The mountain wind whispering through the trees, the crackle of the campfire, the gentle neighing of horses, the clanging of the dinner bell: Since their heyday in the 1920s, dude ranches have transported travelers from the chaos of the city to the tranquillity of the trail.
Since their peak, dude ranches have gone through their ups and downs, but now, a century later, they’re enjoying a resurgence, thanks in part to a pandemic-driven interest in the outdoors, the popularity of the “Yellowstone” TV franchise and a growing desire to ditch our devices.
“People are looking for those unplugged moments in intentional and experiential travel where they can connect with the land, animals and each other,” said Josie Hedderman, the executive director of the nonprofit Dude Ranch Foundation, in Cody, Wyo.
A diverse range of ranches, mainly scattered throughout the Rockies, offer something for almost everyone. They typically feature three daily meals, a core of outdoor activities and rustic lodging at a flat rate (though some are more upscale). But whatever the accommodations and activities, visitors will definitely spend plenty of quality time with horses, which “truly are the heart and soul of the experience,” Ms. Hedderman said.
Potential guests — it’s not nice to call them city slickers — should research the activities, location, size and vibe of a prospective ranch, and ideally plan to stay six or seven days, she said. Check with the ranch on what to pack. Most will provide any necessary gear.
The century-old Dude Ranchers’ Association, an industry partner to the foundation, can help you pick a ranch that meets specific standards for horse care and safety, hospitality and authenticity.
Here are six great places to get your boots dirty.
Shell, Wyo.
The Hideout
This spot in the foothills of the Bighorn Mountains, with access to approximately 500,000 acres of riding terrain, specializes in helping guests learn to ride or improve their equestrian skills in a variety of different terrains, said Peter De Cabooter, a co-owner of the Hideout.
That can mean special attention for first-timers, or challenging programs for advanced riders who want to elevate their abilities to the next level, he said. The ranch typically drives horses and guests to new trails each day. Rides range from high desert peaks with red clay spires and multicolored striations to alpine forests where moose, bighorn sheep, elk and black bears live.
Riders can also learn natural horsemanship methods focused on using the lightest touch or least pressure needed for a response from the horse. “We teach them about how a horse actually thinks or reacts and how you keep that horse calm,” Mr. De Cabooter said.
Roughly half of the Hideout’s bookings come from repeat customers, and the ranch accepts only up to 25 guests for a required six-night stay. Rates cover all riding activities, luxury cabins with robes and Nespresso coffee machines, as well as all meals, including wine.
Prices start at $3,550 per person (open April through October).
Tucson, Ariz.
White Stallion Ranch
For cowpokes looking to escape winter’s bite, White Stallion Ranch operates year-round, offering trail rides among the cactuses on 3,000 acres bordering Saguaro National Park. The ranch offers views of rugged mountains and wide-open desert landscapes, though it is barely 30 minutes from Tucson International Airport.
For Sam Goodwin, 48, a co-founder of a pickleball accessories company who lives in Gilbert, Ariz., a family vacation to White Stallion two years ago exceeded his expectations. During their stay, Mr. Goodwin; his wife, Crystal; and their teenage son and daughter reveled in Western rituals like ringing the dinner bell and donning cowboy hats and boots, but mainly enjoyed putting down their phones and getting outside, he said.
Forty-three spacious rooms with Southwestern décor are scattered throughout the property, each with a private patio with views of cactus gardens, mountains or corrals. Guests have a choice of different horseback rides every day except Sunday (even horses need a day off). Other activities include archery, target shooting, rock climbing, riding e-bikes, hiking and even playing pickleball, one activity that Mr. Goodwin admitted that he avoided during his stay.
Rates vary, but posted specials offer seven-night winter and summer stays for $1,737 per person.
Emigrant, Mont.
Mountain Sky Guest Ranch
If your idea of ranch life includes four-course dinners, 18 holes of golf and a lymphatic detox massage, Mountain Sky Guest Ranch has you covered. Sprawling across 17,000 acres in Montana’s breathtaking Paradise Valley, 30 miles north of Yellowstone National Park, Mountain Sky started as a typical dude ranch in 1929.
It has since become a luxury destination with a focus on wellness, while still offering horseback riding, hiking, archery and more. The weekly rate also includes golf on a championship course, yoga, fly fishing instruction, a heated pool, a hot tub, a grotto, a steam room, a sauna and a tennis court.
For additional fees, guests can tour Yellowstone, shoot clay targets, go white-water rafting or choose from an extensive menu of massages, facials and more. The ranch’s 33 rustic but elegant cabins have large picture windows and porches with mountain views. Breakfast and lunch are buffets, while dinners consist of three or four courses that include dishes like bison tenderloin, Chilean sea bass and truffled portobello pasta.
Supervised activities for kids have allowed Kristin Finkelstein, 40, of Baltimore, a repeat guest along with her husband and four young children, to “have a trip where every family member can choose their own adventure while being on a true family vacation.”
“The biggest stressor at Mountain Sky is choosing between a spa treatment or an activity, and of course, to not be late for a meal,” Ms. Finkelstein said.
The average seven-night adult stay costs $6,875 (open May to October).
Antonito, Colo.
Rainbow Trout Ranch
The remote and isolated 600-acre Rainbow Trout Ranch in southern Colorado is surrounded by the San Juan Mountains in the 1.8-million-acre Rio Grande National Forest and South San Juan Wilderness. It embraces all the classic dude ranch experiences, including hay rides, line dancing, singalongs, stargazing, fly fishing and cowboy poetry.
Kevin Henry, 55, a repeat guest from Wallingford, Pa., credits the Van Berkum family, owners of the ranch for more than 30 years, with putting guests at ease. Guests should “bring an open mind and ability to go with the cowboy lifestyle,” he wrote in an email.
The ranch’s century-old, 18,000-square-foot Grand Lodge was built with Engelmann spruce logs and has an atrium with a 40-foot ceiling. Each two- or three-bedroom guest cabin, situated among aspens and ponderosa pines, features a porch and a fireplace.
True to its name, Rainbow Trout Ranch is acclaimed for its fishing along a 1.5-mile private section of the Conejos River. The ranch encourages catch-and-release fishing, but if you catch a whopper you’d like to eat, the chef will cook it for dinner.
Horseback riding, white-water rafting, hiking, archery, trap shooting and a heated pool offer plenty more to do. For an extra fee, guests can book a ride on the nearby Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, a 64-mile, steam-powered trip into the 19th century.
A six-night adult stay costs $3,400 (open May to September).
Warrensburg, N.Y.
Ridin-Hy Ranch
Can you have an authentic dude ranch experience east of the Mississippi River? Well, that’s for you to decide, pardner. But if staying closer to home means less stress and more time on the back of a horse, why not?
Ridin-Hy Ranch covers 700 acres along the shores of private Sherman Lake in the Adirondacks. Equestrian activities include trail riding and lessons for beginners, as well as pony and wagon rides.
On warm days, guests can cool off with a swim in the lake, or by kayaking, taking a boat ride or water-skiing. Or fish for perch and bass in the lake, nearby Burnt Pond or the Schroon River.
The ranch organizes lakeshore campfires, outdoor movie nights, and basketball and volleyball games. Not enough? Ridin-Hy also features an indoor climbing wall, an arcade, an indoor pool and hot tub. Just in case you forget you’re at a dude ranch, there’s also a mechanical bull.
The ranch is also open in winter, featuring activities like horseback riding, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, ice fishing, sleigh rides, hockey, ice skating and snowshoeing. Accommodations range from basic rooms in a two-story motel configuration to private chalets to a lakefront suite with a full kitchen that can sleep up to 13. In addition to three daily meals, the ranch has late-night snack offerings, including nachos, hot dogs and build-your-own sundaes.
Rates vary; available options include $4,130 total for a six-night stay for two adults and two children.
Moose, Wyo.
Triangle X Ranch
For 99 years, even before Grand Teton National Park was established, the Turner family has operated the Triangle X Ranch, and it continues under their management today as the last dude ranch concession inside a national park.
Guests awaken each morning to sweeping views of the Teton range directly outside the ranch’s 20 distinct cabins. Triangle X sits amid Grand Teton’s wildflowers and wildlife, including bison, moose, elk, coyotes and grizzly bears.
In addition to regular morning and afternoon trail rides, guests can go on a morning ride that includes a hot, prepared breakfast, or an evening ride home that includes a steak dinner cooked on the banks of the Snake River.
The ranch also operates in winter for those looking to cross-country ski, snowshoe, ride snowmobiles or explore Grand Teton amid the stillness and quiet of endless snow.
Sherry Fettig, 57, of Wisconsin, has been a repeat Triangle X visitor for 25 years. Wrapping up a week there on the summer solstice this year, she was already thinking about returning.
“You forget about reality when you’re here,” she said. “You don’t know what day of the week it is. It’s the fastest week of the year, and you wait all year to just come back.”
A six-night adult stay in peak summer season costs $3,115.
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