Looking to get away from the house for a week or two? Need a vacation to help you let some steam off? If so, you should consider vacationing at a wilderness ranch.
Ranch vacations provide a number of benefits, and have the potential to be some of the most memorable experiences of a person’s life. Wondering why exactly you should go on a dude ranch vacation? Then keep on reading!
Here are the top reasons to go on a wilderness ranch vacation!
It Will Expose You to a Bevy of Beautiful Views
Wilderness ranches exist, well, in the wilderness. They’re in extremely rural areas, far away from the stresses and movement of cities and suburbs. As such, they’re not impaired by modern nuisances; they’re encompassed completely by the beauty of nature.
What does this mean? It means beautiful views in every direction you look. Whether it is a deep, green forest, a sprawling prairie, a staggering mountainside, a running river, or some of the bluest skies you’ve ever laid eyes on, you’re bound to be exposed to some unforgettable views.
There aren’t a lot of places in the world where you can still view nature in this way. Dude ranches offer a glimpse of the old world and allow you to bask in it for the duration of the time you spend on them.
It Will Provide You With Tons of Peace and Quiet
Some people like a loud and raucous vacation. Others are trying to get away from the loud and raucous aspects of the world. If you belong to the latter group, you should strongly consider a stay at a ranch.
Wilderness ranches are surrounded by nothing but nature. Some are located literal miles away from the closest signs of civilization. It doesn’t get any quieter than that.
Of course, there are animals on ranches. However, the vast majority of the time, they go about their business silently. And any noises you do hear from these animals will be heard in the distance, adding to the overall ambiance of the environment.
So, if it is peace and quiet you seek, head out to a dude ranch for a week or two. It could be just the sonic break you need.
It Will Offer a Friendly Atmosphere
Another reason to go on a wilderness ranch vacation is that it will offer a friendly atmosphere. See, dude ranches are typically owned by family and friends. They’re not faceless corporations but highly personal small businesses.
Generally speaking, when you vacation at a wilderness ranch, you’ll be treated like one of the typical group. You’ll receive the utmost hospitality and spoken to as if you were a long-time friend.
In fact, you might even be able to forge friendships with people working on the ranch. Many of these individuals live on their respective ranches full-time and so see vacationers as visitors as opposed to tourists.
So if it’s good vibes and fellowship you seek, consider a ranch vacation. Few other types of vacations offer this level of sisterhood or brotherhood.
It Will Supply You With a Wide Variety of Fun Activities
Vacationing at a ranch isn’t just about sitting in a chair and hiking all day long. Luxury wilderness ranches offer a wide variety of activities for their guests to partake in. This makes them a great option for the whole family.
While specifics vary from ranch to ranch, some of the activities you might find at a wilderness ranch include:
Horseback Riding
Horseback riding is an incredibly common activity at wilderness ranches. Most ranches are home to horses as they are. With all of the space they provide, it’s natural that guests to the ranch would be allowed to ride on the horses.
And you don’t need to be a seasoned rider. You’ll be sure to have a guide to assist you throughout the ride.
Target Shooting
Some ranches provide target shooting opportunities. This could involve BB guns or legitimate firearms, not to mention paintball guns and the like. From stationary targets to moving clays and everything in between, there’s almost certain to be opportunities to work on your aim.
Geo-Caching
Geo-caching is an activity wherein you use a GPS device to find hidden items. It’s sort of like a digital scavenger hunt, and it’s tons of fun to partake in. While not all ranches provide geo-caching opportunities, many do.
Hiking
Ranches are usually seismic in their land coverage. As such, they tend to provide ample hiking opportunities. So, if you like going for walks out in nature, give a wilderness ranch vacation some consideration.
Mountain Biking
Not only do wilderness ranches provide hiking opportunities but, in many cases, they provide mountain biking opportunities as well. Most ranches offer a variety of terrains for you to ride on. So, pack up your bike and get ready to ride.
Fishing
Oftentimes, fishing is on the menu at wilderness ranches as well. Of course, this requires a ranch with a body of water. Note, however, that most wilderness ranches do, in fact, have lakes and/or rivers and streams running through them.
Archery
In addition to gun-shooting activities, wilderness ranches often offer archery activities as well. So, if you’re interested in trying a bow and arrow, give some consideration to a dude ranch vacation.
Tubing
On wilderness ranches containing rivers, tubing is often an option. You can float lazily down the river while taking in the sites and drinking a beverage or two.
Boating
From canoeing to kayaking to pedal-boating and more, if there’s a body of water on the ranch, there’s sure to be boating opportunities available. You can float around lazily or put max effort into the endeavor; it’s your vacation to do what you want to do.
Swimming
Some ranches have swimming pools on the premises. Others have lakes or ponds. Regardless of what wilderness ranch you end up at, there’s almost certainly some sort of swimming option available to you.
ATV Riding
Some dude ranches provide opportunities to ride ATVs or 4-wheelers. They might even have trails prepared. This is a good way to get your adrenaline pumping during your stay.
It Will Give You Ample Lodging Options
When you vacation at a ranch, you’re not relegated to a specific type of lodging option. In most cases, you have a variety of options available to you.
Want to go camping? You’re sure to have room available to you. Whether you’re sleeping in a tent, a camper, or an RV, the ranch you’re visiting can likely accommodate you. In fact, some ranches even provide glamping.
Want to stay in a cabin? Many ranches provide this option as well, including everything from rustic cabins to high-end options.
Maybe you want an air conditioned room with all of the modern amenities? Again, a wilderness vacation ranch can accommodate you.
In essence, you don’t need to be worried about your lodging. Regardless of the type of lodging you enjoy, you’ll be comfortable.
It Will Take You Off the Grid for a While
Another plus to vacationing at a dude ranch is that you’ll get to be off the grid for a while. See, dude ranches are typically out in the middle of nowhere. As such, some of them get poor or no cell phone service.
Now, you could view this as a negative. However, a week spent away from the overwhelm of texts and social media could be just what you need to reset your brain.
This could be extremely beneficial for families, and it could force kids to interact with their families without any distractions. It could open up bonding opportunities that you simply don’t get with other types of vacations.
It Could Bring You in Close Contact to a Number of Other Awesome Places
While wilderness ranches are, indeed, located out in the wilderness, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t cool places in close proximity to them. This is true in some cases. However, in other cases, there are all sorts of cool things located in fairly close proximity.
For instance, some vacation dude ranches are located in close proximity to National Parks. You could stay at a dude ranch in Wyoming and easily make a day’s jaunt off to Yellowstone National Park, for example.
Or, you might find a ranch located within close proximity of the Grand Canyon, or Zion National Park in Utah. The possibilities are endless here.
In other words, you don’t have to think of a dude ranch vacation as a stationary trip in which you just stay in one place the entire time. You should look at this vacation as an opportunity to take in an entire region.
It Could Expose You to New Experiences
It’s not just cool new places that a ranch vacation could bring you in close proximity to; it’s cool new experiences as well. For instance, maybe you’ve never been to a rodeo. If not, a ranch vacation could give you the opportunity to experience your first.
Perhaps you’ve never been in a hot air balloon? Odds are, considering the wilderness conditions of a dude ranch, that there are hot air balloon rides available nearby.
There might also be things like wildlife preservations near you. There could also be historical sites such as battlegrounds and old settlements.
In essence, a vacation to a dude ranch takes you out of your normal setting and gives you a chance to experience things you never would have gotten to experience otherwise.
It Could Enable You to See New Wildlife
Wilderness ranches are truly rural. They’re out in the proverbial sticks, far away from other signs of human civilization.
What this means is that, generally speaking, they’re surrounded by wild animals. So, if you’re interested in seeing wild animals in their natural habitat, you should strongly consider vacationing at a ranch.
You might come across bears, elk, foxes, pronghorns, bison, moose, deer, and a variety of other wildlife. You’re also sure to see unique birds.
Of course, the wildlife available to you is dependent on the location of the ranch you’re visiting. In any case, if you want the best chance of seeing the wildlife in that general area, staying at a ranch would be ideal.
Whether it’s through hiking, riding ATVs, or simply sitting on the porch early in the morning, you’re bound to come across wild animals at some point during your trip.
You’ll Have Some of the Best Meals of Your Life
You’re going to have to eat while you’re vacationing. Fortunately, wilderness ranches tend to go above and beyond in this department, providing their guests with some of the best meals they’ve ever eaten in their entire lives.
From barbecued ribs to fish fries to endless buffets and more, your wilderness ranch is sure to accommodate your tastes. Of course, results vary when it comes to food. Just be sure to find a ranch that meets your dietary preferences.
A Wilderness Ranch Vacation Could Be Just What You Need
When it comes down to it, a wilderness ranch vacation could be just what you need. Not only will it offer beautiful views but a relaxing atmosphere and a bevy of fun activities and experiences as well. So, find a luxury dude ranch within a reasonable distance and start planning your vacation.
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