Getting There 

Grand County is located about 90 miles west of Denver and is home to six dude ranches, which allows it to call itself the “Dude Ranch Capital of the USA.” If you fly into Denver, the easiest and most cost effective transportation option is to rent a car. That also gives you the flexibility to head into town for supplies (such as Ben Gay for those muscles you rarely use hailing a cab in the city), to spend a free afternoon hiking at nearby Rocky Mountain National Park or for a nightcap at one of the local watering holes.

Tips for Choosing the Right Ranch

The ranches we visited had been recommended to us, but how do you know which ranch will be right for your family? Plug “dude ranch” into Google and you get 1.22 million results for ranches from Arizona to Montana, California to Georgia.

Barry and Elena Lessin of Chicago have been going to dude ranches for more than 15 years, since before they had kids. Now they head west with Jakob, 8, Ava, 6, and their baby, Milly, in tow. They’ve learned a few things along the way and offer these tips:

• Narrow the list by choosing the state you want to visit—dude ranches abound west of the Mississippi, but there are many east of it, too.
• If you’re traveling with kids, decide how much family togetherness you crave. Some ranches have programs that keep kids occupied all day. Others ensure plenty of family togetherness.
• Think about the food. Do you want gourmet dinners? Cookouts around the campfire? A little of both?
• Decide whether your kids will be able to live without a pool—these aren’t necessarily luxury resorts and pools are not a standard option. Dude ranches generally are about getting hot and dusty on the trail, not wet and sunburned around the pool.
• Check out the kids’ programs. Does the ranch have an age limit? Ask about options for kids considered too young to ride the trails.