The "Modern" Dude Ranch Experience

As they developed, guest ranching has developed some certain common characteristics.

The ranch is the year-round home of the owner, where the visitor is considered a guest of the family.
The ranch is located in the western states or provinces, in a location remote from crowded areas, with the sights and pleasures of the west
The ranch offers food, rustic lodging, and horseback riding, most often packaged at one price (i.e., the American Plan), with reservations required.
The main activities of the ranch are riding, hiking, sightseeing, and simple relaxation; some, usually in the north, still offer hunting and fishing.
The key ingredient of the ranch is its atmosphere, informal in manners and dress, a genuine hospitality, with guests known on a first name basis.

The Dude Ranch Experience Compared to the large Theme Park, Amusement Park or Cruise

Modern dude ranches provide a quiet alternative to the theme or amusement park. Learn about working at a theme park, including Disney careers, in another section of JobMonkey.

Imagine a vacation experience where:

There are no crowds
There are no lines - We never make our guests wait! Never!
The rides are on real, live, not plastic animals
Guests don't need to pull out their wallets to pay for something every few hours
Guests are not surprised by unexpected hidden expenses
Guests are thought of as "friends of the family."
The view is not acres of asphalt and concrete parking lots, and thousands of people standing in those ever-snaking lines, but unbelievably beautiful vistas of snow covered mountain peaks, horses running in pasture, the goats playing behind the lodge
Cowboys and Cowgirls are real people not fake fiberglass heads
Instead of sitting passively and having things done to them, guests actually participate and interact – we used to call this "play"
Imagine having fun and getting dirty, really dirty, and tired - this applies to both guests and staff!
Guests eat healthy food – nothing deep fried or "supersized"
Kids are safe - an atmosphere where mom can turn her back for a few minutes (or a few hours!) - and not worry about her kids' safety.

Dude Ranches (What are they?) >>>