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For fresh air and wide-open spaces – and one of the best-kept secrets for a family vacation in the U.S. – consider booking your next vacation at a Western dude ranch. It’s a life-changing experience to spend time outdoors for days surrounded by gorgeous scenery, ride horses up into the mountains and gather around a communal table with others for meals. The days spent at a dude ranch are reminiscent of a bygone time, offering the perfect getaway to disconnect from the stress of everyday life and reconnect with family and friends. A dude ranch vacation also provides time to reflect and find balance, especially on a solo journey.
If you’re ready for a Western experience you won’t soon forget, grab your boots and hat, embrace your inner cowboy or cowgirl, and giddy up as fast as you can to one of these top dude ranches in the U.S.
(Courtesy of Alisal Ranch)
Situated on an expansive 10,500 acres with the backdrop of the Santa Ynez Mountains, this family-owned luxury dude ranch began welcoming guests when the property opened in 1946. Alisal Ranch features 73 private Western-themed cottages ranging in size from studio guest rooms to a three-bedroom home that accommodates a maximum of 12 people. The property also maintains more than 100 horses trained to ride with experts and beginners – and they offer corral lessons, barrel racing, a seasonal rodeo and hay wagon rides.
Guests can also enjoy other outdoor activities, including fishing, canoeing and kayaking on the 100-acre spring-fed lake. On shore, there’s something for everyone in the family: lawn games, pickleball, tennis, e-bike excursions, arts and crafts, a scavenger hunt, a petting zoo, ax throwing and other activities. In the evenings in the summer, feast on traditional Santa Maria-style barbecue, tell stories around a crackling campfire, join in a line dance and then stargaze under the clear dark sky. Nightly rates are mostly all-inclusive with some activities at an additional cost, such as spa services, horseback riding, golf, pickleball and tennis clinics and others. The ranch also offers a variety of packages throughout the year.
(Courtesy of C Lazy U Ranch)
The family-owned C Lazy U Ranch has welcomed guests to its year-round luxury Western getaway for nearly 100 years. Located 90 miles northwest of Denver, the 8,500-acre property is easily accessible yet still secluded in the Colorado mountains. Guests here will be treated to gracious Western hospitality. The ranch offers elegant cabin accommodations and a multibedroom home; most feature stone fireplaces and Western-inspired decor.
With a herd of around 200 horses, beginners and advanced riders will surely find the best match for their stay. The ranch also offers horse showmanship clinics, cattle pushing lessons, trap shooting, guided hiking, mountain biking, tours of nearby Rocky Mountain National Park, Orvis-endorsed fly-fishing and other outdoor activities. In the winter months, feed the horses with the Feed Wagon Sleigh, go ice skating or play ice hockey, and take a horseback or sleigh ride through the snow. More outdoor winter fun options include snow tubing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling. The property also offers a robust program for children and teens.
After you’ve had your cowboy coffee, be sure to head outdoors for the morning “Jingle,” where the wranglers round up the horses in the pasture to bring them onto the ranch for the day. You can also watch as the thundering herd of horses heads back out to pasture before the sunset in the evening. The Jingle takes place nearly every day throughout the year. All-inclusive rates at C Lazy U Ranch cover lodging, fine dining meals and most activities. The ranch also has special packages around the holidays and adults-only getaways, and it hosts special events and retreats.
(Courtesy of White Stallion Ranch)
The proprietors of this 3,000-acre dude ranch in Tucson have owned the property since 1965 – and there are seven full-time family members involved with every aspect of the guest experience and the working ranch. White Stallion features 43 guest rooms throughout the property and one four-bedroom home perfect for larger families or small groups. If the property looks familiar, White Stallion was the filming location for many Western feature films and television series, including “High Chapparal” (1967-72) and “How the West Was Won” (1977).
The ranch offers different plans, depending on how long you want to stay and how active you or your family want to be. The Full American Plan includes lodging, three meals a day, evening entertainment, horseback riding, complimentary Wi-Fi and airport transfers; you can add activities as desired for an additional fee. For the more adventurous guest, the Outdoor Adventure Package (with a four- or six-night minimum stay, depending on the time of year) includes rock climbing, range shooting, fat tire e-biking and archery. The ranch also offers special packages, promotions, retreats and workshops during the year.
(Courtesy of The Hideout Lodge & Guest Ranch)
This all-inclusive, upscale and intimate riding ranch sits about 70 miles east of Cody, Wyoming, in the Bighorn Mountains – and boasts nearly 650,000 acres of stunning landscapes to explore at elevations between 4,200 to 13,100 feet. The owners are very hands-on with guests, hosting just 25 people a week for a six-night stay in a choice of Western-style log cabins with a loft, one- and two-bedroom casitas, or a luxury home with two master suites.
The Hideout is very focused on riding, horses and horsemanship, which includes team penning and working with cattle. It’s a working cattle ranch, and its herd of horses includes quarter horses and mustangs that have been adopted through horse adoption programs with the Bureau of Land Management. Daily rides take place on different trailheads and varying terrain as the owners have eight trucks and trailers to load up the horses and reach more remote areas surrounding the ranch. For guests interested in horsemanship, the property offers clinics and retreats, stockmanship and cattle work, and other educational experiences.
There are also other activities travelers can enjoy, including seasonal fly-fishing, trap shooting, archery, scenic off-roading and four-wheel-drive tours, hiking and mountain biking, and swimming in a pool with a view. Guests visiting from June 1 through Aug. 31 can also attend the Cody Stampede Rodeo and Cody Nite Rodeo in Cody, the “Rodeo Capital of the World.” Rates at The Hideout include lodging, meals, cocktail hours, Friday night cookouts and on-ranch activities. You can even reserve the entire ranch in the off-season for a special event, family reunion or other occasion.
(Courtesy of The Western Pleasure Guest Ranch)
Located in Idaho’s Panhandle, this cattle and guest ranch sits on land that’s been in the same family since 1940. The experience and offerings at Western Pleasure Guest Ranch vary depending on the season, and guests can choose between lodge rooms or cabin accommodations. The all-inclusive adventure vacation in the summer includes lodging, three country gourmet meals a day, daily horseback rides and all on-site amenities, as well as evening entertainment such as Dutch oven cookouts, campfires and horse-drawn carriage rides.
There’s an educational program for young wranglers ages 8 to 18 focused on horse husbandry skills and equipment care. At the end of the program there’s a horse show, where participants are awarded trophies and ribbons. Bed-and-breakfast stays are available from October to May in the lodge and feature a hearty breakfast each morning. Horseback riding is offered during these getaways in the spring and fall. In the winter, head out for an invigorating sleigh ride in a snow-covered winter wonderland.
(Courtesy of Bar W Guest Ranch)
Located 30 miles southwest of Glacier National Park and nestled in the scenic Flathead Valley along Spencer Lake in Whitefish, this family-owned ranch hosts guests in accommodations ranging from rooms in the original main lodge and cabins to glamping tents and covered wagons. The packages at the Bar W Guest Ranch are for a six-night stay, with rates including all meals, guided trail rides, horsemanship lessons, cattle working, and all ranch activities and facilities. Some packages are for more advanced wranglers, while the Ranch Package is designed for guests who will not be riding a horse during their stay, but the rate covers all meals and other ranch activities.
During your visit, you can go boating or fishing on Spencer Lake, hike into the wilderness areas around the property, play lawn games, take up archery or even learn the skill of hatchet throwing. When the sun goes down, ranch guests will enjoy nighttime activities like line dancing and sitting around the campfire while listening to the cowboys sing. You can also go off-site by shuttle ride to attend the Brash Rodeo in Columbia Falls, just a short drive from the property. The ranch hosts special adults-only weeks from mid-May to the beginning of November and the Western Cattle Drive four times a year between June and September.
(Buffalo Media Group/Courtesy of Drowsy Water Ranch)
This 700-acre family-owned and -operated ranch has been offering guests an authentic Western dude ranch experience for more than 90 years. Drowsy Water Ranch is open from the beginning of June to mid-September and features six-night, all-inclusive packages that range in price based on the guest’s age. The rates include meals and lodging, in addition to instruction-based horseback riding and programs, evening entertainment, a full-day float trip on the Colorado River, guided hikes, mountain biking, hayrides and other Western-themed activities.
Guests will find plenty to keep them busy from sunup to sundown on the weekly calendar of activities and events. There are also special programs grouped by age for the younger cowpokes and cowgirls, which include ranch-based activities like horse brushing and horseback riding as well as other fun adventures like zip lining, archery, swimming and more.
(Courtesy of Tanque Verde Ranch 2019)
This historic property dating back to 1868 sits on 60,000 acres of desert with 640 acres bordered by Saguaro National Park and Coronado National Forest. The 69 distinct luxury accommodations at Tanque Verde Ranch feature traditional Southwestern architecture and design and offer views of the surrounding Sonoran Desert landscape and the Rincon and Santa Catalina mountains.
The ranch has three types of packages: the All-Inclusive Getaway, 3 Squares and a Bed, or Rise and Dine plan. The all-inclusive package option covers lodging, three meals a day, horseback rides and lessons, a supervised children’s program for ages 4 to 11, breakfast rides and cowboy cookouts, evening entertainment, and many other outdoor activities and amenities. The 3 Squares and a Bed package also includes lodging, meals and on-site amenities like the pools, fitness center and sports courts, but most activities cost extra.
The Rise and Dine package at Tanque Verde Ranch is another option if you just want a place to lay your head down at night (and hang your hat) after a long day on the ranch. This plan includes lodging and access to on-site amenities. You can add horseback riding, guided hikes, spa treatments, a la carte meals and other activities at an additional cost. Tanque Verde also has the Fall Break package, which offers a 10% discount on two different packages for three or more evenings if you book your stay for certain fall dates.
An authentic Wild West adventure awaits during a summer vacation at Rainbow Trout Ranch. Situated at 9,000 feet elevation in the remote Conejos River Valley in the Colorado Rockies, less than 12 miles north of the New Mexico border, this dude ranch offers guests a step back in time to the days of the Old West. The accommodations at the property are two- or three-bedroom rustic log cabins. At the convivial historic Grand Lodge, guests can relax by the fireplace, chat with new friends, or grab a beverage and a snack. The family-owned and -operated ranch hosts six-night vacation getaways that begin with meet-and-greet Sundays and continue with fun-filled days for adults and children of all ages throughout the week.
Activities include horsemanship and horseback riding, cookouts by the river, special programs for the Buckaroos (children ages 3 to 5) and the Cowpokes (ages 6 to 11), sunrise hikes, river rafting, trap shooting, fishing, hayrides and much more. The Friday afternoon rodeo gives all the guests a chance to saddle up and show off their newly learned skills at the barrels and poles. After the festivities, everyone heads down to the river for the last evening’s steak dinner and singalong before saying their farewells or “Happy trails!” in the morning. All-inclusive rates cover cabin accommodations, all meals and all on-site activities. While at Rainbow Trout, don’t miss taking the 64-mile ride on the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, America’s longest and highest narrow-gauge railroad.
Situated approximately 30 miles south of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, this all-inclusive dude ranch offers weeklong vacations for up to 60 guests from May through October. The property encompasses 560 deeded acres and more than 300,000 acres of outfitter area for a wide range of outdoor activities. Accommodations range from one-bedroom lodge suites to four-bedroom log cabins. In addition to lodging, rates include chef-prepared meals; complimentary wine, beer and spirits for adults; horseback riding; outdoor guided adventures such as sporting clays and fly-fishing; non-guided activities like horseshoes and lawn games; evening entertainment; Wi-Fi; and other amenities.
Red Horse Mountain Ranch also hosts a Singles and Solos Week, Adult Weeks and a Women-Only Week. The Kids Program is made for children ages 3 to 10 during the summer Family Vacations Weeks; it offers plenty of ranch-style fun with activities under the guidance of the ranch’s wranglers. For a large family or multigenerational trip, consider reserving the 2,800-square-foot Hilltop Home, which is equipped with a master king bedroom, a queen bedroom and two additional king-bedded rooms. The Hilltop has plenty of living space, incredible views, and a private deck and hot tub.
(Courtesy of Brush Creek Ranch)
Brush Creek Ranch is a luxury all-inclusive getaway destination, situated on 30,000 acres between the Sierra Madre mountain range and Medicine Bow National Forest in south-central Wyoming. The property is also a working cattle ranch, so guests will experience the genuine spirit of the West with trail rides, kids cookouts, cattle drives and barrel racing.
Visitors can also partake in epicurean adventures, wine tastings, cooking classes, spa treatments, forest bathing meditation, wellness experiences, fly-fishing, guided ranger tours, ATV rides, ropes courses, llama hikes and much more. The ranch even offers goat yoga – yes, yoga classes with baby goats. In the winter, go cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, downhill skiing and snowboarding, or ice fishing. In addition, Brush Creek Ranch offers special programs for young wranglers 4 to 9 that include horseback riding and outdoor exploration.
For accommodations, guests can choose either one of 25 private log cabins with up to four bedrooms or stay in one of the 19 Western-themed lodge rooms at Brush Creek Ranch. The property offers several packages that offer deals such as a complimentary fourth night or romantic amenities. Rates at this dude ranch include lodging, daily gourmet meals, adventure activities and gear, the Lil’ Wranglers kids program, and other amenities. Spa treatments and select activities are an additional cost.
(Courtesy of The Ranch at Rock Creek)
The 6,600-acre Ranch at Rock Creek offers a luxury ranch experience 20 miles from the historic town of Philipsburg, Montana. The property is nestled at 5,200 feet in elevation around halfway between Yellowstone and Glacier national parks. This dude ranch-inspired Relais & Châteaux property is open year-round and offers as many as 36 outdoor adventures. In addition, The Ranch features frontier-to-table cuisine, a full-service spa, private yoga instruction and other upscale amenities. The homestead also sits on land that offers access to national forest and wilderness areas and is home to local wildlife such as big horn sheep, elk, deer and moose.
There are four distinct types of lodging at The Ranch, including rooms at The Granite Lodge or Homestead Barn, private homes and cabins, and luxury glamping canvas cabins. All-inclusive pricing includes lodging, meals, airport transfers, a social hour and evening entertainment in the Silver Dollar Saloon, where guests can go bowling, play table tennis, watch a show in the private movie theater and more. Fun daytime activities include float trips, sporting clays, fly-fishing, mountain excursions, snow sports in the winter months and a weekly ranch rodeo in the summer.
The origin of the dude ranch vacation is a fascinating story. Back in the late 1800s and early 1900s, “dude” was the name given to “big-shot city slickers” by Western cattle ranchers (or cowboys). When these “dudes” left their big cities to head out West, ranchers would host them on a complimentary basis at their guest or dude ranches. In fact, offering to pay a rancher for their hospitality was considered an insult.
The first known dude ranch, Custer Trail Ranch, was started by several brothers in the 1880s in the Dakota Badlands. After President Theodore Roosevelt visited the Eaton brothers’ property, the word spread about this Western cowboy life with horseback riding, hunting and fishing. Roosevelt even purchased a ranch nearby, known as the Maltese Cross Ranch. Eventually, ranchers had to charge a small fee to host their guests after experiencing a series of hardships – and realizing just how much it was costing them to entertain these East Coast city slickers.
In 1926, the ranchers partnered with the Northern Pacific Railway and formed the Dude Ranchers’ Association to market the dude ranch experience and supplement their incomes. The organization was founded on six core principles (the 6 H’s) of dude ranching. Those principles are still at the center of the DRA today: horses, hats, hospitality, heritage, honesty and heart.
Today, dude ranches still offer guests the romanticism and spirit of the American West with family-friendly programs perfect for multigenerational families. But there are different types of ranches, depending on the type of “dude” you are.
Some guest ranches are small, family-owned and -operated properties, but there are also larger, corporate-owned ranches – and not every property is open year-round. Some destinations allow guests to book short-term getaways of just a few nights, while others only offer six-night weekly programs where everyone stays for the entire week, forming a camaraderie among the group. If you’re into horsemanship and riding, some ranches will pair you with one of their horses for your entire stay.
One feature that most ranches have in common is all-inclusive pricing with lodging, meals and most ranch activities, but that may not include extras like alcoholic beverages, additional excursions, clinics, spa treatments and other amenities. Pricing can range from as low as hundreds of dollars per person per night to rates in the thousands of dollars for five-star luxury properties.
Gwen Pratesi is an avid traveler who has visited the American West many times. She continues to return to this region of the U.S. for its astounding natural beauty, endless adventure and wide-open spaces. She used extensive research and her personal experience at a Western dude ranch to write this article. Pratesi covers the travel and culinary industries for major publications, including U.S. News & World Report.