Dude Ranch Activities
Beginner Rides:
Slow-paced, shorter rides that are perfect for any beginner to get more comfortable.
Advanced/Fast Rides:
These longer rides may include trotting and loping and may be over rougher terrain.
Half-Day Rides:
Half-day rides usually leave after breakfast and come back around lunch or leave after lunch and return before dinner.
All Day Rides:
All-day rides usually leave after breakfast, offer lunch on the trail, and return by dinner.
Team Penning:
A western rodeo sport that evolved from the common ranch work of separating cattle into pens.
A traditional way of extracting gold with a pan in a river or stream.
Swing dancing, square dancing, or line dancing.
Cool off in an on-site river, lake, or pond!
Many ranches offer a structured children’s program staffed by counselors/kid wranglers that allow parents some time alone to do the activities that they’re interested in. Other ranches offer unsupervised activities that children can do with friends, parents, or siblings. Consider the appropriate level of supervision to make the most of your family vacation!
Four-wheelers, side by sides, and dirt bikes are offered to guests at a few select ranches.
Have children under the age of 3? Some ranches may offer babysitting services for younger children and infants. Be sure to clarify with the ranch when researching.
Mountain biking trails located on the property may be accessed by mountain bikes, fat-tire bikes, or electric bikes!
Observe birds in their natural western habitat.
Spring branding, checking newborns, and sorting and pairing are but a few of the different cattle work activities.
Depending on the ranch, fly fishing or “regular” spin fishing may be offered as a solo or guided activity.
Some ranches have golf courses on their properties while others may have access to a local golf course near the ranch.
An abundance of ranches have designated hiking that you may explore solo or with a guide.
Archery and shooting sports are large parts of Western culture. Some ranches offer target practice activities with different firearms, ammunition, and archery bows. Because of the nature of this activity, age restrictions apply.
Depending on the location of the ranch and the time of year, river rafting may be offered. For northern ranches, the rivers will be rougher the first half of the summer due to snowmelt, while they tend to be tamer in the latter half. Some ranches do use outside rafting companies near them, so be sure to inquire about this at the time of booking.
Try your hand at rock climbing, either on a climbing wall or natural rock nearby!
Sailing, kayaking, paddleboarding, as well as other water sports, are offered at select ranches.
These activities may include cross country skiing, snow tubing/sledding, snowshoeing, sleigh rides, and snowmobiling.
Some ranches offer yoga classes taught by certified instructors to help you relax and acclimate to some of the ranches’ high altitudes.
Get a bird’s eye view of the West flying through the air on a zip line!
Interact with various animals including goats, chickens, pigs, and more!
Some ranches have on-property tennis courts with all the necessary equipment.