Do horseback rides through the pine-covered mountains and soft green valleys of Colorado or Montana sound appealing?
Then it may be time for a dude ranch vacation.
It`s not a new trend. Western ranchers have been catering to ”dudes”
for more than 100 years.
But now hit movies such as ”City Slickers”-and ever more crowded urban landscapes-make a temporary home on the range an especially popular escape.
The dude ranch has been around since 1879 when the Eaton brothers of Medora, N.D., founded a ranch where friends from Eastern towns and cities could come to sample Western life.
In time guests began paying for the privilege of doing chores and helping with the herd. Alas, an industry was born.
The visitors were called ”dudes,” a term applied to outsiders-usually city people, who are unfamiliar with cowboy ways.
Other ranchers soon followed the Eatons` example, catering to dudes who sought the simple pleasures of life in the saddle.
Today there are dozens of dude ranches scattered across the states. Some have an old-fashioned, rustic log-cabin appeal. Others boast lodges with stone fireplaces, antlers and enough plaid blankets to keep designer Ralph Lauren happy.
On these ranches it`s not uncommon to find swimming pools, tennis courts, saunas, hot tubs and dining rooms with a type of cuisine to make a distant memory out of pork and beans.
There may be excellent fishing and hiking and, in the winter, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling.
A working ranch often offers vacationers a chance to actually help with the livestock. But the common denominator is still plenty of horseback riding on daylong or half-day rides or overnight pack trips.
Being an expert rider isn`t a prerequisite for a dude ranch vacation. Often riders at all levels are welcome. For children it can be a memorable way to learn to ride.
The cost of a dude-ranch vacation ranges from $650 to $1,300 a person a week. That`s in high season between June and September when a one-week stay is usually required. Low-season prices are about 20 percent less. Children`s rates are usually a bargain.
Guests can expect to pay an additional 15 percent in gratuities. Many ranches do not accept credit cards, so traveler`s checks are a good alternative.
”Ranch Vacations” by Eugene Kilgore (John Muir Publications, 1989;
$18.95) is the single best guide to more than 200 ranches throughout the United States and Canada.
A sampling of dude ranches:
– Lost Valley Ranch, Colorado Highway 2, Box K, Sedalia, Colo. 80135;
303-647-2311.
Just an hour and a half from Colorado Springs, the Lost Valley Ranch is at the edge of 40,000 acres of the Pike National Forest. It offers a riding program for all levels. Guests are invited to work with the 200 head of cattle.
The ranch can accommodate up to 100 visitors in separate cabins and cabin suites peacefully situated in the pines.
There`s a heated outdoor swimming pool, tennis courts and ample fishing and hiking.
Children have extensive supervised programs.
– Skyline Guest Ranch, Box 67K, Telluride, Colo. 81435; 303-728-3757.
Aficionados say Skyline is one of the finest dude ranches in the West.
It`s in the southeastern corner of the state in a valley surrounded by the snowcapped San Juan peaks. Owners Dave and Sherry Farney can accommodate 35 guests in the main lodge or in one of four housekeeping cabins.
There`s riding instruction for all levels. Children are welcome, although there are no special programs. Nearby fishing, hiking and backpacking are excellent. Pack trips are available and photo workshops are conducted twice a year.
Dudes can soak away riding pains in the hot tub and sauna. Telluride`s shops, galleries and restaurants are 15 minutes away.
– Mountain Sky Guest Ranch, Box 1128K, Bozeman, Mont. 59715;
800-548-3392.
At this true family ranch in Paradise Valley up to 75 guests can be accommodated in 25 modern and rustic cabins.
After daily horseback riding in Paradise Valley, dudes may enjoy the swimming pool or sauna, take a nature hike or go fishing in nearby Yellowstone River. There are evening sing-alongs and square dancing-plus imaginative children`s programs.
Yellowstone National Park is 30 miles away.
For further information about dude ranching, contact the Dude Ranchers Association, Box 471K, LaPorte, Colo. 80535; 303-493-7623.
The American Wilderness Experience represents 46 Western dude ranches. For further information, write to the agency at Box 1486, Boulder, Colo. 80306; 800-444-3833.
