A Colorado cowgirl and friends


Riders at a Colorado


dude ranch


Association to small-town events where experienced locals compete and there are down-home barbecues and activities just for kids. Well-known rodeo towns include


Beaver Creek, Carbondale, Fraser, Granby, Snowmass and Steamboat Springs. Some of the key venues are included in our list of Annual Events (page 26). If you want to indulge your inner


cowboy – or girl – join a trail ride from one of the Old West communities or, better still, spend a week on a dude ranch. Grand County, about 67 miles north-west of Denver and the self- proclaimed ‘Dude Ranch Capital of the USA’, has its own Dude Ranch Association (www.dude-ranch.com) while guest ranches throughout the


A cowboy in


Denver’s Black American West Museum


state range from upmarket resort-like properties with spas to rustic working ranches where guests help with tasks such as herding sheep and cattle. Trail rides are tailored to your


speed, whether you’re a novice or an experienced equestrian. Other ranch activities may include hiking, river rafting, mountain biking, fl y fi shing, photography, and, in some cases, relaxing in a spa. At the end of the day, guests gather for meals around a communal table, where it’s easy to make new friends from all over


the world. To discover more, visit www.coloradoranch.com


A SELECTION OF GUEST RANCHES


Colorado is home to dozens of dude or guest ranches; these are just a sample, region by region:


The Rocky Mountain National Park area – Estes Park: Wind River Ranch, Peaceful Valley Ranch & Conference Center.


North-west – Clark (near Steamboat Springs): The Home Ranch; Granby: C Lazy U Ranch, Drowsy Water Ranch; Kremmling: Latigo Ranch; Parshall: The Bar Lazy J Guest Ranch; Steamboat Springs: Vista Verde Ranch.


South Central – Buena Vista: Elk Mountain Dude Ranch; Shawnee: North Fork Ranch; Nathrop: Deer Valley Ranch.


South-west – Crawford: The Smith Fork Ranch; Durango: Colorado Trails Ranch; Gunnison: Waunita Hot Springs Ranch; Mancos: Echo Basin Guest Ranch.


www.colorado.com » 13


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