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How to pick a dude ranch for your family trip

April 15, 2021 By Amy Hagstrom

Dude ranch vacations have gained immense popularity in recent years, and for good reason. They combine the peace of mind and convenience of an all-inclusive vacation with the nostalgia of summer camp, all against a backdrop of beautiful wilderness and lively adventure. The best will offer a range of activities that appeal to your whole family, but each ranch specializes in different things and has different strengths and weaknesses. The task of finding the right one for your needs can feel daunting. Here’s how to pick a dude ranch for your family trip, plus top ranches in each of four general categories.

Step 1: Ask yourself the following questions

1. Is horseback riding the most important aspect of a dude ranch vacation for our family?

If the answer is yes, choose from ranches that emphasize their riding programs above all else. These ranches tend to be the best pick for advanced, experienced riders who seek more freedom in their rides.

If the answer is no, you’ll want to look for a ranch that offers a wider range of more generalized activities, or risk booking a ranch that’s all horseback riding, all the time. Many will offer golf, hiking, mountain biking, swimming, and rafting in addition to riding.

2. Are your kids all over at the age of 6-8 years?

If the answer is no, you’ll need to look carefully at the fine print of each dude ranch site, to make sure your kids will be able to participate. At many ranches, kids under age 6-8 (depending on the ranch) cannot join riding programs. Some ranches will offer babysitting or childcare services, but most will require you have an adult in your party willing to forego activities to watch young kids. We highly recommend waiting to take a dude ranch vacation when all kids are over age six, at least.

3. How important is your dining experience at the ranch?

If ranch cuisine is very important, you’re in luck: there are certainly ranches offering gourmet dining experiences. If not, you’ll certainly have more options, and can expect food that falls in the upscale family style buffet category.

4. Will you be combining your dude ranch vacation with other destinations in the same trip?

If yes, look for ranches near vacation destinations that appeal to you, and make your dude ranch stay part of a longer road trip. While some ranches are truly apart from major towns, most will be in ‘gateway’ regions, such as a gateway to the Rockies or Sierras, to a national park, or to a city.

5. Do you want to make new friends, or bond as a family?

At some dude ranches, you can certainly do both, but at others, the kids’ program is separate from the adult program, making the experience is much more like ‘camp’ for the kids. If you have social butterflies who can’t wait to meet new kids, this may be perfect. Pick a ranch with a kids’ program that extends beyond riding to kids’ dining and kids’ afternoon activities. If you want to eat meals as a family and ride as a family, pick a ranch that is structured in this way, and avoid ranches that promote kids’ only dining and adults’ only activities.

Step 2: Narrow down your choices

Use a site such as the Dude Ranchers’ Association or a dude ranch round-up to identify specific ranches that will meet your needs. We recommend staying open-minded regarding ranch location as long as possible, placing a higher emphasis on ranch amenities and programs than on geography. To help you along, we compare and contrast three excellent ranches below. Note that while all are amazing ranches, they offer very different experiences.

Triangle X Ranch in Moose, Wyoming:

Triangle X Ranch gives families quite a bit of rein (pun of course intended). Two rides per day are scheduled for those who wish for them, as well as an all-day ride for adults and optional overnight pack ride for teens. Beginning riders are accommodated, but the focus is definitely on advanced riders. Kids eat and ride separately from adults. Triangle X is open year round, with snow sports offered instead of horseback riding in winter. It’s located inside Grand Teton National Park, with absolutely stunning views. Read a full review of Triangle X.

Pros:

fun, exciting rides
beautiful setting
excellent evening programs and educational components
separate programs (including riding and dining) for adults and kids
nice cabin accommodations

Cons:

Inexperienced riders may feel in over their heads
separate programs for adults and kids
Meals are serviceable, but nothing fancy
WiFi in town only

Three Bars Ranch, Cranbrook, British Columbia:

Three Bars Ranch is set against the backdrop of the Canadian Rockies, and offers a riding program that’s more family-focused. Rides are more flexible, with families able to decide whether to ride together or separately (kids together, with friends, etc) on the morning of each day. Rides are on the controlled side, with options to pick up speed as the week goes on. The ranch is picturesque, and many additional activities are offered. Read a full review of Three Bars.

Pros:

Beautiful grounds with comfortable cabins
WiFi available
family-focused with flexibility for mingling with others
safe horse program
multiple additional activities offered
above-average food
wranglers spend time with guests on and off the trails

Cons:

horse program may be too ‘tame’ for some advanced riders

Tanque Verde Ranch, Tuscan Arizona:

If you want luxury, head to Tanque Verde in the Southwest, or go north to Paws Up in Montana. Both ranches offer a full spa as well as decidedly upscale cuisine. Guests are lodged in luxury dwellings and service is on par with top luxury resorts. Don’t worry: kids aren’t forgotten; they still have a full program of offerings.

Pros:

dining is amazing
service is outstanding

Cons:

high price
riding sometimes takes a backseat to spa treatments or golf

Aspen Ridge Resort, Bly Oregon:

Want a non all-inclusive option? Several ranches in Central and Southern Oregon, such as Aspen Ridge, offer ranch programs with a more B&B feel. Families stay in log cabins with full kitchens, make their own meals, and plan only the number of horseback rides they want. The setting is lovely, and families get a good sense of what a working ranch really feels like. In addition to riding, families can bike, hike, and play tennis. Aspen Ridge is open year round, with snowshoeing offer in winter.

Pros:

stays can be shorter than the standard week
price can be lower, since you pay a la carte
dates are more flexible than an all-inclusive ranch

Cons:

riding is individualized, not in a program (could be a pro)
dining is on your own, or in Aspen Ridge’s dining room (a la carte)

Have you gone on a dude ranch vacation? What’s your pick?

Photo credit: Ken Bosna, Amy Whitley

Fall getaways: a stay at Central Oregon’s House on Metolius

September 6, 2017 By Amy Hagstrom

Autumn is a great time of year to get away with your family for a quiet outdoor weekend. Central Oregon’s House on Metolius is located a few miles from Sisters, Oregon along the banks of the Metolius River. While only 45 minutes outside of Bend, you feel completely away from it all once you’ve navigated the series of small highways and forest service roads leading to the House on Metolius property and Metolius River fly fishing. Families can choose to stay in the main lodge or, as we suggest, in one of the cabins nestled nearby. Either way, you’re only steps from the river and over 200 acres of pristine wilderness.

Cabins:

We stayed in the Gorge Cabin located above the Metolius River at the Gorge. (Guess that’s where it got its name!) The cabin has two bedrooms (one with a king bed, one with two doubles) and a living room with a pull-out sofa sleeper. Families can cook at home, utilizing the dining room and full kitchen. The Gorge Cabin has one bathroom (with shower and tub), and a full-sized fireplace which we took advantage of greatly. The large back deck overlooks the river and woods, and the front opens out onto a sloping lawn with additional cabins adjacent.

The other four cabins range in size and layout. Parking is nearby, and carts are available for moving luggage (and provided firewood). Our cabin had everything we needed stocked for preparing food (all dishes, silverware, and pots and pans). Coffee and tea is available in the main lodge on most mornings at 8 am for lodge guests. All cabins are a little different, so you’ll want to consult House on Metolius staff before deciding which one works best for you.

Take a tour of the property with us:

With school-aged kids, we felt comfortable allowing the boys to run down the lawn to the latched gate that led to the river and meadows beyond, but if we had smaller kids, we’d probably restrict them to the large lawn when not accompanied by an adult (parents of toddlers will appreciate the gate). Two bridges span the river for easy access, and crossing the closest one take you to the steps to the main lodge, where a comfy sitting room invites (and hot chocolate and coffee await).

Fishing and hiking:

We loved that we could fish right on the House of Metolious property, allowing for the kids to get up before breakfast and fish until they got too hungry, or fish after dinner until dusk. This stretch of the Metolious River is fly fishing only, however, so be sure to have the proper equipment. We rented our gear and bought our fishing license at the Camp Sherman store (which also has limited groceries and a very nice wine selection) only a few miles from the property. If fly fishing is new to you, consider hiring a guide, such as John Judy Fly Fishing. If you want to bait fish instead, you can do so seven miles up-river past the Lower Bridge. We did this in addition to fly fishing, and had a great time.

A nice hike from House on Metolius to the Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery is 2.7 miles downstream; kids will love feeding the fish here (bring quarters for the machines). We spent about a half hour here before heading on. Also nearby is the around-the-lake hike at Suttle Lake, and hikers can summit Black Butte from the trailhead a few miles back on Highway 20. In summer, river rafting, kayaking, and golf are also within a short driving distance, and in winter, snowshoeing or downhill skiing at Hoodoo Ski Resort are nearby.

Date last visited: October 2012

Distance from the interstate: 5 minutes from Highway 20, or 45 minutes from Highway 97 (Bend).

Rates and amenities: At the time of our visit, lodge rooms listed at $149 and cabins ranged from $249 for a two-person cabin to over $400. The Gorge Cabin which fit our family of five listed for $299. Rates include a continental breakfast for lodge guests. Wifi is available in the cabins and lodge, though cell service is spotty. I happily turned off my phone (land lines are in the cabins).

Dining: Dinner is available most nights for an additional charge in the House on Metolius dining room, and nearby Sisters offers fun family dining. We recommend the Sisters Movie House, which shows movies in a barn and delivers burgers, wraps, and sandwiches to your seat!

Directions: Don’t bother bringing your GPS…it won’t help you find House on Metolius! Instead, follow the directions emailed to you after confirming your reservation. From Highway 20, you follow the road to Camp Sherman, then turn off on several forest service roads ending in a black gate requiring a key code (provided to overnight guests only). If you don’t follow their directions exactly, you may end up at the wrong black gate (yes, there are several of them!) and on the wrong side of the property. The good news: once you’ve arrived, you’re isolated from the ‘real world’ and ready to have a fabulous time away.

As I disclose whenever applicable, we experienced House on Metolius as guests of the resort. This generosity came with no expectations of a positive review.

Suncadia Resort review with kids

July 22, 2015 By Amy Hagstrom

Suncadia Resort, located right off I-90 in the Wenatchee National Forest southeast of Snoqualamie, WA, is your quintessential four-season, multi-activity contemporary resort.

We stopped by for two nights during a long summer road trip through Washington State, and compared it to Bend Oregon’s Sunriver Resort or Redmond Oregon’s Eagle Crest. Suncadia boosts the same offerings, including golf, an upscale spa, dining, and on-site amenities like pool complexes, tennis courts, exercise facilities, and bike trails and walking paths, all on the site of a historic coal mining operation.

We enjoy including resorts like Suncadia during multi-week road trips to get a little R&R: it’s nice to have a jetted jacuzzi tub, comfy beds, and fun pools for a day or so. If we lived in the Seattle metro area, or Yakima or even Spokane, we’d consider coming back for a weekend getaway. How did we spend our two days here in mid-June? There’s a whole calendar of activities for kids during the peak summer months, most of which involve an extra fee, but a few that come with the cost of your stay. Here’s what we tried:

Swimming and relaxation:

The pool complex at Suncadia includes a large free-form outdoor pool and kiddie splash/wading pool, a large indoor pool, plus indoor and outdoor hot tubs, a sauna, a steam room, and a full exercise area. The outdoor area includes plenty of lounge space, and we spent the majority of our time here. Our room (a one-bedroom condo) was located in the Lodge at Suncadia, which meant we also got access to the smaller outdoor pool and hot tub right outside the lodge building.

Both mornings of our stay, I enjoyed the chance to work out in the exercise room, followed by a session in the sauna. By the time I emerged, the kids had found their way to the pool. There are exercise classes on offer daily, too, for an extra cost. A ‘resort fee’ is added to your room rate for use of the pool complex, so you might as well enjoy it!

Note: indoor and outdoor pools have different hours, as well as the pool slides. Check hours of operation for the time of your visit before promising anything to kids!

Tennis and bike rentals:

The tennis courts are located at Dawson Park Recreation Cabin, in one of the Suncadia vacation home neighborhoods inside the resort, and can be reserved (though we found them locked in mid-June). Also on-site are soccer goals to shoot on, basketball courts, ping-pong tables, and other recreation-based games, plus a nice playground.

The bike rentals are located at the Village Pavilion, by the small pond across from the pool complex. Here, you can rent bikes and electric scooters (16 and up) and watercraft like stand-up paddle boards and pedal boats (though don’t bother with older kids…the pond is small and uninspired). We opted for mountain bikes, to try out the miles of dirt trails through the wooded areas surrounding Suncadia. Once we found these trails, we really enjoyed them, but for about 45 minutes, we had our noses in the map, trying to figure it out. No one on staff seemed to know how to direct us, which was somewhat frustrating. However, we finally found the trailhead for a network of single track and dirt roads perfect for mountain biking, and had a good time riding near the river. To save you time, head down Swiftwater Trail (road) to the end, where you’ll find the trailhead. You can ride along paved bike paths to this point from the lodge or the bike rental area.

Movies in Roslyn:

Suncadia’s address is in Cle Elum, but the little town of Roslyn, best known as the setting of the TV show Northern Exposure, is just as close…only 10 minutes away by car. The Roslyn Theater is a cute one-screen affair with cushy seats and a friend staff. We saw an evening movie there, paired with dinner at the Roslyn Cafe (absolutely try their tater tot casserole!). We found the dining options in Suncadia to be a bit limited to higher-end dining, so we took advantage of the full kitchen in our unit and cooked our meals in-house when we didn’t eat in Roslyn. If my husband had been with us for this trip, he would have loved the fact that Suncadia has a winery on-site: Swiftwater Cellars.

Golf:

We didn’t golf this time around, those the boys do enjoy a round of nine holes most of the time. We noticed that Suncadia seems to do a good job of offering affordable green fees to students and kids, plus twilight tee times. We were psyched to see they’re offering foot golf (soccer golf) on the first nine holes (you get to play it twice for 18 holes), but were bummed to learn this was not opening until July.

In addition to the activities we tried, Suncadia offers plenty in the way of rafting and fishing on Cle Elum River, plus horseback riding and ATV-riding. In winter, snowshoeing, ice skating, and tubing reign.

For younger kids, there’s CampCadia with programmed activities, and there’s a whole page of activities for the toddler set. There’s even a junior ranger program of sorts for kids starting in the end of June (all of the above include extra fees, though none are astronomical).

Lodging options:

We stayed in a one-bedroom Suncadia Lodge unit (in the main lodge). We liked being in the main building, and our unit included a full kitchen, full-sized washer and dryer, and large bathroom with jacuzzi tub. Our family of five was perfectly cozy here. We could have also opted for a two-bedroom unit, but for an extra $100 or so, we were happy enough with a rollaway. During our stay in June, our unit rented for about $250/night, which we felt was a good value. The lodge also offers standard hotel rooms.

The Inn at Suncadia is smaller and higher-end, apparently, though we didn’t get a chance to peek in. There are also condos and vacation homes in the resort. All have resort privileges to the pool complex and recreation facilities.

All-in-all, there’s a lot going on at Suncadia, but we did feel frustration that several things were not up and running by mid-June (while advertised that they were operational), such as foot golf and tennis. We asked a lot of questions during our stay, and found that many employees were uninformed. Everyone was friendly, but many lacked basic information such as when activities opened, where to sign up, etc. We had to figure most things out on our own, a daunting task when there’s so many activities on offer.

Disclosure: as we disclose whenever applicable, we experienced Suncadia hosted by the resort, for the purpose of review. All opinions are our own.

Five unusual outdoor lodging picks for families

March 27, 2015 By Amy Hagstrom

Ever wanted to stay the night in a yurt, overlooking the ocean? How about a rustic cabin in the mountains, a tree house in the woods, or even a fire lookout with sweeping views? All of the above are easily accessible to all travelers – no wilderness experience necessary! Extend the camping season with these year-round lodging experiences, and learn where and when to book them.

Yurts: Comfortable Camping Without the RV

Yurts are not just in rural Mongolia anymore! These canvas-sided circular shelters have been popular additions to many state parks across the U.S. and Canada, offering four-season lodging for those without an RV or camper. Perfect for families with young children, yurts come in rustic or deluxe models, all with electricity, beds (bring your own bedding), and heat. Arriving late to the campground? No need to hassle with tent setup! Want to experience the outdoors without sleeping on the ground? Yurts are the perfect solution.

How to book: Search for yurt lodging by state park on ReserveAmerica.com.

Top yurt: Harriman State Park, an Idaho nature reserve outside Yellowstone National Park, offers a select few deluxe yurts, complete with wood-burning stoves inside. Families can bask in solitude, just miles from Yellowstone crowds.

Source: Fix.com

Cabins and Huts: Cozy Wilderness Lodging

Channel your inner Little House on the Prairie when sleeping in cabins in private campgrounds like KOA Kampgrounds or state parks and reserves. Like yurts, cabins range from simple shelters to “glamping-style” cottages with one to three rooms. Some, such as select KOA cabins, offer full bathrooms and kitchens in their deluxe models. State park cabins typically offer a room, beds, and a porch or balcony, plus a fire pit and picnic table for cooking and dining. Campers wanting to get further afield can opt for a hut-to-hut hiking experience. Run by private companies on both coasts, hut-to-hut operations allow backpackers to hike anywhere between three and ten miles to various backcountry huts. Depending on the operation, huts can include hot meals, full bedding, or simple shelter.

How to book: Reserve KOA Kampground cabins via their official website or by phone, and reserve state park cabins on ReserveAmerica.com. For hut-to-hut lodging, reserve directly through each private operation, such as Outdoors.org or Cascadehuts.com.

Top cabin: For an upscale cabin experience in a resort setting, stay in a KOA deluxe cabin in Jackson Hole/Snake River, Wyoming.

Top hut-to-hut: Appalachian Mountain Club’s network of AMC lodges and huts offers pristine hiking without the heavy packs in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.

Have we whet your appetite for more? Find three more outdoor lodging ideas in our article on fix.com.

Source: Fix.com