For the first time in three years, reservations for dude ranch vacations are up this year, an increase that the Dude Ranch Association says bodes well for its 100-plus member ranches.
Said Colleen Hodson, executive director:
“Most of our DRA member ranches are reporting reservations way ahead of normal for the 2005 season.”
While most dude ranches offer traditional western activities, such as horseback riding and fishing, she said guests may be pleasantly surprised at the wide range of additional activities. These can include massages, hot tubs, white water rafting, mountain biking and wildflower tours.
The DRA has been in existence since 1926. The association’s original membership of 35 ranches in the Yellowstone area has grown to 100 members in a dozen western states and two Canadian provinces.
Report by David Wilkening
