Yeehaw, cowboy! If you’re looking to get out on the open range this summer without blowing your travel budget, check out these five affordable dude ranch vacations.
Badger Creek Ranch, Canon City, Colorado
Channel your inner cowboy as you head to the Colorado Rockies for a dude ranch vacation at Badger Creek Ranch. At this working cattle ranch, you’ll help with the herd as you follow hundreds of cattle through Colorado’s countryside. Fly fishing, bird watching and hiking are also available nearby. The all-inclusive rate at Badger Creek Ranch is $220 CAD per night.
Broken Arrow Lodge, Alder, Montana
Nestled in the rustic beauty of Montana’s countryside, Broken Arrow Lodge is well known for its scenic horseback rides — and they’re affordable, too. A three-day dude ranch getaway at Broken Arrow Lodge runs $575 CAD and includes two days of horseback riding through the Rocky Mountains. The package also includes hiking, fishing and Jeep tours.
Rancho Los Banos, Sonora, Mexico
Just south of Arizona, 12,140 hectares of adventure await at Rancho Los Banos in the Sierra Madre mountains. A day at Rancho Los Banos could include learning to lasso, hiking through canyons, riding horses through the Sonoran desert and spotting local wildlife like mountain lions and ringtail cats on a guided tour. Rates start at $191 CAD per night and include meals and excursions.
Circle Bar B Guest Ranch, Goleta, California
If you’re looking to saddle up, you can enjoy horseback riding with views of the Pacific Ocean at Circle Bar B Guest Ranch in California. Here, the Horse Lovers Package offers two nights in a private cabin, a bottle of champagne, three daily meals and daily horseback rides for two for $802 CAD. While you’re there, don’t miss the Circle Bar B Dinner Theater, where you can watch a play while chowing down on a homestyle tri-tip dinner.
Dixie Dude Ranch, Bandera, Texas
Settle into the heart of Texas atDixie Dude Ranch, where Western-themed cottages and cabins are your temporary home on the range. For $180 CAD a day, you’ll experience Texas hospitality with three family-style meals per day, two daily horseback rides, catch-and-release fishing and hiking. Plus, you’ll be treated to rustic entertainment like hay rides, cowboy sing-alongs and nightly bonfires.
Have you ever stayed at a dude ranch? Let us know in the comments!
(Main image: Laramie River Dude Ranch used under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license)
