With summer just around the bend and the popular “Yellowstone” series set to return this fall, it’s time to start thinking about a dude ranch getaway. From Montana to Wyoming and Arizona, the True Ranch Collection now includes six ranches where you can saddle up for an authentic experience. Each offers days filled with trail rides on horseback, hiking, UTVing, sport shooting, archery and more, as well as menus that include traditional ranch recipes and locally inspired dishes, and accommodations with beautiful western appointments in unique settings.
“All of our properties offer a classic dude ranch experience, from activities to food and décor, but each has its own feel and experience,” said Jaye Wells, managing partner of True Ranch Collection. “The ranches are also rich in history, with some dating back a century or more, and through our preservation company, we’ve revived them for the next generation of guests to enjoy while staying true to their identity and heritage. We hope you’ll join us for a vacation full of adventure, relaxation and historic tradition.”
Yellowstone Pop-up Ranch at Blackwater Creek Ranch: New to the collection this summer, the Yellowstone Pop-up Ranch at Blackwater Creek Ranch is set along the banks of Wyoming’s scenic Shoshone River between the cowboy town of Cody and the East Entrance of Yellowstone National Park. Three- and six-night stays are available, with whitewater rafting, visits to Cody and the Cody Nite Rodeo, and opportunities to explore the park.
Circle Bar Ranch: Nestled along the Judith River in central Montana where famed cowboy painter Charlie Russell once roamed, the Circle Bar Guest Ranch is known for its horseback riding, through open prairies, trotting and loping where terrain allows, or up a ridge for a breakfast cookout. Fly fishing on the Judith is also possible, as well as UTV tours to the cabin where prospector Jake Hoover lived when he discovered the precious Yogo sapphire.
Kay El Bar Guest Ranch: In Wickenburg, Arizona, which was once known as the “Dude Ranching Capital of the World,” the Kay El Bar Guest Ranch is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has been hosting travelers for more than 100 years. Explore the cactus forests, slot canyons, sandy washes and rocky ridges of the Sonoran Desert and the Hassayampa River, then unwind with a swim in the pool or a cold drink in the adobe lodge.
Rancho de la Osa: South of Tucson, Arizona, the colorful Rancho de la Osa is rich in history and Southwestern charm. It has the oldest continually used building in Arizona, built in 1722 by Jesuit missionaries before the area was part of the United States, and has also hosted notable guests like John Wayne, Joan Crawford, and President Lyndon B. Johnson and Lady Bird Johnson. Ride the Sonoran’s high-desert grasslands, then rest in the same accommodations they did.
Tombstone Monument Ranch & Cattle Co.: Just outside Tombstone, Arizona, step back in time at the Tombstone Monument Ranch & Cattle Co. Ride by Native American petroglyphs, abandoned railroad trestles and forgotten mines, or check on the ranch’s Criollo cattle. And with the ranch built in the image of an Old West town, wake up in the Grand Hotel, the Blacksmith’s, the Marshal’s Office or even the Jail, dine in Schieffelin’s Restaurant, and enjoy entertainment and cards in the Old Trappman Saloon.
White Stallion Ranch: The True family has called the White Stallion Ranch outside Tucson, Arizona, home for more than 50 years – join them to reconnect with your own family and friends amid the towering cactuses, unspoiled desert and rugged mountains north of Saguaro National Park. In addition to classic dude ranch activities, try rock climbing or fat-tire e-biking, play tennis or volleyball, rejuvenate in the spa, and enjoy cowboy singing, line dancing, trick roping and a weekly rodeo.
