierras of California, Greenhorn Ranch has been enchanting Californians and adventure-seekers alike since 1962. Just an hour and a half drive from Reno and three hours from Sacramento in a rather undiscovered region of California, this 608-acre haven beckons guests with its unrivaled location and jaw-dropping views during its six-month season from May through October. Discover the charm of one-of-a-kind accommodations, where the 16 recently updated rustic cabins, 12 rooms in the main lodge and a refurbished airstream trailer promise a unique unplugged stay amidst nature's embrace. Operating on an all-inclusive basis, guests can fully unwind, knowing that everything from meals to activities is taken care of. Catering to hearty appetites forged by adventure, Chef Brian Doyle invites guests to indulge in nostalgic meals at the Chuckhouse along with trailside cookouts. To complete the perfect day at the ranch, guests are invited to enjoy refreshing libations, line dancing and music at The Saloon. The ranch's sprawling acreage unveils a tapestry of thrilling and relaxing adventures, from the rhythmic gallop of horseback riding or witnessing the daily majestic running of the horses, to the tranquil artistry of fly fishing. Feel the adrenaline surge with mountain biking, skeet shooting, and hatchet throwing, or creative activities like leatherworking workshops. Once a humble goat farm during the gold rush, Greenhorn Ranch now stands as a testament to warmth and authenticity, inviting travelers to become part of its rich history.
The High Lonesome Ranch in Colorado
High Lonesome Ranch.
The High Lonesome Ranch sits along the Western Slope of the Colorado Rockies. With a national park-scale landscape perfectly situated to help connect large ecosystems, High Lonesome Ranch is located on a key habitat corridor. Fly-fishing for five species of trout, wing-shooting for upland game birds in pristine coverts, dude ranch weeks where families and friends can participate in real cattle drives, glamorous camping in safari-style tents, family reunions, weddings, corporate group retreats, big game hunting, and personal getaways beckon.
[Images courtesy of ranches]
Lizzy Sherman is an award-winning digital content writer/editor. She has been a featured guest speaker at Cal State University Northridge, Digital LA and The National Association of Audience Marketing Professionals. When she's not writing, Lizzy enjoys yoga and playing guitar. Follow her on Instagram: @zillizy