Area Attractions: Specialty Weeks at Dude Ranches

 

Want to go on a dude ranch vacation, but you’re wanting more than the regular activities? Do you have a special hobby or interest you would like to make a vacation out of? Is there anything you’ve always wanted to try but never had the chance? Well, we’ve got just the ticket! Many of our dude ranches offer specialty weeks of all kinds – from culinary experiences, musical events, and horsemanship workshops, to health and wellness retreats.

Big Sky Cowgirls – Women’s Only Week! AUGUST 14TH – 21ST, 2022 CIRCLE BAR RANCH – MONTANA Escape to the mountains for a special ladies’ program at the Circle Bar Guest Ranch. At 5000’, the Circle Bar features some of the best of Montana’s summer weather. Meet new friends, adventure on horseback, learn new skills, and relax in the fresh mountain air.   Your stay includes a margarita welcome party, daily horseback riding, sport shooting and archery, horsemanship instruction and demos, a cowboy poetry show, and more. Some special highlights will include a half-day ride into the Helena-Lewis & Clark National Forest with a lunch break in the wilderness, an obstacle course for you and your horse to try, and an off-road/hiking trip to local caves!

Cattle Drive and Covered Wagons AUGUST 28TH – SEPTEMBER 3RD, 2022 SEPTEMBER 4TH – 10TH, 2022 BAR W RANCH – MONTANA Join us for a beautiful riding vacation, an adventurous cattle round-up, and a time filled with lasting memories. The 2022 Cattle Drive will take place entirely on a 5,300-acre ranch on the East side of Glacier National Park with Big Sky views like no other. You will be picked up at the airport and shuttled to the cattle drive ranch. You will not only move the cattle, but you will rope, brand, inoculate, and castrate the calves. You will enjoy beautiful rides across the rolling hills while viewing the majestic Glacier mountains in the background. If you are lucky, you will see the wild horses running at full speed across the fields. It is a vacation like no other! In the evenings after a delicious and filling dinner, you will enjoy sitting around the campfire with a beer and getting to know your fellow riders. We might throw a couple of games at you too – expect lots of fun and laughter! We will return you to the Kalispell airport on Saturday morning. From there you can either fly home or book the following week at the Bar W Ranch in Whitefish.

The Ultimate Western Lifestyle Photography Workshop OCTOBER 13TH – 16TH, 2022 WESTERN PLEASURE RANCH – IDAHO Join us for a memorable Western Lifestyle Photography workshop in the beautiful mountains of Northern Idaho in the Fall. We will take advantage of the natural beauty of the area during prime Fall color and the gorgeous light North Idaho has to offer while photographing authentic cowboys and cowgirls on this fifth-generation ranch. You will be fully immersed in the western lifestyle while you stay and photograph everything our Western Lifestyle has to offer.

Bourbon Week SEPTEMBER 11TH – 15TH, 2022 RAWAH RANCH – COLORADO Our famous Bourbon Week is back again this year. Try out a variety of bourbons curated for quality, many of which will be included in gourmet foods and meals by our talented chefs throughout the week. Expand your bourbon knowledge by talking with the local purveyors and enjoy the locally produced options, with a few of our interesting favorites thrown in too. From days of horseback riding and fishing to evenings of excellent liquor tastings, it’s a wonderful week to unwind and enjoy.

Living Unbridled Retreats AUGUST 21ST – 25TH & AUGUST 28TH – SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2022 SYLVAN DALE RANCH – COLORADO OCTOBER 23RD – 26TH, 2022 ALISAL GUEST RANCH – CALIFORNIA The Unbridled Retreat™ will give you the clarity, confidence and courage to move from the path you “should” be on, to the one your heart craves. You’ll experience transformative interactions with horses, facilitated by globally recognized Equine Coach, Devon Combs, and bond with a supportive group of women.