The Gros Ventre Mountains and Grand Teton National Park tower over the Gros Ventre River Ranch / Dude Ranchers’ Association

Editor's note: The following is an advertiser-sponsored article from the Essential Park Guide Fall 2018.

Dude and Guest Ranch Vacations go hand-in-hand, and as ecotourism is becoming more popular than ever, the Dude Ranchers’ Association’s dude and guest ranches stand as the pioneers of green living and green vacations. At a guest ranch you can reconnect with nature in some of the country’s most tranquil, pristine national parks and national forests.

Glacier National Park in Montana is one of the 20 largest national parks in the United States. There is a DRA ranch located within an easy drive of the park, which is known for its abundance of wildlife and more than 700 miles of hiking trails. A day trip to Glacier National Park from the Bar W Guest Ranch is highly recommended. Western Pleasure Ranch in Idaho is a beautiful 200-mile drive to Glacier, across scenic northern Montana. Inside the park you’ll find six peaks rising more than 10,000 feet! So, the next time you’re looking for a destination before or after your stay at the Western Pleasure Guest Ranch, consider the majestic Glacier National Park.

Geronimo Trails Ranch is located in the middle of the Gila National Forest in New Mexico in some of the most beautiful, untouched country in the United States. From deep canyons to mountain tops, ponderosa forests to beautiful open meadows, the Gila National Forest has it all! It won’t be hard to figure out why New Mexico is called the Land of Enchantment.

If Yellowstone National Park or Grand Teton National Park is on your bucket list, there is no better way to experience all they have to offer than while staying at a dude ranch. Gros Ventre River Ranch is only 12 miles from the entrance into Grand Teton National Park, where you can hike the canyons, canoe Jenny Lake, or bike to secluded streams. Just ask your hosts and they will direct you to their favorite spots- Cascade Canyon and Inspiration Point above Jenny Lake.

The Hideout Ranch located two hours east of Yellowstone Park gives you the opportunity to enjoy all the park has to offer yet gives you a place to come back to after a long day of sight-seeing, a place where you can relax and have an amazing dinner. Who knows, you might even spot some wild horses outside of Cody, Wyoming, on your way back to the ranch. Eatons’ Ranch, located in beautiful Sheridan, Wyoming, is four hours from Yellowstone. You will travel over the amazing Big Horn Mountains to the Rodeo Capital of the world, Cody. From there it is short hour drive to the East Entrance of Yellowstone Park on a highway Teddy Roosevelt referred to as “the most scenic 50 miles in the world.”

Colorado has some pretty spectacular scenery, and Rocky Mountain National Park might hold the best. Wind River Ranch is blessed to have the park as its front- and backyard. It is an honor for them that their dude ranch has one of just a few horse concessioners permits and the only kayak concessioner permit for Rocky Mountain National Park.

Sylvan Dale Ranch is just a short drive away from Rocky Mountain National Park and Estes Park. Plan for a 35-45-minute scenic drive up the Big Thompson Canyon. Several weeks during the typical summer “dude season” their guests will elect an optional guided tour to the national park. A typical route is up the Big Thompson to Drake and then up the North Fork of the “Big T” to Estes Park on Devil’s Gulch Road, entering the park near the historic MacGregor Ranch and the worldrenowned Stanley Hotel.

In Northern Colorado, Rawah Ranch is located in one of the most scenic and unspoiled valleys in North America. Experience spectacular fly fishing on private waters, backcountry horseback rides, cookouts under the stars, sing-alongs, square dancing and more.

A dude ranch vacation in the Rockies, with a trip from Bar W Ranch to nearby Glacier National Park, leaves indelible memories / Dude Ranchers’ Association

If the desert holds a special place in your heart, Elkhorn Ranch in Arizona lies an hour’s drive south from Tucson in the wide-open working landscape of the Altar Valley. When you look south you’ll see triangular Baboquivari Peak, sacred to the Tohono O’odham Nation and a landmark visible from throughout the Altar Valley. Be sure to visit the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum on the edge of Saguaro National Park, along Kinney Road—our favorite place to send Elkhorn Ranch visitors. You can dive into the natural history of the Sonoran Desert as you wander through the museum’s lovely gardens and naturally designed wildlife exhibits. Visit Kitt Peak National Observatory and San Xavier del Bac Mission, too!

Stagecoach Trails Ranch in Yucca, Arizona, is only 1.5 hours from Grand Canyon National Park’s West Rim. The rim is a perfect destination for a day trip from the ranch. Located on the Hualapai Indian Reservation, you will get to experience true Native American culture and can even venture out on the Grand Canyon Skywalk, a glass walkway that looks straight down into the abyss. The ranch is only three hours from Grand Canyon’s South Rim.

Whatever season you choose to visit a national park, as you can see, a dude ranch is the perfect way to have a family friendly home base while exploring all the natural beauty the West has to offer!

For more information contact The Dude Ranchers Association at www.duderanch.org.