Happy Thanksgiving

We would like to wish you and your family the safest and happiest of Thanksgivings!

"Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us, and that true homage comes from the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds. ~Theodore Roosevelt

Song of the Year Nomination...

Bryan Ragsdale, dude ranch entertainer and songwriter, has been recognized by the Independent Singer Songwriters Association for his song "Modern Day Mountain Man." Bryan's song has been nominated for Country Song of the Year by the Independent Singer Songwriters Association. It is a huge honor and he needs you help. You can go to www.issa-music.org to vote for Mountain Man or the song of your choosing. Please pass this on to all your friends, family, folks you don't know....help me put the Rocky Mountains back into mainstream music. Good Luck Bryan!!

The DRA will be at the NFR

The DRA will once again have a booth at the Thomas Mac Arena for this year's National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. The DRA and many of our fine ranches will be promoting dude ranch vacations at the 10 day show, December 3 - 12th 2009! Stop by and see us if you are in the ProRodeo Zone at the Thomas Mac!

Tanque Verde Family Dude Ranch by Travel Savvy Mom

This is a great article about Tanque Verde Guest Ranch that I thought I would share with you...


I grew up in Arizona, with two summers of horseback riding camp (Western style). So the idea of getting my kids on horses is appealing. So is the idea of a dude ranch, where you not only ride horses several times a day, but someone else cooks for you and watches your kids. Read more...

Have Fun In The Snow This Winter

Thinking about a winter escape...here are a few to think about!

Come experience wintertime in Wyoming at the Heart Six Ranch! Snowmobile through fluffy white snow in Yellowstone National Park or the Continental Divide. For those who prefer the quiet of nature, you can ski or snowshoe through our groomed trails. A great meal and a cozy cabin await you at the end of your day.
If snowmobiling doesn’t strike your interest, we’ve got miles of groomed trails for you to explore by cross country skis or snowshoes. Both are available for rental or you can bring your own. This is a quiet backwoods experience with great views of the Buffalo Valley, perfect for both young and old alike.
Cozy log cabins await you at the end of your day. All of our rooms are modern, carpeted, and nicely decorated. Many of the cabins have fireplaces or wood-burning stoves and wonderful views. Finish off your evening by curling up by the lodge fire place with a good book or a loved one.
To start planning your next holiday get away, you can visit us on the web at www.heartsix.com, or call (307) 543-2477.

The Home Ranch transforms into a ski lodge during the winter months. We offer cross country skiing, snowshoeing, sleigh rides, winter horseback riding and tubing on the ranch. As an Orvis endorsed lodge, fly fishing is always an option as well. The Yampa river in Steamboat has open water all winter long or try your luck on the Elk before it blows out in March.
With 25 km of groomed trail on the ranch and endless miles of off ranch powder you are bound to find the perfect spot. You may downhill ski in nearby Steamboat Springs. We use local outfitters for snowmobiling and dog sledding.
If all these sports seem too exhasting, treat yourself to the less strenuous activities we offer. Indulge yourself with a cup of tea in front of the fireplace, browse through our library with its comfy couches, soak in the private hot tub on you cabin porch, or melt into a massage. And if shopping is what you’re after, you’ll enjoy the ranch’s Mustang Mercantile or the bustling town of Steamboat.

Sleigh Ride in Northern Idaho at the Western Pleasure Guest Ranch

During the winter season here at Western Pleasure Guest Ranch, we are busy doing sleigh rides for our guests. We have 5 teams of draft horses who take up to 150 people per day on our 2 mile loop route. After the ride, guests can warm up by the fire inside the lodge with hot coco and popcorn. Many of our guests have a tradition to return each year for their family winter outing. We also offer a romantic couples rides pulled by one of our draft horses. This winter magic has cast its spell and set the stage for many marriage proposals. For more information about the sleigh rides go to the Western Pleasure Guest Ranch website.

Christmas is Coming....

The Christmas holiday is a magical time spent with friends and family celebrating a season of cheer! A dude ranch makes a perfect location for making special holiday memories. Here are just a few highlights from a few of our ranches that offer some fun filled holiday cheer!


Vista Verde is a dude ranch near Steamboat Springs that welcomes families in winter as well as summer, and especially puts out the welcome mat during the holidays. Accommodation includes lodge rooms with private balcony, and luxury log cabins with woodstove and hot tub. Winter activities include: cross-country skiing and snowshoeing; horse riding and sleigh-rides; programs for kids and teens; off-ranch activities such as dog-sledding, or skiing at top-rated Steamboat ski resort. Many activities are included in packages, as are three meals daily. For the Christmas holidays, special activities include: going out on cross country skis to cut a Christmas tree, making homemade decorations, taking the horse drawn sleigh (with lots of sleigh bells!) to go caroling at the neighbor’s house, and of course a Christmas Day Feast. And after that-- a "Progressive Dinner" around the ranch, on skis and sleigh. Visit the Vista Verde Ranch site for more infomation.

Ho, Ho, Holidays! Hidden Meadow Ranch is getting out the twinkle lights and searching for the perfect Christmas tree for the Ranch House (though some of us have been removed from the selection committee due to extreme "Charlie Brown" tree incidents)! We have done our snow dance, and Santa is planning his visit to bring loads of gifts. And our staff is polishing its annual performance of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas," which gets better every year! New Year's Eve will rev it up with live entertainment and fabulous cuisine, as usual. Don't miss the best, most family-oriented get-together spot in the West for those holiday memories!

At the Home Ranch, sleigh rides, horseback riding, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, tubing and adventures in Steamboat Springs await those willing to brave the crowds and come west for a dude ranch vacation at Christmas. The Home Ranch has a long history of hosting families for Christmas and New Years and this year is no exception. The Home Ranch will open for the winter December 18, 2009. During the holiday season we ask for a five night stay. Most folks typically return home after Christmas on the 26th or 27th. This allow new folks to join us for the New Year beginning the 26th or 27th and stay through the 2nd of January.

New DRA Ranch Members

Membership in the Dude Ranchers' Association is not automatic. Dude ranches applying for membership go through a rigorous two year inspection and approval process. It includes an application fee, a detailed written application, references from former guests, an appearance before the board of directors and on-site inspections during operations. These inspections focus on safety, livestock management and hospitality industry standards for all aspects of the ranch. Approximately 70% of the ranches that apply meet the high standards of the association and go on to become members.

Once accepted, ranches go through a year of probationary membership during which they undergo a second on-site inspection. Only after a satisfactory second inspection are they admitted to full membership. Once a full member, all ranches are accredited every five years.

At the 2009 Fall Board of Directors Meeting, there were seven ranches accepted on probationary status. The following ranches are in the first year of our two year application process. They are:
Hidden Meadow Guest Ranch, Arizona
4UR Ranch, Colorado
Zapata Ranch, Colorado
Lonesome Spur Ranch, Montana
Lazy E-L Ranch, Montana
K Diamond K Ranch, Washington
Red Reflet Guest Ranch, Wyoming

There were also seven new ranches accepted for full membership into the DRA. They are:
Rowse’s 1+1 Ranch, Nebraska
Red Horse Mountain Ranch, Idaho
Bar W Ranch, Montana
Covered Wagon Ranch, Montana
Geronimo Trails Ranch, New Mexico
Crossed Sabres Ranch, Wyoming
Rancho de los Caballeros, Arizona

The Dude Ranchers' Association has been preserving western ranch vacations by establishing and maintaining strict standards, while protecting the land and wildlife for over 80 years - We encourage you to “Ride the West with the Best!”

Vista Verde - Dude Ranch for the Holidays in Colorado

Check out this little article about the Vista Verde Ranch on About.com: Family Vacations

http://travelwithkids.about.com/od/christmasholidays/ss/happy_holidays_7.htm

Who's Cooking your Thanksgiving dinner?

Avoid the cold weather this winter season and spend Thanksgiving at one of these great Arizona Dude Ranches...Here is what just a few of our ranches offer for the Holiday season!

Crisp mountain air and a gourmet Thanksgiving dinner – that's what it's all about at Hidden Meadow Ranch. Our culinary team is cooking up a real feast, including:
• Cider-glazed turkey with applewood-smoked bacon
• Maple bourbon-glazed ham
• Cornbread and sage dressing
• Roasted butternut squash soup
• Homemade pumpkin pie
• And much, much more.
You'll just gobble it up! And if you're staying at the Ranch, don't forget our famous "Leftovers in the Loft." It's a great evening social gathering with football and those creative leftovers you usually only get at home ... in our living room without the dishes!

Thanksgiving is our favorite holiday here at Rancho De La Osa. Good food, great wine and the opportunity to see old friends and make new ones is always a pleasure. In fact, we have a few seats left at our Thanksgiving feast. Pack up the family, invite your friends and spend your holiday with us! Don't forget to ask for our Thanksgiving Special --Book 4 Nights and receive the 5th Night Free. Rancho De La Osa was established as a guest ranch on Thanksgiving Day 1923. We will be celebrating our 86th Season on Thanksgiving!

At Grapevine Canyon Ranch we kick off the holiday season a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner, with tasty slices being carved off the turkeys, and all the traditional trimming - pies and cakes and over-eating. Christmas brings a festively decorated lodge, with stockings hanging off the fireplace mantel, a big Christmas tree inside, and a Christmas tree fashioned from a decorated century plant loaded with baskets of bird seed for the feathered friends outside. And along with all that eating? Great horseback rides in fabulous mountain country, the long ago haunt of the Chiricahua Apaches, through the trails of history and romance. Come visit us! e-mail info@gcranch.com

Snowmobiling at the Rich Ranch a Montana Guest Ranch

Visit North Fork Ranch at the Grand Opening of the Orvis Store in Cleveland!!

Karen May, owner of North Fork Ranch & Fishing Lodge, Orvis Endorsed, will have a table set up within the Orvis store in Woodmere, Ohio this weekend! This is their Grand Opening but far from it for North Fork... North Fork Ranch & Fishing Lodge will be celebrating their 25th year in 2010! Don't miss out! Stop in... visit with Karen...enjoy the Grand Opening of the Orvis Store in Cleveland, Ohio AND have the chance to register & win a Free Helios Rod along with Two Nights Lodging at North Fork Ranch & Fishing Lodge! Karen will have raffle tickets available at her table for you to enter the contest. Please stop by and visit her.
You will find the store hours and when Karen will be there, as well as the store location below:

Friday, Nov. 6th 10am-4pm
Saturday, Nov. 7th 10am-4pm
Sunday, Nov. 8th 12pm-3pm

Orvis Cleveland
28839 Chagrin Boulevard
Woodmere, OH 44122

Packaged valued at over $1,200.00

**Contest Rules: Minimum three nights lodging for one. Tax, gratuity, meals, additional people, guide & rod fee are extra. Only eligible to win by registering at the Orvis Grand Opening in Cleveland, Ohio**