Wanna experience something new? Check out these US dude ranches TODAY!
You can call it the Yellowstone effect. But the truth is that many travelers seem to seek out authentic experiences that offer a taste of what it’s like to be on John Dutton’s ranch in more significant numbers than ever before.
Television appeal aside, though, it’s a nice change of pace from catching a few rays on the beach, renting a lake house, going skiing, venturing to the city, or visiting a fairytale castle in Europe.
This increased draw in traveling to the American frontier closely aligns with what many parents and kids hope to do on a vacation.
Access to endless natural beauty, BBQs, outdoor adventure, chuckwagon breakfasts, and even “little rancher” kids clubs make US dude ranches one of the best family trips. So, are you ready for some Western fun? Continue reading for our 4 favorite US dude ranches!
C Lazy U Ranch: Granby, Colorado
C Lazy U Ranch is a family-owned US dude ranch that has welcomed visitors to its year-round luxury Western getaway for almost 100 years. Situated 90 miles away from Denver, the 8,500-acre property is easily accessible yet private in the Colorado mountains.
While visiting, you’ll be treated to warm Western hospitality. The ranch offers lavish cabin accommodations and a multibedroom home. Most feature Western-inspired decor and stone fireplaces.
With a herd of approximately 200 horses, beginners and advanced riders will find the perfect match for their stay.
This US dude ranch also offers cattle pushing lessons, horse showmanship clinics, guided hiking, trap shooting, mountain biking, Orvis-endorsed fly-fishing, nearby Rocky Mountain National Park tours, and many other fun outdoor activities.
In the wintertime, you can have some fun and go ice skating or play ice hockey, feed the horses using the Feed Wagon Sleigh, and take a sleigh or horseback ride through the snow.
More outdoor winter fun ideas include snow tubing, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling. This property also offers a complete program for youngsters.
After your cowboy coffee, steer towards the outdoors for the morning “Jingle,” where the wranglers round up the horses in the pasture to get them onto the ranch for the day.
You can also watch as the thundering herd of horses heads back out to pasture before the sun sets in the evening. The Jingle takes place nearly every day throughout the year. All-inclusive rates at C Lazy U Ranch cover fine dining meals, lodging, and most activities.
This US dude ranch also has special packages during the holidays and adults-only getaways and hosts special retreats and other events.
The Hideout Ranch: Shell, Wyoming
This upscale, all-inclusive, and intimate riding US dude ranch is located roughly 70 miles east of Cody, Wyoming, in the Bighorn Mountains. It boasts almost 650,000 acres of gorgeous landscapes to explore at peaks between 4,200 to 13,100 feet.
The owners are very involved with guests. They only host 25 people a week for a 6-night stay in Western-style log cabins with one- and two-bedroom casitas, a loft, or a luxury home with two master bedrooms.
The Hideout focuses on horsemanship and riding horses, including working with cattle and team penning.
It’s a working cattle ranch, and its large herd of horses includes mustangs and quarter horses that have been adopted through horse adoption programs with the Bureau of Land Management.
Daily rides ensue on different terrains and trailheads because the owners have 8 trucks and trailers for the horses and can reach more secluded areas surrounding the ranch.
For those interested in horsemanship, the property offers retreats and clinics, cattle work and stockmanship, and a few other educational experiences.
While here, you can also enjoy different activities, including trap shooting, archery, hiking and mountain biking, seasonal fly-fishing, scenic off-roading and four-wheel-drive tours, and swimming in a pool with a stunning view.
Guests visiting this US dude ranch from June 1st through August 31st can also attend the Cody Nite Rodeo and the Cody Stampede Rodeo in Cody, a.k.a. the “Rodeo Capital of the World.”
Prices at The Hideout include lodging, meals, Friday night cookouts, cocktail hours, and on-ranch activities. You can even reserve the whole ranch in the off-season for a family reunion or any other special occasion.
Alisal Ranch: Solvang, California
Located on an extensive 10,500 acres with the background of the Santa Ynez Mountains, this family-owned US dude ranch started welcoming guests when the property first opened in 1946.
Alisal Ranch features 73 private Western-themed cottages varying in size from studio guest rooms to a three-bedroom home that can accommodate a maximum of 12 people.
It also sustains more than 100 horses that are trained to ride with beginners and experts alike. And this US dude ranch offers barrel racing, corral lessons, a seasonal rodeo, and even some fun hay wagon rides.
Visitors can enjoy many other outdoor activities, too, including canoeing, fishing, and kayaking on the 100-acre spring-fed lake.
On shore, there’s something for the entire family to do: a scavenger hunt, a petting zoo, pickleball, tennis, lawn games, e-bike excursions, arts and crafts, ax throwing, and many other activities.
In the summer evenings, you can feast on traditional Santa Maria-style barbecue, join in a line dance, share stories around a crackling campfire, and then stargaze under the clear, dark sky.
Nightly rates are mostly all-inclusive, with certain activities at an additional cost, such as horseback riding, spa services, golf, pickleball, and tennis clinics. The ranch also offers a wide array of packages all throughout the year.
Bar W Guest Ranch: Whitefish, Montana
Situated 30 miles from Glacier National Park and cradled in the picturesque Flathead Valley along Spencer Lake in Whitefish, this family-owned US dude ranch welcomes guests in accommodations ranging from rooms in an authentic main lodge and cabins to covered wagons and glamping tents.
The Bar W Guest Ranch packages can be booked for a 6-night stay, with rates that include all meals, horsemanship lessons, guided trail rides, cattle working, and all ranch activities and facilities.
They even have packages that are designed for more advanced wranglers, while the Ranch Package is developed for guests who don’t wish to ride a horse during their stay. But the rate covers all meals and many other ranch activities.
While visiting, you can hike into the wilderness areas around the property, go boating or fishing on Spencer Lake, take up archery, play lawn games, or even learn the skill of hatchet throwing.
And when the sun sets, ranch guests can take advantage of nighttime activities like line dancing and lounging around the campfire while listening to cowboys sing.
You can also take a shuttle ride off-site to attend the Brash Rodeo in Columbia Falls, which is just a quick drive from the property.
This US dude ranch hosts special adults-only weeks from mid-May to the beginning of November, too. And the Western Cattle Drive four times a year between June and September.
So what are we waiting for? Grab your cowboy boots and hit the road! Don’t have a pair? Amazon can help you out!
What do YOU think of this idea? Would you ever consider visiting a US dude ranch while on vacation? And if so, which one would you choose? Let us know in the comments below.
But don’t leave yet! Must See Places has much more to offer its readers. For instance, we highly recommend you also read: 8 Magical AND Affordable Winter Destinations in the US
