BACK AT THE RANCH
Choose a ranch vacation to learn horsemanship in an authentic setting, explore pristine wilderness areas, fish wild and scenic rivers and relax in Western style.
Here are five destinations to consider:
1. THE HOME RANCH, CLARK, COLO.
A visit to this mountain retreat near Steamboat Springs involves decisionmaking. Will you choose rocking on the porch, listening to the rustle of Aspen leaves, multiple massage sessions or curling up by the stone fireplace with your favorite book while the kids sharpen skills in the corral under the watchful eyes of resident wranglers? (The children and teen programs will keep the youngsters in your group plenty busy.) Or, you can join the family for fly fishing on a private stretch of the Elk River, morning hikes, afternoon trail rides, daylong outings into nearby wilderness areas, yoga classes and postdinner music, barn dances and star gazing. During the winter months, snowshoeing, Nordic and downhill skiing and horseback and sleigh rides are all possible. You’ll enjoy exceptional cuisine, fine wines and welldeserved slumber in the comfort of cozy lodge rooms or rustic yet wellappointed cabins, tucked within a treestudded landscape. Pack your schedule with active pursuits or relax your week away. Either way, it’s all included. Contact: www.homeranch. com.
2. WESTGATE RIVER RANCH, RIVER RANCH, FLA.
You’ll be just an hour from Orlando but feel a world away when you arrive at the largest dude ranch east of the Mississippi. Situated on 1,700 acres of wilderness in Florida’s cattle country, the ranch offers a menu of lodging options that include glampingstyle tents, lodge rooms and twobedroom cabins. Opt for horse and pony rides, airboat excursions, miniature golf, nature hikes and zip lining. You’ll want to take in the Saturdaynight rodeo, campfires, cookouts, hayrides and a weekly street party.
Contact: www.wgriver ranch.com
3. LATIGO RANCH, KREMMLING, COLO.
Choose your season and relish the peace and tranquility you’ll find at this historic ranch. With neverending views along the Continental Divide, choose from snowshoeing, tubing, crosscountry skiing and fat biking in pristine winter conditions. The summer months offer topnotch horseback riding on over 200 miles of trail, cattle drives, hiking and mountain biking for the active members of your family. For those eager to relax, settle in on the porch for a card game, in a meadow or near a crackling fire with a book or puzzle at the ready.
Contact: www.latigo Trails.com
4. LONE MOUNTAIN RANCH, BIG SKY, MONT.
Just a stone’s throw from Yellowstone National Park’s northwest border, in the shadow of Lone Peak, you’ll find a cluster of handbuilt cabins. Authentic and luxurious, the historic accommodations, tucked creekside, in the pine trees or in meadows, help visitors conjure the days when the property was a working cattle ranch, operating in untamed country. Then, like now, the region is home to stunning vistas, and abundant wildlife including grizzlies, black bears, bison and wolves. In the company of guides or on your own, adventurers have the chance to fish blueribbon trout streams and explore the last best place via horseback, Nordic and downhill skis, snowshoes and on the many hiking trails in the area.
Contact: www.lone Mountainranch.com
5. WHITE STALLION RANCH, TUCSON, ARIZ.
Familyowned and operated, this working cattle ranch is known for awardwinning service, exceptional riding opportunities and a familyfriendly atmosphere. Ride amid towering saguaros and enjoy moonlit bonfires, hay rides, fat tire biking, cowboy entertainment, astronomy shows, Western dance lessons and a weekly rodeo where family members can admire the roping, barrel racing and steerwrestling skills of local wranglers.
Contact: www.white stallion.com