If looking for a memorable place tobook a family reunion, look no fur-

ther than Wyoming’s dude ranches. Theopportunities are endless.

Featuring abundant grasslands, spec-tacular mountains, canyons and deserts,Wyoming’s natural beauty is picture-perfect and world-renowned. The stateis home to two national parks and twonational monuments that draw touristsby the millions. Yellowstone NationalPark is known around the world for its

hot springs, geyser activity and glacialice forms. Grand Teton National Parkboasts the jagged Teton Range Moun-tains with some peaks soaring over amile and a half. Devils Tower NationalMonument is a stump-shaped rock for-mation that rises 1,280 feet. Fossil ButteNational Monument features brightlycolored fossil beds at the base of a bluffthat rises more than 7,500 feet above sealevel. Along with these noted landmarksare countless national forests and rivers

that provide settings for the duderanches in Wyoming.

“It’s all about history, hats, horses andhospitality. Experience the West in truecowboy country.” That’s the slogan forthe Wyoming Dude Ranchers Associa-tion, founded in 1926. Dude ranches,also known as guest ranches, are typi-cally family-owned and -operated. Theyprovide tourists the opportunity to ex-perience life in the West. Horsebackriding, fishing, hiking and cattle driving

WyomingDude RanchGetawaysWestern-style fun awaits buckaroos of all ages on family reunions in the Cowboy State

on location: west � heather lee

Saddle up for adventure

at a family-friendly

Wyoming ranch retreat.Wyoming Office of Tourism

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60 April 2011 LeisureGroupTravel.com

are a few of the activities available to suitevery age range at a reunion.

No two Wyoming dude ranches arethe same. One ranch that specializes infamily reunions is Medicine BowLodge and Guest Ranch, located 22miles from Saratoga. Medicine Bow sitsat approximately 8,500 feet in theSnowy Range of the Rocky Mountainsin Medicine Bow National Forest. Anewly refurbished lodge features vin-tage log walls, a stone fireplace andseating for as many as 30, with spacesfor games and entertainment. Cabinsare also available.

The wide range of activities at Med-icine Bow Lodge means no one will beleft out. As owner Debbie Bishop ex-plains, “One of the wonderful amenitiesat our ranch is that we can cater to whatour families desire during their staywith us. A typical day for family re-unions would start off with a breakfastbuffet in the dining room. Then theywould have the choice of horseback rid-ing, hiking, fishing, relaxing in a ham-mock or sitting with loved ones as theyreminisce about the growing-up years.”

Medicine Bow also has eventsplanned every night. Sunday night isgame night, Tuesday dance night,Wednesday a cookout, Thursday en-tertainment night, Friday a rodeo andSaturday night a sunset ride. Activitiesfor children include building with clayand access to a kiln that allows themto take their projects home. Saratoga, a25-minute drive from the lodge, pro-vides golf, fly fishing, museums, spasand shopping in a quaint town. (800-409-5439, medbowlodge.com)

Another ranch known for its chil-dren’s program is Red Rock Ranch.Located just outside Jackson Hole, theRed Rock provides an ideal atmosphere

for families. Available for groups of 28-30, the entire ranch can be bookedto provide a reunion with its own pri-vate paradise. Schedules are customizedfor each group, with such activities ashiking, fishing, swimming and horse-back riding. Guided hiking programsspotlight the scenic landscape withviews of the Teton Mountain range. Aconference center is available for gath-erings and events. Red Rock boasts a70% return guest ratio, with 90% of itsguests being families. (307-733-6288,theredrockranch.com)

The Hideout Lodge and Resortsits on 300,000 acres of land near Shell.While not offering traditional kids’ pro-grams, the Hideout has other special-

ties and takes pride in its lodging andculinary excellence. The Hideout offersa vast array of livestock and diversity ofterrain, as it is one of the biggest andoldest ranches in the area. Open yearround, the Hideout offers winter activ-ities such as riding, snowshoeing andsnowmobiling. Summer diversions in-clude trap shooting, 4x4 riding, fly fish-ing and a local dinosaur dig site.(800-354-8637, thehideout.com)

If booking a large group, try BillCody Ranch in northwestern Wyoming.Located 30 minutes west of Cody and30 minutes east of Yellowstone, theranch includes 16 cabins, a familychalet, executive log homes and a mainlodge capable of handling groups of 60-70 people. Open mid-May throughSeptember, Bill Cody Ranch has 85horses that are available for two-hour,four-hour or all-day rides. All cabinshave TVs and are decorated with mod-ern, Western furnishings. (800-615-2934, billcodyranch.com)

Another ranch that caters to largegroups is Lost Creek Ranch Lodgeand Spa. It is located between GrandTeton National Park and Bridger-Teton National Forest near JacksonHole. The ranch is capable of accom-modating groups up to 55. Horsebackriding, trips to Grand Teton NationalPark, a spa, weight room, and yoga andpilates classes are available. (307-733-3435, lostcreek.com)

The range of activities at Wyomingdude ranches will suit every interest ata family reunion. From horseback rid-ing to hiking, dude ranches providememories that will last a lifetime.Waking up every morning to the sunrising behind the mountains, groupswill remember their Wyoming vaca-tion forever. LGT

on location: west �

Obtain Wyoming

visitor guides

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friendly suppliers

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The jagged peaks of the Teton Range enthrall guests at Lost Creek Ranch.

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