Colorado Dude Ranch Association

You undoubtedly looked us up because
you are interested in a vacation with a flavor of the Old West...

Learn About Ranches
Activities
Horses
Cattle
Children
Accommodations
Food
Typical Week
Other Seasons

Click here to view a video of some activities catered especially to children!

There is no better vacation for a family with children than a dude ranch. Each member ranch has a unique program for the younger cowboys and cowgirls. You will want to explore this diversity of programs to find one that fits your needs. Some children's programs start with infants and work their way right up through teen programs tuned for each age group. Other ranches don't even accept children below a certain age. All our ranches employ trained, qualified counselor s who know how to make the day fun (and maybe even a bit educational). Activities include leaning more about horses and riding, gold panning, building and floating wooden boats, archery, campfire-building, and playing in the pool. Often times, kids go on their own trail rides or are taken to a nearby hot springs pool or other children's attraction. One ranch takes kids to a candy factory in a nearby old mining town.

Ask about the duration of the daily program, whether kids share meals with their parents or with their new friends, the degree to which the family participates in activities and riding together, and whether or not there will be the opportunity for mom and dad to have a quiet meal alone at some point in the week. We have no doubt that you'll find the perfect match for your family's tastes.

By the end of the week, guests are friends, they know the staff by name, and no one wants to leave. There is always one more trail to ride, one more fish to catch, one more vista just begging for contemplation. It's one reason so many folks come back year after year to experience again the mountain magic found at a Colorado dude and guest ranch.