We love so many things about a good old dude ranch: big skies, expansive ranges, worn cowboy boots, wide-brimmed Stetsons, chili recipes slowly cooked in cast iron pots and lots of horses. The dude ranch is a symbol of true cowboy (or cowgirl) culture, an Americana escape perfect for you and your besties. We’re talking about the kind of ranch with perks like spa treatments, scrumptious cuisine, wine tastings and mares ready to be ridden into the sunset. Here are five swanky, yet still wonderfully rustic, dude ranches to saddle up to.
1. The Ranch at Rock Creek, Philipsburg, Montana: Entering into one of the old-timey buildings at the Ranch at Rock Creek will make you feel like you walked back in time (or stepped right into a Ralph Lauren catalog). They sprinkle the day with seductive touches, like the lure of artisan cocktails with hors d’oeuvres each night in the Great Room. The ranch also has a Silver Dollar Saloon that is “equal parts cowboy saloon and luxe club,” which includes a four-lane bowling alley and a private movie theater.
The Granite Spa offers facials (like the Big Sky or Cucumber Cooling Facial), cold stone massages and huckleberry body treatments. If you and the girls don’t feel like you’re totally pulling off the cowgirl look, stock up on Filson bags, Pendleton goodies and customized Lucchese boots at Mountain Sky Mercantile. Giddy up! (Photo via The Ranch at Rock Creek)
2. Mountain Sky, Emigrant, Montana: Sweet Montana huckleberry pancakes, homemade soups, beef tenderloin medallions and homemade cookies that are baked fresh every day are waiting for your taste buds at the Mountain Sky luxury resort. When your crew isn’t riding you can get some zen with yoga (they offer two classes each day), have a massage with hot river rocks and a salt scrub or grab a locally-crafted microbrew at the saloon. After all that, you can retire to your luxurious cabin in the oh-so-rustic surroundings right at the heart of big sky country. (Photo via Mountain Sky)
3. Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort, Solvang, CA: The Alisal, in the Santa Ynez Valley, is a premier guest ranch and luxurious resort right in the middle of Santa Barbara wine country. Their 10,000-acre ranch has 50 miles of riding trails, a 100-acre spring-fed lake, two golf courses, tennis courts, a pool, a spa and a restaurant that specializes in California cuisine. To relax after a long day on the trails, you and the girls can indulge in an aromatherapy massage, soothing facials and/or a body wrap. Plus there’s about 75 wineries nearby, so if your crew likes vino you’re in luck! (Photo via Alisal)
4. Triple Creek Ranch, Darby, Montana: A couple of times a year, the ranch owner, Barbara Barrett, hosts all-girl riding adventures that explore Montana’s Bitterroot Mountain Range. After a day of riding, you can chill in the ranch’s luxurious accommodations, feast on delicious food and sip from their award-winning wine selection including 700 fine wines and champagnes from around the world. They also have a pool, fitness club and a tennis court if you’d like to get your workout on. (Photo via Triple Creek Ranch)
5. Tanque Verde Ranch, Tucson, Arizona: For a desert experience there’s the Tanque Verde Ranch, an old-school dude ranch located on 60,000 acres nestled in the Rincon Mountains next to Saguaro National Park and Coronado National Forest. They specialize in southwest cuisine with unique dining experiences like an old homestead breakfast ride, a Mexican Fiesta Night and their famous ranch BBQ night. Their La Sonora Spa offers a sparkling mimosa body treatment. If you’re feeling like getting fit, they also have tennis and volleyball courts, yoga classes and guided hikes through the desert. (Photo via Tanque Verde Ranch)
Which dude ranch would you like to ride off to? Tweet us @britandco and let us know!
(Featured photo via Getty)
