Guest ranches, also known as dude ranches, offer tourists a chance to experience western cowboy life through activities such as horseback riding and cattle glades. These ranches can be found in the American West and as far away as Mongolia. Some ranches focus primarily on tourism and offer comfortable accommodations, while others remain working facilities and offer a more authentic experience. Ranches typically offer vacations for families and may include childcare services.
A guest ranch, which may also be known as a dude ranch, is a common tourist attraction in the American West. These ranches offer tourists a chance to experience a western cowboy version of life. The specific activities offered vary widely from ranch to ranch and range from hunting and hiking to actually participating in ranch activities, such as cattle glades. Guest ranches are a largely American phenomenon, but similar types of tourism can be found as far away as Mongolia, where tourists can pay to experience life as steppe nomads.
The frontier and the outdoors have long held a special place in the American popular imagination, and as the United States became a more urban nation during the early years of the last century, tourists showed a growing interest in the life of the rural West. Enterprising ranchers have been welcoming curious travelers since the 1800s, and this tourist trade expanded rapidly. Some guest ranches focused primarily on tourism, while others continued to operate as both tourist facilities and working ranches.
Guest ranches that focus primarily on tourism often offer fairly comfortable accommodations, with far more amenities than one would find on a typical working ranch. These ranches can resemble western themed bed and breakfasts. This type of guest ranch typically offers opportunities for horseback riding and hiking. Some ranches also offer hunting activities and act as wilderness suppliers for short expeditions to nearby wilderness areas. The more exclusive ranches resemble luxury hotels with special outdoor and riding facilities more than they resemble working ranches.
A guest ranch that remains a working facility is more likely to offer visitors an immersive Western living experience. Guests of this type of ranch can participate in scripted versions of ordinary ranch activities, including cattle runs and trail rides. This variety of guest ranches typically offer fewer amenities than ranches primarily dedicated to the tourist trade and offer a more authentic experience of Western life.
Most varieties of guest ranches are designed for families or adult visitors, although some active ranches may offer fewer amenities for young children. Ranches typically offer special vacations designed to appeal to parents with children, which may include introductory lessons in horseback riding and the outdoors. Higher-end ranches include many services and facilities to help a family on vacation and can provide specialized childcare services to allow parents to spend relaxing time away from their children and with their children.
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