Dude Ranches – What to Look for
Dude ranches in their purest form are places where guests are part of a ranch family and share in the lives and the tasks of the ranchers who own it. That relationship between guest and rancher was one of the most important aspects of the holiday and was often a pleasure for both. Usually the ranch was, to a great extent, self-sufficient, raising its own horses, providing its own meat from its cattle and sheep, serving trout caught from its streams and lakes, offering chickens and eggs from its poultry and growing its own vegetables from its garden. The main lodge and cabins, built from ranch logs, should be heated by wood stoves fueled by ranch trees. Thus, our ancestors lived and that kind of life brings one in contact with the basics of existence and takes us back to our origins. There is enormous satisfaction in being independent enough to produce most of one’s own needs and not have to buy steak and potatoes at the store.
Tastes have changed over the last century and most people have become farther and farther removed from nature and the source of their food. Now most “dude ranches” have become resorts with tennis courts, swimming pools and bars. They are usually owned by wealthy absentees or corporations. The old time contact between rancher and guest is mainly a thing of the past. In any case most dude ranches are not ranches anymore and do not raise cattle. The horses they use are seldom raised on the ranch and are often rented for the season. The food served all comes from the store and the accommodations are more like a Holiday Inn than a rustic log cabin. Americans have lost their roots!
